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American troops that were retreating before the enemy and received it as his opinion that she might stay in her own house with safty, as there would be no firing in the streets. Thus armed with the advice of her husband, and of Col. Dayton, Mrs. Caldwell felt herself secure in a room in her own house, with her children collected about her, and her maid seated by her side, holding her infant in her arms; when the enemy entered the town, and a soldier thrust his gun into the window of Mrs. Caldwell's apartment, and shot her dead instantly. Humanity felt the shock and stood appalled at the sight. Blush, Britannia blush, and let it be recorded upon the front of thy crown forever, that thy sons made war in America like the savage, and even the innocence of woman could not escape their fury; but bled at their approach. It was with much difficulty that permission could be obtained of the officer of the day, to remove the body of Mrs. Caldwell to a small house at a distance, before her house with all its effects was doomed to the flames, and devoted to that general conflagration that consumed about a dozen dwelling houses, together with the meeting house, that object of general detestation to the royal army in America.

The royal army next attempted to advance to Springfield; but they were checked by Col. Dayton, supported by Gen. Maxwell, and they made a hasty retreat in the night to Elizabeth-Town, and in some degree of confusion. The loss of the parties in their several movements was trifling; but Gen. Sterling received a wound in the knee, by a reconnoitering party, at his first landing, which detained him in the rear, and saved him from sharing in the disgraceful murder of Mrs. Caldwell, and the conflagration of the village of Connecticut Farms.

Gen. Washington detached a part of the American army from head-quarters, at Morristown, to support Gen.

Maxwell, and Col. Dayton; but the enemy had retired before they arrived.

Gen. Washington became anxious for the posts at the Highlands upon North-River, when he learnt the return of Sir Henry Clinton, and considered this movement of the enemy as a feint, to divert his attention, whilst Sir Henry should commence an attack upon West-Point; he accordingly committed the command of all his cavalry, with about 700 infantry, to the command of Gen. Greene, on the 21st, and moved off his army slowly towards North-River. On the next day Gen. Greene informed Gen. Washington by express, that he had received unquestionable evidence, that Sir Henry Clinton had reinforced the royal army at Elizabeth-Town, and that Springfield was their object of destination that very night, June 23d.

Gen. Washington relying upon this information detached a part of his troops to support Gen. Greene.

The royal army moved from Elizabeth-Town at 5 in the morning, and advanced upon Springfield with a rapid march, and in great force; Gen. Greene collected his troops under the most judicious disposition, and disputed every post, and every pass valiantly; but obstinate bravery was compelled to yield to superior numbers; Gen. Greene retired to the high grounds in good order, and the enemy gained the town. Here the ravages of the Farms was renewed, Britannia played the savage again, and Springfield smoked in ruins.

Fired with the spirit of revenge at this wanton repetition of savage war, the militia began to collect in force to revenge the smoking ruins of their suffering country, and give that support to Gen. Greene which should enable him to chastise this barbarous foe.

Alarmed for their safety, the royal army abandoned their designs upon Morristown; made a hasty flight back.

to Elizabeth-Town; from thence to the point, (the place of their first landing,) and crossed over in the night on to Staten Island, removed their bridge, and felt themselves

secure.

The operations of Gen. Greene and his officers and troops meritted, and received the thanks of the commander in chief.

Notwithstanding Congress had met the tidings from France communicated by the Marquis De La Fayette, promptly, and appointed a committee to call on the several states, to fill up the continental army, and collect supplies, to enable it to act promptly with their expected allies; yet at this time, (July 4th,) the army was at a very low ebb, and not more than thirty levies had joined it.

Massachusetts General Court ordered her quota to be in readiness as soon as possible; but they had not now arrived. Pennsylvania exerted herself, and her patriotism deserves particular notice.

Philadelphia set forward a subscription to raise hard money, as a fund to encourage enlistments, by the way of bounty, to fill up her line. The General Assembly impowered their president, (Joseph Reed, Esq.) in their recess, to lay the state under martial law, if necessary for the public safety. A select number of gentlemen instituted a bank of hard money to the amount of 189,000l. sterling, by the way of subscription, to furnish provisions for the army. The ladies of Philadelphia raised a very considerable sum by the way of donations, and their example was followed by the ladies in the vicinity; a handsome sum was raised and forwarded to the army.

On the 1st of March the legislature of the state passed the following act.

"When we contemplate our abhorrence of the condition, to which the arms and tyranny of Great-Britam are ex

erted to reduce us; when we look back on the variety of dangers to which we have been exposed, and how miraculously our wants, in many instances, have been supplied, and our deliverances wrought, when even hope and human fortitude have become unequal to the conflict, we are unavoidably led to a serious, and grateful sense of the manifold blessings which we have undeservedly received from the hand of that being from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift.

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Impressed with these sentiments, we conceive that it is our duty, and we rejoice that it is in our power, to extend a portion of that freedom to others, which hath been extended to us; and a release from that state of thraldom, to which we ourselves were tyrannically doomed, and from which we have now every prospect of being delivered. It is not for us to enquire why, in the creation of mankind, the inhabitants of the several parts of the earth were distinguished by a difference of feature, or complexion. It is sufficient for us to know that all were the work of an Almighty Hand. We find in the distribution of the human species, that the most fertile, as well as the most barren, are inhabited by men of complexions different from ours, and from each other; from whence we may rationally, as well as religiously infer, that he who placed them in their varied situations, hath extended his care equally to all, and that it becometh not us to counteract his mercies. We esteem it a peculiar blessing that we this day, are enabled to add one more step to universal civilization, by removing as much as possible, the sorrows of those who have lived in undeserved bondage, and from which by the assumed authority of the kings of GreatBritain, no effectual legal relief could be obtained. Weaned by a long course of experience from those narrow prejudices, and partialities we had imbibed, we find our hearts enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards men of all conditions, and nations; and we conceive our

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selves, at this particular period, extraordinarily called upon, by she blessings which we have received, to maifest the sincerity of our professions, to give a substantial proof of our gratitude.

"And whereas, the condition of those persons who have been heretofore denominated, negro and mulatto slaves, has been attended with circumstances which not only deprived them of the common blessings to which they were by nature entitled; but has cast them into the deep-` est afflictions, by an unnatural separation of husband and wife, parents and children, &c. an injury, the greatness of which can never be conceived of, only by supposing ourselves in the same unhappy case. In justice therefore to persons so unhappily circumstanced, and who having no prospects before them whereon they may rest their sorrows and hopes, have no reasonable inducements to render their service to society, which they otherwise might; and also in grateful commemoration of our happy deliverance from that state of unconditional slavery, to which we were doomed by the tyranny of Britain

"Be it enacted, That no child born hereafter shall be a slave. That negro, and mulatto children, shall be servants only until twenty-eight years of age. That all slaves shall be registered before the 1st of November next. That negroes and mulattoes shall be tried like other inhabitants. That none shall be deemed slaves but those registered. That slaves carried away from this state may be brought back and registered, and that no negroes or mulattoes shall be bound for a longer term than seven years."

The northern states followed this laudable, this virtu ous example of Pennsylvania, and are now reaping the ben

efit of it.

At this eventful moment the fleet and armament from France, promised by the Marquis La Fayette, arrived at

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