second bridge. Here again they encountered a serious opposition, but their numbers were so overwhelming, that it was thought advisable to call back Colonel Shrieve to the brigade. General Greene had at this time taken a position on the high grounds, about a mile above the town, where he waited for the enemy to of fer general battle; but having gained the town, and set fire to the houses, their object was accomplished, and they returned again to Elizabethtown. The whole village was burned with the exception of four houses; but they paid dearly for their inglorious expedition. The militia behaved with the gallantry, and firmness of veterans, and pursued the retreating enemy, as before, until they entered Elizabethtown. They remained but a few hours here, passing on to Elizabethtown Point, and thence on the same night to Staten Island, as if afraid of the vengeance which had roused the country against them.

Thus terminated, for the season, the enterprises of the enemy against New Jersey, in which they seem to have moved with the caution of robbers, determined to enter into no contest which promised a trial of their strength. If they had nothing further in view, in their second exploit, than the conflagration of Springfield, having atained it, they may be called a victorious army, but the victory was one of which they dared not boast, and which only served to convince them, that the reputed misfortunes of our southern army, the long sufferings and hardships of that in the north, and the unceasing cruelties and oppressions practised upon the people every where, so far from having sunk their minds into an abject and willing embrace of vassalage, as had been expected, had only roused them to greater vigour of exertions, and awak

ened them to a more determined resistance. This spirit in the American soldiers and people, was hailed by their commander, as the presage of future success : he seized the propitious moment to impress with his own hopes, and to cherish by every means in his power their growing zeal. The endeavours of Washington were seconded by Congress, who wrote impressive letters to the governments of the several states, calling upon them, in terms well calculated to excite the emulation of their respective citizens, to furnish their quotas and enable the commander in chief by one decisive blow, to finish the long contest, in the final establishment of independence. A new spirit seemed to animate every bosom, or rather there appeared to be a revival of the feelings of 1776. In this race of patriotism, the ladies of Philadelphia stepped forth in the foremast ranks. They formed an association for the purpose of raising by private subscription, a fund for the service of the army, and so active and assiduous were their exertions, that their collections amounted to a considerable sum, which they themselves presented to the soldiers. Their example was followed in other states, and the people every where, ashamed of the indifference with which they had looked upon the dangers and distresses of their country seemed resolved no longer to withhold the assistance it was in their power to give.

In the midst of these animating prospects, the succours from France which had been promised through the Marquis de la Fayette, arrived at Rhode Island. The fleet under the command of the Chevalier de Ternay, consisted of two ships of 80 guns, one of 74, four of 64, two frigates of 40, and a cutter of 20, besides a bomb and hospital ship, and 32 transports ;

the land forces, about 6000 men, were under the command of Lieutenant General Count de Rochambeau. Their arrival at Newport, on the 10th of July, was greeted by the citizens with every demonstration of joy; the town was illuminated, and when the troops landed on the 11th, they were met by Major General Heath, and placed in possession of the posts and batteries on the island. A committee of the General Assembly of the state, a few days afterwards, waited upon the Admiral and Lieutenant General, with compliments and congratulations on their arrival. The Count Rochambeau gave them the glad intelligence, that his army was but the vanguard of a much larger force, which it was the intention of his Christian Majesty to send to the aid of his allies. Of his own troops he said, they were under the strictest discipline, and as they would be under the orders of Washington, they wound live with the Americans as brethren, and that as brethren their lives and his own should be devoted to their service. On the same day, the Marquis de la Fayette arrived from head quarters with the congratulations of Washington, and information to the Count concerning the movements of the enemy. Washington had prepared the army for the most friendly reception of the allies, by general orders issued a few days previous to their arrival, in which he spoke of their generosity and magnanimity, and concluded with recommending that the officers should unite the white and black in their cockades.

The arrival of the French fleet was followed, in a few days, by the arrival of Admiral Graves at NewYork from England, with six sail of the line, which with those already there under Admiral Arbuthnot, gave so decided a superiority to the English, that they

determined to enter immediately upon offensive operations, in conjunction with the army. They proceeded with this view to Rhode Island; but the French had been so expeditious in placing the fortifications in a state of defence, that an attack upon them by sea was deemed impracticable, and Sir Henry Clinton concluded upon a joint attack by sea and land. The Admiral expressed objections to this measure, but having at length given his reluctant concurrence, 6000 men were embarked, and the transports proceeded as far as Huntington Bay. Here the mutual jealousies of the two commanders broke out into open disagreement; their measures were mutually canvassed with asperity and warmth of temper, and it appeared evident that neither was inclined to enter heartily into the schemes of the other. Thus situated, Sir Henry Clinton thought it adviseable to abandon his design upon Rhode Island, and return with his troops to New York; a determination which in the end proved most fortunate for him, as Washington intending to profit by his absence, had crossed the North River with a large body of troops, and advanced as far as Kingsbridge. Nor did this movement of the American commander at all interfere with the defences of Rhode Island; for on the first rumour of a design on the part of the enemy to attack it, the militia advanced in considerable numbers to its succour, and it is probable Sir Henry would have met with a severe disappointment if he had proceeded in his design.

The sudden return of Sir Henry with his army to New York, frustrated Washington's intention, and compelled him to halt. He had in the mean time, detached General Wayne, with two Pennsylvania brigades, and Moyland's regiment of dragoons, to bring

off a number of cattle and horses fim Bergen Neck, and to destroy a block house which had been erected there by a party of refugees. Wayne reached the place on the 20th July, and having charged the cavalry with the task of driving off the stock, and made such dispositions as to ensure a safe retreat, proceeded to attack the block house. He found it encircled with an abbatis and stockade, which made the storming it a dangerous enterprise, and he therefore opened his field pieces upon it; but they were too light to produce any effect. A galling fire, in the mean time, was kept up from the house, which determined two of the regiments rashly to adventure a storm. They rushed boldly through the abbatis, but finding it impracticable to force an entrance, they were obliged to retire with considerable loss; and the General returned with only half his object accomplished.

When Washington formed the design of attacking New-York, he seemed desirous that General Arnold should take a conspicuous part in the command; but that unfortunate victim of dissipation, vanity and extravagance, had already entered into that correspondence with the enemy, which soon ended in open perfidy and treason of the most unpardonable nature. The integrity of Washington's own heart, made him slow to perceive or suspect the treachery of others, and when Arnold feigned an indisposition that would disqualify him for the activity which such a command required, and solicited to be sent to West Point, the key to all our strength on the North River, Washington did not hesitate to excuse him from the one command, and confer upon him the other. Washington, in the mean time, stopped in the execution of his project against New-York, as has been said, retired with the