•cFphttW^^ai} (sratoforb 
 

AN 
 
 ORIGINAL AND AUTHENTIC 
 
 JOURNAL of OCCURRENCES 
 
 DURING THE LATE 
 
 
 FROM 
 
 ITS COMMENCEMENT 
 
 TO THE 
 
 YEAR 1783. 
 
 \ 
 
 BY R. 1LAMB* 
 
 LATF. SERJEANT IN THE ROYAL WELCH FUZTLEERS. 
 
 
 O GOD the LORD the Strength df tny Salvation: thou 
 hast covered my head in the day of had tie f 
 
 ' PSAL. CXL. 7 . 
 
 DUBLIN: 
 
 PIUNTEP BY WILKINSON & COURTNEY, 6, WOOD-STREET. 
 
 1809. 
 

 FOR many years past I have felt a strong desire 
 to give to the Public , a Summary and Impartial View 
 vf that momentous and interesting Subject—the Rise , 
 Progress, and Consummation of the late American War. 
 
 From my own personal Knowledge of many of the 
 Events that are herein related , and from a diligent 
 research into many respectable Authorities , I entertain 
 a good hope , that , my Journal of Occurrences will 
 not be unacceptable to the judicious Reader. 
 
 There are few probably to whom this Work will 
 be more interesting than to those xvho have borne a 
 Part in the Events which are here recorded, and whose 
 Recollection of the important Transactions noticed in 
 this Volume , the Author has no doubt will bear full 
 accordance to the truth of his testimony, 
 
 It may be thought rather strange , that a Work 
 of this kind should be announced to the Public so long 
 after the Occurrences took place. But I beg leave to 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 mention, that I have not seen any impartial Detail of 
 the more minute, hut no less important Occurrences of 
 the War, which, as secret springs, actuated the public 
 movements, and which were never any further disclosed 
 to the world, but as comprised in the general result . 
 The only attempt of the kind which I have seen, was 
 a Work published in America, and written by a Member 
 of Congress, but which I found to be exceedingly partial, 
 both in its Statement of Facts, and Views of the Merits 
 of the Question to be decided . 
 
 The present Work being edited at so late a period, 
 will have this advantage, that all Party Views having 
 7low subsided, the Author has no Motive to influence his 
 Publication, but that of being an Impartial Annalist, 
 relating Facts which have come within his own Know¬ 
 ledge, and which will remain as a faithful Record of 
 those Transactions, unbiassed by prejudice, for the infor- 
 7 nation of the future Historian . 
 
 The impartial eye of posterity, will read the Work, 
 and form their Opinion, unmoved by any political con¬ 
 siderations, and having 710 other sensations than those 
 arising from the Feeling of Regret . 
 
 R. LAMB, 
 
 OCTOBER, 1809, 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAP. I. page. 
 
 Mutual Regard between Great Britain and her 
 Colonies. Character of the Colonies at the end of 
 the Year 1763. Taxes laid on Goods imported 
 into the Colonies. Opposed by the Americans. 
 
 The Stamp Act framed. Disturbances in different 
 Colonies. First Congress held in New York. 
 Disturbances still continued. Stamp Act repeal- 
 ed. A Bill for New Taxes passed in Britain , 
 and sent to America. Occasions new Discon¬ 
 tents. Tea destroyed at Boston. Boston Port 
 Bill. Received with extravagant Tokens of 
 Resentment by the Bostonians. Congress meets 
 at Philadelphia. General Gage fortifies Boston 
 Neck. A great Army assembles before Boston , 
 
 and prepares for War . 6 
 
 CHAP. ir. 
 
 Skirmish at Lexington. Battle of Bunker's Hill. 
 Washington appointed Commander in Chief of 
 the American Army. Sketch of his Life. His 
 Birth and Education. Appointed Adjutant Ge¬ 
 neral of the Virginia Militia. Defeated by the 
 French. Aid-de-Camp to General Braddock. 
 Covers the Retreat of the British Army. Ap¬ 
 pointed Commander of the Provincial Troops in 
 Virginia. Marries. Settles at Mount Vernon. 
 Appointed a Magistrate, a Member of the As- 
 sembly , and a Judge of the Court of Virginia. 
 
 a • 
 
ii CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAP. III. PAGE. 
 
 Congress appoints General Officers. British Troops 
 closely invested in Boston. General Gage sails 
 for England. General Howe succeeds to the 
 command. Tremendous cannonade on the Town 
 of Boston , by the Americans. British Troops 
 evacuate the Town , and sail for Halifax. The 
 Motion for declaring the Colonies free and in¬ 
 dependent first introduced into Congress. They 
 abjure all Allegiance to the British Crown . 
 Preparations made by England , to subdue the 
 Americans. Natural Strength of America. A 
 List of the Stations of British Regiments who 
 
 were ordered to act against the Colonies . 51 
 
 CHAP. IV. { 
 
 The Author's Journal commences. Sails from the 
 Cove of Cork. Remarkable Occurrences during 
 the Voyage. Enters the Gulph of St. Laurence . j 
 
 A particular Description of that River. Arrives 
 at Quebec. Description of that City . 66 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Ticonderoga and Crown Point taken by the Ame¬ 
 
 ricans. Congress endeavours to bring the Indians 
 over to their side. Speech of the Commissioners 
 from Congress to the Indians. Montgomery 
 attempts the Conquest of Canada . Chamblee 
 taken. General Carieton repulsed. St. John's 
 Port and Montreal taken. Attempt to surprise 
 Quebec. Montgomery killed , and the Americans 
 defeated. The humane conduct of General 
 
 Carieton towards the American Prisoners . 73 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Disturbances in Virginia . Major Connolly taken 
 Prisoner by the Americans. Lord Dunmore's 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Letter to an Indian Chief. Logan's Speech to 
 Lord Dunmore. Norfolk destroyed by fire. Lord 
 Dunmore sails with the Fleet. Charlestown at¬ 
 tacked by Sir Peter Parker and repulsed. Cap¬ 
 tain Morris's gallant Behaviour and Death. Ac¬ 
 count of General Lee . 90 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Author's Journal continued. Further description 
 of the River St. Lawrence. Anecdote of an Algon¬ 
 quin Wo?nan. An attempt to surprise the British 
 Troops at Three Rivers. Americans defeated. 
 Retreat to St. John's. The British prepare a 
 Fleet to cross Lake Champlain. Sails and en¬ 
 gages the American Fleet, which is defeated. 
 
 ' British Troops take possession of Crown Point. 
 
 Retires to Winter Quarters.. .. 104 
 
 CHAP. VIH. 
 
 Admiral Lord Ilowe and General Sir William 
 Howe appointed Commissioners for restoring Peace 
 to the Colonies. Arrives at Staten Island. Con¬ 
 versation between Colonel Paterson and General 
 Washington. Hostilities commence. Americans 
 defeated with great Slaughter. New York taken 
 by the British. General Assault against Fort 
 Washington, garrisoned by the Americans. Sur¬ 
 render Prisoners of War. Fort Lee and Rhode 
 Island taken by the British. General Lee taken. 
 Hessians defeated . 11® 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Northern Army opens the Campaign. Crosses 
 Lake Champlain. Ticonderoga taken. Fort Ann 
 evacuated by the Americans. British Troops 
 move forward to Fort Edward and-Fort Millar. 
 
 a 2 
 
V AGE. 
 
 Miss M‘ Crea murdered by the Indians. Germans 
 defeated at Bennington. British Army crosses 
 Hudson's River. Desperate Attacks made on the 
 British Army. Are obliged retreat. Surrenders 
 at Saratoga . 135 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Captured Troops march to the Vicinity of Boston ♦ 
 Their deplorable Situation. Congress refuses the 
 Embarkation of the British Troops to England. 
 Description of Boston. Of the Island of Nan¬ 
 tucket. Of the Whale Fishery. Its Origin , and 
 
 wonderful Improvement. Curious Method of 
 Paying the Seamen. Account of Catching the 
 Whales , 5C c. British Troops removed from Pros¬ 
 pect-hill to Rutland County. Congress still re¬ 
 fuses to ratify the Convention of Saratoga. De¬ 
 bates in the House of Lords on the Independence 
 of America. Lord Chatham's Speech on that 
 Subject. His Death . 195 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 The Americans raise an Army. Warlike Stores 
 sent from France for their use. Loyal Pro¬ 
 vincials embodied and placed under Governor 
 Tryon. Expedition to Peck's Kill. To Dunbury . 
 General Wooster ' killed. Memoirs of that Gen¬ 
 tleman. Vessels Sic. destroyed by the Americans 
 at Sagg Harbour. General Prescot carried off 
 from Rhode Island. Lord Sterling repulsed. 
 Washington regains his strong Camp in the 
 Jerseys. British Troops embark. Arrive at the 
 River Elk. Action at Brandy-Wine. Lord Corn¬ 
 wallis takes possession of Philadelphia. Works 
 constructed to render the passage of the Dela- 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 ft PAGE. 
 
 ware impracticable. Jet ion at German-town. 
 
 Mud Island and Red Bank abandoned by the 
 Americans. General Howe returns with the 
 British Troops to Philadelphia. Americans en- 
 l!i camp at Valley Forge . 21 * 5 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Arrival of the British Commissioners for restoring 
 Peace. Their bad Success. Correspondence be¬ 
 tween Lord Carlisle, and the Marquis de la Fay¬ 
 ette. Philadelphia evacuated. Battle near Mon¬ 
 mouth. General Lee, tried by a Court Martial, 
 and suspended. Monsieur Gerrard arrives 
 Minister Plenipotentiary from France. Bi itish 
 Army arrives at Hew York. French Fleet ap¬ 
 pears before Sandy Ilook. Sails to Rhode Island • 
 Lord Howe sails to the Relief of Rhode Island . 
 British and French Fleets separated at the point 
 of engaging by a violent Storm. French Fleet 
 ^ sdils for «Boston and is pursued by Lord Howe. 
 
 General Sullivan abandons Rhode Island. French 
 Fleet sails for the West Indies. Attacks St. 
 Lucia, but is repulsed. Province of Georgia re¬ 
 duced by the British. The Author makes his 
 escape into Hew York. His Narrative . -3 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Southern Affairs. General Lincoln appointed to the 
 Southern Command. Victory at Briar's Creek. 
 
 St. James's, St. John's and Port Royal taken. 
 Forthem Affairs. Connecticut Expedition. Stoney 
 Point stormed by the Americans. D'Estaing's 
 Attempt against Savannah. Count Polaskie 
 mortally wounded. Some Account of his Life. 
 Colonel Maitland's Death. His Character. Arne- 
 

 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 ricans send an Expedition against the Indian 
 Settlements .. 264 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton, with a large Body of Troops 
 sails from New York, and arrives, after much 
 Difficulty, in South Carolina. Charlestown Ca¬ 
 pitulates to the British Forces. Memoirs of 
 Captain Grattan, of the 64 th Regiment. Sir 
 Henry Clinton returns to New York. Lord Corn¬ 
 wallis takes the Command of the Royal Forces 
 in the Southern Provinces. Battle near Camden. 
 Major Ferguson dejeated ... 293 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 Northern Campaign. Incursion into the ^Jersey's. 
 French Fleet, under Fernay , arrives at Rhode- 
 Island. Blocked up by Admiral Arbuthnot. Sir 
 Henry Clinton returns from Charlestown. Gene¬ 
 ral Arnold's defection. Major Andre's capture. 
 
 Ills Trial. Letters between Sir Henry Clinton 
 and General Washington. Interview between 
 Colonel Robinson and General Greene. Major 
 Andre's Letters to Washington, General Clinton, 
 
 Yc. Major Andre's Death. His Character. 
 Epitaph, Ye .. 311 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Southern Campaign tinder Lord Cornwallis. General 
 Greene succeeds Gates in the Command of the 
 American Southern Army. Colonel Tarleton de¬ 
 feated at Cowpens. Lord Cornwallis crosses the 
 Catawba. The Author's Narrative of that Trans¬ 
 action. Colonel Webster joins Lord Cornwallis. 
 They pursue General Morgan. Junction of the 
 American Armies. General Greene driven out 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 of North Carolina. Lord Cornwallis's Procla¬ 
 mation at Hillsborough. General Greene re¬ 
 crosses the Dan , arid again enters North Carolina. 
 
 Lord Cornwallis retires from Hillsborough. Ac* 
 tion of Guilford Court House. British Army 
 arrives at Wilmington . 341 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 General Greene marches back to South Carolina. 
 Surrender of several British Posts. Camden eva¬ 
 cuated. Ninety-Six invested. Surrender of Au¬ 
 gusta. Greene repulsed with loss at Ninety-Six. 
 
 Lord Rawdon forces Greene to retreat. Ninety - 
 Six evacuated. Action at Eutaws . 363 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Death of General Phillips. Lord Cornwallis joins 
 General Arnold. Charlotteville surprised by Co¬ 
 lonel Tarleton. Unfavorable State of the Ame¬ 
 rican cause. Lord Cornwallis retires to Ports¬ 
 mouth, and finally to York-town and Gloucester. 
 Arrival of Count Rochambeau. Joins General 
 Washington. French Fleet arrive in the Chesa- 
 peak. Block up York River. New London taken 
 by General Arnold. York-town surrenders to 
 the Americans . \ . 370 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 The Author's own Nai'rative. Escapes from York- 
 town. Traverses the Woods. Re-taken at Frede- 
 rick-town. Attempts to escape , but is detected. 
 Confined in Jail. Marched Prisoner to Win¬ 
 chester. Marched to Little York. Escapes with 
 a small Party. Arrives at Staten Island , arid 
 at last effects his escape to New York . 33 $ 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 viii 
 
 CHAP. XX. PAGE, 
 
 Spirit qf Political Rancor in America. Captain 
 Huddy's Execution. Correspondence betiocen 
 Generals Washington , Clinton , and Carleton , 
 the Circumstance. Thirteen Captains, Prisoners 
 under the Convention of Lord Cornwallis and 
 General Washington , Lots for Death. The 
 
 Lot falls on Captain Asgill. Application of his 
 Mother to the Court of France on his behalf. Let¬ 
 ters between her Ladyship and Count Vergennes. 
 
 The Minister of France intercedes on his behalf. 
 General Washington's Letter to Captain Asgill . 
 Procures his Release. Lady AsgilVs Letter of 
 Thanks to Count Vergennes. Articles of Peace 
 signed. The Author's Return , Kc .. 416 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 LIEUTENANT GENERAL Sir 
 CHARLES ASG1LL, Bart, com¬ 
 manding the Eastern District. 
 Major Ashe, late of the Royal Welch 
 Fuzi leers. 
 
 Colonel Arabin, Ranelagh 
 Counsellor J. Arthure, Mountjoy-sq. 
 John Adamson, Esq. Aungierstreet 
 Japhet Alley, Esq. Abbey-street 
 Richmond Allen, Esq. Eccles-streef 
 R. Andrews, Esq. Buckingham-st, 
 Surgeon Allen, Gardiner-street 
 Samuel Alleyne, Esq. Rehoboth 
 
 B. Arthure, Esq. Stanford-street 
 R. Anthony, Esq. King's Inn-quay 
 Rev. Adam Aver ill, Tentower 
 Mrs. Adam, S. Cumberland-street 
 — Alteridge, North-strand 
 Mr. F. Alder, Arran-quay 
 T. Arthure, New-street 
 John Anderson, Hardwicke*st. 
 A. Ashley, Henry-street 
 
 C. Armstrong, Bank of Ireland, 
 Edward Archer, do. 
 
 A. Armstrong, Abbey-street 
 J. Anderson, Britain-street 
 T. Anderson, College-green 
 W. Anderson, do. 
 
 Powell Allen, Bride-street 
 W. Atkinson, Ordnance Office 
 R. Atkinson, Coombe 
 J. Aylesbury, do. 
 
 Mr. W. Andrews, Castle-street 
 T. Atkinson, Crampton-court 
 A. Anderson, Church-street 
 — Anderson, Cork-street 
 H. Armstrong, Dolphin's-barn 
 I). Archer, Drumcondra 
 G. Allen, Fishamble-streeet 
 W. Ayckbowm, Grafton-st. 
 
 R. Allen, Mary-street 
 
 D. Atkinson. Marlborough-st, 
 
 S. Ashworth, Meath-street 
 W, Allen, New-street 
 
 P. Anderson, Ormond-market 
 R. Armstrong, Ormondquay 
 J. Anderson, Sackyille-street 
 R. Atkinson, Spitalfields 
 l. Auden, New-street 
 
 B 
 
 Sir Jonah Barrington, Bart. LL.D. 
 
 Merrion-square. 
 
 Col. Benson, North-strand 
 Colonel Browne, Park-street 
 Captain Bray, Portland-row 
 Robert Blake, M. D. William-st. 
 Benjamin Biggs, M. D Mount-st, 
 Henry Blennerhassett, M. D. Sack- 
 vi lie-street. 
 
 James Browne, M. D. Jervis-street. 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Lady Cecilia Brabazon, Merrion-sq. 
 Hon. Mrs. Butler, Great Charles-st. 
 James Butler, Esq. Buckingham-st. 
 John Bowden, Esq. AstonVquay 
 Lieut. Burton, Assistant Deputy 
 Adjuant Gen. 
 
 William Betty, Esq. Granby-Row 
 Counsellor Baldwin, Harolds Cross 
 Counsellor Bessonnet, Leeson-street 
 Counsellor Ball, Temple-street 
 Alexander Boyle, Esq. Gt.Charles-st. 
 George Booker, Esq. Buckingham-st. 
 R. D. Brady, Esq. Lower Rutland- 
 street 
 
 Thomas Beasley, Esq. Dawson-st. 
 Mrs. Baker, North Great Georges- 
 street 
 
 Mrs. Bury, Granby-row 
 Michael Blood, Esq. Gardiner-place 
 Rev. A. Bailie, Foundling Hospital 
 Richard Burton, Esq. Dominick-st. 
 John Breen, M. D. Abbey-street 
 Brabazon Browne, Esq. Baggot-st. 
 John Browne, Esq. Stephen’s-green 
 J. Blacker, Esq. College-green 
 Rev. Francis Baker, N.Gt.Georges-st. 
 E. Buckly, Esq. Cavendish-row 
 E. Breham, Esq. Dorset-street 
 Robert Barnes, Esq. do. 
 
 Rev. W. Barber, Wintworth-place 
 Mrs. Burnett, Abbey-street 
 ]. Bryan, Esq. Ushers Island 
 E. Burroughs, Esq. do. 
 
 Peter Bardin, Esq. Synnot-place. 
 
 R. Bride, Esq. Stephens-green 
 John Browne, Esq. do. 
 
 Miss Birkett, Sackville-street 
 T. Browne, Esq. Portland-row 
 Arthur Battersby, Esq. Peter-street 
 Mrs. S. Bourke, Molesworth-street 
 J. Burnet, Esq, Mecklenburgh-street 
 Captain T. Berry, Killishandra, 
 Captain Bevill, Royal-Hospital 
 G. Brooke, Esq. Hardwicke-street. 
 A. Browne, Esq. Gardiner-place 
 T Babington, Esq. N. Frederick-st. 
 Miss Bevan, Golden-lane 
 — Blake, Esq. Gardiner-place. 
 
 Mr. P. Byrne, S. King-street 
 
 Mr. G. Barry, Coombe 
 T. M. Bates, do. 
 
 N. Barrington, Castle-street 
 John Boyle, Celbridge 
 Lot Brooke, Church-lane 
 j. Brown, do. 
 
 G. Beamish, Capel-street 
 Wm. Baird, Charlemont-street 
 y. Burgess, Cornwall, 4 copies 
 G. Beere, jun. Carnden-street 
 J, Bentley, sen,Clanbrassil-place 
 James Bamber, Chapel-izod 
 Wm. Belton, Dawson-street 
 John Bentley, jun. Dame-street 
 W. Bull, do/ 
 
 E. Rerney, do. 
 
 — Byrne, do. 
 
 — Bernard, do. 
 
 T. Burton, Island-bridge 
 W. Bigger, Wood-street 
 
 I. Brynan, Ushers Island 
 — Blake, W ood-sti eet. 
 
 J. Barton, Bolton-street 
 Joshua Ball, do. 
 
 Simon Brigley, Clarendon-st. 
 
 W. Bell, Ordnance Office 
 — Butler, Temple-street 
 I. Byrne, Temple-bar. 
 
 William Browne, Bridge-street 
 — Binks, do. 
 
 -r— Butler, Bishop-street 
 T. Buttle, dp. 
 
 G. Bergen, Shaws Bank 
 
 G. Beckett, Stafford-street 
 R. Bailey, do. 
 
 -— Barr, Merchants-quay 
 — Boucher, Mecklenburgh-st. 
 
 H. Brown, Brabazon-row 
 — Baxter, Golden-lane 
 C Bonham, Grafton-street 
 — Bamber, Gardiner-street. 
 
 — Byrne, do. 
 
 Daniel Burrows, Edenderry, 0 
 copies 
 
 J Bowdler, Abbey-street 
 Wm. Buckley, (Church-street 
 — Birch, do. 
 
 W. Barnet, Castle Yard 
 — Byrne, Cork-street 
 H , Browne,,Gloucester-street, 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Mr. John Boyd, Cootehill 
 
 W Blair, Mount-pleasant 
 P. Burke, Stephen-street 
 W. Bruer, Jo. 
 
 J. Barnier, do. 
 
 .— Bourne, Dorset-street 
 R. Ballantine, do, 
 
 J. Bermingham, Ord. Office 
 — Boursiquot, Essex-britige 
 E. Bates, Anne-street 
 — Billing, Arran-quay 
 E. Bruen, do. 
 
 R. Boardman, Ardee-row 
 — Boardman, Ardee-street 
 
 H. Brady, Britain-street 
 
 O. Baskin, do. 
 
 — Balfe, do. 
 
 A. Bell, Bachelor's-walk 
 
 P. Brigley, Bank of Ireland 
 T. Blythe, do, 
 
 — Browning, New-row 
 James Brady, do. 
 
 P. Bourke, Leinster-street. 
 
 W. Babington, Mary's abbey 
 
 I. Brennan, Moore-street 
 W. Beddy, Kings-Inns-quay 
 \V. Buckton, Greek-street. 
 
 A. Boyd, Henry-street 
 
 J. Brann, Francis-street 
 
 C 
 
 Major General W. H. Clinton, M.P. 
 
 Quarter-master Gen. ot Ireland 
 Sir Charles Coote, Bart. Baggot-st. 
 I.ady Chinnery, Mountjoy-square 
 Mrs. Clare, Britain-street 
 — Courtney, Mespil. 
 
 — Clements, do. 
 
 Alderman Carleton, Mt. joy-square 
 Surgeon Colies, Stephen's-green 
 Lieutenant Crummer, 2Sth Regiment 
 of Foot. 
 
 Captain Carden, Tipperary Militia. 
 Captain J. Christopherson, Bishop-st. 
 Captain Compton, Rutlaud-street 
 Major Campbell, GrenvilU-street 
 
 XI 
 
 Counsellor Comerford, N. Cumber- 
 land-street 
 
 Counsellor Cox, S. Gt. George's-st. 
 
 I. Crampton, M. D. Gardiner-place 
 
 J. Cleghorn, M. D. Palace.Row 
 
 J. Cowen, M. D. Lower Gardiner-st. 
 
 J. Cuthbert, Esq. Surveyor General 
 of Custom, 
 
 R. Clarke, Esq. Stephen's green 
 James Cathrew, Esq. Harcourt-st. 
 Henry Connor, Esq. \\ ar-office. 
 George E. Clarke, Esq. Queen-st. 
 James Clarke, Esq. Granby-row 
 J. Clements, Esq. Custom-house 
 G. Cowell, Esq. M abbot-street 
 Samuel Crummer, Esq. Birr 
 William Carroll, Esq. Granby-Row 
 A. Coffey, Esq. Pembroke-quay 
 J. Campbell, Esq. Bachelors-walk 
 A. Carroll, Esq. Mecklenburgh-st. 
 George Chamley, Esq. Gardiner-st. 
 David Courtney, Esq. Mespil. 
 
 D. Clancy, Esq. Carolina-row 
 R. Codd, Esq. Bank of Ireland. 
 
 Rev. J. A. Coghlan, Gloucester- 
 Place 
 
 Rev. H. Crofton, Royal Hospital 
 Rev. H. Crofton, Foundling do. 
 
 Mr. J. & J- Carrick, Bachelor's-walk 
 — Cornwall, Longford-street 
 R. Connell, Aungicr-street 
 J. Carr, Britain-street 
 
 B. Clayton, Ryders-row 
 
 W. Clemenger, Kilmore 
 Wm. Connell, Barrack-street 
 E. Calvert, do. 
 
 C. Clinton, Bank oflreland. 
 
 R. Connor, do. 
 
 J. Clement, do. 
 
 D. Corker, do. 
 
 E. Cuddy, Bridge-street 
 W. Craig, Brunswick-street 
 J. Carey, Biack-rock 
 
 _ E. Clemenson, Bishop-*treet 
 
 j. Coulson, Bolton-street 
 P. Cantrell, Bride-street 
 — Clark, do. 
 
 R. Connor, Back-lane 
 
 S. Cox, Ordnance Office 
 Win. Clarke, Capel-street 
 J. Charrui-r, do. 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Major Cane, Davrson-street 
 Lieutenant Colonel Colvill 
 Counsellor R. Colles, Stephen’s-gr. 
 Mrs. Corbett, Montpelier-hill 
 — Carter, Black-rock 
 Jane Cooke, Tuckers-row 
 J. Clarke, M. D. Granby-row 
 Rev. H. Campbell, Prussia-street 
 Captain Clements, Rogerson’s Quay 
 Captain Chamberlyne, R, A. Island- 
 bridge 
 
 Wrn. Courtney, Esq. Su (folk-street 
 J. Campbell, Esq. James’s street 
 John Chambers, Esq. Gardiner-st. 
 r I. Clark, Esq.S. King-street 
 George Carroll, Esq. do. 
 
 Shawe Cartland, Esq. Harcourt-st. 
 
 -Casson, Esq. do. 
 
 A.Campbell, Esq. Gardiner-place 
 P. Caldwell, Esq. Henry-street 
 
 F. Crosbie, Esq. Dorset-street 
 T. Conrey, Esq. do. 
 
 Wm. Carshore, Esq. do. 
 
 John Coyne, Esq. Molsworth-st. 
 
 R. Curtis, Esq. Mountjoy-place 
 M. Clarke, Esq. Camden-street 
 Mr. A. Calloway, Crampton-court 
 — Carroll, Cavendish-row 
 T. Craig, Chancery-lane 
 T. Caffrey, do. 
 
 A. Cooney, Cole-alley 
 — Cox, Castle-street 
 J. Cooke, Kevin’s-port 
 J. Cowan, Gordon’s-lane 
 P. Crawford, Charlemount-st. 
 
 — Cooper, Dawson-street 
 — Cox, Dame-street 
 —- Crozier, do. 
 
 —■- Crosbie, Dorset-street 
 --- Crawford, Exchange-street 
 
 C. Cotton, Essex-street 
 John Cooke, Fishamble-street 
 W. Cooper,N.TownMt.Kenedy 
 R. Clifford, Georges-street 
 f. Crosbie. Golden-lane 
 — Crosbie> North-wall 
 — Crosbie, Collen 
 J. Corkran, Montague-st. 
 
 H. Clair, Graftou-street 
 I . Campbell, Henry-street 
 W. Curry, Docks 
 — Coulter, James's-street 
 
 Mr. J. Courtney, Mary-street 
 
 D. Carney, James’s-street 
 J. Crawford, Moore-street 
 
 G. Crawford, Bushey Park 
 
 E. Carolin, Mecklinburgh-st. 
 — Coulter, Meath-street 
 
 J. Cockburn, Mark-street 
 Amb. Crane, Kevin-street 
 J. Crawford, New-street 
 T. Cantrell, New-row 
 — Clarke, Ormond-quay 
 
 D. Clarke, Portobello 
 Wm. Clarke, do. 
 
 Wm. Craig, Queen-street 
 — Cornwall, Stephen-street 
 
 E. Cooke, do. 
 
 W. Carmichael, do. 
 
 Wm. Cooke, Summer-hill 
 W. Courtney, Sackville-street 
 R. Cummings, L. Britain-street 
 James Collins, Stephen-reeng 
 J. Cornett, Townsend-street 
 
 G. Cunningham, do. 
 
 — Cowdall, White friar-street 
 N. Condon, do. 
 
 H. Charles, do. 
 
 Q. Dougherty, Buckingham-st, 
 
 D 
 
 CaptainDurnford, R.A.Island-bridge 
 Lieutenant Durnford, R. A. do. 
 Lieutenant Dawson, Charlemont-st. 
 I homas Disney, Esq. Gardiner-st. 
 Whitmore Davis, Esq. North Strand 
 
 I. Christian, Esq. Ship-street 
 E. Conlan, Esq. New-row 
 Counsellor Driscoll, Harcourt-street 
 
 Y*r U i? Se ^ or ^ !Xor b Uardiner-street 
 Wdham DarRy, Esq. York-street 
 Isaac D Oher, Esq. Barrack Board 
 a D av ^ n P° r L Esq. Dorset-street 
 Arthur Dawson, Esq. Sackville-st. 
 Key. Dean Digby, Mountjoy-square 
 Alderman Darley, Abbey-street 
 Janies, Digges Latouche, Esq 
 b ' ' Dra P er . Ksq. Baggot-street 
 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 R. Davis, Esq. Chancery-lane 
 J. Daly, Esq. M. P. Gt. Charles-st. 
 Ii. D’Olier, Esq. Charlemount-street 
 Edger Dickinson, Esq. Dawson-st. 
 Lewis Desmond, Esq. Gardier-street 
 
 L. N. Donevan, Esq. Mt. joy-sqnare 
 J. Dumonlin, Esq Stephen-street 
 W. Duncan, Esq Portobellow 
 
 R. Drury, Esq. Stanhope-street 
 Miss Eliza Drury, Cathedral-lane 
 Miss A. Dodd, Camden-street 
 r. Dix, Esq. Mt/pleasant 
 J. Dance, Esq. Ship-street 
 
 M. Dillon, Esq. Mecklinburgh-street 
 Lady Harriet Daly, Henrietta-street 
 Mrs. Darley, Gardiner-street 
 
 Mrs. Dabzac, Gardiners-row 
 Mr. J. Davis, Arran.quay 
 
 * J. Dunn. Cuff-street 
 
 Ittg — Doxey, Abbey-leix 
 
 ] l R- Dickson, Brides-alley 
 
 J. J Davis, Bachelors-walk 
 — Henry Doolittle, Bridge-st. 
 
 C. Dempsy, Black-rock 
 — Doyle, do. 
 
 — Doyle, junr. do. 
 
 DU, R. Dawson, Bride-street 
 
 William Davis, Portland-row 
 W. Dempsy, Back-lane 
 — Dummikin, do. 
 
 P. Dickson, Cathedral-lane 
 J. Devitt, Crampton-court 
 J. Duncan, Church-street 
 R. Den, do. 
 
 J. Delamoure, Cuff-street 
 idgt — Dvvyre, Camden-street 
 
 B. Dugdale, Dame street 
 A, J. Daly junr. do. 
 st, R. Dickson, Duke-street 
 
 uid J. Davis, do. 
 
 I. Dawson, Exchange-street 
 
 I. Donaldson, L. Temple-st. 
 
 ett f. Davis, Georges-street 
 
 t I. Daly, Gt. Georges.street 
 it L Drake, Golden-lane 
 
 i — Drew, Gioster place 
 
 t C. Degroot, junr. Henry-street 
 
 L — Daniell, S. King-street 
 
 ire R ; Dockery,Ap.Roval Hospital 
 
 W. Dyett, Longford-stteet 
 
 J. A. Dubourdieu, Mabbot -st. 
 
 P. Dickson, Meckelnburgh-st, 
 
 Xlli 
 
 Mr. S. Dowling, Hawkins street 
 T. Delany, Mark-street 
 W. Dale, Maiden-lane 
 E. Delany, L. Ormond-quay 
 
 S. Dixon, do. 
 
 "I. Dillon, Polebeg-street 
 — Dickinson, do- 
 P. Downes, Patrick-street 
 J. Dale, Wood-street 
 W. Delany Stephen-street 
 C. Dowling, do. 
 
 — Dillon, Sbip-.st. <1 Copies. 
 
 * Donaldson, Donny-brook 
 Delander, Skinner-row 
 — Du was. Temple-street 
 — Dycear, Wood-street 
 — Deane, do. 
 
 — Dunn, Black-rock 
 — Davis, do. 
 
 E 
 
 Captain Evans, Royal Hospital 
 Captain Everard, 14th Regt, Foot 
 Will,am Evans, Esq. Rathangan 
 Henry Ellis, Esq. Eccles-street 
 W. Elliott, Esq. Mecklenburgh-st. 
 lienry Ensor, Esq. MeckJenbrirgh-sC 
 . Edington, Esq. College-green 
 W. Espinasse, Esq. Post-Office 
 Mr. G. Enever, Abbey-street 
 J. Eustace, Britain-street 
 ‘ Eustace, Black-rock 
 D. Elliot, Beresfonl-street 
 W. Ellison, Bride-street 
 . Eacches, Clonbrasil-place 
 P. Ennis, Purden-street 
 J* Elliott, Dorset-street 
 R. Ellis, Fiskamble-street 
 G. Eagle, Grafton-street 
 Eaton, llenry-street 
 W. Elsegood, Jervis-street 
 
 T. Earl, Cork-street 
 J. Evans, New-row 
 P. Elliott, Parliament-street 
 G. W. Eades, Step ken-street 
 W. Eacratt, Monasterevan 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Captain Foss, Assistant Deputy 
 Adnjntant General to the re- 
 cruitiug service 
 Major Faviere, Holles-street. 
 
 Col. French, N. Frederic-street 
 Captain Frew, Royal S. Down Militia 
 Lieut. Forster, 1L A. Island-bridge 
 G W. Forster, Esq. North Strand 
 D. Fitzgerald, Esq. Stephen’s-green 
 J. Erck, Esq. Rathmines 
 
 R. M. Fraser, Esq. Mountjoy-square 
 
 S. Fewtrell, Esq. Abbey-street 
 
 W. M. Fortescue, Esq. Fitzgibbon-st. 
 G. Gibbs, Esq. Blackhall-street 
 W. Fox, Esq. Charlemount street 
 — Ford, Esq. Palace-row 
 R. Freeman, Esq. Rathfarnham 
 P. Fullam, Esq. Summer-hill 
 
 T. ’Farrell, Esq, Merrion-square 
 John Fox Esq. StaRord-street 
 C. Forster, Esq. Dorset-street 
 A. Flattery, Esq. Ellis’s-quay 
 James Freth, Esq .Earl-street 
 R. Faucett, Esq. Ormond-quay 
 
 L. L. Feuillaide, Esq. N. George’s-st. 
 R. Freeman, Esq. Hendrick-street 
 Mrs. John Finlay, Jervis-street 
 
 _Fearis, Gardiner-place 
 
 _French, Peter-place 
 
 Miss Foley, Braithwaite-steet 
 
 _Fury, Swifts-alley 
 
 Rev. Roger Ford, Crumlin 
 Counsellor Fitzgerald, U. Mount-st. 
 Mr. J. Finn, Arran-street 
 Z. Foxall, Arran-quay 
 ---F'urlong, Rogers’s-quay 
 R. Freeman, Aungier-street 
 — Foley, Abbey-street 
 J. Fitzsummons, do. 
 
 P. Field, Bank of Ireland 
 M. Fitzgerald, Clarendon-street 
 — T Faulkner, Cathedral-lane 
 j. Freeman, Capel-street 
 — Fox, Coombe 
 \V. Fitzpatrick, Castle-street 
 j. Fenton, ClonbraziLplace 
 T. Fearon, CauHlen-street 
 .— Franklin, do. 
 
 T. Farley, Dame-street 
 J. Finner, Dorset-street 
 
 Mr T. Ferrar, Exchequer-street 
 G. Feake, Grafton-street 
 Amb. Folliott, Granard 
 John Franklin, Hardwicke-st. 
 
 _Flvnn, Hendrick-street 
 
 _Fitzgibbon, S. King-street 
 
 j. Flanagan, Mary-street 
 T. Fannin, Bishop-street 
 Judge Fox, Merion-squarc 
 — Fowler, Mecklen-burgh-st. 
 — Fullton, Malpas-street 
 W. F iggis, Nassau-street 
 _ Fitzgerald, Ormond-quay 
 J. Ford, Peter-street 
 P. French, Peter-place 
 
 _Ferrar, Exchequerstreet 
 
 _Francis, Ross-lone 
 
 R. Fell, Wood-street 
 
 S. Fisher, Westmoreland-st. 
 
 Colonel Gordon, Military Sec. to the 
 Commander in Chief 
 Rev. T. Gamble, A. M. Paradise-row 
 
 Rev.-Guinness, D. D. 
 
 Surgeon Gallagher, 74th Foot 
 J. Gahagan, M. D. Cumberland-st. 
 H. Giffard, LL.D. Fitzwiliiam-street 
 Lieutenant T. Gledstanes, 
 
 A. Guinness, Esq. Cavendish-row 
 C. Gautiere, Esq. Earl-street 
 Colley Grattan, Esq. Athy 
 Mr. John Griffin, Aungier-st. 
 
 S. Graham, Bank of Ireland 
 
 T. H. Graves, Britain-street 
 
 Henry Grant, Bishop-street 
 — Graham, do. 
 
 F. Gainfort, Bride-street 
 
 Wm. Glynn, Clarendon-street 
 
 G. Gallagher, Cork-street 
 — Grey, Clare-street 
 
 A Gardiner, Chancery-lane 
 /C. Gibbs, do. 
 j. Green ham. Cork-street 
 F. Graham, corporal, R. S. D. M. 
 — Grattan, Digges-street 
 - Giltrop, Faucett’s Court 
 
 J. Geogahan, Francis-street 
 T, Gallagher, George’s-street 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Arthur Gardiner, Esq. Gardiner-st. 
 Wm. Goddard, Esq. do. 
 
 Captain R. Hinde, Whitehaven 
 Captain Grant, Charlemont-place 
 Mrs. Gore, N. Great George’s-st. 
 Mrs. Guinness, Delgany. 
 
 C. Gibbons, Hendriek-street 
 Wm. Grimshavv, Linen Hall-st. 
 — Green, Mary’s Abbey 
 W. Glenton, Mary-street 
 James Greene,M yler’s Alley 
 Geoghegan, mill-street 
 
 S. Grace, do. 
 
 T. Groves, New-street 
 W. Graham, do. 
 
 — Gibbon, New-row 
 J. Goslin, Phibsborpugh 
 A. Gafney, Rath cool 
 T. Gentles, Rathangan 
 J. Gardiner, Sackville-street 
 M. Griffith, do. 
 
 -r- Graham, Ship-street 
 T. Grattan, Shawls Bank 
 James Grace, Townshend-st. 
 r- Graham, Thomas-street 
 J. Grant, Wood-street 
 G. Qartv, William-street 
 W. Grey, Esq. York-strept 
 W. G arty,George’s-street 
 M. Groome, Golden-lane 
 J. Graham, Grafton-street 
 
 H 
 
 Right Hon. CHARLES EARL OF 
 HARRINGTON, Commander in 
 Chief of his Majesty’s Forces in 
 Ireland. 
 
 Rt. Hon. S. Hamilton, Merrion-sq. 
 Col. Handheld, Commissary general 
 Colonel Hill, Russell-place 
 Dr. Hall, Provost. Trinity^college 
 Rev. J. Hutton, A. M. Summer-hill 
 Rev. T. Harding, Hard wicker street 
 Rev. J. Horner, Dorset-street 
 J. Hamilton, Esq. Palace-row. 
 
 M. Handcock, Esq. Harcourt-street 
 T. Gill, Esq. Grange-lane 
 G. Howell, Esq. Ormond-quay 
 John Hagan, Esq. Abbey-street 
 
 Hon. Mrs. Cole Hamilton, Gardiner- 
 st re et. 
 
 Mrs. Mary Ann Howard, Rutland-st. 
 Mrs. Hu band, Charlemont-street 
 Edward Hill, M. D. Harcourt-street. 
 A. Humfrey, Esq. Glousester-street 
 Captain Hemsworth, Kilkenny Militia 
 Captain Harpur, Russel-street. 
 George Hagan, M. D. Arran-quay 
 Major Hod son, Fi/zgibbon-street 
 Hon. Rev. B. Howard, Gardiner-st. 
 Peter Hodgson, Esq. Buckrngham-sL 
 Thomas Higgins, Esq. Hardwick-st. 
 James Hides, Esq. do. 
 
 T. Humphreys. Esq. Blackhall-st. 
 Samuel Hood, Esq. Carolina-row 
 John Hill, Esq. Dorset-street 
 G. Hamilton, Esq, N. Frederick-st. 
 M. Hervey, Esq. Georges-street 
 
 -Hone, Esq. Georges-street,N. 
 
 James Hamilton, Esq. Jervis-street 
 W. Holmes, Esq. :vlabbot-street 
 James Hamilton, Esq. Meath-street 
 R. Hill, Esq. Mount-joy Place 
 J. H. Hyland, Esq. York-street 
 Abraham Y. Ilill, Esq. William-st. 
 P. W. Hervey, Esq. Stephens-green 
 Captain Heron, 
 
 Miss Heaney, Whitefriar-street 
 Serjeant W. Hill, R. S. D. militia. 
 T. Ileaclen, Esq. Portobello 
 Alex. Hall, Esq. Synnot-place 
 G. Hamilton, Esq. I'ownsend-street 
 A. Hamilton,Esq. Dominick-street 
 Mr. Hyat, 331ack-rock 
 
 M. Hagarty, Prussia-street 
 J. Hosie, Portobello 
 y. Hutchinson, Viekcrs-street 
 J. Heally, Worm wood-gate 
 R. Harty, Westmoreland-streefc 
 R. Heaney, Whitefrfar-street 
 A. Hamilton, dp. 
 
 — Holbrooke, do. 
 
 P. Hanlon, Ash mount 
 II. Holbrook, Bishop-street 
 W. Hetherington, Ross-lane 
 James Hethers, Dungannon 
 — Hooper, Ranelagh 
 W. Hall, Pill-lane, 12 copies 
 H. Harrison, Gueen-street 
 j. Howe, Skinner-row 
 Hendrick, Shavvs Bank 
 

 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES 
 
 Mr. W. Henry, Dominick-street * 
 G. Hatton, Essex-street 
 W. iiarvey. Exchequer-street 
 G. Harrison, Faucets-court. 
 
 R. Hunt, Francis-street 
 G. Hill, Georges-street 
 
 R. Hudson, Grafton-street 
 j. lleally, do. 
 
 J. Hayes, Gardiner-place 
 M. Henley, Henry-street 
 I. Harrington, do. 
 
 E. Hale, Hanover-street 
 — Hughes, High-street 
 
 I. Hudson, Hibernia school 
 — Hutchinson, Jervis-street 
 
 J. Hanlon, Johns-lane 
 
 C. Holmes, l.ongford-street 
 W. Humphreys, Leinster-street 
 — Humphreys, Merrion-square 
 \V. Hutchinson, Montague-pl. 
 1). Hall, Mill-street 
 —- Howard, Molesworth-street 
 M. Howard, Merrion -street 
 T. Herbert, Clonard, Co. Meath 
 —- Hall, Marrowbone-lane 
 J. Hamilton, Ormond-quay 
 
 R. Horton, Peter-street 
 
 W. Henderson, Cavendish-row 
 Robert Hill, Cork-street 
 W. Hodges, Camden-street 
 II. Hampton, Clontarf 
 — Hemmins, Coal-quay 
 I. Hughes, Charlemont-street 
 G. W. Hulbert, do. 
 
 W. Heflernan, CashiU 
 
 S. Hanley, Dorset-street 
 R. Hill, Mary borough 
 
 --- Hunt, Braithwaite-street 
 — Hart, King’s Hospital 
 C. Hanlon, Ordnance office 
 
 I. Hart, do. 
 
 — Hunt, do. 
 
 T. Hughes, Cathedral-latte. 
 
 — Haughton, Charles-street 
 G. Harold, Arramquay 
 
 — Hagan, M. D. do. 
 
 J. Hill, Aungier-street 
 J. Iladen, do. 
 
 W. Hewson, do. 
 
 J. Flalligan, do. 
 
 G. Harvey, Abbey-strset 
 J. lloffington, Bachelors-walk 
 W. Hebener, Bank of Irelaud 
 
 Mr. J. Harding, N. Anne-street 
 
 _Herdell, Britain-street 
 
 ... Henley, do. 
 
 ... Hays, Parnell-place 
 E. Hughes, Monastereven 
 \V. Harding, Corn-market 
 
 J. 
 
 Major James, Mount. Pleasant 
 Major Irwine, R. Tyrone militia. 
 Lieutenant John Irwin, do. 
 
 Arthur Irwine, Esq. Granville-st. 
 Francis Johnston, Esq. Eccles-street 
 Surgeon Johnston, lent pie-street 
 Mrs. Jackson, Gardener’s-row 
 Jacaud, Park-street 
 
 S. Johnson, Esq, Carolina-row j 
 W. Johnson, Esq. do. 
 
 John Jailett, A. B. do. 
 
 Janies Johnston, Esq. Mountjoy-sq. 
 Robert Johnston, Esq. do. 
 
 T. Johnson, Esq. Gardmer-street 
 R. Jones, Esq. Peter-street 
 
 G. Irwine, Esq. Bride-street 
 Mr. John Jones, G. Georges-street S. 
 
 Printer and BookseJIer 
 Miss Ann Jones, do. 
 
 Mr- Joyce, Bandon. 
 
 W. Irwine, Barrack-street 
 I. Jackson, Essex-street 
 W. Jameson, Dorset-street 
 W. Johnson, Exchequer-street 
 T. Jones, Foundling Hospital 
 
 I. Jones, Granard 
 
 — - Iwing, Mabbot-street 
 W. Jameson, Aungier-street 
 W. Johnson, Moleswortlrstreet 
 W. Jackson, Mountrath 
 
 J. Jones, Brabazon rqw 
 S. Jones, Black-rock 
 
 — Jones, sen. Da\vsou-stre*t 
 — Jones, junior, do. 
 
 P. Jordan, Bolton-street 
 — Jones, Back-lano 
 —- Jones, Cork-hill 
 W. Jones, Digges-street 
 
 R. Jackson, Ryders-row 
 — Jackson. Patrick-street 
 W. Jones, Summer-place 
 
 — Jones, sen. Stephen’s-green 
 — Jones, junior, do. 
 
 S. Jones, Westmoreland-st. 
 
 R. Johnson, Bally water 
 
 
Richard Kirwan,Esq. LL.D. F. R. S. 
 
 P. R. J. A. Cavendish-row 
 Major King, Granby-row 
 Mrs. Kenn, N. Great GeorgeVstreet 
 Mrs. Kearney, Delganv 
 P. Kilkelly, Esq. Gardiner’s place 
 James Kearney, Esq. Mountjoy-sq. 
 J, V. Kildahl, Esq. Eustace street 
 Alderman Kirkpatrick, North Great 
 George’s-street 
 Rev. H. Kearney, Delgany 
 Patrick Kelly, Esq. N. Frederic-st. 
 Alderman B King, Merrion-squarc 
 S. Kearney, Esq. Mountjoy-square 
 Mark Kerr, Esq. Ormond-quay 
 Edward Kirby, Esq. Temple-street 
 I. Kerton, Esq. Richmond-place 
 Mrs. King, Marino 
 Hickman Kearney, Esq. Abbey-st. 
 B. Kearney, Esq StephenVgreen 
 Geor e Kidd, Esq. Rutland-street. 
 Mrs. Kelly, Castle-street 
 Miss Knox, Britain-street 
 Mrs. Mary Kiernan, Brunswick-st. 
 Richard Kellet, Esq.,College 
 A. Keene, Esq. Charlemout-street 
 M. J. Kennedy, Esq. Gardiner-street 
 E. Kevill, Esq. Dunville-lane 
 Mr. Kerr, Whitefriar-st. 35 copies 
 E. H. King, Anne-street 
 
 I. Kavanagh, Abbey-street 
 M. Kirwan,Brunswick-street 
 
 J. Kenned}-, Ordnance-office. 
 Charles Knox, do. 
 
 — Kennedy, Cathedral-lane 
 M. Keene, College-green 
 W. Kirkpatrick, Custom-house 
 — King, Castle-street 
 I. Keene, Charlemont-street 
 R. Kvte, Cashill 
 W. Keene, Dame-street 
 — Knaggs, Exchequer-street 
 A. Kelly, Grafton-street 
 
 G. Kiernan, Henry-street 
 
 G. Kearney, do 
 — Keliett, N. King-street 
 — Keightly, Kings Inn-quay 
 
 H. Kempston, Nassau-street 
 W. Kertland, Ormond-quay 
 
 Mr. Wm. Kent,, Stephen-street 
 E. Kinsley, 3 copies 
 Adam Keith, LijRy-street 
 
 I. Keating, Sackville-street 
 W. Kershaw, Smock-alley 
 C. Knaggs, StafFord-street" 
 R. King, StephenVgreen 
 
 J. Kelly, Den mark-street 
 
 Sir John Lees, Bart. Black-rock 
 Rev. H. Lees, do. 
 
 John C. Lees, Esq. do. 
 
 Mrs. Lees, do. 
 
 E. S. Lees, Esq. Sec. Post Office 
 \V illiam Lees, Esq. Black-rock 
 Townsend Lees, Esq. do. 
 
 Thomas Orr Lees, Esq. do. 
 
 Rev. C. Littfebales, A. M. 
 
 William Larklin, Esq. North Strand 
 Mrs. P. Latouche, Bel view 
 1 hornas Lee, Esq. Aston’s-quay 
 John Lalor, Esq. Gardiner-place 
 Nath. Lovv, Esq. Eccles-street 
 J. D. Latouche, Esq. 
 
 J. Digges Latouche, Esq. 
 
 Peter Latouche, Junior, Esq. 
 
 Rev. J. Lewis, A. M. York-street 
 Rev. F. Lanauze, Killishandra 
 Rev. A. Leney, Castle Dawson 
 Academy. 
 
 William Ledwich, Esq. York-street 
 Patrick Long, Esq. Gardiner street 
 Thomas Lawrence, Esq. Rutiand-sf. 
 
 S. Lawrence, Esq Marlborough-st. 
 G. Long, Esq. Braithevvaite-street 
 Col. Linsey' Inspecting Field officer, 
 
 Recruiting Service. 
 
 T. Lownde, Esq. Grenville-street 
 W. H, Lee, Esq. Gardiner-street 
 
 W , O’Brien Laidner, Esq, Jems-st. 
 Mrs. Jane Lee, M err ion-square 
 Mrs. Leigh, do. 
 
 Major Legge, Chapelizod 
 A. L. Lynn, Esq. Charlemont-street 
 A. Lowe, Esq. Ranelagll 
 Edward Leonard, Esq. Ushers-quav 
 A. Lackey, Esq. Richmond-pko. e 
 
 
XYUI 1 
 
 J. Lleweliyen, Esq. R-utlartd-street 
 E. Laugh)in. Esq. Paradise-row 
 R. Litton, book-binder Chatham-st. 
 Mr. Ledsome, Anglesea-street 
 —- Lauree do. 
 
 — Lennon, Britain-street 
 — Lynch, do. 
 
 ... Lockyer, Bruns wick-street 
 J. Litton, Bride-street 
 H. Levinge, Ordnance office 
 
 _Lloyd, Harolds-cross 
 
 R. Lambert, Cap I e-street 
 ... Lawless, do. 
 
 J. Lodge, Church-street 
 D. Leedom, Chancery-lane 
 —- Laphatn, Chamber-street 
 T. Leech, Camden-street 
 ... Lewis, frordonsJane 
 l\ H. Lowther, Dame-court 
 — Linfoot, Essex-street 
 R. Lynch', Exchequer-street 
 3 copies 
 
 ... Lloyd, Gloster-place 
 R. Lyuess, Hoey’s-courfc 
 B. Latty, Eihernia-school 
 Lodge, Jervis-street 
 H. Logan, ilo. 
 
 — Lyons, Johns-lanc 
 G. Long, Mary-street 
 James Lever North Steaod 
 T. Locke, Nassau-street 
 P. Lynch-,. Ojhnond-quay 
 P. Lamb, Patriek-street 
 Cooke Lucas. Pariiament-street 
 James Lowry, Pill-lane 
 A. Litton, Summer-Hill 
 — Leech, StafFord-sti eet 
 Lynett, do. 
 
 — Little, Ship-street 
 
 II. Lauglilin, Townsernd-street 
 
 M 
 
 Countess Dowager of Meath Mt r- 
 rion-square 
 
 Miss Mercer Dorset-street 
 Captain Morton, ReiioSoth House 
 A. Montgomeny, Esq. L. Dorset -st. 
 M rs, Mattelt, Capcl-st reet 
 
 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 Richard Mauders, Esq. JamcsVst. 
 Robert Manders, Esq* do.^ . 
 Samuel Madder, Esq. James s-stieU. 
 Rev. H. Murray, do. 
 
 Rev M. Moreau, Lower Lorset-st. 
 Rev. B. W. Matthias, Dorset-slreet 
 Rev E. Martin, York-street 
 Charles Meares r Esq. Dorset-street 
 E. L. Morgan, Esq Hardwicke-st. 
 
 B. IVPKean, Esq. Hardwicke-place 
 R. Morrison, Esq. Mecklenburgh-st. 
 Lewis Morgan, Loyver Rutland-st. 
 Daniel Miffs, M. D. William-street 
 Thomas Mills, M. D. Domimck-st. 
 Robert M'Bride, Esq.. SfcephenVgr. 
 Thomas M‘Kentrv,Esq. StephenVst. 
 Counsellor L. M'Nally, Harcourt-st. 
 Surgeon >G. Macklin, Leinster-stre. 
 H. *B. Moles worth. Esq. do^ 
 
 Lieut. M‘Manus, Assistant Sec to do. 
 Rev. A. Morgan, Blue Coat Hopital 
 Mr. R. E. Meycier, do. 
 
 R. Morrison, Aungier-street 
 James MaJloy, do. 
 
 John Morris* Esq.. Abbev-sfc, 
 
 A. M'Caul, do. 
 
 J. M'Evoy* do. 
 
 E. M'Dermott, do. 
 
 Edward Mulligan, do. 
 
 James Madden, Aston’s-quay 
 Wm. MafFetfc, Britain-street 
 J.. M‘Gloin, do. 
 
 Samuel Missett, do* 
 
 William Maguire, Back-close 
 — Moore, Bank of Ireland 
 C. Moore, do. 
 
 Samuel M'Murray, Baggot-st'. 
 
 J. M'Laine, Bishop-street 
 Robert Morgan, Bride-street 
 T. M‘Glathry, Ordnance Office 
 A. Mason, Clarendon-street 
 R. Martin, College-green 
 1). Murray, Capel-street 
 
 A. M Laugh 1 m, do. 
 
 —- Martin, do. 
 
 J. Mills, do. do. 
 
 J. Mahon, Church-street 
 
 B. J. M‘I)ermott, do. 
 
 — M'Cormick, Chancery-lane 
 T homas Magi 11, do 
 
 Morris, Ed end erry 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 A. Montgomery, Esq. Dorsefc-street 
 W. P M'Alpin, Esq. I)ominick-st. 
 P. Montgomery, Esq. Eccles-street 
 
 -Maziere, Esq. do. 
 
 Captain M'barland, Cowley-place 
 J Morgan, Esq. French-street 
 Adjutant Maxwell, Fowne’s-street 
 
 Quarter M aster M ( Gleazy,Chapelizod. 
 Mrs. Molineaux, Mespil 
 W. M‘Kay, Esq. Stephens-green 
 T. Murphy, Esq. Richmond 
 
 E. Morgan, Esq. Kudand-street 
 —- Martin, Quarter Master, R. T. 
 
 I. G. Mulvany, Esq. Paradise-row 
 Win. Mackenzie, Esq. Gardiner-st 
 
 II. I. Madden, Esq Mabbot-street 
 R. Mulhern, Esq. Marlborough-st. 
 Miss Eliza Mears, Mount-street 
 Capt. H. M'Clean, Royal Flogpital 
 Lieut. M f Maims, Assistant Sec. do. 
 G. Musson, Esq. do. 
 
 I\ Meade, Esq. Jervis-street 
 A. Mazier re, Esq. JaniesWreet 
 \V m M‘Cannon, Exchequer-st. 
 — II. Manning, Fade-street 
 . M'Comas, Fleet-street 
 •Hugh Magee, F©rdamVa% 
 John Moses, George’s-street 
 --- Merle, do. 
 
 B. M'Dermott, Golden-lane 
 J. M'Dermott, da. 
 
 I. M'Adam, Grafton-street 
 A. B. Manifold, do. 
 
 —- M'Dermott, do. 
 
 —- M'Cornock, 
 
 R. McCann, Camden-street 
 I. Morton, Camden-street 
 Wm M'Cally, Donavan’s-lane 
 
 C. Murphy, do. 
 
 — Morrison, Dawson-street, 3 
 copies 
 
 —- J. Montgomery, Dorset-st. 
 
 — M‘Kenny, Dame-counrt 
 — Maxwell, Denmark-street 
 — Molesworth, Gardiner-street 
 Mooney, Glo’ster-street 
 — Magrath, do. 
 
 1. M'Dermott, Granby-row 
 A. Pel* Mullen, Hoey's-court 
 P. M'Dermott, Jervis- street 
 
 I. Mills, Granard 
 
 L. Morgan, Ilenry-street 
 A. M'Minn, Strand-street 
 T. M'Minn, do. 
 
 — Mullen, do. 
 
 — M‘Dona Id, Ship-street 
 C. Merchant, do. 
 
 — Mullen, Summer Place 
 
 F. J. Mooney, bhaw’s Bank 
 
 G. Matthews, do. 
 
 W. Milner, Sycamore-alley 
 T. Matthews, Pool-street 
 f l. M'Caskee, Ross-lane 
 
 L. Montgomery, ftogersons-quay 
 
 J. M'Crea, Stephen-strcet 
 W. Murphy, do. 
 
 W. Magrath, do. 
 
 — Miot, do. 
 
 O. Mullanphy, do. 
 
 M. Morton, Stephen street 
 G. P. Mills, Peters-row 
 
 A. Madden, Pel er-street 
 
 J. M'CuIJogh, Paradise-cow 
 
 B. Maxwell, do. 
 
 W. Murray, do. 
 
 W. M lutee, Meath-street 
 J. M Kebbin, Merrion-street 
 
 P. Madden, do. 
 
 J. M‘Can ley, New-street 
 J. Mitch eh, do. 
 
 T. Matthews, do. 
 
 J. Matthews, do. 
 
 A. M'Gahy, N. King-street 
 
 — M'Keon, Kilkenny 
 
 J. M'Quig, Longford, 25 copies 
 J. M'Coliy, Moore-street 
 A. M'Donald, 
 
 T. Magrane, Marlborough-st. 
 
 R. Magee, Montgomery-street 
 NV. M'Comas, Malpas-street 
 W. Melven, do. 
 
 — Murphy, do. 
 
 A. Morgan, do. 
 
 R. M'Cann, Hunts-alley 
 W. M'Clatchie, 
 
 R. Magee, do. 
 
 — Molsworth, Island Bridge 
 G. Moulang, S. King-street 
 
 J. M'Aliister, Tou nsend-street 
 
H 
 
 Counsellor M'Gann, Ushers Island 
 8. Madder, Esq. Ushers-quay 
 T. Millington, Esq. Temple-street 
 Mrs. Morton, Lower Mount-street 
 Mr. James M‘Kee, Roscrea 
 
 R. McDonald, Wiiitefriar-street 
 T. Murphy, Thomas-court 
 
 S. II. Murphy, do. 
 
 — M'Cabe, Ushers-quay 
 
 T. M‘Comas, Whitefriar-slreet 
 J. Matthews, do. 
 
 W. Matthews, do. 
 
 _Martin, Dolphins-barn 
 
 A. M‘Connell, Henry-street 
 T. M'Grath, Cannon-street 
 
 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES 
 
 Tu’les O’Reilly. Esq. Margt.- P 1ace 
 
 T Oxley. Esq. Merchant s-quay 
 
 John Oir, Esq. do. 
 
 Captain O’Reilly, Jervis-strect 
 xi ... Oldham/ Abbey-street 
 ... O’Brien, Bank of Ireland 
 D. O’Reilly, B ide-.street 
 \V. O’Connor, Camden-street 
 J. O’Brien, Euslace-street 
 O’Flaherty, Exclivquer-st. 
 ...Osborne, Grafton-street 
 j, A O’Reilly, Gardiner-place 
 C. O’Neal, Capel-street 
 
 N 
 
 Hon. T. G. Newcomen, Bart. 
 
 Luke Norman, Esq Mt. joy-square 
 T. Norman, Esq. Gardiner-street 
 Wm. Newcomb, Esq. Jervis-street 
 A. B. Nevill, Esq. Camden-street 
 R. Nunn, Esq. N. Cumberland-st. 
 Samuel Neville, Esq. Staflford-st. 
 
 Mrs. Nicholson, Camden-street 
 Miss Napper, Capel-street 
 Mr. Newland, Aungier-street 
 Naylor, Britain-street 
 T. Kefligan, Bank of Ireland 
 — Napper, Cork-street 
 W. Noble, C. Donegal 
 Nicholson, Golden-lane 
 M. Nickson, Grafton-street 
 — Nicholson, do. 
 
 G. Nangle, Harolds-cross 
 Wm. Newton, James’s-street 
 — Neile, New-market 
 J Noble, Parliament-street 
 A. Nugent, Sackville-street 
 Nelson, Townsend-street 
 J. Neill, Winetavern-street 
 C. Nowlan, Wood-street 
 — Nowlan, Black-rock 
 
 O 
 
 Mr. Orson, Denmark-street 
 
 T. H Orpen, M. D. S. Frederick-st. 
 
 W. Oldham, Esq. Arran-quay 
 
 R Percival, M. D Kildare-Place 
 Jonathan Pirn, Esq. William-street. 
 Matthew Pearson, Esq. Granby-row 
 J. Pollock, Esq. Mountjoy-square. 
 William Parks, Esq. Ushers-island 
 W. Powell, Esq. Sea fort Parade 1 
 Mrs. M. A. Pounden, Churchv-street 
 Captain John Peile, Bishop-street 
 Robert Purdy, Esq. Ormond-quay 
 — Page, Esq. Leeson-street 
 J. Plunkett, Esq. Georges-street N. 
 Lieut. Power, R E Island-bridge 
 John Partington, Esq. York-street 
 W. Power, Esq. Pitt-street 
 R. Peter, Esq. French-street 
 
 G. Parkinson, Anne-street 
 G. Pierce, Aungier-street 
 I. Perrin, Abbey-street 
 -— Percy, do. 
 
 T. Price, do. 
 
 — Perry, Britain-street 
 W. Pountney, Bank of Ireland 
 T. Parker, Bruns wick-street 
 — Page, Bull-alley 
 
 H. Pexton, Ordnance-office 
 
 I. Phair, Cathedral-lane 
 T. Popple well, Cork-street 
 8. Page. Camden-street 
 
 R. Patterson, Chatham-street 
 R. Pegley, Royal S. D. militia 
 — Power, Trinity-place 
 V. Philips, Temple-bar 
 — Prince, Shaw’s Bank 
 I. Phair, Skinner-row 
 —Preston, Temple-street 
 R. Parke, Thomas-street 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES 
 
 xxt 
 
 Mr. M. Paul, Portadown, 6 copies 
 
 _Peppard, New-street 
 
 T. Palmer, Peters-row 
 \V. Pritchard, Polebeg-s ree 
 
 T Pu iotas. Parliament-street 
 Philips, Pcmbroke-quay 
 G. Peck, Poddle 
 I. Petre, Dame-street 
 ] Paisley, Dorset-street 
 1. Paintard, Mount l leasant 
 Puiolas, Four Courts 
 _ Power, Georges-street 
 T. Parsons, Golden-lane 
 I. Philips, do. 
 
 _ Patterson, Gloster-place 
 
 _Perry, James’s-street 
 
 _Purcell, Mount-street 
 
 1 Pemberton, Moore-street 
 James Parr, Montague-street 
 T. Price, Stephen-strcet 
 
 Q 
 
 Miss C. Quin, Belfast, 2 copies 
 
 R. Quintou, Esq. Ormond-qu y 
 
 R 
 
 Colonel Raymond .Deputy Adj. Gen. 
 Henry Roe, M- D. Aung.er-street 
 Rev. P. Roe, Kilkenny 
 Mrs I.ucv Ray, Cavendish-row 
 John Rutherford, Esq. Cavendish-row 
 P. Russell, Esq. Belvedere-place 
 Rev. 1. Roberts, Capel-street 
 J.ady Roche, Eccles-street 
 I. Reid, Esq- Clare-street 
 R. Ross, R. S. D- militia. 
 
 1. Reed, Esq. Gloster-street 
 C. Richardson, Esq. do. 
 
 Col W. Reynall, N. Eredenck-st. 
 John Renshaw, Esq- Ormond-quay 
 Lieut. Richardson, Meckleubuig 
 T. Reed Esq. Mountjoy-sq. 2 copies 
 A. Rooke, Esq- d°* 
 
 J. Ryan, Esq. Marlborough-street 
 Major R- Ridge, Grenvdle-street 
 A. Richardson, Esq- bummer-h.il 
 
 R, Roe, Esq. “O- 
 
 Surgeon Redmond, Astons-quay 
 W °Roche, Esq James’s-street 
 D. Redmond, Esq. Rathnunes 
 Mrs. Russell, Santry 
 Colonel Rogers, Ship-street > 
 
 \V. Richardson, Esq. Stephen s- B re 
 Surgeon Rivers, Queen-street 
 Mr.r. Rea, Peters-row 
 R Roth, Esq. Georges-street, r . 
 Counsellor Ridgeway, Hara>urt-st 
 ltev. W. Russell, Henc.i ick-strct 
 P. Reilly, Esq. Eccles-street 
 W. Roberts, Adjt. R. A. 
 
 _Richardson, Abbey-street 
 
 C. Rigney, Britain-street 
 
 H. Rolston, Barrack-street 
 
 I. Rutherford, do. 
 
 N. Russel, Bridge-street 
 
 _Robinson, Baggot-strect 
 
 T Robinson, Bishop-street 
 ... Ryan, Black hall-street 
 
 ... Rathborne, Belvedere-place 
 G. Reed, Bride-street, 3 copies 
 I. Rounds, Bride-street 
 
 G. Rounds, Braithewaite-street 
 
 R ee d do. 
 
 . Hadclifle, Ordnance-office 
 
 H. Rooke, Crampton-court 
 _Ryan, Church-street 
 
 H Ribton. Dame-street 
 _ Robinson, Rogersons-quay 
 J. Rafter, Thomas-street 
 E. Russell, Shatvs Bank 
 _Ridley, Skinners-alley 
 
 I. Reed, Ship-street 
 W. Robinson, Stephen-strcet 
 
 J. Roche, do. 
 
 P. Reynolds, Pill-lane 
 \V. Robinson, Ormond-quay 
 A. Roberts, Fishers-lane 
 J. Robinson, Golden-lane 
 W. Roe, Grafton-strcet 
 G. Rooke, Exchange-street 
 
 __ Reeves, do. 
 
 E. Robins, Mark-street 
 A. Rosborough, N. btraml 
 T Rinff, Mecklenburgh-strei t 
 _ Rogers, Montgomery-street 
 Robinson, James’s-street 
 
 T. Reilly, 
 
 J. Robinson, Darby-square 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 
 
 S 
 
 R. Shaw, Esq. M. P. Merion-square 
 Mrs. Shaw, do. 
 
 Sir Richard Steele, Fitzwillianj-place 
 2 copies 
 
 Major Shortail, R. A. Island-bridge 
 Captain T. O’Sherrard, Dorset-street 
 Captain Saurin, Summer*hill 
 Captain John Scott, Gardiner-street 
 Sejeant Sinclair 
 L. Slade, R. I. Island-bridge 
 Dr. Sheridan, Usher’s-quay 
 Dr. Sharkey, York-street 
 James Singer, Esq. Armadale 
 Robert Smith, Esq. Abbey-street 
 James Stephens, Esq, Bachelors-walk 
 John Saunders, Esq. do. 
 
 S. Shaw, Esq. Bank of Ireland 
 
 J. Somerville, Esq. Belvedere-place 
 — Standish, Esq. Castle 
 
 K. Stringer, Esq. Chancery-lane 
 II. F, Stock, Esq. Temple-street 
 Robert Smith, Esq. Thomas-street 
 
 R. Star, Esq. Cole-alley 
 
 S. Sparks, Esq. CharJemount-st. 
 
 F. Sharkey, Esq. Rathmines 
 
 8. Speer, Esq. Dorset-street 
 
 T. Swift, Esq. Dorset-street 
 
 W. A. Shaw, Esq. Gt. Denmark-st. 
 
 J. Straker, Esq. French-street 
 J. Smith, Esq. N. Frederick street 
 
 T. Sillery, Esq. IIardwicke-street 
 1 J. Scott, Esq H a rcourt-street 
 It. Smith, Esq. do. 
 
 J. Simple, Esq. Mafoorough-street 
 
 C. Sweeny, Esq. Mabdot-streeC 
 W. Steel, Esq. • do. 
 
 T. Smart, Esq. Mecklinburgh-street 
 G. Stapleton, Esq. IVIountjoy-pJace 
 J. Sullivan, Esq. Ormond quay 
 Mrs. Stafford, Crampton-court 
 Miss Singleton, Cork-hill 
 Rev. Abraham Augustus Stewart, 
 Hibernia-school 
 
 Rev. F. Shnltze, Polebeg-street 
 Rev. P. Sands, Sackvilie-street 
 Rev. A. Staunton, Clarendon-street 
 Rev. I. Sadiior. Mount-street 
 Mr. M. Smyth. Andrew-streefc 
 
 D. St. Leger, Aungier-street 
 W. Stockham, do. 
 
 Mr. —- Shaw, Ardec-street 
 J. Smith, Britain-street 
 J. Stokes, Barrack-street 
 P. Sharkey, Bachelors-walk 
 W. Smith, Brunswick-street 
 ■— Sterling, Bishop-street 
 
 R. Simpson, Clarendon-street 
 
 S. Sax my th. Maiden-lane 
 
 E. Stretch, Church-street 
 J. Smith, Coombe 
 
 •— Smith, do. 
 
 A. Samuels, Chancery Jane 
 — Srnallman, Chatham-row 
 Shaw, Castle-street 
 E. Singleton, Cork-street 
 — Shell, Kev in-street 
 J. Sharman, Dawson-street ' 
 W. Scott, Charlemount-street 
 — Shaw, Dam e-street 
 M. Singleton, DoIphmVbarn 
 R. Smith, Exchange-street 
 II. Sib thorp, do. 
 
 . Stubbs, Eustace-street 
 Solomon Sproule, Earl-street 
 J, Sheridan, Francis-street 
 R. Sullivan, Founs’s-street 
 Val. Sin nett, George's- street 
 Brent Smith, do. *. 
 
 J. Stop ford, Gregs- lane 
 ~ Sheilds, Ilenry-street 
 J. Sheilds, Hard wicke-street 
 20 copies 
 
 * Stewart, Hibernia-school 
 ~ ^ and ys, S. King-street 
 A. Savage, N. Kkig-street 
 — Story, Longford street 
 Vv. Southerland, Mount-street 
 Swan, Montgoinery-street 
 A. C. Seymour, Baggot-street 
 * ^foiden-Jane 
 
 V Snidow, Rathmolion C. M. 
 ^ vkes > Kew-row Thomas-st. 
 ‘-'harp, Kicholas-street 
 ^pilnian, Pa trick-street 
 L ^P^orp, Palace-street 
 — Sweeney, Park-street 
 Synnott, Pool-street 
 
 ‘-Hiytlij Rut land-street 
 ~7 Sm,ih, Ryiltrs-row 
 
 Kamsford-sircet 
 I S^Rhen-street 
 
 J - sturgeon, Grafton-stim 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES, 
 
 VIr. S. Steele, Whitefriar-street 
 —i Sherlock, Abbey-street 
 — Simpson, Sackville-strect 
 — Smith, do. 
 
 M. Smart, -Spitalfields 
 k — Scott, StafFord-street 
 — Stokes, Ship-street 
 ^ J.. Sullivan, Stephens-green 
 
 111 E. Supple, Shaw’s Bank 
 
 E. Shea, Townsend-street 
 W. Stoker, Wood-street 
 J. Sullivan, do. 
 
 S. Sroallman, do. 
 
 'to* — Stewart, Westmorelarvd^t. 
 
 W. Smith, Ban don 
 l — Senior, Rathcoole 
 
 E. Spear, , do. 
 reel 
 
 ■tta T 
 
 XXUf 
 
 Mr. W. TaafFe, Kevin-st. Book- 
 Binder 
 
 W. Tims, Dame-str^et 
 J. Tobin, Delgany, 20 Copies 
 
 S. Taylor, Grafton-street 
 
 —< Tysson, do. 
 
 J. Tully, Glasncvin 
 J. Taylor, Ormond-qnav 
 4 Copies 
 
 G. Townsend, Poolbeg-street 
 \V. Tassie, Paradise-row 
 E. Teap, Ranelagh 
 W. Tomes, Skinner-alley 
 W. Toole, Ship-street 
 
 T. Turner, ShawVbank 
 
 J. Tea re, skinner-row 2 Copies 
 J. W. Talbot, Rathmines 
 
 U 
 
 ^ Alderman Thorp, Mountjoy-square 
 Rrig. General Trotter, Stephen-st. 
 J}r. John 'Toole, Gardiner-street 
 * 'surgeon T. Tuke, Stephens-green 
 lrKt John Taafe, Esq. BJackall-street 
 ^ G. Tottenham, Esq. Tlarald’s cross 
 
 U. Thomson, Esq. Mecklenburgh-st. 
 Irea \V. Turner, junr. Esq. Chapihzod 
 II. Tandy, Esq. Custom-house 
 W. Tisdall, Esq. Marlborougli-st. 
 
 1 P. Thomson, Esq. do. 
 tad Counsel lor Torrens, Gardiner-street 
 J. 'Thompson, Esq. Gardiner-street 
 iod E. Tennant, Esq. Gloster-place 
 st A. Todd, Esq. Gardiner-place 
 et A. Torrens, Esq. Granby-row 
 :t Ralph Tornton, Esq. Dorset-street 
 strttl J. TaalFe, Esq. Florinda-place 
 ititft Mrs. Taylor, Digges-streefc 
 stred Mrs. Teehng,Thomas-street 
 ; Serjeant I). Taylor, Church-street 
 CJ Mr. J. Taylor, Abbey-street 
 Ms* R. Tyndall, Bride-street 
 
 Isaac 'Tyndall, do. 
 
 :t — Tydd, Baggot-street 
 
 A. Torriivgton, Bolton-street 
 J. Tobin, College-greea 
 J. Taylor, Castle-street 
 R. Turbett, do. 
 
 G. Taylor, Digges-street 
 A. Torrington, sen. Wood-st, 
 A. Torrington, juru da 
 
 Rev. Dr. Henry Usher, Clare-street 
 V 
 
 Col. Vesey, County Dublin Militia 
 Mr. T. Vero, Bride-street 
 — Vann*, Coombe 
 G. Vaughan, Dorset-street 
 J. Vickers, shaw’s Bank 
 T. Vaughan, Dame-street 
 Rev. — Vigors, George’s-street 
 Rev. Dr, Vesey, Royal Hospital 
 
 -Villiers, Esq. Stephens-greea 
 
 T. Vickers, Esq. Wicklow 
 E. Verdon, Esq. G aide u-lane 
 
 W 
 
 Rev. J. Whitelaw, Clanbrassil-plac* 
 J. Wiere, Esq. Cape 1-street 
 C. Wiber, Esq. Ordnance office 
 R. Wrightson. Esq. do. 
 
 Vere Webb, Esq. Bed ford-street 
 J. Wilson, Esq. Abbey-street 
 Mrs. Whitmore, Black-rock, 
 Counsellor Waller, Black-rock 
 Counsellor Williams, Baggot-street 
 P. Worthington, Esq. Cumberland-st, 
 H. A. Woodward, Esq. Eilis’s-quay 
 W. Wolfmden, Esq. Dorset-street 
 E. WolTinden, Esq. do. 
 
 Sent. WaUeiN«n. R, S, D. militia 
 
SUBSCRIBERS NAMES 
 
 JL\iV 
 
 Lieut. Col. Wul/Fe, Island Bridge 
 T. Walsh, Esq. James-street 
 
 H. White, Esq. do, 
 
 Peter Warren, Esq. Henrietta-street 
 Counsellor Whitestone, do. 
 
 J. Whealy, Esq. Step hen's-green 
 W. L. Walker, Esq. StafFord-street 
 T. Waring, M. D. do. 
 
 W. Walsh, Esq. Russell-street 
 M. Williamson, Esq. Paradise-row 
 J. Williamson, Esq. do. 
 
 A . Williamson, Esq. do. 
 
 J II. Walker, Esq. Ormond-quay 
 E. Wilson, Esq. New-street 
 Coun. R. Walker, Mecklenburgh-st. 
 T. Whealon, Esq. LifFey-street 
 C. Weekes, Esq. StephenVgreen 
 Rev. G. Whistler, S. Frederick-st. 
 
 B. Worthington, Esq. Fitzgibbon-st. 
 W. A. Walker, Esq. Chacham-st. 
 Mrs. Warren, Henrietta-street 
 
 J. H. Weldon, Esq. Card iner-street 
 Mr. Samuel Wood, White friar-street 
 
 R. Wade, Esq. Gardiner-st. 
 
 J. R. Worthington, Esq. do. 
 
 C. Walton, Aungier-street 
 G. Watson, Abbey-street 
 
 S. Winter, Britain-street 
 
 J. Wicksted, Bank of Ireland 
 A. Wilson, Belfast 12 Copies 
 G. Wood, Beaver-street 
 J. Walsh, Belturbet 
 
 T. Wilson, Bride-street 
 A. Wbeatly, CapeUstreet 
 Z. D. Williams, do. 
 
 G. Williams, Crarnpton-oourt 
 .T Walker, Church-street 
 
 T. Webb, do. 
 
 •*— Walsh, CufFe-street 
 N. Williams, Cole-alley 
 
 1. Whitehead, Cork-street 
 — Whitam, Corn-market 
 — Wilton, do. 
 
 T. Watts,. Cashel 
 
 H. Wheeler, Dame-street 
 
 1 Wheeler, Denmark-street 
 T. West, Whitefriar-street 
 
 J. Wright, Essex-street 
 it. Ward, do. 
 
 J Wright, do. 
 
 Mr. J. Ward, French-streefc 
 
 P. Weire, Fishamble-street 
 W. Whitestone, Grafton street 
 Messrs. Whyte, do. 
 
 R. White, do. 
 
 R. Williams, do. 
 
 -— Wilson, Mary-street 
 R. Westenra, Granby-row 
 — Warren, Hign-street 
 II. Willard, do. 
 
 — Wadden, Park-street 
 — Wy brants, Peter-street 
 J. Wyon, Ormond-quay 
 R. Wright, Monaghan 
 — Walsh, Marrowbone-lane 
 T. Ward, New-street 
 P. Walsh, Marlborough.street 
 R. White, Montgomery-street 1 
 W. Wallace, Mecklenburgh-st. 
 — Wright, Royal Hospital 
 — Waugh, James’s-street 
 H. White, Jervis-street 
 J. Ward, Whitefriar-street 
 A. Whitesides, do. 
 
 — Winters, Winetavern-street 
 T. Wallace, Church-street 
 R. Walker, Athlone 
 — Ward, Mount Pleasant 
 R. \Vorna!l,Portobello 
 
 G. Ward, Thomas-street 
 
 R. Wright, Westmoreland-st. 
 
 C. Walton, Ship-street 
 R. Webb, Earl-street 
 
 D. Weyman, Stephen-street 
 
 Commissary 
 
 W. Watts, Sackville-street 
 Y 
 
 Hon. W. A. Yelverton, Gloster-st. 
 
 G. \eafces. Esq. Mecklenburgh-st. 
 Mr. C. \ oung. Bank of Ireland 
 
 W. Voakley, Mt.pleasant3Cop, 
 
 H. Young, Bel view, 20 Copies 
 H. Young, Prussia-street x 
 
 Youdell, Monastereven 
 ~ Young, Summer-hill 
 L Young, ship-street 
 Young, do. 
 
 W. Yowng, Shaw’s Bank 
 
ORIGINAL AND AUTHENTIC 
 
 JOURNAL OF OCCURRENCES 
 
 DURING THE LATE 
 
 AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 BCc. S*c. SCc. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Mutual Regal'd between Great Britain and her Colonies. 
 Character of the Colonies at the End of the Year 1763. 
 Taxes laid on Goods imported into the Colonies . 
 Opposed by the Americans . The Stamp Act framed. 
 Disturbances in different Colonies . First Congress 
 held in New York . Disturbances still continued. 
 Stamp Act repealed, A Bill for New Taxes passed 
 in Britain, and sent to America . Occasions 
 new Discontents. Tea destroyed at Boston. Boston 
 Port Bill . Received with extravagant Tokens of 
 
 Resentment by the Bostonians . Congress meets at 
 
6 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Philadelphia. General Gage fortifies Boston beck. 
 A great Army assembles before Boston, am pre- 
 pares for War. 
 
 -As the rise and establisment of the American Republic, 
 has given a new face to the western world, a summary 
 view of the occurrences that led to the independence 
 of that country, (before I enter upon my Journal,) vvi 
 no doubt be pleasing to the Re Jer. 
 
 The mother country, in planting her colonies in North 
 America, had endowed them with every privilege enjoyed 
 by her subjects at home. She left them at full liberty 
 to govern themselves by whatever laws the wisdom of 
 their own provincial assemblies might think expedient, 
 and empowered them to pursue their respective interests, 
 but claimed the exclusive benefit of their trade, and 
 their allegiance to the same sovereign* 
 
 The Americans, on the other hand, cherished the most 
 tender veneration for the mother country. The name 
 of an Englishman gave them an idea of every thing that 
 was great and estimable in human nature, and they con¬ 
 sidered the rest of mankind as barbarians, compared 
 with the people from whom they were descended. The 
 Colonists had often experienced the protection of Britons, 
 and witnessed their valor: as the contest* with Prance 
 had been begun on their account, they considered them¬ 
 selves bound to assist their protectors with zeal and 
 fidelity. 
 
 By a succession of the most brilliant victories by sea 
 and laud, Great Britain effectually subdued the united 
 powers of France, and Spain, and acquired possession of 
 a vast extent of territory in both the Indies. The peace 
 of Paris, in 1763, terminated a war which exalted her 
 to the zenith of military glory. By this treaty she 
 
 * Viz. the war of 1757, 1753, and 1759. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. i 
 
 remained sole mistress of North America, and her Colo¬ 
 nies were relieved from the fear of their ambitious French 
 neighbours. 
 
 Such was the state of the British Colonies at the 
 conclusion of a war, in which they had been more than 
 conquerors. Indeed the cession of Canada had placed 
 them in a state of perfect security from the French, 
 and the Indians were too contemptible an enemy to 
 excite much apprehension. 
 
 The colonies had for ages been accustomed to look to 
 the mother country for aid against the French, from a con¬ 
 sciousness of their inability to contend alone against that 
 powerful nation. Protection on the one side, naturally 
 implied obedience on the other ; and her Colonies con¬ 
 tinued to view Great Britain with an eye of filial reve¬ 
 rence, while the menaces of an ambitious neighbour kept 
 them in awe. But when the cession of the French 
 territory in America to the British crown removed a 
 formidable and ambitious rival from the western hemis¬ 
 phere, the colonists began to view their situation in 
 another light, and to cherish ideas of their future 
 greatness. 
 
 Their flourishing condition at this period was remark¬ 
 able. Their trade had prospered in the midst of all the 
 difficulties and distresses of a war in which they were so 
 immediately concerned. Their population continued 
 on the increase, notwithstanding the ravages and depre¬ 
 dations that had been so fiercely carried on by the 
 French, and the native Indians in their alliance. Thev 
 had many spirited and active individuals of all denomi¬ 
 nations. They were flushed with the uncommon pros¬ 
 perity that attended them in their commercial affairs and 
 military transactions. Hence they were ready for all 
 kind of undertakings, and saw no limits to their hopes 
 and expectations. 
 

 JOURNAL OF THU 
 
 As they entertained the highest opinion of the' 
 and importance, and of the immense bene 1 
 Britain derived from its connexion with them, ’ 
 
 tions were adequately high in their oun a\< i 
 deemed themselves entitled to every kindness and indul¬ 
 gence which the mother country could bestow. 
 
 Although their pretensions did not amount to a perfect 
 equality of advantages and privileges in matters o. com¬ 
 merce, yet in those of government they thought them¬ 
 selves fully competent to the task of conducting their 
 domestic concerns with little or no interference from 
 abroad. Though willing to admit the supremacy of 
 Great Britain, they viewed it with a suspicious eye, an 
 with a marked desire and intent speedily to give it 
 limitations. 
 
 The French, who have for many ages been the pro¬ 
 fessed and natural enemies of Britain, had long viewed, 
 with equal envy and apprehension, the flourishing state of 
 the colonies in North America. No doubt at present 
 subsists, that they began immediately after the peace of 
 Paris to carry into execution the scheme they had formed 
 for the separation of the British colonies from the 
 mother country, conscious that, whilst a good under¬ 
 standing subsisted between Great Britain and her colonies 
 the superiority must henceforth remain for ever on the 
 side of Britain. It was only by their disunion that 
 France could hope to regain the station and conse¬ 
 quence she had formerly possessed in Europe. 
 
 The first step taken by France to secure this object 
 was to employ her secret emissaries in spreading dissa¬ 
 tisfaction among the British colonists; and the effects 
 produced by her machinations were precisely such as 
 she had intended and expected. The disposition of 
 the inhabitants of North America began gradually to 
 alter from that warmth of attachment to the mother 
 country which had so particularly characterised them. 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 9 
 
 They began to view her rather in the light of a sovereign 
 than that of a parent, and to examine with a scrupulous 
 nicety, the nature of those ties that rendered them 
 parts of her empire. 
 
 The national debt of Great Britain had been much in¬ 
 creased by the late war; a multitude of new taxes were 
 levied at home, and as the quarrel originated on account 
 of the colonies, and as they derived the principal advan¬ 
 tages from the peace of 1763, it was thought equitable 
 that they should contribute to the common exigencies. 
 
 In March 1764, a bill was passed in the British Parlia¬ 
 ment, laying heavy duties on all articles imported into 
 the colonies from the French and other islands of the 
 West Indies, and ordering those duties to be paid in 
 specie into the exchequer of Great Britain. In the same 
 session another bill was passed, to restrain the currency 
 of paper money in the Colonies. 
 
 These acts of the English legislature excited the 
 surprise and displeasure of the North Americans. They 
 sent warm and energetic remonstrances to the mother 
 country, and laid every argument before the ministry 
 that ingenuity could suggest, but in vain. As they had 
 hitherto furnished their contingent in men and money, 
 by the authority of their representatives in the colonial 
 assemblies, they asserted, that not being represented in 
 the British parliament, it could have no right to tax 
 them. Finding, however, that all their arguments were 
 ineffectual to remove their grievances, they formed asso¬ 
 ciations to prevent the use of British manufactures, till 
 they should obtain redress. 
 
 The animosity of the colonists was further increased 
 by the advice which they received in 1765, that an act 
 was passed in the British parliament, to establish stamp 
 duties in America, similar to those in Great Britain. 
 
 The General Assembly of Virginia was the first that 
 openly declared against the right of Britain to lay taxe* 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 journal of tiie 
 
 America. Of this assembly Washington was a mem- 
 .. He most zealously opposed what he considered an 
 f. .* Ulo ormntrvmen. Upon 
 
 SSScIllUly } LUC. UUIU11V.OJ J /e m I 
 
 members to such a degree, that he cried out, reason . 
 
 << Treason 
 
 These Resolutions were nevertheless well received by 
 the people, and immediately forwarded to the other 
 provinces. They circulated extensively, and gave a 
 spring to all the discontented. Till they appeared, 
 most were of opinion, that the act would be quietly 
 adopted. Murmurs indeed were common, but they 
 seemed to be such as would die away. The countenance 
 of so respectable a colony as Virginia, confirmed the 
 wavering, and emboldened the timid. Opposition to the 
 stamp act, from that period, assumed a bolder face, 
 and the flame spread from breast to breast, till the 
 conflagration became general. In the mean time, the 
 minds'of the Americans underwent a total transformation. 
 Instead of their late peaceable and steady attachment to 
 the British nation, they were daily advancing to the 
 opposite extreme. A new mode of displaying resent¬ 
 ment against the friends of the stamp act began in 
 Massachusetts, and was followed by other colonies. 
 About this time a few gentlemen hung out on the 
 limb of a large tree towards the entrance of Boston, 
 two effigies, one designed for the stamp master and the 
 other for a jack boot, with an head and horns peeping out 
 at the top. Great numbers both from town and country 
 came to see them. A spirit of enthusiasm was diffused 
 among the spectators. In the evening the whole was 
 cut down and carried in procession, shouting “ Liberty 
 and property for ever : no stamps.’I They next pulled 
 down a new building lately erected by Mr. Oliver, chief 
 justice of the province \ they then went to his house, 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 11 
 
 before which they beheaded his effigy, and at the same 
 time broke his windows. Eleven days after simdar 
 violence was repeated. The mob attacked the house 
 of Mr. William Story, deputy register of the court 
 of admiralty, broke his windows, forced into his dwell¬ 
 ing house, destroyed the books and files belonging 
 to°the said court, and ruined a great part of his furniture. 
 They next proceeded to the house of Benjamin Hallowel, 
 comptroller of the customs, where they repeated similar 
 excesses, and drank and destroyed hi., liquors. Ticy 
 afterwards proceeded to the house of the governor, 
 Mr. Hutchinson, and soon demolished it. They carnet 
 off his plate, furniture, and apparel, scattered ° r de¬ 
 stroyed letters and other curious and useful papers, which 
 for thirty years he had been collecting. 
 
 Similar disturbances broke out in the adjacent colonics 
 nearly about the same time. On the 27th August, 1765, 
 the people of Newport, in Rhode Island, exhibited three 
 effigies, intended for Messieurs Howard, Moffat, and 
 Johnson, in a cart, with halters about their necks, and 
 after hanging them on a gallows for some time, cut them 
 down, and burnt them amidst the acclamations of thou¬ 
 sands. On the day following, the people collected at 
 the house of Mr. Martin Howard, a lawyer, who had 
 written in defence of the right of parliament to tax 
 the Americans, and demolished every thing that be¬ 
 longed to it. They proceeded to Dr. Moffat’s, who in 
 conversation had supported the same right, and made a 
 similar devastation of his property. 
 
 In Connecticut they exhibited effigies in sundry places, 
 and afterwards committed them to the flames. 
 
 In New York, the stamp master having resigned, the 
 stamp papers were taken into Fort George, by lieu¬ 
 tenant governor Colden. The people disliking his poli¬ 
 tical sentiments, broke open his stable, took out Ins coach, 
 an d carried it in triumph through the principal streets to 
 
 B 2 
 
12 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the gallows. On one end of this they suspended the 
 efligy of the lieutenant governor, having in his right hand 
 a stamped bill of lading, and in the other a figure of the 
 devil. After some time they carried the apparatus to the 
 gate of the fort, and from thence to the bowling green, 
 under the muzzles of the guns and burned the whole 
 amid the acclamations of many thousands. They went 
 thence to Major James’s house, stripped it of every 
 article, and consumed the whole, because he was a friend 
 to the stamp act. 
 
 The next evening the mob re-assembled, and insisted 
 on the lieutenant governor delivering the stamped 
 papers into their hands, and threatened in case of a re¬ 
 fusal to take them by force. After some negociation, it 
 was agreed that they should be delivered to the corpora¬ 
 tion, and they were deposited in the city hall. Ten boxes 
 of the same, which came by another conveyance, were 
 burned. 
 
 When the ship which brought the stamp papers to 
 Philadelphia, first appeared round Gloucester Point, all 
 the vessels in the harbour hoisted their colours half 
 mast high ; the bells were rung muffled till evening, 
 and every countenance added to the appearance of sincere 
 mourning. 
 
 About two months before this, the expediency of calling 
 a continental congress, to be composed of deputies from 
 each of the provinces, had occurred to the people of 
 Massachusetts. *T he assembly of that province passed a 
 resolution in favour of that measure, and fixed on New 
 York as the place, and the second Tuesday of October 
 as the time for holding the same. Soon after they sent 
 circular letters to the speakers of the several assemblies, 
 requesting their concurrence. This was the first Congress 
 held in North America. 
 
 While a variety of methods were adopted to oppose 
 the stamp act, the first of November on which it was to 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 13 
 
 commence its operation approached. This in Boston 
 was ushered in by a funeral tolling of bells. Many shops 
 and stores were shut. The effigies of several persons 
 were carried about the streets in public derision, and 
 then torn in pieces by the enraged populace. 
 
 On the same day at Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, 
 the morning was ushered in with tolling all the bells in 
 the town. In the course of the day, notice was given to 
 the people to attend a funeral. A coffin neatly orna¬ 
 mented, and inscribed with the word u Liberty,” in large 
 letters, was carried to the grave. The funeral procession 
 began from the state house, attended with two unbraced 
 drums, while the inhabitants who followed the coffin 
 were in motion, minute guns were fired and continued till 
 the coffin arrived at the place of interment: an oration in 
 favour of the deceased was then pronounced. It was 
 scarcely ended before the coffin was taken up, it having 
 been perceived that some remains of life were left, at 
 which the inscription was immediately altered to “ Liberty- 
 revived.” The bells immediately exchanged their me¬ 
 lancholy for a joyful sound, and satisfaction appeared 
 in every countenance. 
 
 In Maryland the effigy of the stamp master, on 
 one side of which was written, “ Tyranny,” on the 
 other “ Oppression,” and across the breast, “ D—n 
 my country, I’ll get money,” was carried through the 
 streets, from the goal to the whipping post, and from 
 thence to the pillory. After suffering many indignities, 
 it was first hanged and then burned. 
 
 In consequence of a petition from the new formed 
 congress to the king and both houses of parliament, 
 the stamp act was repealed to the universal joy of the 
 
 * In the course of the debate, Lord Chatham rose and with 
 an animation which no art or study can imitate, spontaneously 
 flowing from «he consciousness of great talents, delivered his 
 opinion on the present situation of affairs in America; concluding 
 
U JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 colonists, and the general satisfaction of the English, whose 
 manufactures had suffered a considerable depression in 
 consequence of the American associations against their 
 
 importation. . 
 
 Bat the parliament by repealing the stamp act, 1 no 
 relinquish the ideas of their right to tax the colonies, and 
 the bill for laying a duty on tea, paper, painters’ colours 
 and glass, was passed, and sent to America in 1768. This 
 act occasioned new discontents in the colonies, especially 
 at Boston; and though parliament thought proper in 
 1770 to take off those duties, except three pence a pound 
 on tea, yet even this trifling impost, kept alive the jealousy 
 of the colonists, who denied the supremacy of the British 
 legislature. The troops quartered in Boston were another 
 cause of offence to the inhabitants, and on all occasions 
 they manifested an inclination to quarrel with men whom 
 they considered inimical to their liberties. 
 
 Reciprocal insults soured the tempers, and mutual 
 injuries embittered the minds of the opposite parties; 
 besides some fiery spirits who thought it an indig¬ 
 nity to have troops quartered among them, were 
 constantly exciting the town’s people to quarrel with 
 the soldiers.* 
 
 •with these words, “ Let affection be the only bond of coercion. 
 The system of policy I would earnestly exhort Great Britain to 
 adopt, in relation to America, is happily expressed in the words 
 of a favourite poet: 
 
 Be to her faults a little blind, 
 
 Be to her virtues very kind ; 
 
 Let all her ways be u neon fin'd, 
 
 And clap your padlock on her mind.— prior. 
 
 Upon the whole, I will beg leave to tell the house in a few 
 words, what is really my opinion. It is. That the stamp act be 
 repealed, absolutely , totally, and immediately ” 
 
 * Lord Chatham’s state of health during the two preceding 
 sessions, had precluded him from making any considerable par¬ 
 liamentary exertions, and he had rarely attended the house on 
 any occasion, but, finding himself at this period somewhat re¬ 
 lieved from the pressure of his complaint, he took the opportunity 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 1$ 
 
 In the beginning of March 1770, a quarrel between 
 the military and the townsmen of Boston took place* more 
 serious than any of those which had preceded it. A private 
 of the 29th regiment, passing early on a Saturday morning 
 along a public rope walk, was provoked by insulting words 
 to engage a party of his comrades to attack the rope 
 makers. The battle being indecisive, it was determined 
 to fight it out on the Monday following. The populace 
 being in the interim fully apprised of the intended 
 
 on the third reading of the bill, for quartering soldiers in Ame¬ 
 rica, to lay before the house and the public, his thoughts on it,^ 
 and on American affairs in general, in a speech worthy of 
 his distinguished talents and illustrious reputation. “ If, said 
 he, “ my lords, we take a transient view of those motives which 
 induced the ancestors of our fellow subjects in America, to leave 
 their native country, to encounter the innumerable difficulties of 
 the unexplored regions of the western world, our astonishment 
 at the present conduct of their descendants will naturally sub¬ 
 side. There was no corner of the globe to which they would 
 not have fled, rather than to submit to the slavish and tyrannical 
 spirit which prevailed at that period in their native country ; 
 and viewing them in their originally forlorn, and now flourish¬ 
 ing state, they may be cited as illustrious instances to shew what 
 great exertions mankind will naturally make, when left to the 
 free exercise of their own powers. Notwithstanding rny inten¬ 
 tion to give my hearty negative to the question now before you, 
 1 condemn, my lords, in the severest manner, the turbulent and 
 unwarrantable conduct of the Americans in some instances, pai-. 
 ticularly in the late riots of Boston . 99 And in the conclusion of 
 his speech, he said, “ Pass then, my lords, instead of these 
 harsh and severe edicts, an amnesty over their errors ; by mea¬ 
 sures of lenity and affection allure them to their duty; act the 
 part of a generous and forgiving parent. A period may arrive 
 when this parent may stand in need* of every assistance she can 
 receive from a grateful and affectionate offspring. The welfare 
 of this country, my lords, has ever been my greatest joy, and 
 under all the vicissitudes of my life, has afforded me the most 
 pleasing consolation. Should the all disposing hand of Provi¬ 
 dence prevent me from contributing my poor and feeble aid in 
 the day of her distress, my prayers shall be ever for her pros- 
 perity :—“ Length of days be in her right hand, and in her left 
 hand, riches and honor! May her ways be ways of pleasant-, 
 ness, and all her paths be peace 
 
rnfcS 
 
 1 6 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 encounter, assembled in great numbers, armed with clubs 
 and other weapons, at the time appointed ;* the bells also 
 ringing an alarum, and violent clamours of tc town- 
 born, turn out,” being heard in all parts of the city. 
 The mob directed its course to Murray’s Barracks, 
 and dared the soldiery, by very offensive language, to 
 combat, at the same time pelting them with snow-balls, 
 covering stones: at length retiring from the barracks, 
 the populace were addressed in the street, by “ a tall 
 large man, in a red cloak and a white wig;” and after 
 listening for some minutes to his harangue with great 
 attention, they exclaimed with shouts and huzzas “ for 
 the main guard !” for which they immediately began 
 their route in different divisions. Captain Preston, 
 the officer on duty, on the appearance of tire frantic 
 multitude, who with oaths and execrations pressed in 
 upon the soldiers, advancing to the very points of 
 the bayonets, endeavoured by every effort to restrain 
 the soldiers from violence. But a party of the most furious 
 of the populace, in sailors habits, struck the guns down 
 with their clubs, and a blow was aimed by one of 
 them at Captain Preston. On which a confused noise 
 of “ fire!” was heard, and seven pieces were discharged, 
 seven persons were killed and wounded. The town was 
 immediately in commotion and nothing but the timely 
 retreat of the troops, and the expostulation of the 
 Governor prevented the people from proceeding to 
 open hostilities. A few days after the whole pro¬ 
 vince of Massachusetts rose in arms, and the soldiers 
 were obliged to retire to Castle William f»r protection. 
 On the removal of the troops, the ferment began to 
 subside. Captain Preston, who commanded the main 
 guard, with the seven soldiers who fired, were committed 
 to jail ; but after a full and fair trial, were, by a verdict 
 worthy of the. highest praise, honorably acquitted • two 
 only excepted, who were found guilty 0 f man slaughter 
 
17 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 Mr. Quincy and Mr. J, Adams,* counsel for the prisoners, 
 who were themselves warm partisans of America, exerted 
 their utmost ability in their defence. “ We must,” said 
 one of these gentlemen, addressing the jury, u steel our¬ 
 selves against prepossessions, which contaminate the foun¬ 
 tain of justice. To your candor and impartiality l 
 submit the prisoners and their cause. The LAW, in all 
 vicissitudes of government, fluctuations of passion, or 
 flights' of enthusiasm, will preserve a steady undeviating 
 course. To use the words of a patriot, a hero, a martyr 
 to liberty, Algernon Sidney, ’tis mem sine affectu ; 
 without regard to persons it commands that which is 
 good, and it punishes that which is evil ; it is deaf, in¬ 
 exorable, inflexible. On the one hand, it is exorable 
 to the cries and lamentations of the prisoners ; on the 
 other, it is deaf, deaf as an adder, to the clamours of 
 the populace.” 
 
 During the session of the Massachusetts assembly, in 
 the summer of 1773 , a discovery was made which 
 added fresh fuel to the flame long since kindled in 
 that province. The celebrated Dr. Franklin, deputy 
 post master general of America, and agent of the 
 house of representatives in Boston, had by some un¬ 
 known means when in London, acquired possession 
 of certain letters, written in confidence, by governor 
 Hutchinson, and lieutenant governor Oliver, to some 
 of their friends and correspondents in England, in 
 which they expressed themselves very freely on the 
 situation of affairs in America, and their sentiments 
 were such as might reasonably be expected from their 
 local situation: they saw that eloquent orators, were 
 successfully employed to preserve the remembrance of 
 every disagreeable occurrence which had happened be¬ 
 tween the soldiers and the inhabitants. In those in. 
 
 * Afterwards member of the American Congress. 
 
 € 
 
n 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 flammatory addresses, the blessings of liberty , the lof-^ 
 rors of slavery ; the dangers of a standing army , t e 
 rights of the colonies; and a variety of such topics 
 were presented to the public view, under the most 
 pleasing and alarming forms: these addresses admini¬ 
 stered fuel to the fire already kindled, and kept it 
 burning with an incessant flame.' 4 T he governor and 
 lieutenant governor were men very respectable in their 
 private character, and viewing these transactions pass¬ 
 ing before them, in their zeal for the re-establish- 
 irient of order and tranquillity, they recommended that 
 government should adopt more vigorous measures in 
 support of its authority, which they beheld every day 
 more and more disregarded. 
 
 Those letters were, by a licence which cannot be 
 justified, even though prompted by motives the most 
 patriotic, transmitted by Dr. Franklin to his friends 
 at Boston, upon whom they made an impression much 
 easier to conceive than to describe. 
 
 The assembly of Boston, thrown into a violent flame 
 by the reading of those letters, unanimously resolved 
 to petition the king to remove general Hutchinson 
 and the lieutenant governor Oliver, for ever from the 
 government of the province. 
 
 The petition being transmitted to the agent of the 
 assembly, Dr. Franklin, was by him delivered to lord 
 Dartmouth : and on its being presented to the king, 
 his majesty signified his pleasure that it should be 
 laid before him in council. Dr. Franklin was sum¬ 
 moned in his official capacity as agent of the province 
 
 * These extravagant and exaggerated addresses are a most 
 striking evidence of that diseased and dangerous state of the 
 public mind, which could prompt these effusions of enthusiastic 
 zeal, by which a resentment, scarcely short of phrenzy was 
 excited throughout America. All seemed to feel the influence 
 of <f the madding hour.’* 
 
 r ' i 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 J" ' U T PP ° rt 1 ,° f the Petition, Mr. Wedderburn, afterwards 
 ord Loughborough, and chancellor of Great Britain' 
 
 2~ S n U I 0 ' 1 f ° r th ° defendants - “ D '-- Franklin ” 
 
 ' Mr - Y e e,burn ’ “ sfands in the light of the fim 
 Pnme conduct °r of this whole contrivance 
 agatnst h.s majesty’s two governors: and having by 
 
 e help of Ins own special confidents and party 
 leaders, first madd the assembly/** agent, in cany J 
 on lu own secret designs, he now appears before 
 your lordships t( ; give thG finishi "S stroke to the work 
 of Ins own hands. How these letters-came into the 
 
 TyT'Dr F " y kl ^ ^ ** right ’ Wners ’ “ a ®J«- 
 
 ery for D,. Frankhn to explain. Your lordships know 
 
 After" th WhlCh f ° ll0VVed the conc eahncnt.* 
 
 After they had been left for five months to have 
 
 hem full operatton, at length comes out a letter, which 
 t impossible to read without horror, expressive of 
 the coolest and most deliberate Malevolence. My lords 
 what poetic fiction only had penned for the bfeast of 
 a cruel African, Dr. Franklin has realized and 
 cnbed from his own—His too ; s i 
 Zanga. ’ ’ he lan g ua S e of a 
 
 77—’Know then ’twas I, 
 
 I hated r h V etter a I disposed picture: 
 
 " ted, I despised, and I destroy. 
 
 And he now appears before your lordships, wrapped 
 op m impenetrable secrecy, to support a charge 
 e S “7^ governor and , ie J n „ t 
 
 pects that your lordsh.ps should advise puuishino- 
 them on account of certain letters which he bill not 
 
 was fought between Mr^ Wh^tl” 1 * h°" * e8C Ie(ter0 ’ a d <>el 
 dent /the two governors^ ‘& s $£? « 
 mutually suspected each othrr n f* who 
 
 munication of them and ir tb ‘ flB ^ accessar y t0 tbfc com- 
 dangerously woSed h ‘ S renceunter Mr. Wheatly was 
 
20 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 -tell how he obtained. 
 
 produce, and which he dares » p ran ldin’s school 
 
 These are the lessons taught in lhe fec- 
 
 of politics.* Wit ltgai J J complaint against 
 
 tious leaders at Boston, who make I doing9 
 
 their governor,, if «*”*£ * ma jeM/s affec- 
 be criminal, and tending more so ? Yet now 
 
 tions, must not the doing ° f an d reward them 
 
 they ask that his majesty wi g y ]sh the 
 
 *» “■* b~ se .he, ale ,0 very 
 
 - "«r of 
 
 ''"The dispute, between Great Britain 
 
 T “ Zr “The reservation of the duty on tea, 
 the^ stationing a standing arm, in Massachusetts, the 
 * • p of a board of commissioners m Boston, and 
 
 Anting the governors and judges of the province 
 independent of the people, were the causes of that 
 tation which pervaded all ranks of the community. 
 
 The American controversy was no. "Com™**, 
 in consequence of tea being sent to the colonies y 
 the EastVdia company. The Americans took mea- 
 S»jt prevent the landing of the tea. An un.vecsal 
 soirit of opposition animated the colonists trom ew 
 Hampshire to Georgia ; and the province of Mas, a- 
 '■tisetts distinguished itself by the most violent and 
 
 „ - .,„Uin was one of the first who employed his pen in 
 
 • , ier i C a. Two pieces of his had about this time 
 - of public attention, and had an extensive 
 * Dp. >, n 'lie one purported to be an edict trom 
 
 the cause of a t the inhabitants of Great Britain, 
 
 attracted a lare-e v 's dominions. The other was 
 
 influence in L 31V 'mire to a smal1 one- „*•" 
 
 the King of P n *, ‘ claims of Great Br¬ 
 as descends, t ,? sia ’ for taxin. v with the seve- 
 
 entitied “ K u e S °for'"'f ^ from -- ‘endency of 
 
 both of these he end UC,ng a great mother 
 
 tain, and the proceed iW 5 U of^,i° e £P. 0se ^he 
 rityof p un g ent satire. ^These^nufr' 811 •® inisl G 
 
 *• -'fc? • .. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 21 
 
 c Three ships from England, 
 decisive proceeding . harbour of Boston; 
 
 freighted with tea, ay destroy it rather than 
 
 and the townsmen resolve ^ |lurpo „ a number 
 suffer it to he fended- In di.„s, on the 18th 
 
 of men disguised like threw overboard 
 
 December ms, «"<«f " c L’ s .s of being the 
 
 three hundred and loity two 
 
 whole of their caigoes. finding themselves every 
 
 The British governmen ^ enforce the ir 
 
 where insulted an ^ ^P ,s ’ ^ the principal scene 
 authority, and as Boston • h t hat town in an 
 
 of outrage, itwas determined ^ lTJ4 , an 
 
 exemplary — Bosto n Port Bill, “ to di- 
 act was passed, ca discharging, lading and ship- 
 
 ^gTof go^: w-s -d merchandizes, at the town 
 
 of Boston or ‘received by the Bos- 
 
 and during the e o-eutleman had been 
 
 Gage , arrived from England.^ This. ^ ^ of re _ 
 
 Esteemed by dm Americans, among 
 
 whom he had^This^^government was the re- 
 The first official act of g town seventeen 
 
 m0 val of the assembly to balem, 
 
 miles distant from Boston blic avowal 
 
 VirS "’ te <•%'.'t itcollided to .he colonic, 
 
 the critical state of their a a > inactive. They 
 
 Mean while the Bo f°Xh t hey called a solemn 
 
 framed an agieemen, ^ the subscribers engaged 
 
 league and covenan *’* « to discontinue all com- 
 
 in the most sacied * B itain till the late ob- 
 
 mercial intercourse with Great bn 
 
22 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 noxious acts were repealed, and the colony of Mas¬ 
 sachusetts restored to its chartered rights. Kesolutiorts 
 <>1 a similar nature were entered into by the other pro¬ 
 vinces, and when general Gage attempted to counteract 
 t e covenant by a proclamation, the Americans retorted 
 } insisting that the law allowed subjects to associate, in 
 order to obtain redress of their grievances. 
 
 W ithin little more than a month after the news of the 
 Boston Port Bill reached America, it was communicated 
 Horn state to sate ; and a flame of discontent was kindled 
 “ alm ° St ever ^ breast > trough the widely extended pro- 
 
 Ihs majesty’s armed schooner, the Gaspee, having 
 been stationed m Rhode Island to prevent the sm«ggli„<f 
 
 officer* who 1 ^ plaCe . W f notorious > the vigilance of the’ 
 
 otticer who commanded that vessel, so enraged the neo 
 
 .WO dL b0 “' ? l!d Wat mW,,i e hl > <be number of 
 
 two hundred armed men, and after wounding him and 
 
 Ss ? peopl r s ° on • h<,rc ’ £ ’ 
 
 nf fi g , P " , y burn, ag the schooner. Though a reward 
 ve undred pounds, together with a pardon, if claim 
 by an accomplice, was offered by a proclamation f " 
 
 ee'ne'dTS ■' " P|,rehendi "S *°y of -he persons con! 
 
 <H.cover y could 
 
 i- 
 
 •*« 
 
 secretary. The first act of r Thompson their 
 
 tion of the conduct of the * Ppr ° ba - 
 
 to them to persevere i„ their opposition to exhortation 
 till the restoration of their charter Th government 
 
 allegiance to his Majesty, and drew uo a l their 
 
 P a petition m which 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 23 
 
 they entreated him to grant them peace, liberty, and 
 safety. After several resolutions tending to recommend 
 unanimity to the provinces, and after having resolved 
 that another congress should meet in Philadelphia, on the 
 10th of May following, if their grievances should not be 
 redressed, they recommended to the people the speedy 
 nomination of new delegates, and then separated. 
 
 To relieve the distresses of the people of Boston, libe¬ 
 ral collections wore made throughout the colonies, and 
 forwarded for the supply of their immediate distresses. 
 Domestic manufactures were encouraged, that the wants 
 of the inhabitants from the non importation act might 
 be diminished, and the greatest zeal was discovered by 
 a large majority of the people, to comply with the de¬ 
 terminations of the new made congress. 
 
 The terms Whigs and Tories, for want of abetter, 
 were now introduced in America, as the distinguishing 
 names of parties. By the former were meant those who 
 were for making a common cause with Boston, and sup¬ 
 porting the colonies in their oppositions to the claims of 
 the British government. By the latter, those who con¬ 
 demned the turbulent and unwarrantable conduct of their 
 countrymen, particularly in the late riots of Boston. 
 
 Mean while reinforcements of British troops arrived in 
 Boston, which increased the general disaffection to such 
 a degree, that the people were read} 7 to rise at a moment’s 
 warning.. From inconsiderable causes love was changed 
 into suspicion, that gradually ripened into ill will, and 
 soon ended in hostility. The Americans now began seri¬ 
 ously to prepare for war, embodied and trained their 
 militia. The sound of drums and fifes every where salu¬ 
 ted the ear. Parents and children, husbands and lovers, 
 the young and the old, were possessed of the same 
 martial spirit. Nothing was to be seen or heard of, 
 but the purchasing of arms and ammunition, casting of 
 balls, and the making of all those preparations, which 
 
24 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 testify the most immediate danger and deteimined le- 
 sistance ; and to render themselves independent of 
 foreigners for the supply of military stores, they erected 
 mills and manufactures for gunpowder, both in Phi¬ 
 ladelphia and Virginia. 
 
 These hostile preparations which were daily made 
 through the province, induced General Gage to fortify 
 that neck of land which joins Boston to the main land 
 at Roxbury. 
 
 He also seized upon the powder which was lodged in 
 the arsenals at Cambridge and Charlestown. This.excited 
 a most violent and universal ferment ; several thousands 
 of people assembled at Cambridge, and it was with diffi¬ 
 culty they were restrained from marching directly to 
 Boston, to demand a delivery of the powder, with a reso~ 
 lution in case of a refusal to attack the British troops. 
 
 The people thus assembled, proceeded to lieutenant 
 governor Oliver’s house, and to the houses of several of 
 the new counsellors, and obliged them to resign, and to 
 declare that they would no more act under the laws 
 lately enacted. In less than twenty-four hours there were 
 upwards of thirty thousand men in arms, who marched 
 towards Boston. Other risings of the people took 
 place in different parts of the country, and their vio¬ 
 lence was such, that in a short time the new counsellors, 
 the commissioners of the customs, and all who had 
 taken an active part in favor of Great Britain, were 
 obliged to screen themselves in Boston. Even in 
 Boston itself the company of cadets, consisting wholly 
 of gentlemen who used to attend the governor, 
 disbanded themselves, and returned the standard 
 he had, (as was the custom,) presented them with - 
 on his accession to the government. This was 
 occasioned by his having deprived the celebrated John 
 Hancock, afterwards president of the congress, of his 
 commission as colonel of the cadets. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 2 $ 
 
 About this time a meeting was held of the principal 
 inhabitants of the towns adjacent to Boston. The purport 
 of this, was publickly to renounce all obedience to the 
 late acts of parliament, and to form an engagement to 
 indemnify such as should be prosecuted on that account. 
 All ranks and degrees of men were exhorted to learn 
 the use of arms, and the receivers of the public re¬ 
 venues were ordered not to deliver it into the treasury, 
 but retain it in their own hands, till the constitution 
 should be restored, or a provincial congress dispose 
 of it otherwise. 
 
 The awful moment npw approached which was to in¬ 
 volve Great Britain and her colonies in all the horrors 
 of a civil war. In February, 1775, the provincial con¬ 
 gress of Massachusetts met at Cambridge, several mili¬ 
 tary institutions for the protection of the province 
 were established, among the most remarkable of which 
 was that of the minute men. A number of the most active 
 and expert of the New England militia were selected, who 
 were to be under obligations to turn out at a minute’s 
 warning, from which perpetual vigilance they derived 
 their title. Jedediah Pribble, Artemus Ward, and Seth 
 Pomeroy, were elected general officers to command those 
 minute men, in case they should be called out to action. 
 
 Matters had now proceeded so far, that every idea 
 of reconciliation with Great Britain was lost. The 
 Americans, therefore, without ceremony, began to seize 
 on the military stores and ammunition belonging to 
 government. Tliey first commenced at New Port, in 
 Rhode Island, where the inhabitants carried off forty 
 pieces of camion, appointed for the protection of that 
 place ; and on being asked the reason of this proceeding, 
 they replied that the people had seized them lest thev 
 should be made use of against themselves. After this, the 
 assembly met, ami resolved that ammunition and warlike 
 stores should be purchased with the public money. 
 
 D 
 
26 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAP. II- 
 
 Skirmish at Lexington , Battle of Bun ei s i • 
 
 Washington appointed Commander in Chief of t ic 
 American Army. Sketch of his Life. His Birti 
 
 and Education. Appointed Adjutant General of the 
 Virginia Militia. Defeated by the French. Aid-de- 
 Camp to General Braddock. Covers the Retreat 
 of the British Army. Appointed Commander of the 
 Provincial Troops in Virginia. Marries. Settles at 
 Mount Vernon. Appointed a Magistrate , a Member 
 of the Assembly y and a Judge of the Court of 
 Virginia. 
 
 General Gage having been informed that a large 
 quantity of military stores were collected at Concord, 
 about twenty miles from Boston, sent a detachment to that 
 place, under the command of colonel Smith and major 
 Pitcairn ; the general wished to prevent hostilities by 
 depriving the Americans of the means necessary for 
 carrying on war. With this view he determined to 
 destroy the stores, which he knew were collected for 
 the support of a provincial army. Wishing to accorm 
 plish this without bloodshed, he took every precaution 
 to effect it by surprise, and without alarming the 
 country. On the 18th of April, 1775, at eleven o’clock 
 at night, the flank companies'embarked at the common, 
 landed at Phipps’s farm, and proceeded with the utmost 
 silence ; every person they met was secured, in. order 
 to prevent the country from being alarmed ; but not¬ 
 withstanding these precautions, they soon found, by 
 
27 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 the continual firing of guns and ringing of bells, that 
 they were discovered by the minute men. About five 
 o’clock the next morning the British troops had reached 
 Lexington, fifteen miles from Boston : here the militia 
 and minute men were assembled on the green in order 
 to oppose the British troops. Major Pitcairn, who com¬ 
 manded the advance guard, rode forward, and called 
 out to them to disperse, but they still continued in 
 
 a body. ., 
 
 At this moment some shots were fired at the British 
 
 troops, from a house in that neighbourhood. The ad¬ 
 vance guard, finding they were fired upon, returned 
 the fire, and three or four of the militia were killed 
 on the green. The troops then proceeded to Concord, 
 where they destroyed the stores, and engaged in a 
 skirmish with the provincials, in which many were 
 killed on both sides. 
 
 In the return of the British troops from Concord to 
 Lexington, a space of six miles, they were pursued 
 with the utmost fury by the Americans, who fired at 
 them from behind stone walls, high enough to cover 
 the assailants from the fire of men who were marching 
 with the greatest expedition. At Lexington, the British 
 troops were joined by a detachment under Lord Percy, 
 with two field pieces. As the cannon were managed 
 with the greatest skill and activity, they awed the 
 Americans, and kept them at a greater distance, but 
 they continued a constant, though irregular and scat¬ 
 tered fire. The close firing from behind the walls, 
 by good marksmen, galled the British troops very 
 much. A little after sun set the royal army reached 
 Bunker’s hill, worn down with excessive fatigue, having 
 marched that day near forty miles. On the next day 
 they crossed Charlestown ferry, and returned to Boston. 
 The British had sixty five killed, and one hundred 
 and eighty wounded. Among the latter were -colonel 
 
 D 2 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 2$ 
 
 Smith and several other British officers. The Americans 
 Lad fifty killed and thirty-eight wounded. 
 
 By the nearest calculation that can be made, there 
 were from one thousand eight hundred to two thousand 
 troops on this service, being about half the force that was 
 then stationed at Bostoii. The event sufficiently showed 
 how ill informed those were who had so often asserted at 
 home, that a regiment or two could force their way 
 through any part of the continent, and that the very 
 sight of a grenadier’s cap, would be sufficient to put an 
 American army to flight. 
 
 This affair at Lexington animated the courage of 
 the Americans to thrt highest degree, insomuch that 
 in a few days their arm}' amounted to twenty thou¬ 
 sand men. This formidable body of troops were joined 
 by a corps from Connecticut, under general Putman, 
 a veteran officer. The Americans now completely 
 blockaded the trtwn of Boston, which however was so 
 strongly fortified by geileral Gage, that they did not 
 venture to attack it. Meanwhile congress met at Phi* 
 ladelphia*, on the 10th rtf May, 1775, and John Hancock 
 was unanimously elected president.* 
 
 About the latter end of May, reinforcements of British 
 troops from England arrived at Boston, under the com- 
 mand of generals Howe, Burgoyne, and Clinton, whose 
 services in the preceding war had gained them great 
 reputation. The town of Boston stands on a peninsula, 
 
 Bav a b ° m in the P rovi " ce ° f Massachusetts 
 
 ^ V j• 1 . he en J°y ed a very considerable fortune From 
 
 the first disturbance in America about the Stamn Art ' h* t l 
 a very active part in defence of what he conlS;„ K^h 
 rights and liberties of his native country Most of th* la a the 
 sent from America to England, origiLed f!l h addres * es 
 was then in his thirty-eighth year ami was m- • • j'l 8 P eil ‘ 
 most beautiful and accomplished ladies in America who"h ° f ^ 
 him a very considerable addition to his paternal fortune! br0Ugh 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 29 
 
 «»■ ^ v#" 
 
 divided from Charlestown, by a river about the breadth 
 of the Thames, at London bridge. Eastward of Charles¬ 
 town, there is an eminence called Bunker’s Hill, which 
 commands the whole town of Boston. In the night 
 of the 16th of June, the Americans took possession of 
 this place, and worked with such diligence and si¬ 
 lence, that before the dawn they had nearly coin- 
 pleated a redoubt and strong entrenchment, which ex¬ 
 tended half a mile. When they were discovered by the 
 British troops, they were plied with an incessant can¬ 
 nonade from the ships and floating batteries, besides 
 the cannon that could reach the place from Boston. 
 The Americans however continued their work, which 
 they completed about noon* when a considerable body 
 of infantry, consisting of one battalion of marines, ten 
 companies of grenadiers, as many of light infantry, 
 and the 5th, 38th, 43d, 47th, and 52d battalions, with 
 proper artillery, amounting in the whole to two thou¬ 
 sand men, were landed at the foot of Bunker’s hill, 
 under the command of major general Howe, and brigadier 
 general Pigot, the former being appointed to attack 
 the lines, and the latter the redoubt. The British 
 troops ascended the hill with the greatest intrepidity, 
 but on their approach to the entrenchments, they were 
 received with a discharge of cannon and musquetry, 
 that poured down a full half hour upon them like a 
 torrent. The execution it did was terrible, insomuch, 
 that some of the oldest officers and soldiers, declared 
 it Was the hottest service they had ever seen. General 
 ilowe, whose fortitude was remarkable on this trying 
 occasion, stood for a few moments almost alone, the 
 greatest part of the officers and soldiers, who stood 
 near his person, being either killed or wounded. His 
 coolness, firmness, and presence of mind, on this occa¬ 
 sion cannot be too much applauded. It fully answered 
 all the ideas, so generally entertained of the courage 
 
m 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 of his family.* While these operations ^erc g onl S on 
 J e breast work and redoubt, the British light in- 
 
 L«y, comroan'led b, r—1 
 
 .. * a • __ lpft m order that they nugni 
 
 the Americans on the leir, hi 
 
 take their line in flank. 
 
 Though they exhibited the most undaunted cou¬ 
 rage, they met with an opposition which called foi 
 its°greatest exertions. The Americans here reserved then 
 
 * About seventeen years before this, general Howe’s^brother 
 
 under bis command to encumber themselves with superfluous 
 b't‘ r,r a rr e • he himself set the example and shared like a common 
 oldTe” ’The first to encounter danger, to endure hunger, to 
 sonoort fatimie. Rigid in his discipline, but easy in his man- 
 ners his officers and soldiers readily obeyed the commander, 
 because they loved the man. General Abercrombie under 
 whose command he acted, in writing his dispatches to gomn- 
 rnpnt savs * “ But this success cost us very dear, not as to the 
 loss of numbers, for we had only two officers killed, bat as to 
 consequence, his lordship (colonel Howe) being the first man 
 
 t hat fell * and as he was very deservedly, universally beloved 
 
 and respected throughout the whole army, it is easy to con- 
 ceive the grief and consternation his untimely fall occasioned, 
 f or m y part, I cannot help owning that I feel it most heavily, 
 
 and lament him as sincerely. 5 ’ * , • t? u n A 
 
 Soon after the news of Lord Howe’s death arrived in England, 
 the following advertisement appeared in the public papers: 
 
 *'< To the Gentlemen , Clergy, Freeholders, fyc. of the Town and 
 County of Nottingham. 
 
 “ As Lord Howe is now absent upon the public service, and 
 lieutenant-colonel Howe is with his regiment at Louisbotirg, 
 it rests upon me to beg the favour of your votes and interest, 
 
 _ I_ i. r.„.,r»n.nnf oolAnul rim,* cnnnlu tlld Ill il IS lUtS 
 
 it rests upon me to Deg me tavour or your voiw «mu mw-iw* 
 that lieutenant-colonel Howe may supply the place ot his late 
 brother, as your representative in parliament. 
 
 Permit me, therefore, to implore the protection of every one 
 of you, as the mother of him whose life has been lost in the 
 
 service of his country. 
 
 Albemarle-street, 
 
 Septanber 11758. 
 application worthy of a Roman matron 
 
 “ Charlotte Howe.” 
 
51 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 fire till the British troops were near, and then poured it 
 upon the light infantry, with such an incessant stream, and 
 in so true a direction, as mowed down their ranks, and 
 threw our troops into disorder. At this critical moment 
 general Clinton, who arrived from Boston during the 
 engagement, by a happy manoeuvre rallied the troops 
 almost instantaneously, and brought them again to the 
 charge : the works were now attacked with such fury, 
 that the Americans were driven beyond the Neck thar 
 leads to Charlestown. The British troops having been 
 annoyed by the enemy from the houses of that town, 
 set it on lire, and in a short time the whole, 
 consisting of about five hundred buildings, chiefly 
 of wood, was in one great blaze. The lofty steeple of 
 the meeting-house formed a pyramid of fire, above the 
 rest, and struck the astonished eyes of numerous be¬ 
 holders with a magnificent but dreadful spectacle ; thou¬ 
 sands both within and without Boston were anxious 
 spectators of this awful scene. In the town of Boston 
 the, heights of every kind were covered with citizens, 
 and such of the British troops as were not on duty. 
 
 It was greatly dreaded by the Americans that the 
 Britislrtroops would push the advantage they had gained, 
 and march immediately to their head-quarters at Cam¬ 
 bridge. The immediate advance of the king’s troops 
 into Cambridge, would, undoubtedly, at this critical 
 period, have been productive of various and important 
 advantages. The appearance of the royal forces, after 
 such a contest would have animated their friends, 
 discouraged their enemies, and continued the confusion, 
 and dispersion of the American army. But they ad¬ 
 vanced no farther than Bunker’s Hill. There they 
 threw up works for their own security. The provincials 
 did the same, on Prospect Hill, in front of them. Both 
 were guarding against an attack, and both were in a bad 
 condition to receive one. 
 
32 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 In this short engagement the carnage was very great, 
 in proportion to the number of troops* The loss of the 
 British army amounted, in killed and wounded to one 
 thousand and fifty-four, including eighty-nine officers. 
 The battle of Quebec, in 1759 , which gave Great 
 Britain the province of Canada, was not so destructive 
 to British officers as the battle of Bunker’s Hill. That 
 the officers suffered so much, must be imputed to their 
 being aimed at. The generality of the Americans were 
 good marksmen ; the whole of their previous military 
 knowledge had been derived from hunting, and the 
 ordinary amusements of sportsmen. The dexterity 
 which by long habit they had acquired in hitting beasts, 
 birds, and marks, was fatally applied to the destruction 
 of our officers* From their fall much confusion was 
 expected ; they were, therefore, particularly singled 
 out. 
 
 Among those who were more generally regretted 
 upon this occasion were lieutenant colonel Abercrombie, 
 and major Pitcairn of the marines, majors Williams and 
 Spendlove, the last of whom died of his wounds some time 
 after the action. These brave officers sealed their lives 
 with such distinguished honour as to render their loss the 
 more sensibly felt. There was scarcely a single officer 
 who had not some opportunity of signalizing himself; 
 the generals and field officers used the most extraordinary 
 exertions. 
 
 According to the American account their loss did not 
 exceed five hundred men, beside all their cannon. 
 
 I his disparity of numbers may be accounted for, by 
 their having fought behind intrenchments, which shel¬ 
 tered them from the fire of the British troops, and 
 whence their marksmen could take aim with precision. - 
 
 Our troops justly claimed this dear bought victory. 
 The spirited conduct of the British officers merited and 
 obtained great applause. On the American side, they 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 33 
 
 particularly regretted the death of General Warren. 
 Considering, however, that this was the first time they 
 had been in actual service, it must be owned that they 
 behaved with great resolution and bravery, and by no 
 means merited the appellation of cowards , with which 
 they were so often branded in England.* 
 
 * The following letter was written by a British soklier to his 
 wife in England, the day after this memorable battle : 
 
 “ Yesterday we had a bloody and obsinate fight, in which 
 many were killed, and numbers wounded. 1 have received 
 two balls, one in my groin, and the other near the breast. 
 
 I am now so weak with the loss of blood, that I can hardly 
 dictate these few lines, as the last tribute of my unchangeable 
 love to you. The surgeons inform me, that three hours will 
 be the utmost 1 can survive. Alas, too true waS the dire 
 presage that brooded in my mind, that we should never meet 
 again on this side an awful eternity. 
 
 “ During our passage from England to America I gave myself 
 up to read the bible, as it was the only book I was possessed 
 of. The Almighty Parent of mankind was pleased to draw 
 my heart to him, by the sweet attraction of his grace ; and 
 at the same time to enlighten my mind. 1 here was in our regi¬ 
 ment a corporal, whose name was Pierce, a pious man ^in¬ 
 quired after him, and we soon contracted a strong friendship; 
 He was pleased to explain to me the amazing love of God, tu 
 oj v in<' his son Jesus Christ to bleed and die for mankind. He 
 condescended to unfold to me the mystery of salvation by faith, 
 the nature of the new birth, and the great necessity of holiness 
 of heart and life. In short, he became my spiritual father ; 
 and, under God, to him I owe all the good I am acquainted 
 
 with. , . 
 
 “ Soon after we landed, God was pleased to speak peace to 
 my soul. Oh the bliss, the unutterable joy that I then felt 
 through the blood of the Lamb ! How did I long to tell all 
 the world what Jesus had done for me ! But how did I long, 
 yea, burn, to have you to taste and know the love of God 
 in Christ Jesus! 1 would have given all the world to have 
 been with you, to have informed yon of the pearl of great 
 price. As we shall never meet more in this vale of tears, 
 lei me impose this last, this dying obligation upon you ; and 
 if ever I was dear to you, let me beg of you not to neglect 
 the last advice of your departing husband. It is, that you 
 give yourself up to God, read the Bible, and good books, 
 and be often found among them who inquire after salvation, 
 
 E 
 
i% JOURNAL OF TIIE 
 
 During these transactions at Boston, congress con-* 
 tinued to act with all the vigour which its constitu¬ 
 ents had expected. They resolved on the establishment 
 
 And the Lord shall guide you in his ways. O endeavour 
 to bring up the dear little ones in the fear of God. Never 
 fix your heart upon the vain and unsubstantial things of 
 the world. Heaven and the love of God are the only 
 things that demand our hearts, or at least are worthy of 
 engrossing them. 
 
 “ And you, my dear infants, though you have not the perfect 
 knowledge of your worthless father, 1 beg of you to meet 
 me in the realms of bliss. The God that blessed Jacob 
 and Joseph shall bless you. Seek him and he will be 
 found of you ; call upon him, and he will hear and bless 
 you. What has the world but sin and sorrow. The rich 
 are oppressed with wealth •/ and the poor are groaning for 
 the want of that which the others are burdened with. The 
 men in power are afflicted with holding the reins, and 
 guiding the helm; and the governed are oppressed with 
 imaginary evils. The life of a soldier is blood and cruelty, 
 and that of a sailor, is filled with dangers and deaths. A 
 city life is full of confusion and strife; and that of the 
 country is loaded with toil and labour. But the evil of all 
 evils, flows from our own sinful nature. Wherever w^e are, 
 we may be happy; w’e have the key to bliss in our own 
 breasts. The world itself never yet made any one happy. 
 God is the bliss and solace of a reasonable soul ; and God 
 is every where, and we have every where access to him. 
 Learn then, my dear children, when you grow up, to seek 
 your permanent happiness in God, through a crucified 
 I^edeemer. 
 
 “ My dear wife, should the spirits of the departed have 
 any knowledge of things here below, and at the same tir^e, 
 any intercourse with them, (though unseen,) how shall I 
 rejoice to be thy guardian angel, to attend you, and smile 
 to see you combat sin, conquer the world, and subdue the 
 llesh. How shall 1 smile to meet you on the bright frontiers 
 of heaven. 1 hese hands shall weave for you, the wreath 
 triumphant! 1 first shall hail you welcome to your native 
 
 mansions ! I first shall guide you to the celestial city, and 
 introduce you among the jubilant throng, who tread the streets 
 of the New Jerusalem 1 first will lead you to the sacred 
 throne of our God, where we will together bow, transported 
 at the feet of the ever adorable Jesus. Then, then will 
 stnke our melodious harps of gold, in the most exalted 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 35 
 
 of an army, and a large paper currency for its support; 
 and they nominated a general to the supreme com¬ 
 mand of their forces. Washington was by their 
 unanimous vote appointed commander in chief. 
 
 I hope it will not be esteemed an unnecessary digres¬ 
 sion, to give some account of the life of this celebrated 
 man. 
 
 In the year 1657, his grandfather together with 
 several relatives, emigrated from England to America, 
 and settled in the colony of Virginia, where by unre¬ 
 mitting industry, they became opulent and respectable, 
 and gave their name to the parish of Washington, in 
 Westmoreland county. George Washington was born 
 in Chotank, in the above mentioned county, on the 
 11th Feb. 1732. He received a private education, 
 was initiated in the elements of religion, morality, 
 and science, by a private tutor. In the tenth year 
 of his age he lost his father, who died in 1742, and 
 the patrimonial estate devolved to an elder brother. 
 This young gentleman had been an officer in the 
 colonial troops, sent on the expedition against Cartha- 
 gena. On his return he called the family mansion, 
 Mount Vernon, in honor of the British admiral of 
 
 strains of harmony and love. Then shall our love be con¬ 
 summated, refined and eternalized ! 
 
 “ The world recedes, it disappears 
 Heaven opens on my eyes, my ears 
 With sounds seraphic ring: 
 
 Lend, lend your wings, 1 mount, l fly 1 
 Oh ! Grave where is thy victory ? 
 
 Oh Death! where is thy sting r” 
 
 More would l say, but life ebbs out apace, my tongue 
 ceases to perform its office; bright angels stand round the 
 gorey turf on which I lie, ready to escort me to the arms of 
 my Jesus ; bending saints reveal my shining crown, and 
 beckon me away : yea, methinks, my Jesus bids me come. 
 Adieu ! Adieu ! Dear Love. 
 
 E 2 
 
 “ John Randon.” 
 
3o 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 that name, and destined his brother Geoige to serve 
 in the navy. 
 
 Accordingly, in his fifteenth year, young V as in S“ 
 ton was entered as midshipman on board a Britis 
 frigate, stationed on the coast of Virginia ; he prepared 
 to embark with all the alacrity of youth, but his nau¬ 
 tical career was stopped by the interposition of maternal 
 love. Ever obedient to an affectionate mother, young 
 Washington relinquished his desire of going to sea; 
 the energies of his mind were to be exerted on a more 
 stable element. 
 
 He remained at home during four subsequent years, 
 employed in useful and elegant studies with a pleas¬ 
 ing alternation of business ; and in the delightful fields 
 and groves of Mount Vernon, he gradually attained a 
 knowledge of agriculture. Rural avocations appear to 
 have been his delight, at this early period of life ; yet 
 he afterwards convinced the world, that martial ardour 
 animates the bpeast of the husbandman. 
 
 Jn the year 1751, he was appointed adjutant general 
 of the Virginia militia ; and in consequence of the 
 death of his brother, the family mansion of Mount 
 Vernon, together with a large estate, came into his 
 possession. At this time the extensive boundaries and 
 increasing population of the colony, made it expedient 
 to form the militia, corps into three divisions, and Wash¬ 
 ington in his twentieth year was appointed Major. He 
 attended to his duty as an officer, with exemplary pro¬ 
 priety and vigilance ; was indefatigable in the discipline 
 of the troops ; and generally beloved, both by the officers 
 and privates, for his mildness and generosity. 
 
 In the year 1753, the encroachments of the French 
 upon the western boundaries of the British colonies, 
 excited a general alarm in ,Virginia, insomuch that 
 governor Dinwiddie deputed Washington to ascertain 
 the truth of those rumours; he was also empowered 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 37 
 
 to enter into a treaty with the Indians, and to remon¬ 
 strate with the French, on the injustice of their pro¬ 
 ceedings. The distance to the French settlement was 
 more than four hundred miles, and one half of the 
 rout led through a wilderness, inhabited only by 
 Indians. He, nevertheless, set out in an uncommonly 
 severe season, attended only by one companion. From . 
 Winchester he proceeded on foot, with his provisions 
 on his back. When he arrived and delivered his 
 message, the French commandant refused to comply, 
 and claimed the country as belonging to the king, 
 his master, and declared that he should continue to 
 seize, and send as prisoners to Canada, every 
 Englishman that should attempt to trade on the Ohio, 
 or any of its branches. Before major Washington 
 returned, the Virginians had sent out workmen and 
 materials to erect a fort at the conflux of the Ohio, 
 and Monongahela. While they were engaged in this 
 work, the French came upon them, drove them out 
 of the country, and erected a regular fortification on 
 the same spot. These spirited proceedings overset the 
 schemes of the Ohio company, but its members bot 
 in England and America were too powerful to brook 
 the disappointment. It therefore resolved to 
 
 instruct the colonies to oppose with , arms the en¬ 
 croachments of the French, on the frontiers of 
 Virginia. It was now necessary to increase the mill- 
 tary establishment; and early in the spring H54, a 
 new regiment was raised, of which Professor Fry, of 
 the college, was appointed colonel, and Washington, 
 lieutenant colonel. Mr, Fry died soon after the 
 regiment was embodied, and was succeeded by 
 Washington, who paid unremitting attention to the 
 discipline of -this new corgs. He established magazines 
 of provisions and ammunition, and opened the roads 
 to the frontiers in order to pre-occupy that important 
 
H JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 post, at the confluence of the Monongahela and 
 Allegany rivers. His regiment was to have been rein¬ 
 forced by a detachment of regulars, from the southern 
 colonies, and a corps of provincials from North 
 Carolina and Maryland ; but impelled by the urgency 
 of the occasion, he proceeded without the expected 
 succours in the month of May. When he ascended 
 the Laurel Hills, fifty miles distant from the place of 
 destination, his scouts brought him intelligence that 
 the enemy were in possession of the posts, and soon 
 afterwards his troops were attacked by a detachment of 
 the French, and after a severe conflict defeated, and 
 compelled to lay down their arms. 
 
 The conduct of Washington on this occasion was 
 censurable ; he ought to have waited for the necessary 
 reinforcements, a junction with whom would probably have 
 crowned his enterprise with success. His inexperience, 
 and the active ardour of a youthful mind, may afford 
 some palliation of his imprudence ; but his rashness in 
 this instance was so different from his subsequent pru¬ 
 dence, that probably this inauspicious commencement 
 of his military career was the origin of the circum¬ 
 spection which afterwards marked his conduct in a 
 successful defensive war. 
 
 In the summer of 1754, the French having built 
 several forts within the boundaries of the British set¬ 
 tlements, an army of veterans was sent from France 
 to support those unjustifiable encroachments. In the 
 following year, general Braddock was sent to America, 
 at the head of two veteran regiments from Ireland, 
 to reduce the forts on the Ohio. On his arrival, he 
 was joined by the independent and provincial corps of 
 America; but when the army was ready to march, the 
 want of waggons for the conveyance of stores, had almost 
 proved an insurmountable obstacle to the expedition. 
 In this emergency, an active American stepped forward. 
 
j AMERICAN WAR. 39 
 
 and removed the difficulty ; this was the celebrated 
 ! Benjamin Franklin, he exerted his influence so effec¬ 
 
 tually with his countrymen, that in a short time he 
 collected one hundred and fifty waggons, which proved 
 an ample supply for the army. 
 
 As in consequence of a military regulation, “ no 
 officer, who did not derive his commision from the king, 
 could ’command one who did,” Washington resigned ; 
 but emulous to defend his country with distinguished 
 zeal, he voluntarily served under general Braddock, as 
 11 an extra aid de-camp. That general marched agains 
 
 Fort du Quesne; but soon after he crossed the river 
 " Monongahela, the van division of his army was at¬ 
 
 tacked by an ambuscade of French and Indians, and 
 totally defeated. The thickness of the woods prevented 
 both the European and provincial troops from being 
 Ioii able to defend themselves with effect; they could nei- 
 
 81 ther keep their ranks, nor charge the enemy with the 
 
 PI bayonet, while the Indians, who were expert at bush 
 
 ra ' fighting, and were widely scattered, fired on them from 
 
 » behind the trees, where they were concealed, and took 
 
 ioi a f ata j a j m . Washington had cautioned general Brad- 
 
 dock in vain ; his violent desire of conquest had made 
 W bim deaf to the voice of prudence; he saw his error 
 
 set- w hen too late, and bravely perished in his endeavours 
 
 m to save the division from destruction. The gallant, 
 
 i* but unfortunate general, had four horses shot under 
 
 mi, him before he fell, and almost every officer whom 
 
 laric. duty obliged to be on horseback, was either killed 
 
 1,1st or wounded, except Washington. Amid this carnage, 
 
 is of Washington, with great presence of mind, rallied the 
 
 , the troops, and at the head of a corps of grenadiers, co- 
 
 loios vered the retreat of the division, and secured their 
 
 itioa. passage over the ford of Monongahela. 
 
 0 i Anxious for the preservation of the army, and un¬ 
 
 mindful of the fatigues he had undergone, during a 
 
 
sultry day in July, in which he had scarcely a moment 
 6f rest, he hastened to concert measures with - colonel 
 Dunbar, who commanded the rear division which had 
 not been engaged. Neither the wilderness, through 
 which he was obliged to pass, the innumerable dangers 
 that surrounded him in his progress, nor his exhausted 
 state, could prevent him from pursuing the line of his 
 duty. He travelled during the night acompanied by 
 two guides, and reached the British camp in safety. 
 Thus his perseverance and wisdom saved the residue 
 of his troops. Colonel Dunbar now assumed the 
 chief command, and with considerable difficulty effected 
 a retreat, but was obliged to destroy his baggage, to 
 prevent it from 'falling into the hands of the enemy. 
 
 Soon after this transaction, the regulation of rank 
 which had been considered as a grievance by the colonial 
 officers, was changed in consequence of a spirited 
 remonstrance from Washington ; and the governor 
 of Virginia, rewarded the services of this brave officer 
 by appointing him to the command of all the troops 
 of the colon} 7 . 
 
 The natural energy of his mind was now called 
 into action ; and his thoughts w^ere continually em¬ 
 ployed in forming new plans for the protection of the 
 frontiers. In the year 1757, Washington was in Fort 
 Edward, under the command of General Webb, when 
 Monsieur Montcalm, the French general, advanced to 
 take Fort William Henry, on Lake George. Washington 
 having heard of the intended attack, and being 
 apprehensive that lieutenant colonel Monro, who com¬ 
 manded at Fort William Henry, would not be strong 
 enough to resist the French, eagerly interceded with 
 his general to be sent with bis regiment .to the assis¬ 
 tance of Monro, but his services were rejected, and 
 the unfortunate commander forced to make the best 
 terms he could with the French general, who afterwards 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 41 
 
 in violation of the treaty that had been made, permit¬ 
 ted the Indian savages to fall upon them, and strip 
 them of every thing of value. The following detail 
 of the massacre of the English troops at fort William 
 Henry is thus related by Mr. Carver, then a captain in 
 one of the provincial regiments. 
 
 Ci General Webb, who commanded the English army 
 in North America, which was then encamped at Fort 
 Edward, having intelligence that the French troops 
 under M. Montcalm were making some movements to¬ 
 wards Fort William Henry, he detached a corps of 
 about fifteen hundred men, consisting of English and 
 provincials, to strengthen the garrison.” In this party 
 the relator went as a volunteer among 'the latter. 
 
 “ The apprehensions of the English general were not 
 without foundation ; for the day after their arrival they 
 saw Lake George, to which it lies contiguous, covered 
 with an immense number of boats; and in a few hours 
 they found their lines attacked by the French general, 
 who had just landed with eleven thousand regular s 
 and Canadians, and two thousand Indians. Colonel 
 Monro, a brave officer, commanded in the Fort, and 
 had no more than two thousand three hundred men. 
 With these he made a gallant defence, and probably 
 would have been able at last to preserve the Fort, 
 had he been properly supported, and permitted to con¬ 
 tinue his efforts. On every summons to surrender sent 
 by the French general, who offered the most reasonable 
 terms, his answer repeatedly was, that he yet found 
 himself in a condition to repel the most vigorous 
 attacks his besiegers were able to make ; and if he 
 thought his present force insufficient, he could soon 
 be supplied with a greater number from the adjacent 
 army. 
 
 “ But the Colonel having acquainted General Webb 
 with his situation, and desired he would send him some 
 
 F 
 
42 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 fresh troops, the general dispatched a messenger to hini 
 with a letter, wherein he informed him that it v\ as not in is 
 power to assist him, and therefore gave him orders to 
 surrender up the fort on the best terms he could procure. 
 This packet fell into the hands of the French general, 
 who immediately sent a flag of truce, desiring a con- 
 ference with the governor. 
 
 “ They accordingly met, attended only by a small 
 guard, in the centre between the lines. When Mont¬ 
 calm told the colonel that he was come in person to 
 demand possession of the fort, as it belonged to the 
 king his master, the colonel replied, that he knew not 
 how that could be ; nor should he surrender it up 
 whilst it was in his power to defend it. The French 
 general rejoined, at the same time delivering the packet 
 into the colonel’s hand, “ By this authority do I make 
 the requisition.” The governor had no sooner read 
 the contents of it, and was convinced that such were 
 the orders of the Commander in Chief, and not to be 
 disobeyed, than he hung his head in silence, and 
 reluctlantly entered into a negociation. 
 
 “ In consideration of the gallant defence the garrison 
 had made, they were to be permitted to march out with all 
 the honours of war, to be allowed covered waggons to 
 transport their baggage to Fort Edward, and a guard 
 to protect them from the fury of the savages. 
 
 “ The morning after the capitulation was signed, as 
 soon as day broke, the whole garrison, now consisting 
 of about two thousand men, besides women and chil¬ 
 dren, were drawn up within the lines, and on the 
 point of marching off, when a great number of the 
 Indians gathered about, and began to plunder. The 
 British troops at first were in hopes that this was 
 their only view, and suffered them to proceed without 
 opposition. Indeed it was not in their power to make 
 any, had they been so inclined, for though they were 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 43 
 
 permitted to carry off their arms, yet they were not 
 allowed a single round of ammunition. In these hopes, 
 however, they were disappointed, for presently some of 
 them began to attack the sick and wounded, "hen 
 such as were not able to crawl into the ianks, not¬ 
 withstanding they endeavoured to avert the fury of 
 their enemies, by their shrieks and groans, 'were soon 
 dispatched. 
 
 “ Here the English were fully in expectation that 
 the disturbance would have concluded, and their little 
 army began to move, but in a short time they saw 
 the front division driven back, and discovered that 
 they were entirely incircled by the savages ; they ex¬ 
 pected every moment that the guard, which the Iiench, 
 by the articles of capitulation had agreed to allow them, 
 would have arrived, and put an end to their appre¬ 
 hensions, but none appeared. The Indians now began 
 to strip every one, without exception, of their arms 
 and cloaths, and those who made the least resistance 
 felt the weight of their tomahawks. 
 
 (e Captain Carver happened to be in the rear division, 
 but it was not long before he shared the fate of his 
 companions. Three or four of the savages laid hold 
 of him, and whilst some held their weapons over his 
 head, the others soon disrobed him of his coat, 
 waistcoat, hat, and buckles, omitting not to take 
 from him what money he had in his pocket. As this 
 was transacted close by the passage that led from the 
 lines on to the plain, near which a French centinel was 
 posted, he ran to him and claimed his protection ; 
 but be only called him an English dog, and thrust 
 him with violence back again into the midst of the 
 Indians. 
 
 “ He now endeavoured to join a body of Ins own 
 troops that were crowded together at some distance, 
 but innumerable were the blows that were made at him, 
 
44. 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 with different weapons as he passed on ; luckily, how¬ 
 ever, the savages were so close together, that they 
 could not strike at him without endangering each 
 other; notwithstanding which, one of them found means 
 to make a thrust at him with a spear, which grazed 
 his side, and from another he received a wound, with 
 the same kind of weapon, in' his ankle. At length 
 lie gained the spot where his countrymen stood, and 
 forced himself into the midst of them. But before he 
 got thus far out of the hands of the Indians, the col¬ 
 lar and wristbands of his shirt were all that remained 
 of it, and his flesh was torn and scratched in many 
 places by their savage gripes. 
 
 “ By this time the war hoop was given, and the Indians 
 began to murder those that were nearest to them without 
 distinction. It is not in the power of words to give any 
 tolerable idea of the horrid scene that now ensued ; men, 
 women, and children, were dispatched in the most wanton 
 and cruel manner, and immediately scalped. Many of 
 these savages drank the blood of their victims, as it 
 flowed warm from the fatal wound. 
 
 “ Tlie English now perceived, though too late to avail 
 them, that they were to expect no relief from the French ; 
 and that, contrary to the agreement they had so lately 
 signed, to allow' a sufficient force to protect them from 
 these insults, they tacitly permitted them ; for captain 
 Carver could plainly perceive the French officers walking 
 about at some distance, discoursing together with apparent 
 unconcern. An unprejudiced observer would be apt to 
 conclude, that a body of ten thousand Christian troops, 
 most Christian troops! had it in their power to prevent 
 the massacre from becoming so general. But whatever was 
 the cause from which it proceeded the consequences of it 
 were dreadful, and not to be paralleled in modern history. 
 
 As the circle in which captain Carver stood inclosed, 
 by this time was much thinned, and deatlj, seemed to be 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 45 
 
 approaching with hasty strides, it was proposed by 
 some of the most resolute to make one vigorous effort, 
 and endeavour to force their way through the savages, the 
 only probable method of preserving their lives that now 
 remained. This, however desperate, was resolved on, 
 and about twenty of them sprung at once into the midst 
 of them. 
 
 “ In a moment they were all separated, and what was the 
 fate of captain Carver’s companions he could not learn 
 till some months after, when he found that only six or 
 seven of them effected their design. Intent only on his 
 own hazardous situation, he endeavoured to make his way 
 through his savage enemies, in the best manner possible. 
 And lie has often been since astonished, when he has 
 recollected with what composure he took, as he did, 
 every necessary step for his preservation. Some he over¬ 
 turned, being at that time young and athletic, and others 
 he passed by, dexterously avoiding their weapons; till 
 at last two very stout chiefs, as he could distinguish by 
 their dress, whose strength he could not resist, laid hold 
 of him by each arm, and began to force him through 
 the croud. 
 
 “ He now resigned himself to his fate, not doubting 
 but that they intended to dispatch him, and then 
 to satiate their vengeance with his blood, as he found 
 they w'ere hurrying him towards a retired swaiqp, that 
 lay at some distance. But before they had got many 
 yards, an English gentleman of some distinction, as 
 he could discover by his breeches, the only covering 
 he had on, which were of fine scarlet velvet, rushed 
 close by them. One of the Indians instantly relin¬ 
 quished his hold, and springing on this new object, 
 endeavoured to seize him as his prey ; but the gentle¬ 
 man being strong, threw him on the ground, and would 
 probably have got away, had not he who held captain 
 Carver’s other, arm, quitted him to assist his brother. 
 
46 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Captain Carver seized the opportunit}?, and hastened away 
 to join another party of English troops, that were } T et 
 unbroken, and stood in a body at some distance. But 
 before he had taken many steps, he hastily cast his 
 eye towards the gentleman, and saw the Indian’s toma¬ 
 hawk gash into his back, and heard him utter his last 
 groan; this added both to his speed and desperation. 
 
 “ He had left this shocking scene but a few yards, 
 when a fine boy about twelve years of agei, that had 
 hitherto escaped, came up to him, and begged that 
 he would let him lay hold of him, so that he might stand 
 some chance of getting out of the hands of the sa¬ 
 vages. Captain Carver told him that he would give him 
 every assistance in his power, and to this purpose 
 bid him lay hold ; but in a few moments he was torn 
 from his side, and by his shrieks he judged was soon 
 made an end of. He could not help forgetting his 
 own cares for a minute, to lament the fate of so 
 young a sufferer; but it was utterly impossible for 
 him to take any methods to prevent it. 
 
 “ He now got into the midst of his friends, but they 
 were unable to afford each other any succour. As 
 this was the division that had advanced the furthest 
 from the fort, he thought there might be a possibility 
 (though but a very bare one,) of his forcing a way 
 through the outer ranks of the Indians, and getting 
 to a neighbouring wood, which he perceived at some 
 distance. He was still encouraged to hope by the 
 almost miraculous preservation he had already experi¬ 
 enced. Nor were his hopes in vain, or the efforts he 
 made ineffectual. Suffice it to say, that he reached 
 the wood, but by the time he had penetrated a little 
 way into it, his breath was so exhausted that he threw 
 himself into a brake, and lay for some minutes appa¬ 
 rently at the last gasp. At length he recovered the 
 power of respiration, but his apprehensions returned 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 47 
 
 with all their former force, when he saw several 
 savages pass by, probably in pursuit of him, at no 
 very great distance. In this situation he knew not 
 whether it was better to proceed, or endeavour to 
 conceal himself where he lay, till night came on ; 
 fearing, however, that they would return the same way, 
 he thought it most prudent to get farther from the 
 dreadful scene of his past distresses. Accordingly, 
 striking into another part of the wood, he hastened on 
 as fast as the briars and the loss of one ot his shoes would 
 permit him ; and after a slow progress of some hours, 
 gained a hill that overlooked the plain which he had 
 }ust left, from whence he could discern that the 
 bloody storm still raged with unabated fury. 
 
 “ After passing three days without sustenance, and 
 enduring the severity of the cold dews for three nights, 
 he at length reached Fort Edward, when with proper 
 care his body soon recovered its wonted strength, 
 and his mind as far as the recollection of the late 
 melancholy events would permit, its usual composure. 
 It was computed that fifteen hundred persons were 
 killed, or made prisoners by these savages, during this 
 fatal day. Many of the latter were carried off by 
 them, and never returned. A few through favorable 
 accidents found their way back to their native 
 country, after having experienced a long and severe 
 captivity. 
 
 “ The brave colonel Monro had hastened away soon 
 after the confusion began, to the French camp, to en¬ 
 deavour to procure the guard agreed by the stipulation; 
 but his application proving ineffectual, he remained 
 there till general Webb sent a party of troops to 
 •demand and protect him back to Fort Edward. But 
 these unhappy occurrences, which wbuld probably 
 have been prevented, had the colonel been left to 
 pursue his own plans, together with the loss of so many 
 
48 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 brave fellows, murdered in cold blood, to whose valour 
 he had been so lately a witness, made such an im¬ 
 pression on his mind that he did not long survive. 
 He died in about three months, of a broken heart, 
 and with truth it might be said, that he was an honour 
 to his country. 
 
 6( It is very remarkable, that very few of those dif¬ 
 ferent tribes of Indians that shared in this slaughter, 
 ever lived to return home. The small pox, by means 
 of their communication with the Europeans, found 
 its way amongst them, and made an equal havoc, 
 to what they themselves had done. The methods they 
 pursued on the first attack of that malignant disorder, 
 to abate the fever attending it, rendered it fatal. Whilst 
 their blood was in a state of fermentation, and nature 
 was striving to throw out the peccant matter, they 
 checked her operations, by plunging into the water; 
 the consequence was, that they died by hundreds. The 
 few that survived were transformed by it into hideous 
 objects, and bore to the grave deep indented marks 
 of this much dreaded disease. 
 
 “ Monsieur Montcalm fell soon after, on the plains 
 of Quebec. That the unprovoked cruelties of this 
 commander was not approved of by the generality of 
 hi* countrymen, we have since been convinced of by 
 many proofs. One only, however, which was received 
 from a person who was witness to it, shall at present 
 be given. A Canadian merchant of some consider¬ 
 ation, having heard of the . surrender of the English 
 Fort, celebrated the fortunate event with great rejoic¬ 
 ings and hospitality, according to the custom of that 
 country ; but no sooner did the news of the massacre 
 which ensued reach his ears, than he put an imme¬ 
 diate stop to his festivity, and exclaimed in the 
 severest terms against their inhuman permission, de¬ 
 claring at the same time, that those who had connived 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 43 
 
 at it, had thereby drawn down on that part of their* 
 king’s dominions the vengeance of heaven To this 
 he added, that he much feared that the total loss of 
 them, would deservedly be the consequence How 
 truly this prediction has been verified we all know...”* 
 
 In the year 1758, Washington commanded the van 
 brigade of the army, under general Forbes, and 
 distinguished himself by the capture of Fort du Quesne. 
 During this successful campaign, he acquired a perfect 
 knowledge of tactics. His frequent skirmishes with 
 the French and Indians, in the woody regions along 
 the frontiers, taught him vigilance and circumspection, 
 and roused that spirit of enterprize which is ever ready 
 to seize the crisis that leads to victory. The troops 
 under his command were gradually inured in that most 
 difficult kind of warfare, bush fighting, while the 
 activity of the French, and ferocity of the Indians 
 were overcome by his superior valour. After the 
 enemy had been defeated in several battles, and com¬ 
 pelled to retreat far beyond the colonial boundaries, 
 general Forbes left a sufficient garrison in the different 
 forts which he had captured along the banks of the Ohio, 
 and returned with the army into winter quarters. 
 
 In the course of this decisive campaign, which restored 
 the tranquillity and security of the middle colonies, 
 Washington had suffered many hardships, which im¬ 
 paired his health. He was afflicted with an inveterate 
 pulmonary complaint, and extremely debilitated, inso¬ 
 much that in the spring of 1759, he resigned his com¬ 
 mission, and retired to Mount Vernon. 
 
 By a due attention to regimen, in the salubrious 
 bowers of his family retreat, he gradually recovered from 
 
 * I was at this place in the year 1777, and many of the in¬ 
 habitants recollected the dreadful circumstances which are here 
 detailed ; it is remarkable that the pond near to which the massa¬ 
 cre was committed, is called the bloody pond to this day. r. l, 
 
 G 
 
50 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 bis indisposition. In the year 1 <61, love invaded \m 
 retirement. The object of his choice was an amiable 
 ■young widow, whose maiden name was Dandridge. 
 She was descended from a reputable family, and two 
 of her brothers were officers in the British Navy 
 This lady was the widow of colonel Custis, who had 
 left her sole executrix to his extensive possessions, and 
 o-uardian to his two children. The union of Washington 
 with this accomplished woman* was productive of their 
 mutual felicity; and as he incessantly pursued agri¬ 
 cultural improvements, his taste embellished and enriched 
 the fertile fields of Mount Vernon. Meanwhile, he was 
 appointed a magistrate, a member of the assembly of 
 the state, and a judge of the court. These honorable 
 avocations kept the powers of his mind in a state of 
 activity ; he attended to his civil duties with exemplary 
 propriety ; and gave a convincing proof, that the sim¬ 
 plicity of the farmer is homogeneal with the more dig¬ 
 nified views of the senator. 
 
 * Mrs. Washington was born, 1732. She died 1802. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 CIIAP. III. 
 
 Congress appoints General Officers. British Troops closely 
 Zeaeff Boston. General Gage sails for 
 General . /few «««* * the command Tiemen- 
 dous cannonade on the Town of Boston, by the 
 ■lmericans. British Troops evacuate the Town, and 
 fail for Halifax. The Motion for declaring the 
 Colonies free and independent first introduced into 
 ConfZs They abjure all Allegiance to the British 
 Crown Preparations made by England, to subdue 
 
 the Americans. Natural Strength of America. A 
 
 List of the Stations of British Regiments who were 
 ordered to act against the Colonies. 
 
 THE moment now approached in which Washington 
 .as to relinquish those honorable civil avocations and 
 , ue of the most remarkable events recorded m history, 
 .bliged him to act a conspicuous part on the great 
 heatre of the world. . , • 
 
 Congress voted him as ample a salary as was in them 
 
 lower to bestow, but he generously declined all pecu¬ 
 niary emoluments. His reply to the president of congress, 
 m his nomination to the supreme command of the 
 irmy, was in the following words : 
 
 « Mr President, though 1 am truly sensible of the 
 hi „h honor done me in this appointment, yet I fee 
 .meat distress from a consciousness that my abilities an 
 Sary experience may no. be e T .«i to .be ex.ena.ve 
 
 no 
 
52 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 and important trust; however, as the congress desire 
 J will enter upon the momentous duty, and exert 
 every power I possess in their service, and in support 
 of the glorious cause. I beg they will accept irry most 
 cordial thanks for this distinguished testimony of their 
 approbation. “ But least some unlucky event should 
 happen, unfavourable to my reputation, I beg it may 
 be remembered by every gentleman in the room, that I 
 this day declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not 
 
 think myself equal to the command I am honoured 
 with. 
 
 to pay, sir, 1 beg leave to assure the con, 
 gress, that as no pecuniary consideration could have 
 tempted me tp accept this arduous employment, at the 
 expense of my domestic ease aud happiness, I do n^t 
 
 Wlsh t0 n ^ ke an y P^fit from it. I will keep an exact 
 account of my expenses; those 1 doubt not, they 
 will discharge, and this is all I desire ” 
 
 The appointment of Washington was attended with 
 other promotions, namely, four major generals, one 
 adjutant general, and eight brigadier generals. 
 
 1 st. Major General ArtemusWard. 
 f nd - Charles Lee. 
 
 ^ rd " Philip Schuyler. 
 
 4t '■ . Israel Putnam.* 
 
 Adjutant General Horatio Gates. 
 
 The eight brigadiers were, 
 
 Seth Pomeroy. 
 
 Diehard Montgomery. 
 
 ' David Wooster. 
 
 William Heath. 
 
 l’ Joseph Spencer. 
 
 . John Thomas. 
 
 /' John Sullivan. 
 
 * r- . n Nathaniel Green 
 
 General Putnam, who had served with 
 lord Amherst, at the head of the Conn«t'icut' t*"^°" unt,e ‘j 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 53 
 
 On the following day a special commission was pre¬ 
 sented to Washington, by congress. At the same 
 
 the last war, had long since retired to a remote farm, which 
 he cultivated with his own hands; and when the intelli¬ 
 gence of his appointment was notified to him, he was found 
 ne another Cincinatus, in a leathern frock and apron, occu¬ 
 pied amongst his labourers, in fencing in his land. Without 
 a moment s hesitation, within eighteen hours he repaired to the 
 head quarters at Cambridge, which was little short of one 
 hundred English miles distant. 
 
 The following anecdote is related from the life of the 
 general by colonel Humphries. 
 
 Soon alter Mr. Putnam removed to Connecticut, the wolves, 
 ttien very numerous, broke into iiis sheep fold, and killed seventy 
 tine sheep and goats, besides wounding many lambs and 
 Kius. Ibis havoc was committed by a she wolf, which, 
 with her annual whelps, had for several years infested the 
 vicinity, l he young were commonly destroyed by the viari- 
 inct o the hunters, but the old one was too sagacious to 
 come within reach of gun shot; upon being closely" pursued, 
 she would generally fly to the western woods, and return the 
 next winter, with another litter of whelps. This wolf, at 
 length became such an intolerable nuisance, that Mr. Putnam 
 entered into a combination with five of his neighbours, to 
 hunt alternately until they could destroy her. Two, by rota- 
 ,'on., vv , ere be constantly in pursuit. It was known, that 
 having lost the toes from one of her feet, by a steel trap, she 
 made one track shorter than another. By this vestage, the 
 pursuers recognized, in a light snow, the rout of this perni¬ 
 cious animal Having followed her to Connecticut river, and 
 touml she had turned , back in a direct course towards 
 I omtret, they immediately returned, and by ten the next, 
 morning the blood hounds had driven her into a den, about 
 three miles distant from the house of Mr. Putnam • the 
 people soon collected with dogs, guns, straw, fire, and sulphur, 
 to attack the common enemy. With this apparatus several 
 unsuccessful efforts were made to force her from the den. 
 
 he hounds came back badly wounded, and refused to return. 
 
 1 he smoke of blazing straw had no effect. Nor did the 
 dines of burnt brimsone, with which the cavern was filled 
 compel her to quit the retirement. Wearied with such fruit! 
 ess attempts, which had brought the time to ten o’clock at 
 gi , Mr. I utnam tried once more to make his dog enter, 
 
 , '? vain I he proposed to his negro man to go down 
 
 in o le cavern, and shoot the wolf; the negro declined the 
 hazardous service. Then it was, that his master angry at 
 «ie disappointment, and declaring that he was ashamed 
 
5t JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 1 T ce fWat tliev would 
 
 time they resolved unanimous! 3 , " . . , . 
 
 time, nicy i , K r to him with their 
 
 maintain and assist lnm, and antic 
 
 , . , . resolved himself to destroy 
 
 to have a coward in his f ^ e through some un- 
 
 the ferocious heast. lest c h nehbo P uvs strongly remon- 
 known fissure ot the roc . . but be knowing that 
 
 strated against the perijous 1 “ * and having provided 
 
 wild animals were ] ‘J only combustible material 
 
 several strips of birch l< light in this deep 
 
 which he could obtain, tha ' descent Having acor- 
 
 darksome cave, be 
 
 dmgly divested him^U ot which he might be 
 
 •JEfiS 5TSL3S1 - •-* 
 
 nut ssw ssf <*, 
 
 SZTof s,t,h »1M rock,, »hich «*m .0 hare 
 
 SSTErUrf froo, each o.hrr b, an e,n 
 tan and bottom are also ot stone, and the entrance, 
 winter being covered with ice, is exceedingly slippery. It 
 ;; h, m pS. high enough for a man .0 r.i.e tomtt upngh.. 
 nor in any part more than three feet in width. 
 
 Having groped his passage to the horizontal part o . 
 den, the most terrifying darkness appeared m Iron 
 dim circle of light afforded by his torch. U was silent as 
 the house of death. None but monsters of the deseit had 
 ever before explored this solitary mansion ot liorroi. ne 
 cautiously proceeding onward, came to the ascent, which ie 
 slowly mounted on his hands and knees, until he discovert 
 the glaring eye-balls of the wolf, who was sitting at ic 
 extremity of the cavern. Startled at the sight ot tire, e 
 unasked her teeth, and gave a sullen growl. As soon as he 
 had made the necessary discovery, he kicked the. rope as a 
 Msnal for pulling him out. The people, at the mouth ot the 
 den, who had listened with painful anxiety, heaving the 
 growling of the wolf, and supposing their friend to be m 
 the most imminent danger, drew him forth with such celerity, 
 that his shirt was stripped over his head,'and his skin severely 
 lacerated. After he had adjusted his clothes, and loaded 
 his gun with nine buck-shot, holding a torch in one hand, 
 ■* , m d the rnusquet in the other, he descended a second time. 
 When he drew nearer than before, the wolf, assuming a still 
 more fierce and terrible appearance, howling, rolling her eyes, 
 snapping her teeth, and dropping her head between her legs 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 55 
 
 lives and fortunes, in the cause of American Liberty 
 Instructions were also given him tor his government, 
 by which, after reciting various particulars, he was 
 directed 66 to destroy or make prisoners all persons 
 who now are, or who hereafter shall appear in arms 
 against the good people of the coloniesbut the 
 whole was summed up by authorising him (6 to order 
 and dispose of the army under his command as might 
 be most advantageous for obtaining the end for which 
 it had been raised, making it his special care in dis¬ 
 charge of the great trust committed to him, that the 
 liberties of America received no detriment.” About the 
 same time twelve companies of riffle men were ordered 
 to be raised in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. 
 The men to the amount of one thousand four hundred 
 and thirty, were raised and forwarded with great ex¬ 
 pedition, to the American head quarters at Cam¬ 
 bridge. 
 
 In the beginning of July 1775, general Wash¬ 
 ington set out for the camp at Cambridge, in oxdei 
 to assume the command of the army. 
 
 On his way thither he was treated with every de¬ 
 monstration of respect, escorted by detachments of gen¬ 
 tlemen, who had formed volunteer associations, and was 
 honored with public addresses of congratulation, from 
 the provincial congress of New-York and Massa¬ 
 chusetts. 
 
 was evidently in the attitude, and on the point of springing 
 at him. At the critical instant he levelled and fired at her 
 head. Stunned with the shock, and suffocated with the smoke, 
 he immediately found himself drawn out of the cave. But 
 having refreshed himself, and permitted the smoke to dissi¬ 
 pate, he went down the third time. Once more he came 
 within sight of the wolf, who appearing very passive, he 
 applied the torch to her nose; aud perceiving her dead, 
 he took hold of her ears, and then kicking the rope (still 
 tied round his legs) the people above, with no small exul¬ 
 tation, dragged them both out together. 
 
56 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Our troops at this time were entrenched on, Bun¬ 
 ker’s Hill, and defended by three floating batteries, in 
 Mystic river and a twenty gun ship below the ferry, be¬ 
 tween Boston and Charlestown. The Americans were 
 entrenched on Winter Hill, Prospect Hill, and Roxbury, 
 with communications by small posts over an extent of 
 ten miles; there were also parties in several towns 
 along the sea coast. General Ward commanded the 
 right wing at Roxbury, general Lee the left on 
 Prospect Hill, and the centre was commanded by 
 general Washington. 
 
 As the American soldiers had repaired to the camp 
 in their ordinary clothing, the hunting shirt was adopt¬ 
 ed for the sake of uniformity. At the same time, the 
 inhabitants were recommended not to fire a gun at 
 beast, bird, or mark, in order that they might husband 
 their stock of powder and ball for the purpose of 
 destroying the british Troops. 
 
 The military spirit was now so high and general, 
 that war and its preparations occupied the hands and 
 the minds of all orders of people, throughout the 
 provinces. Persons of fortune and family, who were 
 not appointed officers, entered cheerfully as private 
 men, and served with alacrity in the ranks. 
 
 The provinces of Georgia, Maryland and Pennsyl¬ 
 vania, having now acceded to the confederacy, it 
 from this time assumed the title of the thirteen united 
 
 COLONIES. 
 
 In September general Gage sailed for England, and 
 the command of tlie British army devolved on general 
 Howe. Meanwhile, the army under Washington conti¬ 
 nued the blockade oi Boston so closely, as to prevent all 
 intercourse between that town and the country. 
 
 The British troops at Boston endured the tedious 
 blockade, with their characteristic fortitude, and 
 suffered many inconveniences from want of necessa¬ 
 ries of every kind. 
 
57 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 Washington exerted his skill and activity in order 
 to compel the British army, either to surrender or eva¬ 
 cuate Boston before any succours could arrive from 
 England. On the 2d of March 1776, he opened a 
 battery on the west side of the town, and bombarded 
 it. This attack was supported by a tremendous can¬ 
 nonade, and on the 5th another battery was opened 
 on the eastern shore. The garrison sustained this dread¬ 
 ful bombardment with the greatest fortitude; it lasted 
 fourteen days without intermission; when general 
 Howe finding the place no longer tenable, determined 
 if possible, to drive the enemy from their works. 
 Preparations were therefore made for a most vi^or- 
 ous attack, on an hill called Dorchester Neck, which 
 the Americans had fortified in such a manner, as would 
 in all probability have rendered the enterprize' next 
 to desperate. No difficulties, however, were suffi¬ 
 cient to damp the spirit of the general ; and every 
 thing was in readiness, when a sudden storm prevent¬ 
 ed this intended exertion of British valor. Next day, 
 upon a more close inspection of the works they were 
 to attack, it was thought advisable to desist from the 
 enterprise altogether. The fortifications were very 
 strong, and extremely well provided with artillery, 
 and besides other implements of destruction upwards of 
 one hundred hogsheads of stones were provided to 
 roll down upon our army as they came up ; which, 
 as the ascent was extremely steep, must have done 
 prodigious execution. 
 
 On the 17th of March 1776, general Howe finding 
 the town of Boston no longer tenable, resolved to 
 embark for Halifax, and the voyage thither was both 
 short and prosperous. 
 
 1 he evacuation of Boston was not interrupted by 
 the Americans, lost our troops should set it on fire. 
 
 H 
 
5S JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Thus was the long contested town of Boston at 
 length given up, the colony of Massachusetts Bay, 
 for the present freed from war, and left at liberty to 
 adopt every measure which could tend to its future 
 strength and security. The estates and effects of those 
 loyalists, or tories, as they were then called, who 
 accompanied general Howe, to Halifax, were ordered 
 to be sold, and the produce applied to the public 
 service. Some who ventured to stay behind, were 
 brought to trial as public enemies, and betrayers of 
 their country ; and the estates of such as were found 
 guilty, were confiscated in the same manner. But 
 nothing occupied so much at present the minds of the 
 people of Boston, or had so much attention paid to 
 it, by the province in general, as the putting of that 
 town into a formidable state of defence. Some French 
 engineers were employed to superintend the works, 
 and every inhabitant dedicated two days in the week 
 to their construction. 
 
 „ As Washington was uncertain of the destination of 
 the fleet and army, which had left Boston, and as 
 New York lay exposed to any sudden attack, he detached 
 several of his best regiments, under general Lee, for 
 the defence of that city. 
 
 On the 7th of June, 1776, the motion for declaring 
 the colonies free and independent, was now moved in 
 congress, by Richard Henry Lee, of Virginia. When 
 the time of taking the subject under consideration 
 arrived, much ingenuity and eloquence were displayed 
 on both sides of the question. The debates were 
 continued for some time, and with great animation. 
 In these, John Adams, and John Dickinson took leading 
 and opposite parts. The former began one of his 
 speeches, by an invocation of the god of eloquence, 
 to assist him in defending the claims, and enforcing 
 the duty of his countrymen. He strongly urged the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 59 
 
 immediate dissolution of the political connexion of the 
 colonies with Great Britain : from the voice of the 
 people ; from the necessity of the measure, in order 
 to attain foreign assistance ; from a regard to consist¬ 
 ency ; and from the prospects of glory and happiness, 
 which opened beyond the war, to a free and inde¬ 
 pendent people. Mr. Dickinson* replied to this speech. 
 He began by observing that the member from Massa¬ 
 chusetts (Mr. Adams,) had introduced his defence 
 of the declaration of independence, by invoking an 
 heathen god, but that he should begin his objections 
 to it, by solemnly invoking the Governor of the uni¬ 
 verse, so to influence the minds of the Members of 
 congress, that if the proposed measure was for the 
 benefit of America, nothing which he should say 
 against it, might make the least impression. He then 
 urged that the present time was improper for the 
 declaration of independence ; that the war might be 
 conducted with equal vigour without it ; that it would 
 divide the Americans, and unite the people of Great 
 Britain against them. He then proposed that some 
 assurance should be obtained of assistance from a 
 foreign power, before they renounced their connexion 
 with Great Britain, and that the declaration of inde¬ 
 pendence should be the condition to be offered for 
 this assistance. He likewise stated the disputes that 
 existed betweeen several of the colonies, and proposed 
 that some measures for the settlement of them should 
 be determined upon, before they lost sight of that 
 tribunal, which had hitherto been the umpire of all 
 their differences. 
 
 The fatal day at length arrived which must be deeply 
 regretted by every true friend to the British empire, 
 
 * Author of a series of letters signed a Pennsylvania Farmer, 
 H 2 
 
69 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 when thirteen Fyglis/i colonies in America, declared 
 themselves Free and Independent States; abjured all 
 allegiance to the British crown, and renounced all 
 political conivexion with the mother country. 
 
 On this day, the 4th of July 1776, the congress 
 published a manifesto stating a list of grievances, which, 
 notwithstanding their repetitions, had remained unre¬ 
 dressed ; for these reasons they determined on a final se¬ 
 paration from the mother country, and to hold the peo¬ 
 ple of Great Britain as the rest of mankind, u enemies 
 in war, in peace friends.” Part of this declaration of 
 independence was as follows: 
 
 “ We hold these truths to be self evident, that all 
 men are created equal; that they are endowed by the 
 Creator, with certain unalienable rights; that among 
 these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness 
 that to secure these rights, governments are instituted 
 among men, deriving their just powers from the con¬ 
 sent of the governed ; that whenever any form of govern¬ 
 ment becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right 
 of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute 
 a new government, laying its foundation on such prin¬ 
 ciples, and organizing its powers in such form, as to 
 them shall seem miost likely to effect their safety and 
 happiness. It concluded in this manner, “ We,> 
 the representatives of the United States of America, 
 in geneial congress assembled, appealing to the Supreme 
 Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, 
 do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people 
 of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that 
 the united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free 
 and independent states, and that they are absolved from 
 all allegiance to the British crown ; and that all the polu 
 
 * At this time some of the members of congress were 
 hold mg slaves. How specious, yet how palpably inconsistent 
 these declarations from such a people ! 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 6! 
 
 cal connexion between them and the state of Great 
 Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved ; and that, 
 as free and independent states, they have full power 
 to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, esta¬ 
 blish commerce, and to do all other acts and things 
 which independent states may of right do. And for 
 the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on 
 the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge 
 to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred 
 honor.” 
 
 Many even of the friends of America w r ere astonish¬ 
 ed at this bold act of congress, in breaking of all sub¬ 
 ordination to the parent state. cc Great Britain,” saia 
 they, iC has founded colonies at great expense, has in¬ 
 curred a load of debt by wars on their account, has 
 protected their commerce, and raised them to all the 
 consequence they possess, and now in the insolence 
 of adult years, rather than pay their proportion of the 
 common expenses of government, they ungratefully 
 renounce all connexion with the nurse of their youth, 
 and the protectress of their riper years.” 
 
 This solemn renunciation of allegiance to Great Bri¬ 
 tain was followed by the greatest preparations for war 
 throughout the United States. 
 
 Great Britain in the meantime was resolved to open 
 the campaign with such a powerful force, as would 
 look down ali opposition, and effectuate submission, 
 without bloodshed ; to the accomplishment of this end 
 three principal objects were to be carried into execu¬ 
 tion. The first was the relief of Quebec, and the re¬ 
 covery of Canada, which also included a subsequent 
 invasion of the north western frontiers of the adjacent 
 provinces. As the four provinces of New England had 
 originally begun the confederacy against Britain, and 
 were still considered the most active in the con¬ 
 tinuation of it: it was thought, that any impression 
 
62 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 made upon them would contribute in an effectual man¬ 
 ner to the reduction of all the rest. For this purpose, 
 an army of four thousand chosen British troops, and 
 three thousand Germans,* was ordered for Canada, to 
 accomplish the above purposes. 
 
 The second object was the making a strong impres¬ 
 sion on tbe ; southern colonies, which it was hoped, would 
 at least have succeeded so far as to the recovery of one 
 of them. The execution of this object was committed 
 to general Sir Henry Clinton, and admiral Sir Peter 
 Parker. They had two thousand eight hundred land 
 forces, which they hoped, with the co-operation of the 
 shipping would be fully sufficient. 
 
 The third and principal point of attack, and on which 
 the greatest hopes of success were founded, was 
 to take New York, with a force sufficient to keep 
 possession of Hudson’s river, and form a line of commu¬ 
 nication with the royal army in Canada. The command 
 of this force, consisting of thirteen thousand Hessians 
 and Waldeckers, and seventeen thousand British troops, 
 was given to general Sir William Howe, and his brother 
 admital lord Howe. ic America,” said the congress in 
 one of her public declarations, C( is amazed to find the 
 
 name of How e in the catalogue of her enemies-she 
 
 loved his brotherreferring to the gallant noble- 
 roan, lord Howe, who so gloriously fell in the defence 
 of the colonies, in the former war at Ticonderoga. 
 
 The admiral and general, in addition to their military 
 povvets, were appointed commissioners for restoring peace 
 to the colonies. This force was truly formidable, and 
 
 * Treaties had been lately entered into between his majesty 
 the landgrave of Hesse Cassel, the duke of Brunswick, and the 
 hereditary prince of Hesse Cassel for the hiring ofd.fferent bodies 
 ot thejr troops for the American service, amounting in the 
 whole to seventeen thousand three hundred men. The con¬ 
 ditions of these treat.es were, that the troops were to enter into 
 pay before they began to march; and that the levy money was 
 to be paid at the rate of seven pounds ten shillings per man. 
 
 <fT\ 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 63 
 
 such as no part of the new world had ever seen be¬ 
 fore. Nor Nvas it, perhaps, ever exceeded by any army 
 in Europe, of an equal number, whether considered with 
 respect to the excellency of the troops, the abundant 
 provision of all manner of military stores and warlike 
 materials, or the goodness and number of artillery 7 of 
 all sorts with which it was provided. It was besides 
 supported by a very numerous flee£, particularly well 
 adapted to the nature of the service. 
 
 In the mean time Washington took every precaution 
 for defensive operations, by erecting forts, and station¬ 
 ing troops in different places, at the most vulnerable 
 points. The nature of the country was peculiarly favour¬ 
 able to defence, and presented many natural barriers 
 of hills and mountains, intersected by rivers, and in¬ 
 terspersed with trees, rocks, and precipices; several 
 defiles, skirted by impenetrable woods, and majestic 
 rivers, flowing with impetuous currents, which seemed 
 to bid defiance to the invader. 
 
 The following is a correct list of the stations of the 
 British regiments, which were ordered to act against the 
 Americans in the beginning of the year 1776. 
 
 STATIONED IN BOSTON. 
 
 17th Dragoons.. Preston’s. 
 
 43<1 Foot.. 
 
 ...Cary’s. 
 
 4th Foot... 
 
 
 41th do...., 
 
 ...Abercrombie’s. 
 
 5th do. 
 
 
 45th do.... 
 
 
 10th do. 
 
 
 47th do. 
 
 ...Carleton’s. 
 
 22d do. 
 
 
 49th do..... 
 
 ...Maitland’s. 
 
 23 d do. 
 
 
 52d do.... 
 
 
 35th do. 
 
 .F. H.Campbell’s. 
 
 63d do.... 
 
 . T. Grant’s. 
 
 3Sth do. 
 
 
 filth do.... 
 
 ..Pomeioy’s. 
 
 40th do. 
 
 
 65th do .Urmston’s at Bos- 
 
 ton and Halifax. 
 
 ROYAL ARTILLERY IN BSTON. 
 
 Five Companies, each 
 
 1 Captain, 
 
 
 1 First Lieutenant 
 
 1 Captain 
 
 Lieutenant, 
 
 3 Second 
 
 Lieutenants, 
 
3 Serjeants, 
 
 3 Corporals, 
 
 <i Bombardiers, 
 
 12 Gunners, 
 
 1 Fife, 
 
 2 Drums, 
 
 4S Matrosses.* 
 
 
 IN QUEBEC, AND OTHER PARTS OF CANADA. 
 
 7th Foot.Bertie’s. 8th Foot.Armstrong’s, at 
 
 the upper posts, Niagara, Detroit, &c. 
 
 20th do...Lord W. Gordon’s. M'Clean’s, now raising in 
 
 Canada. 
 
 ROYAL ARTILLERY. 
 
 I Company at Quebec. 1 Company at Montreal. 
 
 IN NEWFOUNDLAND. 
 
 1 Invalid Company, do. 
 
 AT ST. AUGUSTINE. 
 
 . I Company do. 
 
 14th Foot.Cunningham’s, partly at St. Augustine’s, partly 
 
 with lord Dunmore, in Virginia, and partly in Halifax. 
 
 ON THEIR PASSAGE FROM IRELAND TO BOSTON. 
 
 17th Foot.Monckton’s. 46th Foot....Vaughan’s. 
 
 27th do.Massey’s. 55th do.James Grant’s. 
 
 READY TO SAIL FROM CORK TO AMERICA. 
 
 15th Foot...... Cavan’s. 42d Foot.Lord Murray’s. 
 
 33d do. Cornwallis’s. 
 
 37th do. Coote’s. 
 
 54th do..Frederick’s. 
 
 57th do.Irwin’s. 
 
 ORDERED FOR BOSTON. 
 
 JGth Dragoons.Burgoyne’s.—One thousand of the king’s 
 
 guards to be drafted from the three regiments, and command¬ 
 ed by colonel Matthews. Marines intended to be made up two 
 thousand. 
 
 29th Foot......Evelyn’s, destined for Quebec, and to sail so 
 
 as to arrive there as early as the navigation of the river 
 St. Lawrence will admit. 
 
 * When the British troops evacuated Boston on the jnhof March 1,76 
 
 they did not exceed seven thousand effective men. 7 °* Marcn J /7 & » 
 
AMERICAN WAR! 65 
 
 ORDERED TO BE IN READINESS FOR EMBARKATION AND TO 
 SAIL FROM IRELAND TO QUEBEC IN APRIL 1776. 
 
 gth Foot.Ligonier’s. 34th Foot.....Lord Cavendish’s. 
 
 20th do.Parker’s. 53d do.Elphinstone’s. 
 
 24th do.Taylor’s. 62d do.Jones’s. 
 
 ^ The Highland battalions, viz. lord John Murray’s and 
 
 Fraser’s, were to consist of one thousand each. 
 
 SJD «* j 9 
 
 The marching regiments for the American service 
 were to consist of twelve companies, of fifty six; 
 effective rank and file each company. Two compa¬ 
 nies of each battalion were to remain in Great Britain 
 and Ireland for the purpose of recruiting. 
 
 Sometime before this, orders were issued from the 
 war office that any person who should inlist as a sol¬ 
 dier in any of his majesty’s marching regiments of 
 foot should be entitled either to his discharge, at the 
 expiration of three years, or at the end of the war, at 
 
 N. the option of his majesty. 
 
 n’j. 
 
 Graii 
 
 niff 
 
 A 
 
 efej 
 
 ilMOtf 
 
 eft 
 
 osaiii. 
 
 hen* 
 

 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Author''s Journal commences. Sails from the 
 Cove of Cork . Remarkable Occurrences during the 
 Voyage. Enters the Gulph of St. Lawrence. A 
 particular Description of that River. Arrives at 
 Quebec. Description of that City. 
 
 ON the 3d of April, 1776, I embarked with the 9th 
 regiment of foot, in which I was then a non-com¬ 
 missioned officer, at the Cove of Cork, on board the 
 Friendship, transport, and on the 8th sailed with the 
 fleet for Quebec. 
 
 April 20th. Our ship sailing at the rate of five miles 
 an hour, a soldier whose name was Brooks, leaped 
 off the forecastle into the ocean ; the vessel in a mo¬ 
 ment made her way over him, and he arose at her 
 stein. He immediately with all his might, swam from 
 tiie ship. i he men who were upon the deck alarmed 
 the captain and officers, who had just sat down to 
 dinner; the ship was ordered to be put about, and the 
 boat hoisted out, and manned, the unfortunate man was 
 soon overtaken, and it was with difficulty that the 
 sailors could force him into the boat. When he was 
 brought back he was ordered between decks, and a 
 centinel placed over him ; the next morning he was 
 in a h.gh fever, and continued very bad the remainder 
 of the voyage. The fear of punishment was the cause 
 of tins desperate action, as the day before he had 
 stolen a shirt from one of his messmates knapsacks. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 
 30th. The fleet sailing at the rate of six miles an 
 hour: a serjeant had an altercation with his wife while 
 they were sitting at breakfast, in consequence of which 
 he got up in a rage, leaped overboard and was seen 
 no more. 
 
 May 3d. The wind strong at N. W. and running 
 at the rate of seven miles an hour, one' of the re¬ 
 cruits standing on the forecastle was so provoked by 
 his comrades, that in a fit of rage he jumped over 
 board, uttering at the same time dreadful curses upon 
 them. He was swallowed up by the great deep in a 
 moment! 
 
 14th. Sailing over the banks of Newfoundland, we 
 passed by several islands of ice, which came floating 
 down from the river St Lawrence. 
 
 18th. This morning we had a view of the mountains 
 of Newfoundland, covered with snow ; however, as we 
 had been forty days at sea without seeing any land, 
 this dreary island was very pleasant to our sight. 
 
 19th. This day we entered the noble bay of St. 
 Lawrence, between Cape de Retz, on the island 
 of Newfoundland and Cape Breton, (our fleet all in 
 sight,) and after doubling Cape Rosieres, we entered 
 the river, which is in this place about ninety miles in 
 breadth ; here the sea was very boisterous. On the 
 south side lies the bay of - Gaspie. Below this bay 
 is a steep rock, which is called the Bored Island, 
 from an opening in its middle, through which a ship 
 may pass with her sails up. At a league’s distance 
 from the Bored Island, lies the island Bonaven- 
 lure ; and at a league’s distance from that, the Island 
 Miscon, which has an excellent harbour, and is eight 
 leagues in circumference. A spring of fresh water 
 spouts up to a considerable height in the offing, not 
 far from this island. 
 
tis JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 20th. Early this morning the Island Anticosti pre¬ 
 sented itself to our sight, the current setting strongly 
 in upon it, rendered our navigation extremely danger¬ 
 ous, especially as the island is lined with breakers. 
 This island is narrow, and lies in the middle of the 
 river, it extends about forty leagues from N. E. to 
 S. W. Our French pilot represented it as absolutely 
 good for nothing; its coasts, however, are said to be 
 well stored with fish. 
 
 21st. This evening after passing the island of Anti¬ 
 costi, our navigation became more tolerable, but still 
 the fleet used great precaution. 
 
 22d. The weather remarkably cold this day, but 
 the wind fair, which soon brought us in sight of 
 the Mounts Notre Dame and Lewis; here we saw 
 for the first time, a number of neat French planta¬ 
 tions. In the evening we sailed by Trinity Point, 
 which we endeavoured to avoid with great care, and 
 before dark we had a view of the Paps of Montani, 
 so called from the appearance of the mountain, 
 .situated about two leagues from the shore. The land 
 in this neighbourhood was represented to be not only 
 unprofitable, but frightful, being covered.with rocks, 
 sands, and impenetrable thickets. On the other side 
 the river, lies the shoal of Maniconague, which is the 
 most dangerous in this river. 
 
 23d. Our navigation was now very slow, the shores 
 appeared uncomfortable, and uninhabited ; in the eve¬ 
 ning we doubled a bay, called Tadoussac, on the 
 south side of this bay lies Red Island, which is a 
 dangerous rock of that colour, whose surface is equal 
 with the water, and often proves fatal to shipping. 
 Here the river St. Lawrence is not above three leagues 
 wide ; and the lands at each side lofty and thickly 
 covered with trees. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. W 
 
 26 th. This clay we sailed by the island of Caudres, 
 which appeared to be very well inhabited and culti¬ 
 vated ; churches, crucifixes, and images, were now to 
 be seen almost every where : here the passage of the river 
 is dangerous without a fair wind, in particular there 
 is a whirlpool, which we carefully guarded against. 
 Next appeared in our view,^ the Bay of St. Paul, 
 where the plantations on the north shore begin ; they 
 consist of valuable woods of pine trees, among which 
 arc red pines, which are esteemed very beautiful. The 
 village of St. Paul’s is situated in a vale, and has a 
 very romantic appearance from the river. 
 
 27 th. Early this morning we had a view of a very 
 high promontory, which we were informed terminates 
 a chain of mountains, that reach near five hundred 
 leagues to the westward. This promontory is called 
 Cape Torment. A number of islands now presented 
 -themselves to our view, among which is that of Orleans, 
 which forms a most beautiful prospect, a clear open 
 country, with villages, and churches innumerable, and 
 being all whitewashed on the outside, gave them a 
 neat, elegant appearance, from our ships. This island, 
 is about fourteen leagues in circumference ; it produces 
 excellent wheat and fine fruits, and forms two channels* 
 of which the south is the most navigable. Here the 
 water becomes fit to drink; for it is brackish at Cape 
 Torment, though it is an hundred and ten leagues 
 from the sea. 
 
 From the island of Orleans the river grows so 
 narrow, that before Quebec it is not a mile over. 
 The Point Levy, which juts out beyond the isle of 
 Orleans, entirely hides the south channel of the river, 
 as the Isle of Orleans does that on the north ; so 
 that from thence to the port of Quebec appears like 
 a large bason, or bay, land locked on all sides, and 
 capable of containing one hundred ships of the line. 
 
70 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 at four hundred and twenty miles distance from the 
 sea. 
 
 In the river St. Lawrence, are sea wolves, sea cows, 
 porpoises, the chaourasou, turtles, lobsters, sea plaise, 
 salmon, trouts, with a variety ot other fish. The sea 
 wolf, so called from its howling, is an amphibious 
 creature ; his head resembles that of a dog ; he has 
 four very short legs, of which the fore ones have nails, 
 but the hind ones terminate in fins. The largest are 
 said to weigh two thousand pounds, and are of differ¬ 
 ent colours. Their flesh is good eating, but the profit 
 of it lies in its oil, which is proper for burning, and 
 currying leather. Their skins make excellent cover¬ 
 ing for trunks, and though not so fine as morocco 
 leather, they preserve their freshness better, and are 
 less liable to crack. The shoes and boots made of 
 these skins do not admit water, and when properly tanned 
 make excellent and lasting covers for seats. The sea 
 cow, is larger than the sea wolf, but resembles it in 
 figure. It is as white as snow, and has two teeth of 
 the thickness and length of a man’s arm, that, when 
 grown, look like horns, and are very fine ivory, as 
 well as its other teeth. It seldom happens that they 
 are canght in the water, but they are* taken on shore 
 by the following stratagem. The inhabitants of Arca¬ 
 dia, tie a bull {o a stake, fixt on the shore, in the 
 depth of about two feet water ; they then beat, and 
 otherwise torment him, by twisting his tail, until they 
 make him loar ; which as soon as these animals hear, 
 they make towards the shore, and when they get 
 into shallow water, they crawl to the bull, and are 
 taken with little difficulty. The Arcadians as well as 
 the Indians eat some parts of this animal, and whafr 
 they diblike they boil with its fat, to an oily or greasy 
 substance, with which they save or cure the skins of 
 other animals for leather. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. ,, 
 
 Some of the porpoises of the river St. Lawrence, 
 are said to yield a hogshead of oil, and of their skins 
 are made waistcoats, which are exceeding strong, 
 and musket proof. 
 
 The chaourasou is an armed tish, resembling a pike 
 but is covered with scales, that are proof against a 
 dagger; some of them are above five feet long, and 
 about the thickness of a man’s thigh : this fish is said 
 even to catch and devour birds ; in order to which, 
 lie conceals himself among the canes, or reeds, in such 
 a manner, that nothing is to be seen besides his wea, 
 pon, which he holds, raised perpendicularly above 
 the surface of the water : the birds which come to 
 take rest, imagining the weapon to be only a withered 
 reed, make no scruple of perching upon it; but they 
 are no sooner alighted, than the fish opens his throat, 
 and so suddenly makes at his prey, that it rarely 
 escapes. , 
 
 29th. Our fleet now arrived at Quebec, which is the 
 capital of the province of Canada, and an episcopal 
 see. It is situated at the confluence of tlje rivers St. 
 Lawrence and St. Charles, or the little river. It is 
 built on a rock, partly of marble, and partly of 
 siate. The haven which lies opposite the town, is 
 safe and commodious, and about five fathom deep. 
 Before the city was taken by our troops, in the year 
 I i59, it is said to have made a very fine appearance. 
 Among the principal edifices, were the episcopal palace ; 
 tne cathedral ; the fort or citadel, which was the resi¬ 
 dence of the Governor ; the house and church of the 
 Recollets ; the church of the Ursuline nuns, in which 
 is the tomb of Monsieur Montcalm, who commanded 
 the French, and was killed at the battle of Quebec, 
 in which also fell that young hero, Wolfe, who com¬ 
 manded the English ; the sumptuous college of Jesuits $ 
 *h.e intend ant’s house, the king’s* magazines, &c. &c f 
 
JOURNAL OF THU 
 
 This city is divided into the upper and lower, and 
 was well fortified, when Wolfe laid siege to it. 
 The fort or citadel stands on the brink of the rock, 
 and is a fine work : a pretty large esplenade, and a 
 gentle declivity, the whole making a very fine platform, 
 Res between the fort and the summit of Cape Dia¬ 
 mond. About half a mile towards the county, lies 
 the Hospital General,* which is the finest house in all 
 Canada. 
 
 * To this house the French general, Marquis Montcalm 
 was carried after he was wounded, at the taking of Quebec, 
 in the year 1759 . It is said that when his wound was dressed, 
 and he settled in bed, the surgeons who attended him were 
 desired to acquaint him ingeniously with their sentiments ot 
 him, and being told that his wound was mortal, he 
 calmly replied, “ I am glad of it.” Il.s excellency then 
 demanded, “ whether he could survive it long, and how long 
 He was told “ about twelve hours, or perhaps less. “ bo 
 much the better,” rejoined the general ; “ I am happy I shall 
 not live to see the surrender ot Quebec.” He then ordered 
 his secretary into the room, to settle his private affairs, which 
 as soon as they were dispatched, he dismissed him. he 
 was visited by Monsieur de Iiamsey, the French kings 
 lieutenant, and by other principal officers, who desired to 
 receive his excellency’s commands, with the farther measures 
 to be pursued for the defence of Quebec. To this, the 
 Marquis made the following answer; “ I’ll neither give 
 
 orders, nor interfere any farther: I have much business that 
 must be attended to, of greater moment than your ruined 
 garrison, and this wretched country : my time is very short, 
 therefore pray l^ave me ; I wish you all comfort, and to be 
 happily extricated from your present perplexities. He then 
 called for his chaplain, who with the bishop of the colony, 
 remained with him till he expired. Some time before this 
 great man departed, he paid the British army this com¬ 
 pliment. “ Since it was my misfortune to be discomfited 
 and mortally wounded, it is a great consolation to me to be 
 vanquished by so brave and generous an army; if I could 
 survive this wound, I would engage to beat three times the 
 number of such forces as I commanded this morning, with 
 a third of their number of British troops.” 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 \_ 
 
 CHAP. Y. 
 
 Ticonderoga and Crown Point taken by the Americans. 
 Congress endeavours to bring the Indians over to 
 their Side. Speech of the Commissioners from 
 Congress to the Indians. Montgomery attempts 
 the Conquest of Canada. Chamblee taken. General 
 Catleton repulsed. St. John's Fort and Montreal 
 taken. Attempt to surprise Quebec. Montgomery 
 killed , and the Americans defeated. The humane 
 Conduct of General Carleton towards the American 
 Prisoners. 
 
 OlJR array was now informed of the military ope¬ 
 rations of the Americans in Canada last winter, with 
 a particular account of the siege of Quebec. It seems 
 that it had early occurred to the Americans, - that if 
 the sword decided the controversy between Great Bri¬ 
 tain and them, the possession of Ticonderoga would 
 be essential to the security of their states; this fort 
 situated on a promontory, formed at the junction of 
 the. waters of Lake George and Lake Champlain, is 
 the key of all communicatio'n between New York 
 and Canada. 
 
 A scheme was planned by the Americans, for ob¬ 
 taining possession of this valuable post. Having pro¬ 
 vided a sufficient quantity of powder and ball, they 
 set off for Bennington, to obtain the co-operation of 
 
 K 
 
 
I 
 
 *4, JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 colonel Allen of that pfa^^o hundred and seventy 
 nr n mostly of that hardy people, who are called green 
 mountain boys, were speedily collected at Cas leton 
 which was fixed on as the place of rendezvous. At 
 this place colonel Arnold joined them. He had been 
 early chosen a captain of a volunteer company, hy 
 the inhabitants of New Haven, among whom he re 
 sided. As soon as he received news of the Lexington 
 skirmish, he marched off for the vicinity of Boston. 
 Immediately after his arrival, he waited on the 
 ch,.setts’ committee of safety, and informed them, tnat 
 there were at Ticonderoga many pieces of cannon, 
 and a great quantity of military stores ; that the foit 
 was in a ruinous condition, and garrisoned on y y 
 forty men. They appointed him colonel, and com- 
 missioned him to raise four hundred men, and attack 
 Ticonderoga. On the 9th May, 1T75, Allen and Arnold 
 crossed over with their troops, and landed near the 
 garrison. They contended for some time, who should 
 lead on the attack, and it was at last agreed that they 
 should both go in together, at the head of their troops. 
 They advanced and entered the fort at the dawning 
 cf clay. A British centinel fired his piece at them, and 
 then retreated through the covered way to the parade. 
 The Americans followed, and immediately drew up. 
 The commander was called upon to surrender the fort. 
 He asked by what authority ? Allen replied, “ I de- 
 rmmd it in 'the name of the Great Jehovah, and the 
 continental congress.” The fort, with its stores, and forty- 
 eight prisoners, immediately fell into the hands of the 
 Americans. A strong party was sent off to take pos¬ 
 session of Crown Point, where a serjeant and twelve 
 men performed garrison duty. This was .also effected. 
 The next object that drew the attention of the Ame¬ 
 ricans was to obtain the command of Lake Chain- 
 plain ; but to accomplish this, it was necessary for 
 
AMERICAN WAR. ^5 
 
 them to get. possession of a sloop of war, lying at 
 St. John’s, in the northern extremity of the lake. 
 For the purpose of capturing this sioop, it was agreed 
 to man and arm a schooner, lying at South Bay, 
 that Arnold should command her, and that Allen 
 should bring forward some batteaux on the same expe¬ 
 dition. A favourable wind carried the schooner a-head 
 of the batteaux, and Arnold got immediate possession 
 of the sloop by surprise. 
 
 The wind again favoring him, he returned with 
 his prize to Ticonderoga, and rejoined Allen. The 
 latter soon went home, and the former with a number 
 of men, agreed to stay there in garrison. In this 
 rapid manner the possession of Ticonderoga, and the 
 command of Lake Champlain was obtained. Intelligence 
 of these events was in a few days communicated to 
 congress, which met for the first time, at ten o’clock, 
 -on the same day, in the morning of which Ticonderoga 
 was taken. They rejoiced in the spirit of enterprize 
 displayed by their countrymen, and ordered the cam 
 non and stores to be removed from Ticonderoga to 
 Lake George. 
 
 At the same time, congress endeavoured to bring 
 over the Indians to their side, for which purpose they 
 resolved to appoint commissioners to explain to them 
 the grounds of their dispute with Britain, and culti¬ 
 vate their friendship by treaties and presents ; to 
 which end they determined to purchase and distribute 
 among them a suitable assortment of goods, to the 
 amount of forty thousand pounds sterling. They 
 likewise sent the following speech to them : 
 
 64 Brothers, Sachems, and Warriors ! We, the dele¬ 
 gates from the twelve United Provinces, now sitting 
 in general congress, at Philadelphia, send their talk 
 to you, our brothers. 
 
 K 2 
 
70 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 “ Brothers and Friends, now attend ! When our 
 fathers crossed the great water, and came over to this 
 land, the king of England gave them a talk, assuring 
 them, that they and their children should be his 
 children ; and that if they would leave their native 
 country, and make settlements, and live here, and 
 buy, and sell, and trade with their brethren beyond 
 the water, they should still keep hold of the same 
 covenant chain, and enjoy peace ; and it was cove¬ 
 nanted, that the fields, houses, goods, and possessions, 
 which our fathers should acquire, should remain to 
 them, as their own, and be their children’s for pver, 
 and at their sole disposal. 
 
 <c Brothers and Friends, open a kind ear ! We will 
 now tell you of the quarrel between the counsellors 
 of king George, and the inhabitants of the colonies 
 of America. 
 
 cc Many of his counsellors have persuaded him to 
 break the covenant chain, and not to send us any 
 more good talks. They have prevailed upon him to 
 enter into a covenant against us ; and have torn asunder, 
 and cast behind their back, the good old covenant, 
 which their ancestors and ours entered into, and took 
 strong hold of. They now tell us they will put their 
 hands into our pockets without asking, as though it 
 were their own ; and at their pleasure they will take 
 from us our charters, or written civil constitution, 
 wnich we Jove as our lives ; also our plantations, our 
 houses and goods, whenever they please, without 
 asking our leave. They will tell us that our vessels 
 may go to that or this island in the sea, but to this 
 or that particular island we shall not trade any more ; 
 and in case of our non-compliance with these new orders’ 
 they shut up our harbours. 
 
 “ BrotIlers , we live on the same ground with you ; 
 the same island is our common birth place ; vve desire 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 77 
 
 to sit down under the same tree of peace with you i 
 let us water its roots, and cherish its growth, till the 
 large leaves and branches shall extend to the setting 
 sun, and reach the skies. If any thing disagreeable 
 should ever fall out between us, the twelve United 
 Colonies, and you, the six Nations, to wound our 
 peace, let us immediately seek measures for healing 
 the breach. From the present situation of our 
 affairs, we judge it expedient to kindle up a small fire 
 at Albany, where we may hear each other’s voice, 
 and disclose our minds fully to one another.” 
 
 Arnold having begun his military career with a 
 series of successes, was urged by his natural impetuosity 
 to project more extensive operations. He wrote a 
 letter to congress, strongly urging an expedition into 
 Canada, in order to reduce the whole province. 
 
 Sir Guy Carleton, the king’s governor, in Canada, 
 no sooner heard that the Americans had surprized 
 Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and obtained the com. 
 mand of Lake Champlain, than he planned a scheme 
 for their recovery. Having only a few regular troops 
 under his command, he ordered colonel Johnson* to 
 hold a conference with the Indians, and try to counter¬ 
 act the views of congress, by endeavouring to engage 
 
 * This gentleman was son to the famous Sir William 
 Johnson, who had so greatly distinguished himself in America, 
 in the war of 1755. The following anecdote is related of 
 Sir William : Soon after he had been appointed superinten- 
 dant of Indian affairs in America, he wrote to England for 
 some suits of cloaths, richly laced. When they° arrived, 
 Hendrick, chief of the Mahawk nation was present, and par¬ 
 ticularly admired them. In a few days Hendrick called on 
 Sir William, and acquainted him that he had a dream. On 
 Sir William inquiring what it was, he told him he had 
 dreamed that he had given him one of those fine suit$ 
 which he had lately received. Sir William took the hint, 
 and immediately presented him with one of the richest suits. 
 Hendrick, highly pleased with the generosity of Sir William, 
 
7$ JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 them to take up the hatchet. In order to gam their 
 co-operation, he invited them to feast on a Bostonian, 
 and to drink his blood. This, in the Indian style, 
 meant no more, than to partake of a roasted ox and 
 a pipe of wine, at a public entertainment, which was 
 odven on design to influence them to. co-operate 
 with the British troops. The American patriots, 
 affected to understand it in its literal sense. It furnish¬ 
 ed in their mode of explication, a convenient handle 
 for operating on the passions of the people, though 
 at the same time, it was well known that if we had 
 not employed them they would most certainly have 
 acted against us. 
 
 The Americans were now determined to make a 
 vigorous attack upon Canada. Their success at Ticon- 
 tleroga and Crown Point, had already paved the way 
 for this bold enterprise, and had broken down the 
 fences which guarded the entrance into that province. 
 They were also sensible they had already gone such 
 lengths as could only be vindicated by arms ; and 
 that if a certain degree of success did not attend 
 their resistance, they would be at the mercy of an 
 irritated government. 
 
 Montgomery, an enterprizing man, having been 
 appointed a brigadier general, flew to the new formed 
 congress. “ Gentlemen,” said he, “ if you will give me 
 six thousand men, and proper provisions for the business, 
 I’ll set off in the winter,' march to Quebec, scale 
 
 retired. Sir William some time after this, happening to be in 
 company with Hendrick, told him also that he had a dream. 
 Hendrick being very solicitous to know what it was, Sir William 
 informed him, that lie had dreamed that he, (Hendrick,) had 
 made him a present of a particular tract of land, (the most 
 valuable on the Mahawk River,) of about five thousand acres. 
 Hendrick presented him with the land immediately, with this 
 shrewd remark. “ Now, Sir William, 1 will never dream with 
 you again, for you* dream too hard for me.” 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 79 
 
 the walls, take general Carleton by surprise, make 
 his soldiers prisoners, take all Canada, and then we 
 shall make better terms with the British parliament/* 
 
 The congress agreed to his proposals. He crossed 
 Lake' Champlain, and made as much haste as the 
 difficulty of the way would allow. His first step was 
 to gain over the Indians whom general Carleton had 
 employed, and this in a great measure he accomplish¬ 
 ed ; after which, on receiving the full number of 
 troops appointed for the expedition, he determined to 
 lay siege to St. John’s. In this he was facilitated by 
 the reduction of Chamblee, a small fort in the neigh¬ 
 bourhood, where he found a large supply of powder. 
 
 While Montgomery was prosecuting the siege, the 
 governor general Carleton, collected a party of Cana¬ 
 dians and Indians, intending to proceed to the gar¬ 
 rison of fort St. John’s, and to attack the besiegers ; 
 but colonel Warner, with a large party of green 
 mountain boys, and a four pounder, prevented the 
 execution of the design. The governor’s party was 
 suffered to come near the shore, but was then fired 
 upon with such effect, as to make them retire, after 
 sustaining some loss. 
 
 The failure of general Carleton to relieve the gar¬ 
 rison, was a sufficient recompence to the Americans 
 for that of colonel Allen, which had happened 
 some time before. The success which had attended this 
 gentleman against Crown Point and Ticonderoga, had 
 emboldened him to make a similar attempt on Mon¬ 
 treal ; but being attacked by the militia of the place, 
 supported by attachment of regulars, he was entirely 
 defeated, taken prisoner, and sent to England. 
 
 An account of general Carleton’s repulse being com¬ 
 municated to the garrison of St. John’s, major Preston, 
 the commanding officer, seeing no hope of any relief, 
 consented to surrender the fort. They received honor- 
 
3*0 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 able terms of capitulation, and were treated with the 
 greatest humanity by the Americans. 
 
 General Montgomery next took measures to prevent 
 the British shipping from passing down the river from 
 Montreal to Quebec. This he accomplished so effec¬ 
 tually, that the whole were taken. The town itself was 
 obliged to surrender at discretion, and it was with the 
 utmost difficulty that general Carleton escaped in an 
 open boat, under cover of a dark night. 
 
 Montreal stands on an island in the river St. Law¬ 
 rence, which is ten leagues in length, and almost 
 four in breadth, at the foot of a mountain which gives 
 name to it, about half a league from the south shore. 
 The whole island is a most delightful spot, and pro¬ 
 duces every thing that can administer to the convenience 
 of life. The town is of an oblong form, well peopled, 
 and surrounded by a wall. The streets are well laid 
 out, and the houses built in a very handsome manner. 
 It is divided into two parts, the upper and the lower; 
 in the last the merchants and men of business gene¬ 
 rally reside. The upper town, however, contains the 
 principal buildings, such as the palace of the governor, 
 the houses of the chief officers, the convent of the 
 Ilecollets, the Jesuits church and seminary, the free 
 school, and the parish church. The governor’s palace 
 is a large fine building. Besides a general hospital, 
 the neighbourhood of the city contains many elegant 
 villas ; and most of the vegetables of Europe grow in it. 
 All the banks of the river from thence to Quebec, which 
 is one hundred and eighty miles, is like one conti¬ 
 nued village, adorned with fine plantations, and gen¬ 
 tlemen’s seats at proper distances. 
 
 No further obstacle now remained in the way of 
 the Americans to the capital, except what arose from 
 the nature of the country, and these indeed were 
 very considerable. Nothing, however, could damp the 
 
ardour of the provincials, notwithstanding it was now 
 the middle of November, and the depth of winter 
 was at hand. 
 
 About the same time Canada was invaded in the 
 usual march from New York, a considerable detachment 
 from the American army at Cambridge, was conducted 
 into that province, by a new and unexpected passage. 
 Arnold who conducted this bold undertaking, thereby 
 acquired the name of the American Hannibal. He was 
 detached with a thousand men from Cambridge to pene¬ 
 trate into Canada, by ascending the river Kennibec and 
 descending by the Chaundiere to the river St. Lawrence. 
 Great were the difficulties the Americans had to en¬ 
 counter so long, in marching three hundred miles through 
 an uninhabited country. In ascending the Kennibec, 
 they were constantly obliged to work upwards, against 
 an impetuous current. They were often compelled by 
 cataracts or other impediments, to land and hawl 
 their batteaux up rapid streams and over falls of rivers. 
 Nor was their march by land more eligible than this 
 passage by water. They had deep swamps, thick 
 woods, difficult mountains, and craggy precipices 
 alternately to encounter. At some places they had to 
 cut their way for miles together, through forests so 
 thick that their progress was only four or five miles 
 a day. They, however, proceeded with unabated 
 fortitude and constancy. Provisions grew at length so 
 scarce, that some of the men eat their dogs, cartouch 
 boxes, breeches, shoes, &c. At one time when they 
 w'ere an hundred miles from any habitation or prospect 
 of a supply, their whole store was divided, which 
 yielded four pints of flour for each man. On the 
 last morning before their arrival, at their destination, 
 after they had baked and eaten the remainder of their 
 provisions, they r had thirty miles to travel before they 
 
 L 
 
82 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 could expect any further supply. The men bore up 
 under these complicated distresses, with the greatest 
 fortitude. They gloried in the hope of completing a 
 march which would rival the fame of similar expeditions, 
 undertaken by the heroes of antiquity. Having spent 
 thirty-one days in traversing a hideous wilderness, 
 without ever seeing any thing human, they at length 
 reached the inhabited parts of Canada. The Canadians 
 were struck with amazement, when they saw this armed 
 force emerging from the wilderness, it had never entered 
 their conception that it was possible for human beings 
 to traverse such immense wilds. 1 he most pointed 
 instructions had been given to this corps to conciliate 
 the affections of the Canadians. It was particularly 
 enjoined upon them, if the son of lord Chatham,* then 
 an officer in one of the British regiments in that 
 province, should fall into their hands, to treat him 
 with all possible attention, in return for the great 
 exertions of his father, in behalf of American liberty. 
 
 The city of Quebec was at this time in a state of 
 great weakness, but Sir Guy Carleton at this time 
 arrived from Montreal ; his presence was itself a garri¬ 
 son, he was a man of ten thousand eyes, and was not 
 to be taken unawares. The confidence reposed in his 
 talents, inspired the garrison to make the most deter¬ 
 mined resistance. He issued a proclamation, in which 
 be set forth, “ that all persons liable to do military 
 duty, and residing in Quebec, who refused to arm 
 in conjunction with the royal army, should in four 
 days Ojitit Quebec, with their families, and withdraw 
 themselves from the limits of the district, by the 
 1st of December, on pain of being treated afterwards 
 as spies or rebels.” All who were unwilling to co¬ 
 operate with the British army, being thus disposed 
 
 * Now lord Chatham, and master of the ordnance. 
 
83 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 of, the remaining inhabitants, though unused to arms, 
 became in a little time so far acquainted with them, 
 as to be very useful in defending the town. T. hey 
 supported fatigues, and submitted to command, with 
 a patience and cheerfulness, that could not be exceeded 
 by men familiarized to the hardships and subordina¬ 
 tions of a military life. 
 
 On the 1st of December, general Montgomery joined 
 Arnold upon the heights of Abraham before Quebec, 
 and notwithstanding the extreme severity of the season 
 in this inclement climate, he immediately began erecting 
 his batteries, which by a perfect novelty in military 
 science, being composed of snow and water, soon 
 became solid ice. But finding his artillery make little 
 impression, he determined on a general assault.* Early 
 in the morning, on the 31st of December, 1775, during a 
 snow storm the attack was made by two divisions, in 
 two different quarters of the town. These divisions 
 were commanded by colonel Arnold, and the general 
 in person. Montgomery’s division proceeded to make 
 the attack, by the way of Cape Diamond, while 
 Arnold’s division attacked the suburbs of St. Rue. 
 On the first onset, Montgomery led on his men with 
 undaunted resolution ; he was attended with a number 
 of carpenters with saws, in order to cut down the 
 pickets, he even pulled some of them down with his 
 own hands, and entered with his aid-de-camp, Mr. 
 MTherson, and two more American officers at the 
 
 * During the siege, a woman from the American camp 
 stole into Quebec, with letters addressed to the principal mer¬ 
 chants, advising them to an immediate submission, and pro- 
 missing great indulgence incase of their compliance. Inclosed 
 was a letter to general Carleton, with a summons to deliver up 
 the town. The messenger was sent to prison for a few days, 
 and then drummed out. 
 
 L 2 
 
84 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 head of bis division ; here they were received with a 
 heavy fire of musketry. Montgomery, with his officers 
 and a number of men were killed, and the remainder 
 of the divison falling into immediate disorder, were 
 repulsed with much slaughter. On the other side 
 colonel Arnold forced the first barrier, which consisted 
 of thirty men, but before he could attempt the second, 
 a reinforcement of the garrison, in consequence of the 
 defeat of Montgomery in the opposite quarter, was 
 collected against him ; here Arnold received a dangerous 
 wound in the leg, by a musquet ball, and was com¬ 
 pelled to retire to the camp. To add to their embar¬ 
 rassment, they lost the help of one of their companies, 
 which was quartered on the north side of the river 
 St. Charles, by their not having notice of the attack 
 in due time, which in endeavouring to join the main 
 body, w r ere surprized by a party of our men, under 
 the command of captain Laws, who made a sortie 
 through Palace Gate, and most of them were made 
 prisoners. 
 
 The Americans near the second barrier took pos¬ 
 session of some houses, but as our troops which sallied 
 out of Palace Gate, came upon their rear, and their 
 numbers being greatly lessened by being killed and 
 wounded, they were obliged to retreat to the barrier 
 which they had but a little before taken, here they 
 maintained their ground until ten o’clock in the morn- 
 ing, when, after a brave resistance, they were obliged 
 to lay down their arms. 
 
 The loss which the garrison sustained was but small 
 in comparison. One lieutenant of the navy, and six 
 rank and file killed, and thirteen rank and file wounded; 
 but the loss of the Americans was very considera¬ 
 ble; seven officers were killed and six wounded, up¬ 
 wards of six hundred officers and men were taken pri¬ 
 soners. Montgomery was shot through both his thighs 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 nil and his head. When his body was taken up, his fea- 
 
 tures were not in the least distorted, but his counte¬ 
 
 nance appeared regular, placid, and serene; an elegant 
 coffin was prepared, and he was interred with all military 
 and funeral honors.* He was tall and slender, well 
 limbed, of a genteel, easy, graceful and manly 
 address; to the courage of the soldier he added the 
 military skill of the general, and had the voluntary love, 
 esteem, and confidence ot the American troops, who 
 greatly lamented him. In the afternoon, the American 
 officers were confined in the seminary, and well ac¬ 
 commodated with bedding, &c. they were treated with 
 the greatest politeness and generosity by the British 
 officers; the privates were confined in the Recollets, 
 or Jesuits college, and well used.f Montgomery s knee 
 
 * In general Montgomery’s memoirs written sometime after 
 
 his death, by Dr. Smith, of Philadelphia, a celebrated American 
 partisan, speaking on this subject, he says, “O thou swift winged 
 messenger of destruction, how didst thou triumph in that 
 moment! the stroke that severed Montgomery from his army, 
 deprived them of more than a member. It reached the vitals, 
 and struck the whole body with a temporary death. As when 
 the forked lightening, darting through the forest, amidst 
 the black tempests of night, rends some towering oak, 
 and lays its honors in the dust, the inferior trees which 
 it had long sheltered from the storm, stand mournful around. 
 So stood the astonished bands, over their fallen, chieftain ! 
 nor over him alone, but over others, in their prime of glory, 
 prostrate by his side. 
 
 Such examples of magnanimity filled even adversaries with 
 veneration and esteem. Forgetting the foes in the heroes, 
 they gathered up their breathless remains, and committed them 
 to kindred dust; with pious hands, “ and funeral honors meet; 
 so may your own remains, and particularly thine, O Carleton, 
 be honored, should it ever be your fate to fall in hostile fields ! 
 or if, amid the various chances of war, your lot should be 
 among the prisoners and the wounded, may you be distin¬ 
 guished with an ample, return of that benevolence which you 
 have shewn to others ! such offices of humanity, softening the 
 savage scenes of war, will entitle y ou to an honor v\liich all 
 the pride of conquest cannot bestow.” 
 
 •f* Major Meig, who succeeded Arnold in the command after 
 he was wounded, in writing upon this subject, says, “ I dinsd 
 
 
M JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 buckles, and his aid-de-camp’s gold broach, with several 
 other valuable articles found with the dead officers, 
 were all restored to the Americans, which were highly 
 gratifying to them. 66 British soldiers in the moment 
 of victory, will have mercy on a prostrate foe, as the 
 brave and generous cajinot be cruel.” 
 
 General Montgomery received a liberal education in 
 Ireland, his native country. In the year 1758 he had 
 obtained the rank of captain in the 17th regiment of 
 foot, and stood full in the way of higher preferment; 
 having borne a share in all our American wars, and 
 the reduction of Canada, in the year 1759 ; as soon as 
 peace was restored, he took leave of the army, 
 and having soon connected himself by marriage with 
 an antient and honorable family in the province 
 of New York, he chose a delightful retirement upon 
 the banks of Hudson’s river, where he continued until 
 appointed by the American congress a brigadier general. 
 
 Colonel Arnold with the shattered remains of his 
 troops, retreated three miles from the city where he 
 had the temerity to encamp. Early in the spring, the 
 Isis, of fifty-four guns, accompanied by the Surprise 
 frigate, and the Martin sloop, on board of which was 
 part of the 29th foot, forced their passage through the 
 ice, before the navigation of the river St. Lawrence was 
 deemed practicable. 
 
 Governor Carleton was too great a proficient in the 
 art of war, to delay seizing the advantages which the 
 consternation of the besiegers and the arrival of this 
 reinforcement afiorded. He marched out at their head 
 to attack the Americans. On his approach lie found 
 every thing in confusion : the late besiegers abandoning 
 their artillery and military stores, had in great precipi- 
 
 fhis day with captain Law, whom in the morning I made 
 prisoner; but in a few hours after I was in my turn "made pri¬ 
 soner also. . Captain Law treated me with the greatest politeness 
 and generosity.-” 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 $7 
 
 tation retreated. In this manner, at the expiration of 
 five months, the mixed siege and blockade of Quebec 
 was raised. The fortitude and perseverance of the 
 garrison reflected honor on both officers and privates. 
 
 The reputation acquired by general Carieton in his 
 military character, for bravely and judiciously defend¬ 
 ing the province committed to his care, was exceed¬ 
 ed by the superior applause, merited from his exercise 
 of the virtues of humanity and generosity. Among the 
 numerous sick in the American hospitals, several in¬ 
 capable of being moved were left behind. The victo¬ 
 rious general proved himself worthy of success by his 
 treatment of these unfortunate men : he not only fed 
 and cloathed them, but permitted them when reco¬ 
 vered to return home. Apprehending that fear might 
 make some conceal themselves in the woods, rather 
 than by applying for a relief, make themselves known, 
 he removed their doubts by the following proclamation : 
 “ Whereas I am informed, that many of his majesty’s 
 deluded subjects, of the neighbouring provinces, labor¬ 
 ing under wounds and divers disorders, are dispersed in 
 the adjacent woods and parishes, and in great danger 
 of perishing for want of proper assistance, all captains 
 and other officers of militia are hereby commanded to 
 make diligent search for all such distressed persons, 
 and afford them all necessary relief, and convey them 
 to the general hospital, where proper care shall be 
 taken of them : all reasonable expenses which may be 
 incurred in complying with this order, shall be paid 
 by the receiver-general. 
 
 <c And lest a consciousness of past offences should 
 deter such miserable wretches from receiving that assist¬ 
 ance which their distressed situation may require; I 
 hereby make known to them, that as soon as their 
 health is restored they shall have free liberty to retu n 
 to their respective provinces.’* 
 
3S JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 A rich Frenchman, who commanded a regiment of 
 Canadians under Montgomery, and who joined him in 
 Montreal, was likewise taken prisoner. A few weeks 
 after general Carleton ordered the Frenchman to make 
 his appearance upon the parade of the castle. He 
 was brought there under a file of soldiers; general 
 Carleton was walking at the top of the parade. As 
 soon as the man was brought in, he waved his hat 
 for the soldiers to retire and shut the gates. An in¬ 
 terview must now take place; let the reader imagine 
 what the Frenchman felt: he expected to be hanged 
 like a dog, or sent over to England to be tried by 
 the English judges. Up to the general he must come, 
 for he could not expect that the general would run 
 towards him. lie summoned his courage, and walked 
 with a slow dignified step up to the parade towards 
 the general. As soon as he came up he expected 
 nothing but frowns and the most stinging reproaches, 
 as he w r as one of the king’s subjects in the governor’s 
 jurisdiction. The general stopped and looked at him 
 with a mixture of dignity and condescension, and said, 
 iC Sir, w'hen did you hear from your family ?” Ci Gene¬ 
 ral,” replied the other, “ I have not heard from them 
 these three months.” (The general knew that very 
 well, for he had intercepted all his letters.) “ Sir, said 
 he, which way do you chuse to go home, by land 
 or water ? If you chuse to go by water, you shall 
 have my barge: if you chuse to go by land you 
 *hall ride in my coach.” The man was struck with 
 amazement, fell down at his feet, and clasping the 
 governor’s knees, burst into a violent exclamation; 
 ic O general, you are too good ! you are too good !” 
 The general raised him from the ground, sent him 
 home with honor and joy to his family, with such 
 gratitude in his heart as never forsook him. He con¬ 
 tinued a faithful subject as long as he lived. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 89 
 
 After this gentleman was gone home to Mon¬ 
 treal, general Carleton sent for the American prm 
 soners, in small companies, and addressed them with 
 such sweetness and good humour, as was sufficient to 
 melt every heart. “ My lads,” said he, (t why did you 
 come to disturb an honest man in his government, that 
 never did any harm to you in his life ? I never invaded 
 your property, nor sent a single soldier to distress 
 you. Come, my boys, you are in a very distressing 
 situation, and not able to go home with any comfort; 
 I must provide you with with shoes, stockings, 
 and good w 7 arm waistcoats. I must give voil. some 
 good victuals to carry you home. Take care, my lads, 
 that you do not come here again, lest I should not treat 
 you so kindly.” 
 
 This humane line of conduct was more injurious to 
 the views of the leaders in the American councils, 
 than any severity that could be used against them. 
 
 In general Carleton’s dispatches to government, parti¬ 
 cular mention is made of lieutenant colonel M‘Clean, 
 and his newly raised regiment of Scotch emigrants, 
 for their indefatigable zeal in the king’s service, during 
 the siege. Also captain Hamilton of his Majesty’s ship, 
 the Lizard, with the officers and seamen, who were 
 formed into a battalion on shore, discharged their duty 
 with' alacrity and spirit. Major Caldwell who com¬ 
 manded the militia likewise, proved himself an active 
 and diligent officer. 
 
90 
 
 JOURNAL OF TI1E 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Disturbances in Virginia. Major Connolly Jot 
 Prisoner by the Americans. Lord 
 Letter to an Indian Chief. Logan's Speech to Laid 
 Dunmbre. Norfolk destroyed by Fire. LordDm- 
 more sails with the Fleet. Charlestown attacked by 
 Sir Peter Parker and repulsed. Captain Morns s 
 gallant Behaviour and Death. Account of General 
 
 Lee. 
 
 Cj) L’EBEC being thus freed from danger, it is now 
 necessary to take a transient view of the state of 
 affairs, at this period in some of the southern pro¬ 
 vinces. Lord Dunmore, the governor of Virginia, was 
 involved in disputes similar to those which had taken 
 place in other colonies; these disputes arose to such 
 violence, that his lordship was obliged to take refuge 
 on board the Fovvey ship of war, into which he at¬ 
 tempted to transfer the sittings'of the assembly ; a 
 requisition which the legislative body absolutely 
 refused to comply with. His lordship being t ius 
 divested of his authority, carried on a sort of predatory 
 war against the province. 
 
 In order to protect the loyalists who now began to 
 flock to the royal standard, his lordship constructed 
 a fort near Norfolk, a maritime town of some conse- 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 91 
 
 nuence: this fort he furnished with artillery. Tne 
 Americans also fortified themselves within cannon shot 
 of the same place, with a narrow causeway in their 
 front. In this state both parties continued quiet tor 
 some days. Lord Dunmore now formed a design ot 
 surprising the enemy in their entrenchments; tnis was 
 undertaken before day-light, on the 9th of Decern er, 
 1775. Captain'Fordyce, at the head of the grenatieis 
 of the 14th regiment of foot, amounting to sixty men, 
 passed the causeway, and boldly marched up to the 
 American entrenchments, with fixed bayonets, and witi 
 a coolness and entrepidity which first excited the astonish¬ 
 ment, and afterwards the praise of their enemies. I hey 
 were exposed without cover to the fire of*the pro¬ 
 vincials in front, and enfiladed by another part of their 
 works. The brave captain Fordyce with several of his 
 men fell, the lieutenant and others were taken, and 
 all the survivors of this valiant grenadier company, 
 whether prisoners or not, were wounded Captain 
 Fordyce was interred with every military honor, by 
 the victors ; the English prisoners treated with km i- 
 ness, but the Americans who had joined tie mg 
 standard experienced the greatest cruelties. 
 
 A short time before this, a scheme of importance 
 was formed by major Connolly, a Pennsylvanian of 
 an intrepid and aspiring disposition, and attached to 
 the cause of Britain. The first step of his plan was 
 to enter into a league with the Ohio Indians. This 
 he communicated to lord Dunmore, and it received 
 his approbation. Upon which, Connolly set out, and 
 actually succeeded in his design. On h,s return he 
 was dispatched to general Gage at Boston, from wiom 
 he received a colonel’s commission, and set out in order 
 to accomplish the remainder of his scheme. The plan 
 hi general was to proceed to Fort Detroit, where 
 
 M % 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 9* 
 
 captain Lord of the Royal Irish was to meet him with 
 two companies, and a field piece. Connolly was to 
 raise a regiment, with as many Indians and partizans 
 as he could ; to enable him to do this, he had power 
 to promise every person that entered into the service, 
 three hundred acres of land, when the troubles were 
 over, and what other pecuniary rewards he might 
 think proper ; was to appoint and commission all the 
 officers under him, which commissions were to be con¬ 
 firmed by lord Dunmore. With this force he was to 
 penetrate through the country, in order to cut off the 
 communication between the southern and northern 
 colonies, destroy Fort Pit, and Fort Fincastle, and meet 
 lord Dunmore on the 10th of April following, at Alexan¬ 
 dria. Connolly’s companions were lieutenant Cameron 
 and Dr, Smith. On their road through Maryland, they 
 were all three taken, cast into prison, and closely 
 confined. On searching their portmanteaus, a copy 
 of Connolly’s plan was found. The congress im¬ 
 mediately published the following speech, from lord 
 Dunmore to White Eyes, a famous Indian warrior, 
 which they said was found in the colonel’s custody: 
 “ Brother, captain White Eyes, I am glad to hear 
 your good speeches, sent to me by major Connolly, 
 and you may be assured I shall put the one end of 
 the belt which you have sent me, into the hands of 
 our great king, who will be glad to hear from his 
 brothers, the Delawares, and will take a strong bold 
 of it. You may rest satisfied, that our foolish young 
 men shall never be permitted to take your lands, but 
 on the contrary, the great king will protect you, and 
 preserve you in the possession of them. Our young 
 people m the country have been very foolish, and 
 clone many impudent things, for which they must soon 
 be sorry, and of which I make no doubt, they have 
 acquainted you ; but I must desire you not to listen 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 to them, as they would be willing that you should 
 act equally foolish with themselves. But rather let 
 what you hear, pass in at one ear, and out at the 
 other, so that it may make no impression on your 
 heart, until you hear from me fully, which shall be 
 as soon as I can give farther information, who am your 
 friend and brother. 
 
 Captain White Eyes will please to acquaint the 
 Corn Stalk with these my sentiments also, as well as 
 the chiefs of the Mingors, and the other six nations. 
 Your sincere friend, and elder brother, Dunmore.” 
 
 The Americans never lost an opportunity of magni¬ 
 fy every circumstance which would in anywise 
 tend to the promotion of their own cause, while at 
 the same time, they covered in obscurity the very 
 motives and views with which they themselves 
 used to accomplish their ends. Some months 
 before this, the inhabitants of Virginia had endeavour¬ 
 ed to gain the Indians over to their side, in order to 
 assist them against the loyalists in that state.* This 
 well known narrative is given by an American pur- 
 tizan. It begins as follows: 
 
 u We may challenge the whole orations of Demosthenes 
 and Cicero, and of any more eminent orator, if Europe 
 has furnished more eminent, to produce a single pas¬ 
 sage superior to the speech of Logan, a Mingo chief, 
 to lord Dunmore, when governor of the state of 
 Virginia. The story is as follows ; of which and of 
 the speech, the authenticity is unquestionable. In the 
 spring of the year J774, a robbery and murder were 
 committed on an inhabitantf of the frontiers of Virgi- 
 
 * See page 76. 
 
 + One ot the loyalists. Undoubtedly these Indians were 
 instigated to take up the hatchet by the Americans against 
 tiieir brethren, and for what cause? Why, because they 
 adhered to the British government. 
 
^ JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 b y tw ° Indians ^ 
 
 bouring whites, according wa y, Colonel 
 
 punish this o„»ge t ,n * J haJ com . 
 
 2'X* injured people, eo,looted . party 
 
 from the whites. Cresap and his party concealed them- 
 selves on the bank of the river, and the moment the 
 canoe reached the shore, singled out their object , 
 and at one fire killed every person in it. This 
 happened to be the family of Logan, who had long 
 been distinguished as a friend o t e w n • 
 unworthy return provoked his vengeance He accord¬ 
 ingly signalized himself in the war which ensuea 
 In the autumn of the same year, a decisive battle 
 was fought at the mouth of the great Kanhaway, be¬ 
 tween the collected forces of the Shawanees, M.ngoes, 
 and Delawares, and a detachment ol the o 
 militia.f The Indians were defeated, and sue or 
 peace. Logan, however, disdained to be seen among 
 the suppliants, but lest the sincerity of a treaty 
 should be distrusted, from which, so distinguishe a 
 chief absented himself, he sent by a messenger the 
 following speech, to be delivered to lord Dunmore ; 
 “ I appeal to any white man to say if ever he enter¬ 
 ed Logan’s cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; 
 if he ever came cold and naked, and he cloathed him 
 not. During the course of the last long and bloo y 
 war, Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate 
 for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my 
 
 * They were under the necessity in their defence to resist 
 force by force. 
 
 f Under the command of lord Dunmore. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. « 
 
 country men pointed as they passed, and said, Logan 
 is the friend of white men . I had even thought to 
 have lived with you, but for the injuries of one 
 man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, and 
 unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not 
 sparing evert my women and children. 'I here runs 
 not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living 
 creature. This called on me for revenge. I have 
 sought it ; I have killed many ; I have fully glutted 
 my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at the 
 beams of peace ; but I do not harbour a thought 
 that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. 
 He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who 
 is there to mourn for Logan ? Not one.” 
 
 Lord Dunmore retreated from Norfolk, and that 
 place was taken possession of by the provincials, 
 who treated the loyalists that had remained there, with 
 great severity, at the same time that they greatly 
 distressed those on board lord Dunmore’s fleet, by refu¬ 
 sing to supply them with any necessaries. Nor was this 
 all ; the vicinity of the shipping was so near, as to 
 afford the riflemen an opportunity of aiming at the 
 people on board, and exercising the cruel occupation 
 of killing them, in which they did not fail every day 
 to employ themselves. These proceedings at last drew 
 a remonstrance from his lordship ; in which he insist¬ 
 ed that the fleet should be furnished with necessaries, 
 and that the soldiers should desist from the cruel 
 treatment above mentioned ; but both these requests 
 being denied, a resolution w>as taken to set Are to 
 the town. After giving the inhabitants proper warning, 
 a party landed, under cover of a ship of war, and 
 set fire to that part which lay nearest to the shore ; 
 but the flames were observed at the same time to break, 
 forth in every other quarter, and the whole town was 
 reduced to ashes. This universal destruction, by which 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 a loss of more than three hundred thousand pounds 
 was incurred, is said to have been occasioned by order 
 of the congress itself, that the loyalists might find no 
 refuse there for the future. The Americans after this 
 transaction, burned and destroyed the houses and 
 plantations withiti reach of the guns of the ships of 
 war, and obliged the inhabitants to remove with their 
 cattle, provisions, and portable effects,' further into 
 the country. 
 
 The heat of the season, and the numbers crowded 
 together in lord Dunmore’s fleet, produced a pestilen¬ 
 tial fever, which made great havoc* especially among 
 the negroes. last finding themselves in the utmost 
 
 hazard of perishing, by famine as well as disease, 
 they set fire to the least valuable df their vessels, 
 reserving only about fifry for themselves, in which 
 they bid a final adieu to Virginia, some sailing to 
 Florida, some to Bermuda, and the rest to the West 
 Indies. 
 
 In South Carolina, the provincials had a more for¬ 
 midable enemy to contend with. A squadron whose 
 object was the reduction of Charlestown, had been 
 fitted out in December, 1775, but by reason of un¬ 
 favourable weather, did not reach Cape Fear, in North 
 Carolina, till the month of May, 1776 ; and here it 
 met with further obstacles till the end of the month. 
 Th us, the Americans, always noted for their alertness 
 in raising fortifications, had time to strengthen those 
 of Charlestown, in such a manner as rendered it ex¬ 
 ceedingly difficult to be attacked. The British" squadron 
 consisted of two fifty-gun ships, four of thirty guns, 
 two of twenty ; an armed schooner, and a bomb-ketch, 
 all under the command of Sir Peter Parker ; the land 
 forces were commanded by general Clinton, lord Corn¬ 
 wallis, and brigadier general Vaughan. It was now 
 determined to try the event of an attack on the city 
 

 r® 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 97 
 
 of Charlestown, the capital of South Carolina. The 
 Americans had erected works on Sullivan’s Island, 
 mounted with thirty pieces of cannon, in a very 
 advantageous situation, for annoying ships in their 
 approach to the town. The militia of the province 
 were also collected in great numbers for the defence 
 of the metropolis, aided by several continental regi¬ 
 ments, and the whole commanded by general Lee. 
 
 On the 28th of June, the Bristol and Experiment, 
 each of fifty guns, supported by several smaller vessels, 
 had with some difficulty^ crossed the bar, and ad¬ 
 vanced to the attack of the fort on Sullivan s Island, 
 constructed entirely of palmetto, a soft and spungy 
 wood, in which a ball entering is buried, and makes 
 no extended fracture. Though an attack on this fort 
 was practical from the sea, it was very difficult to 
 obtain a co-operation of the land forces. This was 
 attempted by landing them on an island adjacent to 
 Sullivan’s island, on the east, from which it is separated 
 by a narrow creek. Opposite to this creek the Ame¬ 
 ricans had posted a strong body of troops, with cannon 
 and entrenchments, while general Lee was posted on 
 the main land, with a bridge of boats between tbau 
 and Sullivan’s Island ; so that he could at pleasure send 
 reinforcements to the troops in the fort on Sullivan’s 
 Island. 
 
 The attack commenced early in the morning by 
 a bomb-ketch, which began to throw shells into the 
 fort, and about mid-day the two fifty-gun ships came 
 up and began a severe fire. Three other frigates 
 were ordered to take their station, between Chaiies- 
 town and the fort, in order to enfilade the batteries, 
 and cut off the communication with the main land ; 
 but, through the ignorance of the pilots, they all stuctc 
 fastj and though two of them were disentangled, they 
 
 N 
 
 
§1 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 were found to be totally unfit for service : the third 
 was burnt, that she might not fall into the hands of 
 the enemy. 
 
 The attack was therefore confined to five armed 
 ships and a bomb-ketch, between whom and the fort a 
 dreadful fir<^ ensued. The Bristol suffered exceed¬ 
 ingly. The springs on her cable being shot away, she 
 was for some time exposed to the enemy’s fire. As 
 the Americans poured in great quantities of red hot 
 balls, she was twice in flames. The brave captain 
 Morris after receiving five wounds, was obliged to 
 go between decks, to have his arm amputated. After 
 undergoing this operation, he insisted to be carried 
 on the quarter deck to resume his command ; here 
 he received another wound, but still refused to quit 
 his station ; at last he received a red hot ball in his 
 belly, which put an end to his life. A few moments 
 before he died, one of the officers asked him if he 
 had any directions to give with respect to his family, 
 to which he heroically answered, “ None, I leave 
 them to the providence of God, and the generosity 
 of my country.” His majesty on receiving an account 
 of this affair, sent the captain’s widow an handsome 
 present, and settled a pension on her and her 
 children. 
 
 Of all the officers and seamen who stood on the 
 quatrer deck of the Bristol, not one escaped without 
 a wound, excepting Sir Peter Parker alone, though 
 he received several contusions during the action, yet 
 / he modestly says in his dispatches they were not 
 worth mentioning. Indeed his intrepidity and presence 
 of mind during the action was very remarkable. The 
 engagement lasted till darkness put an end to it. 
 During the height of the attack, the provincial 
 batteries remained for some time silent, so that it 
 was concluded that they had been abandoned, but 
 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 99 
 
 this was found to proceed only from want of powder, 
 for as soon as a supply of this article was obtained, 
 the firing was resumed as brisk' as before. During 
 the whole of this desperate engagement, it was found 
 impossible for the land forces to give any assistance 
 to the fleet. The enemy’s works were found to be 
 much stronger than they had been imagined, and the 
 depth of water effectually prevented them from making 
 any attempt. Captain Scott of the Experiment, and lord 
 William Campbell, late governor of the colony, who 
 now with great gallantry served as a volunteer on 
 board the fleet, were also dangerously wounded, with 
 more than two hundred of as brave men as ever the 
 British Navy produced, of the crews of these two 
 ships only. Particular mention was made of the bravery 
 of lieutenants Caulfield, Molloy, and Nugent, of the 
 Bristol. Every man that was engaged did his duty. 
 The Experiment and Bristol were so much damaged, 
 that it was thought they could not be got over the 
 bar; however, this was at last accomplished by a 
 very great exertion of naval skill, to the surprise of 
 the Americans, who had expected to make them 
 both prizes. On the American sid$ the loss was judged 
 to be very considerable, as most of their guns were 
 dismounted, and reinforcements had poured into the 
 fort during the whole time of the action. 
 
 During this attack general Lee exposed himself 
 to great danger; as the balls whistled about he 
 observed one of his aid-de-camps shrink every now 
 and then, and by the motion of his body seemed to 
 evade the shot. “ Death sir,” cried Lee, “ what do you 
 mean, do you doge ? Do you know that the king 
 of Prussia lost above an hundred aid-de-camps in one 
 campaign.” “ So I understand, sir,” replied the officer, 
 “ but I did not think you could spare so many. A 
 short memoir of this gentleman may not be unnecessary, 
 
 N 2 
 
10 0 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 He was born in Chester, in the year 1726 ; Iris 
 
 father, a man of considerable property in that county, 
 was in the year 1745 appointed colonel of the 44th 
 regiment of foot. 
 
 As Charles was an only son, his father bestowed 
 
 upon him a very liberal education, and in the year 
 
 174.5 he obtained a commission for him in his own 
 
 regiment, in which he continued till the year 1760, 
 passing through the ranks of ensign, lieutenant, and 
 captain. 
 
 During this time Charles Lee was present at several 
 actions, the first of which was at the defeat of gene¬ 
 ral Braddock, at Monongahela; after this he was at the 
 attack of the lines of Ticonderoga, in 1758, where 
 he was shot through the body. The next year he was 
 with general Prideaux at the reduction of Niagara, and 
 in the year 1760 was at the conquest of Canada, with 
 general Amherst. 
 
 The campaign being ended, captain Lee obtained 
 leave to return to England, where, in the year 1761, 
 he was appointed major in the 103d regiment, which, 
 on the breaking out of the Spanish war, was sent to 
 Portugal, under the command of lord Loudon. In Por¬ 
 tugal, as well as in America, major Lee behaved with dis¬ 
 tinguished bravery ; and general Burgoyne, under whose 
 immediate direction he was, bore testimony of his firm¬ 
 ness in executing the orders he received to surprise 
 the Spanish camp, which he did with a bravery and 
 intrepidy that settled his character as a distinguished 
 officer. 
 
 At the peace of 1763, major Lee’s corps was dis¬ 
 banded, and he, unwilling to remain inactive, ob¬ 
 tained leave to enter into the service of the king of 
 Poland, by whom he was greatly caressed; he after¬ 
 wards went as a volunteer in the war between Russia 
 and the Ottoman Porte. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 101 
 
 In the year 1772, he returned to England, and in 
 the month of May, in that year, he was honored with 
 the rank of lieutenant colonel, after which he went to 
 America, to visit a numerous set of friends he had 
 in that country. 
 
 Whether he had at that time entertained any inten¬ 
 tion of intermeddling in the dispute between Great 
 Britain and the colonies, we cannot pretend to decide: 
 but as soon as the colonies began to raise forces, he 
 immediately resigned his half pay, and with the greatest 
 alacrity accepted the post of major general in their 
 armies. 
 
 In person general Lee was five feet eight inches high, 
 slender in his make, but able to endure the greatest 
 hardships, little caring what he eat or drank, or on 
 what he slept. His actions have shewn him to be brave, 
 active, and determined; this may be seen by the follow¬ 
 ing circumstance. At the time general Clinton sailed 
 from Boston, Lee, at the head of a strong detachment 
 from the American army before that place, immediately 
 set out to secure New York from the attempt which it 
 was supposed the British troops would have made upon 
 that city. Having succeeded in that object, general 
 Clinton could not but be surprised at his arrival in 
 Virginia, to find Lee in possession, and in the same 
 state of preparation in which he had left him at New 
 York. Upon his departure for Cape Fear, Lee again 
 traversed the continent with the utmost expedition to 
 secure North Carolina: and at length upon the fur¬ 
 ther progress of the fleet and army to the southward, 
 Lee again proceeded with equal celerity to the defence 
 of Charlestown. 
 
 General Lee was a studious man, and of intense ap¬ 
 plication, not only in his profession as a soldier, 
 but even that of a lawyer. As he visited most 
 oi the courts of Europe, he acquired a perfect 
 
T02 journal of the 
 
 knowledge of their languages. H<^ spoke the Indian 
 language as well as English, and as he passed great 
 part of the former war among the Indians they had 
 a particular friendship for him. 
 
 His resentment against the British government was very 
 strong, but for what cause it is not conjectured ; however, 
 it is well known that he was of an ardent, fiery disposi¬ 
 tion, of which the following letter is a specimen; the 
 reader will observe that this letter was written to a 
 gentleman in Maryland,* in the beginning of the year 
 1776, some months before any reinforcements airived 
 from England to America. 
 
 “ I know not,” says this modern Achilles, “ in the 
 whole course of my life, I ever read any thing which 
 so much moved my pity and indignation as the late 
 declaration of the convention of Maryland. They de¬ 
 clare, they shall esteem separation from Great Britain 
 as the last of misfortunes. What l when an attempt 
 has been made to rob you and your posterity of your 
 birthrights; when your fields have been laid waste, 
 your towns have been burnt, and your citizens but¬ 
 chered ;f when your property is seized and confiscated 
 in all parts of the world ; when an inexorable tyrant, 
 an abandoned parliament, and a corrupt, pusillanimous 
 people, have formed a hellish league to rob you of every 
 
 » Maryland was one of the last states which yielded to the 
 declaration of independence to the British crown. 
 
 f When !—Where !-At this very time seven thousand 
 
 British troops were shut up in Boston, surrounded by an in¬ 
 numerable host of Americans: Canada at the same time 
 overrun by another army of Americans and Indians. 
 
 Surely one cannot help being astonished at the virulence 
 with which Mr. Lee speaks, on the present occasion, against 
 his country, which had loaded him and his family with honors. 
 
 €t Describe Achilles, as Achilles was, 
 
 41 Impatient—rash—inexorable—proud— 
 
 " Scorning all judges, and all law but arms.” 
 
103 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 thing men hold most dear ; is it possible there should be 
 creatures, who march on two legs, and call themselves 
 human, who can be so destitute of sentiment, courage, 
 and feeling, as sobbingly to protest, they should con¬ 
 sider separation from these butchers and robbers as the 
 last of misfortunes ? 
 
 “ Oh I could brain you with your ladies’ fans.’ ” 
 
ici 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Author's Journal continued. Further Description of the 
 Fiver St. Lawrence. Anecdote of an Algonquin 
 Woman. An Attempt to surprise the British Troops 
 at Three Rivers. Americans defeated. Retreat 
 to St. John's. The British prepare a Meet to 
 cross Lake Champlain. Sails and engages the Ame¬ 
 rican Fleet , which is defeated. British Troops 
 take possession of Crown Point. Retires to Winter 
 Quarters. 
 
 It is now high time to take notice of the military ope¬ 
 rations of the British forces to which I was attached 
 in Canada. It has been already Mentioned that colonel 
 Arnold raised the siege of Quebec and retreated with the 
 greatest precipitation towards Three Rivers. 
 
 On the 29th June, 1776, having accomplished our 
 voyage to Quebec, general Carleton found himself at the 
 head of twelve thousand regular troops, among whom were 
 those of Brunswick. With this force we set out for Three 
 Rivers, where we expected that Arnold would have made 
 a stand, but he had fled to Sorel, a place one hundred and 
 fifty miles distant from Quebec, where he was at last met 
 by the reinforcements, ordered by congress, under 
 the command of general Thomas ; who was appointed 
 by that body, commander in chief in Canada, in the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 105 
 
 room of Montgomery. A few days after lie arrived 
 at the American encampment, he was seized with the 
 small pox, and died, having forbidden his men to 
 innoculate, he conformed to his own rule, and refused 
 to avail himself of that precaution. On his death 
 the command at first devolved on Arnold, and after¬ 
 wards on general Sullivan. 
 
 In the mean time, our troops proceeded with all 
 expedition from Quebec to Three Rivers, which place 
 was appointed the general rendezvous of the army. 
 In our passage up the river St. Lawrence, our eyes 
 were entertained with beautiful landscapes, the banks 
 being in many places very bold and steep, and shaded 
 with lofty trees, and in others crowded with villages, 
 the air became so mild and temperate, that we 
 thought ourselves transported into another climate. 
 June 5th our regiment \yas ordered to land, and to 
 press forward with all expedition. 6th, Arrived at 
 Three Rivers. This town lies half way between Que¬ 
 bec and Montreal, and about thirty leagues from 
 each ; it has its name from three rivers which join 
 their current above a quarter of a mile below the 
 village, and fall into the great one, St. Lawrence. 
 It is much resorted to by the several tribes of Indians 
 who come down those rivers, and trade with the in¬ 
 habitants in various kind of furs. The country about 
 it is fertile in corn, fruits, &c. 
 
 For the sake of many of my readers who perhaps 
 have never read the following anecdote, which is re¬ 
 lated of an Algonquin woman, I shall take the liberty 
 of relating it in this part of my journal. 
 
 That nation being at war with the Iroquois, she hap¬ 
 pened to be taken prisoner and was carried to one of the 
 villages belonging to them. Here she was stripped naked, 
 and her hands and feet bound with ropes, in one of their 
 cabins. In this condition she remained ten days, the 
 
 O 
 
105 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 ravages sleeping round her every night. The eleventh 
 night, while they were asleep, she found means to dis- 
 engage one of her hands, after which she immediately 
 freed herself from the ropes, and went to the door. 
 Though she had now an opportunity of escaping un¬ 
 perceived, her revengeful temper could not let slip so 
 favorable an opportunity of killing one of her enemies. 
 The attempt was manifestly at the hazard of her own 
 life ; yet, snatching up a hatchet, she killed the savage 
 that lay next her; and springing out of the cabin, 
 concealed herself in a hollow tree which she had 
 observed the day before. The groans of the dying 
 person soon alarmed the other savages, and the young 
 ones immediately set out in pursuit of her. Per¬ 
 ceiving from her tree, that they all directed their course 
 one way, and that none of the savages were near her, 
 she left her sanctuary, and flying by an opposite direc¬ 
 tion, ran into a forest without being perceived. The 
 second day after this her footseps were discovered, 
 and they pursued her with such expedition that the 
 third day she discovered her enemies at her heels; upon 
 this she threw herself into a pond of water, and diving 
 among some reeds and bulrushes, she could just breathe 
 above water without being perceived. Her pursuers 
 after making the most diligent search, were forced to 
 return. For thirty-five days this woman held on her 
 course, through woods and deserts, without any other 
 sustenance than roots and wild berries. When she came 
 to the river St. Lawrence, she made with her own hands 
 a kind of wicker raft on which she crossed. As she 
 went by the French for Three Rivers, without well 
 knowing where she was, she perceived a canoe full 
 of savages, and' fearing they might be Iroquois, ran 
 again into the woods, where she remained till sun set. 
 Continuing her course, soon after she saw Three Rivers, 
 and was then discovered by a party whom she knew to 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 1.07 
 
 be Ilurons, a nation in alliance with the Algonquins ; 
 she then squatted down behind a bush, calling out 
 to them, that she was not in a condition to be 
 seen, because she was naked. They immediately threw 
 her a blanket, and then conducted her to the fort, 
 where she recounted her story. 
 
 June 8th. At three o’clock this morning our drums 
 beat to arms, and we soon marched out of the village 
 to meet our foe. 
 
 This being the first skirmish I ever was engaged in, 
 it really appeared to me to be a very serious matter, 
 especially when the bullets came whistling by our ears. 
 In order to encourage the young soldiers amongst us, 
 some of the veterans who had been well used to this kind 
 of work, said, “ there is no danger if you hear the 
 sound of the bullet, which is fired against you, you 
 are safe, and after the first charge all your fears will 
 be done away.” These remarks I found to be perfectly 
 true many a time afterwards. The cannon from 
 the ships in the river, and the field pieces on 
 land, began now to roar; many of the unfortunate 
 Americans were killed and wounded. 
 
 " Present we heard the - battle’s loud alarm, 
 
 “ The hideous cannon with continued roar, 
 
 “ Proclaims approaching death and wide spread harm: 
 
 “ Confusion echoes from the martial shore.” 
 
 Surely war, whether offensive or defensive, is a picture 
 of desolation ! 
 
 This was a very bold enterprise indeed of the Ame¬ 
 ricans to attack our troops. Two thousand of them 
 crossed over from Sorel in fifty boats, landed at the 
 Point du Lai, before day-light, with an intention to 
 surprise us at Three Rivers. Genera! Frazer, who com¬ 
 manded the British van, was not to be taken by surprise. 
 The Americans soon found that they were greatly mis.* 
 taken in their intelligence concerning our position: 
 
 O 2 
 
108 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 when they discovered their mistake they were greatly 
 alarmed, particularly when they found that brigadier 
 general Nesbit, who had landed the troops from the 
 transports, had got behind them. After some time 
 they gave up offensive measures, and retreated to the 
 woods. Our troops still pushed forward in hopes* of 
 taking their boats and cutting off their retreat; two 
 boats only were taken, the rest escaped. The num¬ 
 ber of the Americans killed and wounded were con¬ 
 siderable ; about two hundred surrendered, or were taken 
 prisoners in the woods. Generals Thompson and Irwin, 
 who commanded this party, with several other American 
 officers were among the prisoners : few of the British 
 fell on this day. 
 
 9th. Ordered on board our transports with all ex¬ 
 pedition ; the wind springing up fair, the fleet sailed 
 towards Sorel. 
 
 11th. Our ship grounded on a sand bank, just in 
 the middle of the river St. Lawrence ; here we re¬ 
 mained fast near two hours, and then drifted; we 
 received no damage, and soon regained our station. 
 
 14th. Landed at Sorel, here we heard that the 
 Americans had retreated, only two hours before. All 
 the fires in their encampment w T ere burning. 
 
 15th. Our troops began to march in three columns, 
 under the command of general Burgoyne, who led the 
 pursuit. 
 
 16th. Continued our march day and night, ex¬ 
 pecting evey hour to come up with them. However, 
 in all their haste, they took care to set on fire their 
 batteaux, ships, military stores, &c. It must be con¬ 
 fessed that their distresses at this time were very great. 
 A British army close on their rear, and threatening 
 them with destruction ; their men obliged to drag their 
 loaded batteaux up the rapids by mere strength, often 
 to their middle in water. They were likewise encum- 
 
103 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 bered with great numbers labouring under that dreadful 
 disease, the small pox, which is so fatal in America. 
 
 It was said that two regiments at one time had not a 
 single man in health, another had only six, and a 
 fourth only forty, and two more were nearly in the 
 same condition. 
 
 While the Americans were retreating, they were 
 daily annoyed by the remonstrances of the inahabitants 
 of Canada, who had either joined or befriended them. 
 Many of the Canadians had taken a decided part in 
 their favor, rendered them essential services, and 
 thereby incurred the heavy penalties annexed to the 
 crime of supporting rebellion. These, though congress 
 had assured them but a few months before, “ that 
 they would never abandon them to the fury of their 
 common enemies,” were, from the necessity of the case, 
 left exposed to the resentment of their rulers. The 
 retreating army recommended them to cast themselves 
 on the mercy of that government, against which they 
 had offended.* 
 
 18th. Took possession of the redoubts at St. John’s, 
 and found all the buildings in flames, all the craft 
 and large boats the enemy could not drag up the 
 rapids of Chamblee, with some provisions, were also 
 burnt: twenty-two pieces of cannon were left behind, 
 and several other marks appeared of great precipita¬ 
 tion and fright, in the retreat of the enemy. 
 
 26th. We Jieard that the Americans had retreated 
 across Lake Champlain to Crown Point. We could not; 
 for want of boats urge our pursuit any farther. 
 
 September 30th. We have been very busy these three 
 months past in constructing a fleet, in order to face the 
 
 * They did indeed receive mercy, for I never saw any of 
 them either imprisoned or otherwise punished by our gorern- 
 ment, for their joining the Americans at that time; anal was 
 jn Canada for twelve months after this. 
 
119 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 enemy on water. The spirit of our troops has risen 
 ia proportion to the difficulties which they had to 
 encounter. A fleet is now prepared. The ship In¬ 
 flexible, mounting eighteen twelve-pounders is ready 
 to sail ; three weeks ago her keel was laid. Two 
 schooners, one of fourteen and another of twelve six- 
 pounders. A flat bottom radeau, carrying six twenty- 
 four pounders, and six twelve-pounders, besides how¬ 
 itzers. A gondola, with seven nine-pounders. Twenty 
 smaller vessels, with brass field pieces, from nine to 
 twenty-four pounders. A number of long boats. A 
 great number of batteaux, destined for the transporta¬ 
 tion of the army, have been in three months little 
 less than created. 
 
 October 1st. Our little squadron was put under the 
 command of Captain Pringle, and is now ready to sail. 
 
 Upon the 11th, our squadron came up with the Ame¬ 
 rican fleet, commanded by Arnold ; they were at anchor 
 under the island Valicour, and seemed a strong line, 
 extending from the island to the west side of the 
 continent. The wind was so unfavorable, that the ship 
 Inflexible, and some other vessels of force, could not 
 be brought to action. 
 
 Orders were now given to anchor, in a line as near 
 as possible to the American fleet, that thei * retreat 
 might be cut off. This was frustrated by the extreme 
 obscurity of the night, and in the morning the American 
 fleet had got a considerable distance from our ships up 
 the lake. 
 
 13th. Eleven sail of the Americans was seen making 
 off to Crown Point, when after a chase of seven hours, 
 captain Pringle, on board of the Maria, of fourteen six- 
 pounders, having the armed vessels, Carleton and In¬ 
 flexible, a small distance a-stern, came up with the enemy, 
 the rest of the fleet almost out of sight. The action 
 began at twelve o’clock, and lasted two hours. The 
 
AMERICAN WAR. Ui 
 
 Washington galley struck during the action, and some 
 time after, Arnold in the Congress galley, and five 
 gondolas, ran on shore and blew up the vessels. In 
 this perilous enterprize he paid attention to a point 
 of honor. He did not quit his own galley till she 
 was in flames, lest our sailors should board her, and 
 strike her flag. The killed and wounded in our fleet 
 did not amount to forty. General Carleton was on 
 board the Maria during the action, and praised in the 
 highest terms the conduct of the officers and men of 
 the corps of artillery who served the gun boats, and who 
 sustained for many hours the whole fire of the ene¬ 
 my’s fleet,* the rest of the vessels not being able to 
 work up near enough to join effectually in the 
 engagement. 
 
 The Americans bearing of the defeat of their naval 
 force, set fire to all the buildings and houses in and 
 near Crown Point, and retired to Ticonderoga. 
 
 The result of this sea fight, though unfortunate for 
 the Americans, raised the reputation of Arnold higher 
 than ever; in addition to the fame of a brave soldier, 
 he acquired that of an able naval officer. Waterbure, 
 the second in command, and brigadier general in the 
 American army, was taken. Out of fifteen American 
 armed vessels whi^h engaged our fleet in the morning, 
 three only escaped ; the rest were taken, burnt and 
 destroyed. 
 
 General Carleton landed at Crown Point, and took 
 possession of the ground from which the Americans 
 had retreated, and was there joined by our army. 
 He sent out several reconnoitering parties, and pushed 
 forward a strong detachment on both sides of the lake, 
 which approached near to Ticonderoga. Some of our 
 vessels came within cannon shot‘of. the American 
 
 * Thematrosses who served in t , -a-boats were drafts fror?i 
 the Irish Artillery in Chajjeiizou, 
 
jj2 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 ^ 
 
 works at that place. But the strength of that garrison, 
 and the season of the year restrained us fiom making 
 any attempt, at that time, on Ticonderoga. 
 
 31st. Our army embarked on board of the batteaux, 
 and on the 2d of November landed at St. John’s, in 
 Canada. 
 
 Such was the termination of the northern campaign 
 in 1776. After the death of Montgomery, evacuations 
 of posts, defeats, and retreats, had almost interruptedly 
 been the portion of the Americans. 
 
 The Winter Quarters of the British army was in the 
 following order :— 
 
 HEAD QUARTERS, QUEBEC; 
 
 Royal Artillery, commanded j Genera i Hospital, Montreal, 
 by General Phillips, ) 
 
 Van Brigade, commanded by) At LePrairie, Longeuil, &c. ex- 
 gen. Frazer, grenadiers, light V tending on the south sideofthe 
 Infantry and 24th regiment, J river St. Lawrence to St. Curs. 
 
 First Brigade commanded by brigadier general Powel. 
 
 pth regiment...Isle Jesus. 
 
 47th do.f...St. Luce, Recollet, St. Gene¬ 
 
 vieve and St. Lawrent. 
 
 53d.Chamblee. 
 
 Second Brigade, commanded by brigadier general Hamilton. 
 
 20th regiment.Isle au Noix. 
 
 21 st do...St. John’s. 
 
 34th do..Quebec. 
 
 02d do.Point Levy, opposite to 
 
 Quebec. 
 
 German troops commanded by generals Reidesel and Speicht, 
 were quartered from Bertheier to Three Rivers, and forty miles 
 below Three Rivers, on the road to Quebec. 
 
 Maclean’s Royal Highlanders, emigrants, quartered at Chf- 
 nage Bonne, and River du China. 
 
 Sir John Johnson’s regiment, called the New Yorker’s, quar¬ 
 tered at Lachine, La Point Clare, and St. Ann. 
 
 Sth regiment...Upper Posts, Niagara, 
 
 Detroit, &c. 
 
 f Lieutenant colonel Nesbit died about this time, at Quebec, 
 he was a brave, humane officer, and greatly beloved by.the 
 brigade which he commanded, 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 113 
 
 The Isle of Jesus where the 9th regiment was 
 quartered, lies in the neighbourhood of Montreal, and 
 is about eight leagues in length, and two in breadth ; 
 here as in other parts of Canada, the forests present 
 a most beautiful appearance, and contain a great 
 variety of trees, among which are pine, fir, cedar, 
 oak, rnaple, ash, walnut, beech, elm, and poplar. 
 The Indians hollow the red elm into canoes, some 
 of which, made out of one piece, will contain twenty 
 persons. About November, the bears and wild cats 
 take up their habitations in the hollow elms, and 
 remain there till April. Here are also found cherry 
 trees, plumb trees, the vinegar tree, the fruit of which, 
 being infused in water, produces vinegar ; and an 
 aquatic plant, called atoca, the fruit of which may 
 be made into a confection ; the white thorn, the 
 cotton tree, on the top of which grow several tufts 
 of flowers, which when shaken in the morning, before 
 the dew falls off, produces honey that may be boiled 
 up into sugar, the seed being a pod, containing a 
 very fine kind of cotton : the sun plant, which io- 
 
 sembles a marigold, and grows to the height of seven 
 
 or eight feet ; Turkey corn, French beans, gourds, 
 melons, capillaire, and the hop plant. 
 
 Capada is said to be inhabited by two hundred thou¬ 
 sand French, who live in affluence.- J hey have full 
 liberty to hunt, fish, fell timber for fuel, or building, 
 
 and to sow and plant as much land as they can cul¬ 
 
 tivate. Their greatest hardship is the winter cold, 
 which is here so excessive from December to April, 
 that the greatest rivers are frozen over, and the snow 
 lies commonly two or three feet deep on the ground, 
 though it extends no farther north than 48 9 of latitude. 
 
 The forests of Canada are also well stocked with 
 birds. They conta ; n two kinds of eagles, the largest 
 
j I4 . JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 -of which hare a white head and neck, and prey upon 
 hares and rabbits, which they carry up to their nests: 
 but the others arc grey, and prey on birds and fishes. 
 The patridges are grey, red, and black, with long 
 tails, which they spread out as a fan, like a turkey 
 cock, and make a very beautiful appearance. T he chief 
 Canadian bird of melody, is the white bird, which is 
 very handsome, and remarkable for announcing the 
 return of spring. The fly bird is thought to be the 
 most beautiful of any in nature; with all his piumage, 
 he is no larger than a cock chaffer, and he makes a 
 noise with his wings, like the humming of a large fly: 
 his legs are like two needles, and from his bill, which 
 is of 'the same thickness, a small sting proceeds, with 
 which he pierces the flowers, and thereby nourishes 
 himself with the sap. The female has nothing striking 
 in its appearance; but the male is a perfect beauty, 
 having on its head a small tuft of the most beautiful 
 black° his breast red, his belly white, his back, 
 
 wings and tail green, like that of a rose bush: 
 
 specks of gold scattered all over the plumage, add 
 greatly to its beauty; and an imperceptible down 
 produces the most delightful shadings that can be 
 imagined. Rattle snakes are found here, some of them 
 as thick as a man’s leg: when he moves his body, 
 which is covered with rows of scales, his tail rattles, whence 
 be has his name : his bite is mortal, but an herb grows 
 wherever this reptile is found in this country, called 
 the rattle snake’s plant, which is an infallible antidote 
 to the poison of his bite, by chewing it and apply¬ 
 ing it in the nature of a plaister to the wound. The 
 rattle snake seldom bite passengers, unless he is pro¬ 
 voked or trod upon : the Indians, however, pursue them 
 and sjreatly prize their flesh, which they eat. There is 
 a carnivorous animal here called the carcajou, of the 
 cat kind, having a very long tail; its body is about two 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 115 
 
 , • i ,i Tt is said that this animal, winding 
 
 feet in lens; i. m dart from thence upon the 
 
 himself about a tree, his 
 
 elk, twist his strong httl ro»»d Its Wj, “ ^ 
 
 throat in a moment. Wolves are scarce > ^ 
 
 f ;«. 1 -%r::: £S 
 
 will leap forty paces and more, from Kvely> 
 
 This little animal is easily tamer , am . 
 
 The Canadian porcnptne is less 
 when toasted, he eats Ml a, well “ * 
 
 There ate two sett of heats here most 
 
 the other of a black colour, but the tor ^ 
 
 dangerous. Some of the rivet* breed 1 
 
 eodfle, that l^da IleS «e well wi. 
 
 The meadow grounds, '" Cana > be(8 0 f great 
 
 The lakes are both large and 
 J, or the Upper Lake, which is ^ * t£E 
 north, is reckoned one lun ^ dee(t th " w h Q l e country 
 
 S^ar^tr^'^eetiug 
 
 with a human creature. 
 
'110 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAP. vur. 
 
 Admiral Lord Howe and General Sir William Ilowe 
 appointed Commissioners for restoring Peace to the 
 Colonies. Arrives at Staten Island. Conversation 
 between Colonel Paterson and General Washington. 
 Hostilities commence. Americans defeated with great 
 Slaughter. New York taken by the British. General 
 Assault against Fort Washington, garrisoned by the 
 Americans. Surrender Prisoners of War. Fort Lee 
 and Rhode Island taken by the British. General 
 Lee taken. Hessians defeated. 
 
 IT has been already observed, that the command of 
 tie force which was designed to act against New 
 
 • I ™„ glven t0 atlmiral lord Howe, and his brother 
 Sir W ilium; officers, who as well for their personal 
 c aracter, as their known bravery, stood high in 
 he confidence of the British nation. 
 
 The admiral and general in addition to* their mi- 
 Jitary powers, were appointed commissioners for re¬ 
 storing peace to the colonies, and so desirous was 
 
 “ *77, 7 “■ Wi, « P"T°» "f pacific- 
 
 tion tl aeho lay a considerable , ime before New York, 
 
 ZuM be “"’T? 7 “"" , ' e " Ce an.il be 
 
 should be joined by his brother, whom he expected 
 
 daily from England, with an enlargement of their powers 
 
 as commissioners for restoring peace to tho r l • 
 
 On the lath July, 1,76, lord Howe reached SUffin 
 
AMERICAN WAR. tl7 
 
 Island, the head quarters of the general, and Imme¬ 
 diately sent on shore by a flag to Amboy, a cir- 
 cular letter, addressed to the governors of the different 
 colonies, acquainting them with his appointment as 
 commissioner in conjunction with the general, together 
 with a declaration to the inhabitants. Copies of°these 
 papers were sent by general Washington to congress, who 
 immediately published them in all the newspapers, that 
 every one, as they said, might see the insidiousness 
 of the British ministry, and that they had nothing 
 to trust to besides the exertion of their own valor. 
 
 The admiral and general unwilling to proceed to 
 coercive measures, and anxious to effect their favorite 
 purpose of pacification, deputed colonel Paterson, the 
 adjutant-general, with a message to general Washing¬ 
 ton, stating that the commissioners were invested with 
 povveis of reconciliation, and that they would derive the 
 greatest pleasure from effecting an accommodation, and 
 wished this visit to be considered as the first advance to¬ 
 wards that desirable object. 
 
 The following conversation passed at the interview 
 between general Washington and colonel Paterson:* 
 After usual compliments, in which, as well as through 
 the whole conversation, colonel Paterson addressed 
 general Washington by the title of excellency, colonel 
 Paterson entered upon the business by saying, that 
 general Howe much regretted the difficulties which 
 had arisen, respecting the address of the letters to 
 general Washington,f that the address was deemed con- 
 
 I T hi i *°T TSat l° n e WaS P. ublished by order of congress. 
 
 letter directed «Tn e r re ‘ nte " lew S eneral «owe sent a 
 refused to w T George Washington, esquire,” which he 
 
 official caSackv In h ? ]T ^ U ‘ S addres ? ed to him in his 
 wrotp ^Vii^* his letter to congress on the subject, he 
 
 ««entia]s tn° ° WS . : v“ , W °. U,d not on an y occasion sacrifice 
 punctilio, but in this instance I deemed it a duty 
 
n3 JOURNAL OF TI1E 
 
 —-»SSw;" 
 
 -** -»“h“ 
 
 .uJer addressed a 1*« to general 
 
 honorable William Howe, esquire, 
 
 and oencral Howe did not mean to derogate from 
 
 2 respect or rank of general Washington; far 
 
 they held his person and character in the highest 
 
 esteem ; that the direction, with the addition o • 
 
 Vc to implied every thing that ought to follow. 
 He then produced a letter, which he did not d.icct y 
 2L to general Washington, but observed that it wa 
 the same letter which had been sent, and laid U i 
 
 the table, with the superscription ‘‘To Gjrge^ 
 
 in"ton, &c. to. &c.” The general declined the lette, 
 and said, that a letter directed to a person m a pu i 
 character should have some description or indication 
 
 of it, otherwise it would appear a mere private let u , 
 
 That it was true, to. fcc. to. impl.ed every thing, 
 and they also implied any thing ; that the letter o 
 general Howe alluded to, was an answer o one 
 received under a like address from him, which the 
 officer on duty having taken, he did not tun P™1^ 
 to return hut answered it in the sam 
 address ; that be should absolutely «- -Hg 
 directed to him as a private person, when 
 rids .public station. Colonel Paterson .ben 
 
 to my country and appointment, to insist on w illingly 
 
 which in any other than a public view, l w & b | ic 
 
 have waved.’’ Congress applaudedhis® 0U J * n0 le tter or 
 resolution, and at the same time Whatever, from. 
 
 message should he received on any occasion . the C ptn- 
 
 the enemy, by the commander ui c .ei. r ’ directs* 
 
 Tuanders of the American army, but sucti as wti 
 te them in the character they severally sustained. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 that general Howe would not urge Iris delicacy any 
 -farther, and repeated his assertions, that no "failure 
 of respect was intended. He then said be would 
 endeavour as well as he could to recollect genera! 
 Ilowe’s sentiments on the letter, and the resolution of 
 congress sent him a few days before, respecting the 
 treatment of our prisoners in Canada ; and added 
 that the affairs of that province were in another de¬ 
 partment not subject to the control of general Howe, 
 but that he and general Howe utterly disapproved of 
 every infringement of the rights of humanity. 
 
 Colonel Paterson , then took a paper out of his 
 pocket, and after ; ; Iboking it over, said he had ex- 
 piessed nearly the same words. Ocncral Washington 
 then said, that lie had also forwarded a copy of the 
 resolves to general Burgoyne, to which colonel Paterson 
 replied, he did not doubt but a proper attention would 
 be paid to them, and that he (general Washington) 
 was sensible, that cruelty* was not the characteristic 
 of the British nation. Colonel Paterson then pro¬ 
 ceeded to say he had it in charge to mention the case 
 oi general Prcscot, who they were informed was treated 
 with such rigour, that under his age and infirmities 
 fatal consequences might be apprehended. 
 
 General Washington replied, that general Prescot’s 
 tieatment had not fallen under his notice, that he had 
 treated all persons under bis particular direction with 
 kindness, and made their situation as easy and comfortable 
 as possible ; that be did not know where general Prcscot 
 was, but believed bis treatment was different from their 
 information. General Washington then mentioned the 
 case of colonel Allen, and the officers who had been 
 confined in Boston jail. As to the first, colonel Pa¬ 
 terson answered, that general Howe had no knowledge 
 of it, but by information from general Washington, 
 ,and tfiat the Canada company was not under his di- 
 
120 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 rection or control; but as to the other prisoners at 
 Boston, whenever the state of the army at that place 
 admitted it, they were treated with humanity, and 
 even indulgence : he asserted this upon his honor, 
 and should be happy in an opportunity to prove it. 
 General Washington then observed, that the conduct 
 of several of the officers would well have warranted 
 a different treatment from what they had leceived; 
 some -having refused to give any parole, and others 
 having broken it when given, by escaping or endea¬ 
 vouring so to do. Colonel Paterson answered, that as 
 to the first, they misunderstood the matter very much, 
 and seemed to have mistaken the line of propriety 
 exceedingly ; and as to the latter, general Howe utterly 
 disapproved, and condemned their conduct. That, 
 if a remonstrance was made, such violations of good 
 faith would be severely punished ; but that he hoped 
 general Washington was too just to draw public infe¬ 
 rence from the misbehaviour of some, private indivi¬ 
 duals ; that bad men were to be found in every class 
 and society. And such behaviour was considered as 
 a dishonor to the British army. Colonel Paterson 
 then proceeded to say, that the goodness and bene¬ 
 volence of the king had induced him to appoint 
 lord Ilowe and general Howe his commissioners 
 to accommodate this unhappy dispute ; that they had 
 great powers, and would derive the greatest pleasure 
 from effecting an accommodation, and that he, (colonel 
 Paterson,) wished to have this visit considered, as 
 making the first advances to this desirable object. General 
 Washington replied, he was not invested with any 
 powers on this subject, by those from whom he derived 
 his authority. But from what had appeared or transpired 
 on this head, lord Howe and general Howe were only 
 to grant pardons ; that those who had committed no 
 fault, wanted no pardon ; that the Americans were only 
 
AMERICAN WAR. laI 
 
 defending what they deemed their indisputable right. 
 Colonel Paterson said, that would open a very wide 
 field for argument. He expressed his apprehensions, 
 that an adherence to forms was likely to obstruct business 
 of the greatest moment and concern. He then observed 
 that a proposal had been made of exchanging governor 
 Skene for Mr. Lovell ; that he now had authority to 
 accede to that proposal. General Washington replied, 
 that the proposition had been made by the direction of 
 congress, and having been then rejected, he could not 
 now renew the business, or give any answer, till he had 
 previously communicated with them. 
 
 Colonel Paterson was treated with the greatest attention 
 and politeness during the whole business, and expressed 
 strong acknowledgements that the usual ceremony of 
 blinding his eyes had been dispensed with. At the 
 breaking up of the conference, general Washington 
 strongly invited him to partake of a small collation 
 provided for him, which he politely declined, alleging 
 his late breakfast, and an impatience to return to 
 geneial Howe, though he had not executed his com¬ 
 mission so amply as he wished. Finding he did not 
 purpose staying, he was introduced to the general 
 officers, after which he took his leave, and was 
 safely conducted to his own boat, which waited for 
 him, about four miles distant from the cily r . 
 
 M bile the two royal commissioners, admiral and 
 general Howe were endeavouring in their civil capacity, to 
 effect a re-union between Great Britain and the colonies, 
 in order to avert the calamities of war, congress seemed 
 moie determined in opposition, and ridiculed the power 
 with which the commissioners were invested “ of grant¬ 
 ing general and particular pardons to all those, who, 
 though they had deviated from their allegiance, were 
 willing to return to their duty'.” Their general answer 
 
 Q 
 
122 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 to this was “ that they who had committed no fault, 
 wanted no pardon,” and immediately entered into a 
 resolution, “ that the good people of the United States 
 may be informed of the plan of the commissioners, 
 and what the terms, with which the-insidious court 
 of Great Britain had endeavoured to amuse and disarm 
 them, and that the few who still remained suspended 
 bv a hope, founded either in the justice or moderation 
 of theif late king, might now at length be convinced 
 that the valour alone of their country was to save its 
 liberties.” This was' immediately followed by another 
 resolution in- order to detach the Germans who had 
 entered into the service of Britain ; it was penned in- 
 these words: “ Resolved, that these states will receive 
 all such foreigners who shall leave the armies of his 
 Britannic majesty in America, and shall chuse to be¬ 
 come members of any of these States, and they shall be 
 protected in the free exercise of their respective reli¬ 
 gions, and be invested with the rights, privileges, and 
 immunities of natives, as established by the laws of these 
 States; and moreover, that this congress will provide 
 for every such person, fifty acres of unappropriated 
 lands, in some of these States to be held by him and his 
 
 heirs as absolute property.” 
 
 An attack upon Long Island being determined on 
 by our commanders-,- the fleet covered the descent 
 of the army, which effected a landing with forty pieces- 
 of cannon, in two hours and a half, near a town called 
 Utrecht, on the south-western extremity of the Island, 
 ' without any opposition, on the twenty-second of August, 
 1776. General Putnam, with a large body of troops, lay 
 encamped and strongly fortified at Brooklyn : a range 
 of hills were between the armies, the principal pass 
 ©f which was at a village called Flat Bush. Large detach¬ 
 ments of the American army occupied the hills and passes* 
 The right of the British army was commanded by general 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 12$ 
 
 Clinton, lord Percy and lord Cornwallis ; the centre, 
 composed of Hessians, under general Keister, took post 
 at Flat Bush, and the left, under general Grant, near 
 the shore. About nine in the evening of the 26th, the 
 van of the army, consisting of the light infantry, gie- 
 nadiers, and light-horse, marched to the right in order 
 to seize a pass near the village of Jamaica. General 
 Clinton being arrived within half a mile of the pass 
 about two hours before day-break, settled Ins dispo¬ 
 sition for the attack. One of his patroles falling m 
 with a /patrole composed of American officers, took them 
 all. The way being thus open, the whole army de¬ 
 scended into the level country which led to the Ame¬ 
 rican lines at Brooklyn. 
 
 At half past eight o’clock on the morning ot the 
 /yjth, the attack was commenced by the light infantry 
 and light dragoons, upon large bodies of ffie Americans, 
 who retreated towards their camp. Here they were 
 met by the Hessians and exposed to the fire of two 
 parties; generals Heister and Grant in theii fiont, atv 
 o-eneral Clinton in their rear; they were immediately 
 thrown into the utmost confusion ; and in their effort to 
 retreat back to the lines at Brooklyn, great numbers 
 were killed and taken prisoners, among the latter major- 
 general Sullivan, brigadier-general lord Sterling* bri¬ 
 gadier-general Udell, ten field officers, eighteen cap- 
 
 * The following account of lord Sterling was given about this 
 time in the English publications : . 
 
 “ His father! Mr. Alexander, (for that was his real name)went 
 to America many years ago, where he acquired a considerable 
 
 e5t <‘ t< Upon the death of lord Sterling, a Scotch peer, whose name 
 was Alexander, either the late or present Mr Alexander came 
 over to England and laid claim to the-title. When the cause was 
 tried bv the house of lords and the claim rejected, the lords 
 forbade him to assume the title on pain of being led round 
 Westminster-Hall labelled as an impostor ; but ever since, by c 
 courtesy of his countrymen, be has been distinguished by the 
 
J 24 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 tains, forty-three lieutenants, eleven ensigns, one adju¬ 
 tant, three surgeons, two volunteers, and one thousand 
 and six rank and file, 
 
 Washington had crossed over from New York in the 
 height of the engagement : when he saw the disposi¬ 
 tion of the two armies, it is said that he wrung his 
 hands and cried out “ Good God ! what brave fellows 
 I must this day lose but he came too late to retrieve 
 the fortune of the day. He had the mortification to see 
 some of his best troops killed or taken without being 
 able to afford them any assistance, but he used his ut¬ 
 most exertions to save those that remained by a well 
 conducted retreat. 
 
 I he victory was complete; the Americans lost up¬ 
 wards of three thousand men, including near eleven 
 hundred taken prisoners, with thirty-two pieces of can¬ 
 non. Among the Americans who fell, a regiment from 
 Maryland was particularly regretted. It consisted wholly 
 of young men of the best families in that province. 
 They behaved with the most admirable heroism, were 
 every man killed or wounded, and thus perished in 
 the bJoom of youth. 
 
 A member of congress* in his account of this en¬ 
 gagement, says, “ the British troops displayed great 
 valour throughout the whole day; the variety of the 
 ground occasioned a succession of engagements, pur¬ 
 suits and slaughter, which lasted for many hours ; British 
 discipline, in every instance, triumphed over the native 
 valour of raw troops, who had never been in action, 
 and whose officers were unacquainted with the stratagems 
 of war.” B 
 
 title of lord Sterling The first lord Sterling obtained a grant 
 ot Long Island, and was the first that settled it with TWivi, 
 inhabitants. He died in 1640.” " lth Br,tlsU 
 
 * Dr. Ramsay. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. J25 
 
 The British army had to lament the following officers 
 and men kdled and wounded : 
 
 KILLED. 
 
 Lieut. Col. Grant.loth regiment 
 
 Captain Sir A. Murray, 1 7th do. 
 
 Captain Nelson.52d do. 
 
 Captain Logan, 2d regiment marines, 
 
 3 Serjeal^ ieUt * L ° Ve11, R ° yal ArtiJIei 7> 
 
 53 Rank and File. 
 
 WOUNDED. 
 
 Lieut. Col. Monckton... ,45th regiment. 
 
 Captain Grove.23d do. 
 
 Captain Brown.. 44 th do. 
 
 Captain Kennedy.do. do. 
 
 Lieut. Morgan.nth do! 
 
 Lieut. Crammond.42d do 
 
 f! eut - Mair.43d do! 
 
 L'eut. Wier.do. do. 
 
 Lieut. Brown... 44 th do. 
 
 Lieut. Addison.52d do. 
 
 Lieut. Nugent, 1st regiment marines. 
 
 11 Serjeants, '* 
 
 3 Drummers, 
 
 231 Rank and File. 
 
 After this defeat Washington did not think it ex- 
 pcd.ent to risk another battle against the British army, 
 n ormab e to this opinion, dispositions were made 
 
 172 STin ,n ,he bCEinni “”° f lh ' ■■£ 
 
 tzz r ps “ bo " d ° f 
 
 ,hT,r ’» V “ * ,,lile wide < »“ <l them in 
 
 the city of Netv York, on the opposite shore. 
 
 Soo" after this retreat the firs, division of the British 
 at my, commanded by general Clinton, being covered 
 by a fetv ships of war, proceeded op the Cast river 
 Kepps bay, about three miles north of New York 
 where they landed without opposition. 
 
 The Americans now abandoned the city of New York 
 ** n a rigade of the British troops took possession of it. * 
 
 
x 2(5 JOURNAL OF THE- 
 
 After the 
 
 „p a strong posh,on on the north mote 
 
 is near sixteen onto long and ' «0° T ^ 
 
 than two miles in breadth. * iL ; . 
 
 Ing pass of Kmgsbridge, by which the.r cotnntont- 
 
 cation with the continent was kept open. 
 
 General Howe formed a plan of ct.ft.ng off W sh- 
 inpon's communic'ation with the eastern country, 
 
 and enticing him so Tol^ 
 
 S#^?BrS 
 
 embarking in boats at Turtle Bay, passed up he Last 
 * la Hell crate entered the sound and landed 
 
 **% ‘'rSech twe’s,tester conn,,, Abcf this 
 on frog* N“ k ^ ftom S „ utll Carolina, and in 
 
 aToundTof war which was held immediately ate' 
 hi, arrival at the American encampment,,.,, 
 t.rrred the American commanders to qu, • 
 of°New York immediately. He also “'SC'\ ,hc “ 
 ZgL of evacuating Yor, Washington at the - 
 
 [.me. ft .hi- las- "'Oboe * wfj ,££ 
 
 Green, who maintained that the possess,- ol^t 
 rrortant post would prevent a large body W the ene j 
 C oining their main force, and in conjunct on 
 
 with For, tee, would be of 
 
 Americans in covering their ftansporf.tton o P 
 visions and stores up the Norm Rite,, 
 said, that at the very worst the g»mson. could b 
 brought off at any time by boats from th * 1 , 
 
 sid e of the river. Green’s plan was adopted, ami 
 Fort Washington was garrisoned with three thousan 
 men for its defence. 
 
 In the mean time the British troops crossed at 
 Frog’s Neck, and found the bridge which joine “ 
 
127 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 to the main land broken down by the Americans, who 
 had thrown up some works on the opposite side. 
 Our troops having now been reinforced, embarked 
 again in boats and landed at Pelham’s Manor, and 
 advanced towards New Rochelle ; on their march they 
 were annoyed by a party of Americans, under the 
 command of general Lee, who had posted themselves 
 behind stone walls on the line of march. 
 
 Our troops now gained the road which leads from 
 Connecticut to Kingsbridge. The Americans appre¬ 
 hending their communication to the eastward would 
 be cut off, moved from their camp at Kingsbridge, 
 and extended their left to the White Plains, a chain 
 of stony hills so called. On the 21st of October, 
 .ne British troops took possession of the heights of 
 New Rochelle. On the 25th our army marched in 
 two columns, and took a position with the Brunx 
 River in front. The Americans at the same time 
 assembled their main force at White Plains behind 
 entrenchments, where they seemed determined to make 
 a si id. A general action was hourly expected. 
 
 Ofcdihe 28th in the morning our army advanced 
 to attack the enemy, who seeing our troops in mo¬ 
 tion, a body of eight thousand came out of their 
 lines and. posted themselves on the top of a very 
 steep 1 doi above the ford. The second brigade, 
 commanded by general Leslie, consisting of the oth, 
 28th, 35th, and 49th regiments, with a battalion of 
 Hessians, a id a party of light dragoons, marched dow n 
 and crossea the ford, though much annoyed by grape 
 shot, ascended the hill with the greatest intrepidity, at¬ 
 tacked and routed the body of the Americans that were 
 posted there, driving them to their entrenchments. 
 General Howe, on the morning of the 1st of Novem¬ 
 ber, prepared to attack them but general Washington 
 
128 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 in the mean time, quitted his entrenchments, crossed 
 the North River, and took post in the neighbourhood 
 of Fort Lee, having previously set fire to the huts and 
 barracks which they had built for their winter quarters. 
 
 The Americans having retreated, general Howe find, 
 ing they avoided a general action, and that the nature 
 of the country did not admit of their being forced to it, 
 was determined on the reduction of Fort Washington. 
 This was the only post the Americans held on New York 
 Island, almost opposite Fort Lee from which it was sepa¬ 
 rated by the North River. Every thing being prepared for 
 attacking Fort Washington, a general assault was deter¬ 
 mined on. On the 16th of November four attacks were 
 made at the same time in the following order: the 
 first, on the north side, was led on by general Knyp- 
 hausen, with two columns of Hessians. The second, 
 on the east, led by brigadier general Mathews,* at the 
 head of the light infantry, and a battalion of the king’s 
 guards ; this column was supported by lord Cornwallis, 
 with the British grenadiers and 33d regiment. The 
 third was under the direction of lieutenant colonel Ster¬ 
 ling, with the 42d regiment; and the fourth was com- 
 
 * The fate of this gallant officer some years after this was 
 truly lamentable. 
 
 In the beginning of the year 17S3, general Mathews landed 
 with a small army under his command, on the coast of Malabar, 
 in the East Indies, in order to relieve the Carnatic, which was 
 at that time suffering under the ravages of Hyder Ally’s for¬ 
 midable, victorious army. After general Mathews had taken 
 several important fortresses, his little army was obliged to 
 surrender prisoners to Tippoo Saib, who in direct breach of 
 the capitulation, treated them with a degree of inhumanity, 
 which chills the blood even to think of. Seventeen British 
 officers were compelled to swallow poison by his order, and all 
 miserably perished in prison. General Mathews himself did 
 not expire by the poison, but horrid to relate, had his head 
 wrung from his body, by order of that tiger-hearted monster 
 Tippoo Saib, 
 
AMERICAN WAR. m 
 
 manded by lord Percy. The columns under general 
 Knyphausen when advancing to the fort, had to 
 pass through a thick wood which was occupied by a 
 large body of rifile men, and suffered very much 
 from their well directed ,fire. In the mean time a 
 body of British light infantry advanced against a 
 party of the Americans, who were annoying them 
 from behind rocks and trees, and obliged them to 
 disperse. This made way for the landing of the rest 
 of the troops without opposition. Lord Percy carried 
 an advanced work on his side, and lieutenant colonel 
 Sterling forced his way up a steep height, and took 
 one hundred and seventy prisoners. Their out works 
 being carried, the Americans retreated from their 
 ’ines and crowded into the fort ; colonel Raid, who 
 led the right column of general Knyphausen’s attack, 
 pushed forward and lodged bis column within one 
 hundred yards of the fort, where he was soon after 
 joined by the left column. Two thousand seven 
 hundred Americans who were in the fort surrendered. 
 Shortly after Fort Washington had thus fallen, lord 
 Cornwallis, with a considerable force, passed over 
 the North River in order to attack Fort Lee, and 
 make a further impression in the Jerseys. The gar¬ 
 rison, consisting of two thousand men, were saved by 
 an immediate evacuation, at the expcnce 'of their 
 artillery and stores. 
 
 General Washington now retreated to New Ark, 
 having ^abundant reason from the posture of affairs, 
 to count on the necessity of a farther retreat. He 
 asked colonel Reed “ Should we retreat to the back 
 parts of Pennsylvania, will the Pennsylvanians support 
 us?” The colonel replied, “ If the lower counties 
 are subdued and give up, , the back counties will do 
 the same.” The general replied, we must retire to 
 Augusta county, in Virginia, numbers will be obliged 
 
 R 
 
V1Q 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 to repair to us for safety, and we must try what we 
 can do in carrying on a predatory war, and if over¬ 
 powered, we must cross the Allegany mountains.”* 
 
 The reduction of Fort Washington, the evacuation 
 of Fort Lee, and the dimunition of the American army, 
 by the departure of those whose time of service had 
 expired, encouraged the British forces, notwithstanding 
 (die severity of the winter, and the badness of tire roads, 
 to pursue the retreating American army. 
 
 Lord Cornwallis led the van of the British army, and 
 was close in the rear of general Washington, as he 
 retreated successively to New Ark, Brunswick, Prince¬ 
 ton, Trenton, and the Pennsylvanian side of the Dela¬ 
 ware. The pursuit was urged with so much rapidity, 
 that the rear of the American army pulling down bridges, 
 was often within sight and gun-shot of the van of the 
 British building them up. 
 
 During the retreat of the Americans, general Lee was 
 taken prisoner at Baskenridge. He had been ordered 
 to join general Washington with his division, but those 
 orders were not obeyed. He continued to hang upon 
 the rear of the advancing army. Colonel Harcourt 
 having received intelligence of his careless situation, 
 being attended only by a small guard, and at a dis¬ 
 tance from his troops, immediately formed a plan of 
 surprizing him, which he effected with great address, 
 and he was safely carried prisoner to the British 
 camp. The Americans had reposed extravagant con¬ 
 fidence in his military talents. To have lost such an 
 idol of the state at any time would have been dis¬ 
 tressing, but it was an aggravation of the misfortune 
 to lose him under such circumstances, which favored 
 an opinion, that despairing of tlie American cause, 
 he sufiered himself: to be taken prisoner. Congress 
 
 * Dr. Ramsay’s American Revolution. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 131 
 
 soon after interceded for his enlargement, and offered 
 to give six British field officers in exchange for him, 
 but this was at that time refused, as it was said that 
 general Lee being a deserter from the king’s service, 
 did not come under the denomination of a prisoner of 
 war : retaliation was then threatened by the Americans. 
 To stop the effusion of innocent blood, the British 
 commander gave him up. 
 
 How different was the conduct of the American 
 leaders, in respect of major Andre, which shall here¬ 
 after be related. 
 
 During these successes in the Jerseys, general Clin¬ 
 ton, with two brigades of British, and two of Hessian 
 troops, accompanied by a squadron of ships of war, under 
 the command of Sir Peter Parker, were sent to make au 
 attempt on Rhode Island, and became masters of it 
 without losing a man: at the same time they blocked 
 up commodore Hopkins’ squadron, and a number of 
 privateers at Providence. 
 
 Hitherto the British troops had succeeded in every 
 object since their landing at Staten Island. The Ame¬ 
 rican soldiers being greatly dispirited by repeated de¬ 
 feats, claimed their discharge ; twelve months was the 
 time of their engagement, at the expiration of that 
 period numbers of them returned home, in consequence 
 of which general Washington found his army greatly 
 decreased. 
 
 Congress exerted themselves to retrieve their losses, 
 and to recruit their army. They altered their mode 
 of enlisting men, and' ordered a new army to be 
 levied, of which the soldiers should be bound to 
 serwe three years, or during the continuance of the 
 war. Twenty dollars were allowed to every soldier, 
 besides an allotment of lands at the end of the, war 
 to all that survived, and to the families of those^ who 
 
 R 2 
 
132 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 should lose their lives in the service of their country. 
 These promises of congress were accompanied with 
 vigorous exertions. Pennsylvania, in this crisis of 
 danger, raised a powerful militia ; the merchant, the 
 farmer, the tradesman, and the labourer, flocked to 
 general Washington’s standard. 
 
 O w _ 
 
 The British army now occupied a chain of towns 
 and villages through the Jerseys, even to the vicinity 
 of Philadelphia. 
 
 A strong detachment of Hessians lay at Trenton, 
 another at Bordenton, and a third at Burlington ; 
 these towns are on the opposite bank ol the De¬ 
 laware, and the latter is within twenty miles of 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 On the evening of the 25th of December, general 
 Washington, by a masterly enterprize, re-crossed the 
 Delaware, marched his troops in two divisions to 
 Trenton, drove in the Hessian out posts, and attacked 
 the main body, who were thrown into confusion, 
 after colonel Rhal their commanding officer was mor¬ 
 tally wounded. 
 
 Finding they were now surrounded by the Ameri¬ 
 cans, twenty-three officers and eight hundred and eighty- 
 eight men, laid down their arms and surrendered pri¬ 
 soners of war; between thirty and forty were killed 
 and wounded. 
 
 After this enterprise, Washington crossed the Dela¬ 
 ware, and returned with the prisoners to Philadelphia; 
 he then re-passed that river, and took possession of 
 Trentop. 
 
 Several detachments of our troops now assembled at 
 Princeton, where they were joined by a strong de¬ 
 tachment from Brunswick, commanded by lord Corn¬ 
 wallis ; who immediately marched to Trenton, and 
 attacked the Americans on the 2d of January, 1777. 
 At four o’clock in the afternoon, the advanced guard 
 
133 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 of the Americans were compelled to retreat, but 
 our troops were checked by some field pieces which 
 were posted on the opposite bank. Thus two armies, 
 on whom the success or failure of the American re¬ 
 volution depended, were crowded into the village of 
 Trenton, and only separated by a creek in many 
 places fordable. The British troops lay on their arms 
 that night in order to be in readiness to make ano¬ 
 ther attack next morning. Meanwhile Washington 
 silently withdrew his troops, leaving fires burning in 
 his camp and the usual patroles for the purpose of 
 deception ; favoured by the obscurity of night, and 
 after a circuitous march, he reached Princeton early in 
 the morning. 
 
 On their approach to Princeton, the centre of 
 the Americans were charged by the nth, 40th, and 
 65th, regiments under the command of colonel Maw- 
 hood with such intrepidity, that they were compelled 
 to give way in disorder. In this emergency, Wash¬ 
 ington rode forward ; he placed himself between his 
 flying troops and the British, with his horse’s head 
 fronting the latter. The Americans encouraged by his 
 exhortations and example, rallied and attacked the 
 British in turn, and although Washington was for 
 some moments between two fires, he escaped without 
 a wound. 
 
 During this contest, the British troops displayed the 
 most invincible valour. One of the three regiments 
 commanded by colonel Mawhood, undismayed by the 
 superiority of the Americans, in point of numbers, 
 charged with the bayonet, forced their way through 
 a column of the enemy, and marched forward to 
 Maidenhead. The other two regiments, though they 
 suffered severely, retired in good order and retreated 
 to Brunswick. 
 
13* 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The British army now evacuated Trenton and Prince¬ 
 ton, and retreated to New Brunswick. General Wash¬ 
 ington immediately stationed troops in all these important 
 places which he had thus regained. 
 
 The American head quarters were at Morristown and 
 general Putnam Was directed to take post at Princeton. 
 
 This campaign was closed with few advantages to 
 the British arms, except the possession of New York. 
 
 We shall now turn our attention to the affairs of the 
 northern army. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 I $5 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Northern Army opens the Campaign. Crosses Lake 
 Champlain. Ticonderoga taken. Fort Ann evacuated 
 by the Americans. British Troops move forward 
 to Fort Edward and Fort Millar. Miss JSFCrea 
 murdered by the Indians. Germans defeated at 
 Bennington. British Army crosses Hudson's River „ 
 Desperate Attacks made on the British Army . Are 
 obliged to retreat. Surrenders at Saratoga . 
 
 In the beginning of June, 1777, the northern army, 
 which consisted of four thousand British troops, and 
 three thousand Germans, marched from their winter 
 quarters, in the different parts of Canada, and encamped 
 on the western side of Lake Champlain. Here they were 
 joined by some Canadians, and the army was put 
 under the command of general Burgoyne. The soldiers 
 were in a high state of discipline, and had been kept 
 in their winter quarters with the greatest care, in order 
 to prepare them for this expedition. 
 
 The British army proceeded up Lake Champlain, 
 in batteaux, in the greatest order and regularity, 
 and landed at the river Boquet, near Crown Point. 
 Here a body of Indians joined it. A congress was 
 held ; general Burgoyne opened the meeting with 
 a speech to the Indians, part of which was as follows : 
 
 “ This war, to you, my friends, is new : upon 
 all former occasions in taking the field, you held 
 yourselves authorized to destroy wherever you came., 
 
ISO JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 because ei-ery where you found an enemy. The case 
 is now very different. 
 
 “ The king has many faithful subjects dispersed in 
 the provinces, consequently you have many brothers 
 there : and these people are the more to be pitied, 
 that they are persecuted, or imprisoned, wherever 
 they are discovered or suspected ; and to dissemble, 
 is, to a generous mind, a yet more grievous punish¬ 
 ment. 
 
 “ Persuaded that your magnanimity of character, 
 joined to your principles of affection to the king, 
 will give me fuller controul over vour minds than 
 the military rank with which I am invested, I enjoin 
 your most serious attention to the rules which I here¬ 
 by proclaim for your invariable observation during 
 the campaign. 
 
 iC I positively- forbid bloodshed when you are not 
 opposed in arms. 
 
 iC Aged men, women, children, and prisoners, must 
 be held sacred from the knife or hatchet, even in the 
 time of actual conflict. 
 
 “ You shall receive compensation for the prisoners 
 you take; but you shall be called to account for 
 scalps. 
 
 66 Base lurking assassins, incendiaries, ravagers and 
 plunderers of the country, to whatever army they 
 may belong, shall be treated with less reserve, but 
 the latitude must be given you by order, and I must 
 be the judge of the occasion.’’ 
 
 After general Burgoyne had ended, an old chief of 
 the Iroquois stood up and made the following answer: 
 
 “ I stand up, in the name of the nations present, 
 to assure our father that we have attentively listened 
 to his discourse. We receive you as your father, be¬ 
 cause when you speak, we hear the voice of your 
 great father beyond the great lake. 
 
137 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 u With one common assent we promise a constant 
 obedience to all you have ordered, and all you shall 
 order ; and may the Father of days give you many and 
 success! 
 
 We rejoice in the approbation you have expressed 
 or our behaviour. r 
 
 “ ^ e l ,ave been tr *ed and tempted by the Bostonians,* 
 but we have loved our father, and our hatchets have 
 been sharpened upon our affections. 
 
 In proof of the sincerity of our affections, our whole 
 villages,, able to go to war, are come forth. The old 
 
 and infirm, our infants and our wives, alone remain 
 at home.” < 
 
 In the mean time the attention of the Americans were 
 exclusively fixed on plans of defence, in order to 
 arrest the progress of the British troops. In the pre¬ 
 ceding summer, general Gates was ordered by con¬ 
 gress with twelve thousand troops to Ticonderoga, in 
 order to strengthen and fortify that important pass; 
 great was the confidence of the American^ in the strength 
 
 of this post and the supposed superiority of the forces 
 for its defence. 
 
 Oil the 30th of June, the British advanced to Crown 
 Point, about twelve miles from Ticonderoga. In the 
 evening the following orders were given : “ The army 
 embarks to-morrow, to approach the enemy. The 
 services required on this expedition are critical and 
 conspicuous. During our progress occasions may occur, 
 in which, nor difficulty, nor labour, nor life, are to 
 be regarded. This army must not retreat.” From 
 Crown Point they proceeded to invest Ticonderoga. 
 On their approach to it they advanced on both sides 
 of the lake, while the naval force kept in the centre. 
 
 ^ ithin a few days they bad surrounded three fourths 
 
 S 
 
 * See page 75. 
 
m JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 of the American works at Ticonderoga, and Mount 
 Independence, and had also advanced a work on • ugar 
 Hill, the top of which overlooked and effectually com¬ 
 manded the whole works. The Americans vainly 
 imagining that the difficulty of the ascent would e 
 sufficient to prevent the British troops from taking pos¬ 
 session of it. On the approach of the first division of 
 the army, the Americans abandoned and set fire to t eu 
 out works, and so expeditious were the advances, that 
 by the 5th of July, every post was secured which was 
 judged necessary for investing it compleatly. A road 
 was soon after made to the summit of that eminence, 
 which the Americans had with such confidence sup¬ 
 posed could not be ascended ; and so much were they 
 disheartened, that they instantly 'abandoned the fort 
 entirely, taking the road to Skeensborough, a place 
 to the south of Lake George, while their baggage, with 
 what artillery and military stores they could carry off, 
 were sent to the same place by water. But the British 
 generals were determined not to let them pass so easy; 
 both were pursued and overtaken ; their armed vessels 
 consisted only of five galleys, two of which were taken 
 and three blown up, on which they set fire to their 
 boats and fortifications at Skeensborough. On this 
 occasion the Americans lost two hundred boats, one 
 hundred and thirty pieces of cannon, with all their 
 provisions and baggage. 
 
 At the break of day, July the 6th, the American 
 land forces, under colonel Francis, were eagerly pur¬ 
 sued by brigadier general Frazer, at the head ot his 
 brigade, consisting of the grenadiers and light infantry ; 
 they were soon overtaken, and made (considering the 
 opposition of raw and undisciplined troops to veteran 
 soldiers) a brave defence. As they were greatly superior 
 to the British in numbers, they had almost overpowered 
 general Frazer, when general Reidesel, with a large body 
 
AMERICAN WAR. W 
 
 of Germans, came to his assistance ; the Americans were 
 then overpowered in their turn, their commander and 
 above two hundred men killed, and as many taken 
 prisoners. The loss of the British was very inconsider¬ 
 able ; major Grant of the 24 th regiment, a brave officer, 
 fell on that day.* 
 
 The fort abandoned by the Americans at Ticonderoga, 
 was a place of great importance: the old French lines 
 constructed in the late war, between England and France, 
 which looked towards the encampment, had been re¬ 
 paired the year before, and were in good order. About 
 the centre was a battery of six guns. This occupied 
 about two thirds of the high ground directly opposite to 
 the old Fort. The remaining third was open, but some 
 great trees, with their branches outward, were spread 
 about eighty yards for its security. The old Fort was 
 in bad repair, but some guns were mounted on one of 
 its ravalins, that looked toward Lake Champlain. There 
 was also a battery of four guns in the old French lines, 
 which had the same aspect. On the point above the 
 bridge, was a battery of four guns, and on Mount 
 Independence, another of six or eight. The fort on 
 that side, was nearly a mile from the battery, and 
 was formed of picquets. The defence of it might 
 have employed four hundred men. From the battery 
 at the point, a line of entrenchment ran round the 
 mount, upwards of a mile and a half in length. There 
 was a strong abbatis in front of this line. Towards 
 the east of the mount was a block house. Another 
 was on Ticonderoga side. New works were also begun 
 on the mount. A bridge had been constructed, and 
 thrown over the inlet, in order to secure their own 
 
 * Lord Balcarras, who commanded the British light infantry, 
 distinguished himself in this engagement. The coat which he 
 wore on that day was pierced through in several places with 
 musquet-shot, yet he only received a slight wound. 
 
HO JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 vessels, and to obstruct the British fleet. This bridge was 
 supported by twenty-two piers of timber, the spaces 
 between these piers were filled with separate floats, 
 fifty feet long, and thirteen feet wide, strongly fas¬ 
 tened together with large iron chains. It was likewise 
 defended, on the Lake Champlain side, by a boom 
 composed of very large pieces of timber, fastened to¬ 
 gether by rivetted bolts, and double chains. This 
 bridge, on which the Americans had bestowed so much 
 labour for ten months, and which was deemed by them 
 to be impregnable, was cut through in less time by 
 the British seamen, than it would have cost them, to 
 have described its structure. 
 
 The Americans were greatly grieved at the loss of 
 Ticonderoga, and apprehensive of general distress* 
 sought to cover the disgrace by throwing the blame on 
 the general. A court martial was held by order of 
 congress : cowardice, incapacity, and treachery were 
 brought forward in court, against general St. Clair, 
 who commanded at Ticonderoga. In the course of 
 the trial it was made to appear, that tho’ thirteen 
 thousand six hundred men had been early called for, 
 as necessary to defend the northern posts; yet on 
 the approach of general Burgoyne the wdiole force 
 collected to oppose him, was not above half that 
 number. St. Clair was honorably acquitted. 
 
 Such was the rapid torrent of success, which iVi 
 this period of the campaign, swept away all opposition 
 before the British army. The officers and men, were 
 highly elated with their good fortune. They considered 
 their toils to be nearly at an end ; Albany to be within 
 their grasp, and the adjacent provinces reduced to a 
 certainty. The terror which the loss of Ticonderoga 
 spread throughout the New England States was great; 
 but neveitheless, no disposition to purchase safety by 
 submission appeared in any quarter. The army after 
 
AMERICAN WAR. , 4 , 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 these successes continued some time in Skeensborough, 
 waiting for their tents, baggage, and provisions. In 
 the mean time, general Burgoyne detached the 9th regi¬ 
 ment, commanded bv lieutenant colonel Hill, to Fort 
 Ann, a place of some strength, in order to intercept 
 such of the enemy as should attempt to retreat towards 
 that fort. They had not proceeded many miles through 
 the woods, before they overtook some boats laden with 
 baggage, women, and invalids, belonging to the Ame¬ 
 ricans rowing up Wood Creek, in order to escape 
 to Fort Ann, these were immediately secured. They 
 then proceeded on their march, till they came within a 
 quaiter of a mile of Fort Ann, which was at that time 
 gariisoned by a strong party of the enemy ; they halted 
 and lay upon their arms all night. 
 
 Early next morning, 9th July, an American soldier 
 came from the fort; he said that he had deserted, though 
 it was afterwards discovered that he was a spy ; he. 
 stated that there were one thousand men in the fort, 
 and that they were in the greatest consternation, under an 
 apprehension of the British attacking and storming them; 
 upon this intelligence colonel Hill dispatched a message 
 to general Burgoyne stating his situation, and bow 
 far he had advanced, which was eight or ten miles 
 from the main army. 
 
 Not many minutes after this message was sent off, the 
 pretended deserter disappeared ; he had viewed the situa¬ 
 tion and seen the strength of the British, which did not 
 amount to above one hundred and ninety men including 
 officers. It was soon found that he made a faithful report 
 to his friends, for in less than half an hour they came 
 out of the fort with great fury. The British outline 
 of centries received them with the greatest bravery and 
 steadiness, and obliged them to retreat; they then 
 formed again, and came on with redoubled violence. 
 The officers could be heard encouraging them on to the 
 
< 
 
 14* JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 attack, though their numbers could not be seen, the 
 woods being so thick, but it was soon found that they not 
 only out flanked but were endeavoring to surround the 
 British ; in order to prevent this they were obliged to 
 change their ground, and retire up a high hill, which was 
 in their rear ; in performing this manoeuvre several of the 
 men were killed and wounded. When the troops arrived 
 at the summit of the hill they formed in Indian file, and 
 kept up a well directed fire till all the ammunition 
 was expended ; the enemy observing that the firing 
 ceased, was encouraged to press forward with redoubled 
 vigour, and endeavoured to surround them in order to 
 cu t off all retreat. Just at this critical moment a war 
 hoop was heard, which resounded through the wood; 
 this sound, which was so obnoxious at that time to the 
 Americans, threw them into the utmost consternation. 
 
 The war hoop was sounded by captain Money, deputy 
 quarter master general; he had been detached by general 
 Burgoyne early in the morning from Skcensborougb, 
 with a party of Indians, in order to join this detachment 
 when they came within four miles of Fort Ann, they heard 
 the firing ; Captain Money ordered them to advance 
 as fast as possible to assist, but they refused to obey 
 hirn, and either stood still or advanced very slow. 
 Being anxious to join the party at all events, he ran 
 forward by himself with all his might, and came to 
 the bottom of the hill where, just as all the ammunition 
 was expended, he gave the war hoop. 
 
 In this affair the British had three officers and nineteen 
 men killed and wounded. 
 
 * ci Captain Montgomery, .son to Sir W. Montgomery, 
 hart, of Dublin, was wounded in the leg and taken 
 prisoner with the surgeon who was dressing his wound, 
 
 * This passage being literally copied from the author’s private 
 Journal, he hopes pardon for narrating it iu the first person. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 143 
 
 just before we retired up the hill. I very narrowly 
 escaped myself from being taken prisoner at that time, 
 as I was just in the act of assisting the surgeon in 
 dressing the captain’s wound, when the enemy came 
 pouring down upon us like a mighty torrent, in con¬ 
 sequence whereof I w T as the last man that ascended the 
 hill. I had not been there five minutes when lieutenant 
 Westrop, who was by my side was shot through the 
 heart; a few minutes after a man, a short distance upon 
 my left, received a ball in his forehead, which took 
 off the roof of his scull ! he reeled round, turned up 
 his eyes, muttered some words, and fell dead at my feet! 
 After the Americans had retreated, We formed on the 
 hill. It was a distressing sight to see the w ounded men 
 bleeding on the ground, and what made it more so the 
 rain came pouring down like a deluge upon us ; and 
 still to add to the distress of the sufferers, there was 
 nothing to dress their w r ounds, as the small medicine 
 box which was filled with salve, w^as left behind with 
 surgeon Shelly and captain Montgomery at the lime 
 of our movement up the bill. The poor fellows ear¬ 
 nestly entreated me to tie up their wounds. Immedi¬ 
 ately I took off my shirt, tore it up, and with the help 
 of a soldier’s wife, (the only woman that was with us, 
 and who kept close by her husband’s side during the 
 engagement,) made some bandages, stopped the bleeding 
 of their wounds, and conveyed them in blankets to a 
 small hut about two miles in our rear. In the mean 
 time, genera! Burgoyne having heard of our critical 
 situation, moved forward at the head of a strong detach¬ 
 ment, in order to support us ; but the Americans had 
 set fire to Fort Ann, and fled with great precipitation, 
 before his arrival. Our regiment now marched back to 
 Skeensborougb, leaving me behind to attend the wound¬ 
 ed, with a small guard for our protection. I was 
 directed, that in case I should be either surrounded or 
 
144* 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 overpowered by the Americans, to deliver a letter, which 
 general Burgoyne gave me, to their commanding officer. 
 Here I remained seven days with the wounded men, 
 expecting every moment to be taken prisoner; but, 
 although we heard the enemy cutting down trees every 
 night during our stay, in order to block up the passages 
 of the road and river, yet we were never molested. 
 Every necessary which we wanted was sent us from the 
 camp at Skeensborough, and all the wounded men 
 (except three who died) .were nearly fit for duty when 
 we arrived at head quarters.” 
 
 The British were now obliged to suspend all operations 
 for some time, and wait at Skeensborough for the arrival 
 of provisions and tents ; but they employed this interval 
 clearing a passage for the troops, to proceed against the 
 enemy. This was attended with incredible toil. The 
 Americans, now under the direction of general Schuyler, 
 were constantly employed in cutting down large trees 
 on both sides of every road, which was in the line of 
 march. The face of the country was likewise so broken 
 with creeks and marshes, that there were no less than forty 
 bridges to construct, one of which vras over a morass 
 two miles in extent. The difficulties of the march 
 through this wilderness were encountered and overcome 
 by the army with a spirit and alacrity which could 
 not be exceeded ; and on the 20th of July, it encamped 
 at Fort Edward. General Schuyler now retreated to 
 Saratoga, and immediately issued a proclamation warn¬ 
 ing the Americans that they w r ould be dealt with as 
 traitors, if they joined the British army, and requiring 
 them, vvitli their arms, to repair to the American 
 standard. At the same time numerous parties were 
 employed in desolating the country, felling trees, and 
 throwing every obstruction in the w r ay of the army. 
 Indeed at first an universal panic intimidated the inha¬ 
 bitants, but they soon recovered from its operation. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 145 
 
 The terror excited by the Indians, instead of disposing 
 the inhabitants to court British protection, had a contrary 
 effect. This was chiefly occasioned by the murder of 
 Miss M‘Crea, a young lady of the neighbourhood of 
 Fort Edward. As this melancholy transaction made a 
 great noise in Great Britain and America at this time, 
 
 I shall take the liberty of relating it in the words of that 
 great American partisan Dr. Ramsay. 
 
 “ This, though true, was no premeditated barbarity. 
 The circumstances were as follow : Mr. Jones,* her 
 lover, from an anxiety for her safety, engaged some 
 Indians to remove her from among the Americans, and 
 promised to reward the person who should bring her 
 safe to him, with a barrel of rum. Two of the Indians 
 who had conveyed her some distance, bn the way to 
 her intended husband, disputed which of them should 
 present her to Mr. Jones. Both were anxious for the 
 reward. One of them killed her with his tomahawk, 
 to prevent the other from receiving it. Burgoyne 
 obliged the Indians to deliver up the murderer, and 
 threatened to put him to death. His life was only 
 spared, upon the Indians agreeing to terms, which the ^ 
 general thought would be more efficacious than an ex¬ 
 ecution, to prevent similar mischiefs.’ 4 
 
 Had the execution taken place, there is every proba¬ 
 bility that the Indians would have retired from the 
 army, massacring every body and destroying every thing 
 before them ; thus it would have caused the destruction of 
 hundreds of the innocent inhabitants of the frontiers of 
 Canada, if the assassin had been then put to death. 
 When the murder of Miss M'Cr^a had reached the general’s 
 ears, he went to the Indian camp, and insisted in the 
 most determined language that the culprit should be 
 given up to justice, and had it not been for the re- 
 
 * An officer in a new raided American corps attached to our 
 armv. r 
 
 T 
 
 
U6 
 
 JOURNAL Of THE 
 
 monstrances of monsieur St. Luc le Come, a french- 
 man who then presided over them, the murderers ex¬ 
 ecution would not have been deterred another day. 
 
 St. Luc informed the general that great discontent had 
 reigned among the Indians, at the restraint under which 
 they were kept. To which general Burgoyne replied, 
 “ That he had rather lose every Indian in his army 
 than connive at their enormities.” 
 
 The general afterwards said, “ That he ever esteemed 
 the Indian alliances, at best a necessary evil, their 
 services to be overvalued; sometimes insignificant, often 
 barbarous, always capricious, and that the employment 
 of them was only justifiable, when by being united to a 
 regular army, they could be kept under coutroul. 
 Governed by these sentiments the general acted. In his 
 own expressive language, 66 he determined to be the 
 soldier, not the executioner of the state.” Indeed it was 
 very remarkable, how he restrained their ferocity during 
 the short time they were with our army; and in order 
 to do this the more effectually, he took to his aid a 
 favorite priest of theirs, who had more control over 
 the passions of tire Indians than all their chiefs put 
 together. 
 
 By such assistance he was able to enforce obedience 
 to his commands in preventing them from barbarity. 
 The following instances are given as proofs of his 
 wisdom and humanity : In a skirmish which happened 
 between the Americans and Indians, two of the Ame¬ 
 rican officers w r ere wounded; the Indians, under a heavy 
 fire of the enemy, conveyed the wounded officers on 
 their backs to a place of safety. At another time, a 
 captain, with a detachment of Americans, were placed in 
 ambuscade, in order to cut off part of the British troops 
 on their march ; these were discovered by the Indians, 
 who took them all prisoners without a man being hurt.. 
 It is also worthy of remark, that no party of the Indians 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 H7 
 
 was ever allowed to leave the camp without having a 
 British officer at its head. Every possible exertion of 
 humanity was used in order to restrain their ferocity. 
 The case of Miss M'Crea excepted, (which was not 
 premeditated cruelty) no barbarity or murder was com¬ 
 mitted by the northern army. It is true, that charges of 
 this nature, against that army, were fabricated by the 
 Americans, and propagated in their news-pa: ers, through¬ 
 out the continent; but this was in order to accom¬ 
 plish the end which they had in view, which was to 
 prevent the loyalists from joining the British standard. 
 This might be pardonable in the Americans at that 
 time,^ if it be allowed that “ stratagems are justifiable in 
 war. But what shall we say to a popular author, fos-- 
 tered in our own country, who, in writing on this 
 campaign, says : “ Such was the sanguine and savage 
 spirit which breathed throughout this infamous procla¬ 
 mation,* unparalleled except in one very recent instance, 
 that the following lines from Shakespeare’s Timon of 
 Athens, were not unhappily applied to ft as a kind of 
 comment or paraphrase : 
 
 “-Let not thy sword skip one ; 
 
 lity not honoured age for his white beard. 
 
 Strike me the matron—Let not the virgin's cheek 
 Make soft thy trunchant sword—Spare not the babe 
 Whose dimpled smiles from fools exhaust their mercv 
 iVlince it without remorse." J 
 
 Lord Harrington, the present commander in chief in 
 Ireland, was at that time aid-de-camp to general Bur- 
 goyne, and general Freeman, the present barrack master 
 general in Ireland, was also in that service, and both 
 his lordship and the general well know the principle of 
 humanity which dictated even this very proclamation, 
 ts object was to terrify into allegiance, not to massacre to 
 extermination, which the latter quotation of Mr. Belsham 
 
 «aL A a 1 t' U p 1 i ,? g *° £ en< 7 al ? Urs ° yn f' s Proclamation, issued at the 
 Garnp at Putnam Creek, June 29th, 1777. 
 
143 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 more than insinuates: it avows. General Burgojne in 
 liis examination before the house of commons, u j an 
 explicitly explained the motives which induced him to 
 the proclamation. “ I have,” said he, 
 
 « Spoken daggers—but USED NONE... 
 
 After all, it is not much to Mr. Belsham’s credit that 
 he does not give the quotation as his own, nor even 
 present the reader with the slightest intimation where, 
 on what occasion, or by whom it was made. The 
 application of such savage motives to one of the mos 
 humane and enlightened officers in the service, is more 
 than ungenerous. One of these two facts appears pretty 
 evident—either Mr. Belsham was ashamed of the authon y 
 from whence he took the quotation, or too much con¬ 
 vinced of its inapplicability to take it upon himself 
 
 The militia was now raised every where, and diafted 
 to join the American army at Saratoga ; and that they 
 might have a commander whose abilities could be relied 
 on? general Arnold was appointed, who repaired to 
 Saratoga with a suitable train of artillery ; but receiving 
 intelligence that colonel St. Leger was proceeding with 
 great rapidity in his expedition on the Mahawk River, 
 he moved to Still Water, a place about half waybetween 
 Saratoga and the junction of the Mahawk and Hudson 
 
 ^ Before general Burgoyne had crossed Lake Cham¬ 
 plain, colonel St. Leger was sent with a detachment, 
 consisting of two hundred and fifty British troops 
 drawn from the 8th and 34th regiments, colonel Johnson 
 corps of New Yorkers, a few German chasseurs, a com¬ 
 pany of Canadians, and another of rangers. These 
 troops were joined by a body of Indians. This detaci- 
 ment, which consisted of near eight hundred men, 
 ascended the River St. Lawrence, crossed Lake Ontario, 
 and commenced the siege of Fort Stanwix, now name 
 by the Americans Fort Schuyler. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 no 
 
 A detachment of American militia, consisting of eight 
 hundred men, was immediately ordered to relieve this 
 important fortress. Colonel St. Leger having intel¬ 
 ligence of the march of this reinforcement, and knowing 
 the danger of being attacked in his trenches, judiciously 
 detached colonel Johnson, with a party of regulars and 
 Indians, in order to attack them on their march, either 
 openly or covertly, as circumstances should offer. On 
 the 6th of August, at five o’clock in the morning, Sit 4 
 John Johnson met the American troops. The Indians, 
 on the sight of the enemy, forgetting the judicious 
 disposition formed by Sir John (which was to suffer 
 the attack to begin with the troops in front, while they 
 should be on both flank and rear) fushed in hatchet 
 in hand, and thereby gave two hundred of the enemy’s 
 rear an opportunity to retreat. Almost all the Ame¬ 
 rican officers, with one hundred and sixty men, were 
 slain. Numbers were wounded. Among the latter was 
 general Harkimer, who expired soon after the engage¬ 
 ment. Thirty of the Indians were killed and wounded, 
 and the misfortune was doubly aggravated, as some 
 of their favourite chiefs and confidential warriors fell 
 in the carnage. The siege now continued with unabated 
 labour of officers and men. Great was their toil, the 
 smallness of their numbers never admitting the relief 
 of three hours cessation for sleeping or cooking. 
 
 While the British troops were carrying on the siege 
 with vigour, intelligence was brought in, by scouts, of a 
 second corps of a thousand men being on their march. 
 This brigade of continental troops was headed by 
 general Arnold, who was detached from the American 
 head-quarters at Still Water, for the purpose of reliev¬ 
 ing the fort. The following stratagem was practised by 
 Arnold : On his march he took up a genT man, who 
 resided in that country, of the name of Schry'cr, 
 accused him of being a spy in the British service, an 1 
 
150 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 threatened him with immediate death. Mr. Schuyler 
 was greatly alarmed, solemnly declared his innocence 
 of the- crime laid to his charge, and interceded with 
 .Arnold in the most impressive manner for his life. 
 The American general then raising his voice, said, 
 “ Your life and estate shall be given you, on condition 
 that you will repair immediately to the Indians in the 
 British camp before Fort Stanwix, and represent to them 
 that general Burgoyne’s army is cut to pieces, and that 
 Arnold is advancing upon them by rapid and forced 
 inarches ; and be sure to swell the number of my troops 
 to three thousand men.’ r 
 
 Mr. Schuyler performed this serviceitery faithfully, for 
 he immediately proceeded to the Indian camp, and being 
 able to converse in their own language, he laid before 
 them every syllable that Arnold told him, adding a great 
 deal more on his own account. This intelligence spread 
 from tent to tent among the Indians. The zeal that 
 they formerly possessed no longer animated them ; they 
 complained of the small number of British troops and 
 their former losses. Colonel St. Leger was greatlv 
 alarmed at the change he perceived in them ; he im¬ 
 mediately called a council of the chiefs, encouraged 
 them by every argument he could suggest; promised 
 to lead them on himself, and bring into the field three 
 hundred of the best troops. They listened to this 
 with great attention ; promised to follow him, and agree'd 
 that he should reconnoitre the ground most proper for 
 the field of battle next morning, accompanied by some 
 of their chief warriors. 
 
 But Mi. Schuyler’s tale had taken too great hold of 
 their fears; they kept not their word, and the colonel 
 was bigly moitified on being informed next morning 
 that two hundred of them were already decamped ; and 
 to add to his mortification, those of them who remained 
 tlke ground insisted that he should retreat, or they 
 
AMERICAN. WAR. m 
 
 would abandon him. Hard, indeed, was the situation 
 of colonel St. Lcger at this crisis. The king’s troops 
 did not then exceed more than two hundred and fifty # men ; 
 he was therefore under the necessity of yielding to their 
 resolves, and retired from before the fort at night. 
 Sending on. his sick, wounded, artillery, &c. 
 
 In the mean time the British army halted at Fort 
 Edward, while sonic were employed in bringing forward 
 provisions, stores, &c. over the carrying place from Lake 
 George to Hudson’s River. This was found a work 
 of much difficulty, owing to the want of horses and 
 carriages. To remedy this great inconvenience, which 
 retarded the movement of our troops, it was determined 
 to send out a detachment, in order to bring in horses 
 to mount the Brunswick dragoons, if a sufficient.number 
 could be found. 
 
 - Lieutenant colonel Baum, a German officer, was or¬ 
 dered on this service with the following troops :— 
 
 Brunswick dismounted dragoons.1.50 
 
 Cdptain Frazer's Rangers*. 50 
 
 Peter’s Provincial Corps. 150 
 
 Provincial and Canadian Volunteers. 5(i 
 
 Indians. SO 
 
 Total 48rj 
 
 Governor Skecne was sent with this detachment, from 
 whose supposed knowledge of the country, and influence 
 among the inhabitants much was expected. 
 
 Lieutenant colonel Bauni was instructed by general 
 Burgoyne to march directly to Bennington, a place about 
 twenty miles east of Hudson’s Rivpr, intelligence having 
 beeu received that the Americans had a considerable ma¬ 
 gazine there. 
 
 On the llth of August, colonel Baum took post at 
 Button Kill, and on the 12tli he proceeded to Cambridge, 
 
 * This company was composed of picked men from different 
 
 regiments. 
 
142 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 where his advance guard fell in with and defeated a party 
 of American troops, took eight prisoners, one thousand 
 bushels of wheat, and one hundred and fifty bullocks, 
 which he sent to the British camp. Here the colonel 
 was informed that near eighteen hundred of the enemy 
 were posted at Bennington, and that they had a very 
 considerable magazine there, besides two thousand bul¬ 
 locks and three hundred horses. Encouraged by the 
 success of his first attack, the colonel determined to 
 press forward and dislodge the enemy from that post. 
 He sent every day exact reports of his progress and 
 situation to general Burgoyne, with which the general 
 was perfectly satisfied, and approved his design of at¬ 
 tacking Bennington so soon as the colonel could be fully 
 informed of the enemy’s number and situation, that it 
 might be attempted with a prospect of success, and 
 without running any risque. Early in the morning of 
 the 14th of August, the colonel was attacked by a body 
 of seven hundred Americans, who, after having a few 
 shot fired at them, retired, and dispersed. By some 
 prisoners taken on this occasion, he was informed that 
 the enemy were strongly entrenched at Bennington, that 
 they expected a large reinforcement from the American 
 army, and intended to attack him as soon as the rein¬ 
 forcement had joined them. On receiving this infor¬ 
 mation, the lieutenant colonel very properly deferred his 
 intention of pushing on to Bennington, and halted in 
 bis post, sending off an express to inform general Bur¬ 
 goyne of his situation, and desiring that some troops 
 might be ordered to sustain him. His report was 
 written in such high spirits, that the general was in¬ 
 duced to believe that he asked for a reinforcement 
 more to enable him to attack the enemy, than from 
 any apprehension of his corps being in danger of 
 -an attack themselves. In consequence of the above 
 ^formation, lieutenaut colonel Brevman was ordered 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 153 
 
 to march with his corps, the battalion of German 
 grenadiers, and that of Barnier’s,^(about five hundred 
 men), with two pieces of cannon, to sustain lieutenant 
 colonel Baum ; an officer was sent off to inform 
 the latter that lieutenant colonel Breyman had began 
 his march early on the 15th. The distance between the 
 two corps, rendered this reinforcement useless to lieu¬ 
 tenant colonel Baum, as they could not get up time 
 enough, to support ^bim, owing to excessive bad roads, 
 and a continued rain. August the 16th, in the mornings 
 several bodies of men in arms were observed ap¬ 
 proaching his post. Lieutenant colonel Baum was as¬ 
 sured they were loyalists ; but their numbers increasing, 
 he ordered out parties to reconnoitre, and soon per¬ 
 ceived he was surrounded by the Americans, from 
 Bennington. On a signal being made by the Ameri¬ 
 cans, he was attacked on all sides by superior numbers ; 
 he maintained his post above two hours, and often 
 repulsed the enemy ; but finding that his men had 
 expended all their ammunition, and lieutenant colonel 
 Breyman’s corps not yet appearing, he was obliged 
 to think of a retreat, with the dragoons, (the Pro¬ 
 vincials, Canadians, and Indians being already cut off 
 from him). He twice forced his way through the 
 enemy, and was as often attacked by fresh troops. 
 As a last resource, he ordered his men to'draw their 
 swords, and rush in upon the enemy, where, notwith¬ 
 standing every effort of bravery, this valiant corps, 
 overpowered by superior numbers, was entirely broken, 
 and most of them were either killed or taken pri¬ 
 soners : among the latter was their wounded com¬ 
 mander. 
 
 Colonel Breyman had not received the smallest in¬ 
 formation of this engagement; he arrived on the same 
 ground, and on the same day, but not till the action 
 was qver. Instead of meeting his friends, as he ex- 
 
 U 
 
15 4 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 pectcd, he found himself briskly attacked on all sides* 
 Notwithstanding the severe fatigue they had under¬ 
 gone, his troops behaved with great vigour and resolu¬ 
 tion, and drove the Americans from several hills, on 
 which they were posted. They were, however, at 
 length overpowered, and their ammunition being unfor¬ 
 tunately expended, they were obliged with great reluc¬ 
 tance to abandon two pieces of artillery they had brought 
 with them, and retreated with good order in the dusk 
 of the evening. 
 
 Accustomed to success as the royal troops had been 
 in the preceding part of the campaign, they felt unusual 
 mortification from this unexpected check. Though it 
 did not diminish their courage, it abated their confidence; 
 it deranged every plan for pursuing the advantages 
 which had been previously obtained. Among other em¬ 
 barrassments it reduced them- to the alternative of halting 
 till the supplies were brought forward from Fort George, 
 or of advancing without them at the risque of being 
 starved. The former being adopted, the army was 
 detained till the 13th September before they crossed 
 Hudson’s River. This unavoidable delay gave time 
 and opportunity to the Americans to assemble in great 
 numbers. 
 
 About this period congress appointed general Gates 
 to command their northern army, while the militia, 
 flushed with their recent success, collected in great 
 numbers to his standard. 
 
 The aflair of Bennington, though of great impor¬ 
 tance to the Americans, was of still more consequence 
 in a national sense to the British army, as it gave 
 occasion to a correspondence which tended to wipe off 
 the reproaches of inhumanity from them, which 
 had gone forth and astonished all Europe. Colonel 
 Baum, who commanded the detachment, being wounded 
 and a prisoner in the American camp, general Burgoyne. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 155 
 
 was desirous of sending not only to that officer, but all 
 those whom the fortune of war had put on that occasion, 
 into the enemy’s hands, all the succour in his power, 
 and with that view wrote to general Gates to permit 
 the baggage and servants of the prisoners to pass to 
 them unmolested. In this letter, dated 30th of August, 
 after the formal requisition, he says : 
 
 It is with great concern I find myself obliged to 
 add to this application, a complaint of the bad treat¬ 
 ment the provincial soldiers in the ting’s service re¬ 
 ceived after the affair of Bennington. I have reports, 
 upon oath, that some were refused quarter after having 
 asked it : I am willing to believe this was against the 
 older and inclination of your officers; but it is my 
 part to require an explanation, and to warn you of 
 the horrors of retaliation, if such a practice is not in 
 the strongest terms discountenanced and reprehended.” 
 
 To this complaint, general Gates expressed his 
 astonishment that general Burgoyne should mention in¬ 
 humanity or threaten retaliation : “ Nothing, says he, 
 happened in the action at Bennington but what is 
 common, when works are carried by assault. That the 
 savages of America should in their warfare mangle and 
 scalp the unhappy prisoners is neither new nor extra¬ 
 ordinary ; but that the famous Lieutenant General 
 Burgoyne, in whom the fine gentleman is united with 
 the soldier and the scholar, should hire the savages of 
 America to scalp Europeans, and the descendants of 
 Europeans; nay more, that he should pay a price for 
 each scalp so barbarously taken, is more than will be 
 believed in Europe until authenticated facts shall in every 
 gazette, confirm the truth of the horrid *ale. Miss 
 M‘Crea, a young lady, lovely to the sight, of virtuous 
 character and amiable disposition, engaged to an officer 
 of your army, was, with other women and children, 
 taken out of a house near Fort Edward, carried into the 
 
 U 2 
 
356 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 woods, and there scalped and mangled in a most shock¬ 
 ing manner. Two parents with their six children were 
 all treated with the same inhumanity, while quietly 
 residing in their once happy dwelling. 
 
 “ The miserable fate of Miss M‘Crea, was particu¬ 
 larly aggravated by her being dressed to receive her 
 promised husband ; but she met her murderers employed 
 by you. Upwards of one hundred men, women, and chil¬ 
 dren have perished by the hands of the ruffians, to whom 
 it is asserted you have paid the price of blood.” 
 
 To these specific charges general Burgoyne answered: 
 
 “ I have hesitated, sir, upon answering the charges 
 in your letter. 1 have disdained to justify myself against 
 rhapsodies of fiction aud calumny, which from the first 
 of this contest it has been an unvaried American policy 
 to propagate, but which shall no longer impose upon the 
 world : I am induced to deviate from this general rule, 
 in the present instance, lest my silence should be constru¬ 
 ed an acknowledgment of the truth of your allegations, 
 and a pretence be thence taken for exercising future 
 barbarities by the American troops. 
 
 “ By this motive, and upon this only, I condescend 
 to inform you, that I would not be conscious of the acts 
 you presume to impute to me, for the whole continent 
 of America, though the wealth of worlds were in its 
 bowels, and a paradise upon its surface. 
 
 “ It has happened that all my transactions, with the 
 Indian nations last year and this, have been clearly 
 heard, distinctly’ understood, accurately minuted by 
 very numerous, and, in many parts, very unprejudiced 
 persons. So immediately opposite to truth is your 
 assertion that 1 have paid a price for scalps, that one of 
 the first regulations established by me at the great 
 council in May, and repeated, enforced, and in¬ 
 variably adhered to since, was, that the Iudians should 
 
receive compensation for prisoners, because it would 
 prevent cruelty, and that not only such compensation 
 should be with-held, but a strict account would be de¬ 
 manded for scalps. These pledges of conquest, for 
 such you well know they will ever esteem them, were 
 solemnly and peremptorily prohibited to be taken from 
 the wounded, and even the dying, and the persons of 
 aged men, women, children, and prisoners, were pro¬ 
 nounced sacred even in assaults. 
 
 “ In regard to Miss M‘Crea, her fall wanted not the 
 tragic display you have laboured to give it, to make it 
 as sincerely abhorred and lamented by me as it can be 
 by the tenderest of her friends. The fact was no pre¬ 
 meditated barbarity ; on the contrary, two chiefs who 
 had brought her off for the purpose of security, not of 
 violence to her person, disputed which should be her 
 guard : in a fit of savage passion in one, from whose 
 hands she was snatched, the unhappy woman became the 
 victim. Upon the first intelligence of this event, I 
 obliged the Indians to deliver the murderer into my 
 hands; and though to have punished him by our laws, 
 or principles of justice, would have been perhaps un¬ 
 precedented, he certainly should have suffered an igno- 
 minous death, had I not been convinced, from many 
 circumstances and observations, beyond the possibility 
 of a doubt, that a pardon, under the terms which I pre¬ 
 scribed and they accepted, would be more efficacious 
 than an execution, to prevent similar mischiefs. 
 
 “ The above instance excepted, your intelligence 
 respecting the cruelties of the Indians is false. 
 
 “ You seem to threaten me with European publica¬ 
 tions, which affect me as little as any other threats you 
 could make ; but in regard to American publications, 
 whether your charge against me, which I acquit you 
 of believing, was penned from a gazette or for a 
 gazette, I desire and demand of you as a man of 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 I5S 
 
 honor, that, should it appear in print at all, this answer 
 may follow it.’* 
 
 It cannot be matter of much surprize, that such reports 
 were fabricated by the Americans to serve their own 
 purposes; but that they should obtain circulation and 
 credence at home is truly astonishing. Saunders’s 
 News-Letter of August 14, 1777, gravely asserts, “ that 
 seven hundred men, women, and children, were scalped 
 on the sides of Lake Champlain ; that the light infan¬ 
 try and Indians scoured each bank, women, &c. 
 %tng in turns before them.” Now the fact is, that 
 from St. John’s to Crown Point there were not more than 
 ten human dwellings, the whole being upwards of eighty 
 miles of woods and wilderness. Could inhabitants, which 
 never existed in a country , be scalped, or fly before their 
 enemies?—How necessary is it for those who fabricate 
 such deeds, to acquaint themselves with the topography 
 of a place in which they fix their scene of action 1!!? 
 
 General Burgoyne being disappointed in his at¬ 
 tempt on Bennington, a month’s provision for the army 
 was ordered to be brought forward from Lake George. 
 In the mean time he threw a bridge of boats over the 
 river Hudson, which was crossed on the 13th and 14th 
 of September, the army taking post on the heights and 
 plains of Saratoga. 
 
 As the royal troops advanced towards the enemy along 
 the side of Hudson’s River, they found the country cover¬ 
 ed with thick woods, and the bridges broken down every 
 quarter of a mile; these they were obliged to repair. Every 
 obstacle to impede their march was throwh in their way, 
 and they soon discovered that the Americans were de¬ 
 termined to dispute every inch of the ground with 
 them. 
 
 September 19th, The royal army halted within two 
 miles of the enemy’s encampment, and formed for battle, 
 in the following order : 
 
 (See the annexed Plan J 
 
Canadians, Provincials, and Indians, 
 on their flanks and front; 
 
 ORXHBR 
 
 Of the BRITISH and GERMAN Troops at the Battle of Trecmav's Tartu, between 
 
 and Still-Water, on the 1 9th of September, 1777. 
 
 CENTRE. 
 
 RIGHT WING, 
 
 LED ON BY 
 
 BRIG. GEN. FRAZER, 
 
 MAJORS ACKLAND, 
 
 AND 
 
 LORD RALCARRES, 
 
 British Light Infantry and Grenadiers,* 
 and 24th Regiment, 
 sustained by 
 
 Colonel BREYMAN’S German 
 Riflemen. 
 
 * These flank companies belonged to 
 the 9th, 20th, 21st, 24th, 29lh, 31st, 
 34th, 47 Lh, 53d, and §2d regiments. 
 
 Sjf 
 
 »a Si 
 
 \j Q? 
 
 I rO 
 
 *§ 5 
 
 2* 
 
 ss 
 
 -ad 
 
 «S W 
 
 * r. 
 
 * ^ 
 1 s 
 
 Q 
 
 LED ON BY 
 
 LIEUT. GEN. BURGOYNE, 
 
 AND 
 
 BRIG. GEN. HAMILTON. 
 
 20lh Regiment..Lieut.CoL Lynd. 
 
 21st do...,Lieut. Col. Brig. Gen. Hamilton, 
 G2d do......Lieut. Col. Anstruther. 
 
 f Now Earl Harrington, the present 
 Commander in Chief in Ireland, 
 
 - 
 
 c 
 
 ‘tX'i 
 
 a 
 
 & 
 
 Lf 
 
 MAJOR GEI 
 
 British Artil 
 
 MAJO 
 
 Sustained f 
 
 Two com) 
 were left on 
 George. 
 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 159 
 
 The signal guns, which had been previously settled to 
 give notice that jail was ready, now fired, and the troops 
 advanced in the greatest order and regularity. 
 
 In the mean time the Americans came out of their 
 entrenchments in great force, and moved forward to 
 tneet the British army. Their line extended upwards 
 of two miles, while they were supported by several strong 
 columns. The scouts and flankers of both armies were 
 soon in contact, and the firing began a little after 
 mid-day; 
 
 The Americans being incapable from the nature of 
 the country * of perceiving the different combinations 
 of the march,* advanced a strong column, with a 
 view of turning the British line upon the right; here 
 they met the grenadiers and light infantry, who gave 
 them a tremendous fire. Finding that it was impossible 
 to penetrate the line at this point, they immediately 
 countermarched and directed their principal effort 
 to the centre. Fiere the conflict was dreadful; for 
 four hours a constant blaze of fire was kept up, 
 and both armies seemed to be determined on death 
 or victory. 
 
 “ Here mingling hands, but not with friendly gripe. 
 
 Join in the fight; and breasts in close embrace, 
 
 But mortal as the iron arms of death. 
 
 Here words austere, of perilous command. 
 
 And valour swift t’ obey; bold feats of arms 
 Dreadful to see, and glorious to relate.” 
 
 Men, and particularly officers, dropped every mo¬ 
 ment on each side. Severn] of the Americans placed 
 themselves in high trees, and as often as they could 
 distinguish a British officer’s uniform* took him off 
 by deliberately aiming at his person. Reinforcements 
 successively arrived and strengthened the American line. 
 
 * As the country is thickly covered with woods, movements 
 Jnay be effected without a possibility of being discovered. 
 
 X 
 
160 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The 20ih, 21st, and 62(1 regiments greatly distinguished 
 themselves. The stress of the action lay chiefly on 
 these regiments, which stood the repeated attacks of three 
 times their number for four hours. 
 
 « Not noise, nor number, nor the brawny limb. 
 
 Nor high built size prevails : Tis courage hghts, • 
 
 *Tis courage conquers.” 
 
 Most of the other corps of the army bore a good share 
 in this desperate conflict. The 24th regiment, with the 
 grenadiers, and part of the light infantry, were for some 
 time brought into action, and charged with their usual 
 spirit and* bravery. Breyman’s riflemen likewise did 
 good service. 
 
 Major General Phillips, upon hearing the firing, made 
 his way through a difficult part of the wood to the. 
 scene of action, and brought up with him major Williams 
 and four pieces of artillery ; this reinforcement animated 
 our troops in the centre, which at that moment were 
 critically pressed by a great superiority of fire, and 
 to which the major general led up the 20th regiment 
 at the utmost personal hazard. Major general Reidesel 
 then brought forward part of the left wing, and arrived in 
 time to charge the enemy with regularity and bravery. 
 
 Few actions have been characterized by more obstinacy 
 in attack or defence ; the British troops repeatedly tried 
 their bayonet with their usual success. As the day 
 closed, the Americans retreated on all sides, and left 
 them masters of the field of battle. 
 
 It was supposed that during this engagement near 
 fifteen hundred men were killed and wounded in both 
 armies. The British had to lament more than three 
 hundred brave officers and men, who were killed and 
 wounded on that day ! 
 
 General Burgoyne, in his dispatches to government, 
 says : “ The behaviour of the officers and men in general 
 was exemplary, brigadier general Frazer took his position 
 ift the beginning of the day, with great judgment, and 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 1€1 
 
 sustained the action with constant presence of mind and 
 vigor. Brigadier general Hamilton was the whole time 
 engaged, and acquitted himself with great honor, activity 
 and good conduct. The artillery in general was distin¬ 
 guished, and the brigade under captain Jones, who was 
 killed in the action, was conspicuously so.” * 
 
 General Burgoyne during this conflict behaved with 
 great personal bravery, he shunned no danger; his 
 presence and conduct animated the troops, (for they 
 greatly loved the general ;} he delivered his orders with 
 precision and coolness; and in the heat, fury, and 
 danger of the fight maintained those true characteris¬ 
 tics of the soldier—serenity, fortitude and undaunted 
 intrepidity. 
 
 20th. The army moved forward, and took post nearly 
 within cannon shot of the American’s fortified camp. 
 Here the English strengthened their camp by cutting 
 down large trees, which served for breast works. 
 
 * The estimation in which these services of the artillery 
 (especially the Irish drafts) were held at home can be best appre¬ 
 ciated by the testimony of distinguished characters. Among 
 many others, the following testimonial is deserving particular 
 notice : 
 
 Extract of a letter from lord viscount Toivnshend , master general 
 of the British Ordnance, to lieutenant-colonel Stratcn , com¬ 
 mandant of the royal Irish regiment of artillery. 
 
 “ Sir, 
 
 “ By lieutenant Slack, who this evening arrived from Quebec, 
 and who has related to me many transactions of the late unfor¬ 
 tunate campaign in that part ot America, I am informed that 
 none among our gallant troops behaved more noble than the 
 drafts from the royal Irish artillery, who being now exchanged 
 are to return. 1 am sorry they suffered so much ; but it is the 
 lot of brave men, who, so situated, prefer a glorious discharge 
 of their duty to an unavailing desertion of it. Be assured, sir, 
 I have a sincere, a grateful pleasure, in doingthis justice to part 
 of that corps, whose zeal for his majesty's service, and ambition 
 to distinguish themselves, 1 have never doubted would be equal 
 to any whatever. I am, sir, &c. 
 
 “ Townshend.” 
 
 X 2 
 
162 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 21st. This day a messenger arrived from Sir Henry 
 Clinton, informing general Burgoyne of his intention 
 to attack Fort Montgomery, in about ten days from the 
 date of his letter, which vyas the 2Qth of September; 
 this was the only messenger from him or Sir William 
 Howe which had reached our camp since the beginning 
 of August. This messenger was sent back the same 
 night to Sir Henry Clinton, and charged to deliver 
 him a silver bullet, and to give it into the general’s 
 own hands. If he should happen to be suspected as 
 an enemy and taken prisoner by the American troops, 
 he was ordered to swallow the bullet which would pre¬ 
 vent the message from being detected. Having reached 
 as far as Fort Montgomery, on the North River, he 
 made enquiry for general Clinton; and finding, on 
 being brought before him, that he was not the person 
 to whom he was sent, but that he was governor 
 Clinton of the state of New-York, and a general in 
 the American service, he turned aside and swallowed 
 the silver ball. Being observed by some of the atten¬ 
 dants, he was immediately taken into custody ; when 
 being interrogated as to what business he had with 
 general Clinton, and discovering some embarrassment in 
 his answers, it was proposed to administer an emetic, 
 to ascertain what he had swallowed with such precipita¬ 
 tion. Thp idea was adopted, and the consequence was, 
 that he threw up the silver ball, which being unscrewed, 
 was found to contain a letter from general Burgoyne to 
 Sir Flenry Clinton, the purport of which was, to explain 
 his situation and the necessity of a diversion up the 
 North River, in order to oblige general Gates to detach 
 troops from his army; and further, that general 
 Burgoyne would wait favourable events in his position 
 to the 12th October. The messenger was immediately 
 bung as a spy. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 103 
 
 October 3d. This day the rations were diminished. 
 The army saw the necessity of this measure. Not a 
 complaint or murmur was heard throughout the British 
 camp. 
 
 7th. A detachment of fifteen hundred men, led on by 
 general Burgoyne in person, made a movement to the 
 right in order to discover if there were any possible 
 means of forcing a passage to Albany. 
 
 As they’ advanced they were checked by r a very sudden 
 and rapid attack of the enemy on the left; there major 
 Ackland was posted with the British grenadiers, who 
 sustained the attack with great resolution and firmness. 
 The Americans extended their attack along the whole 
 front of the German troops, who were posted on the 
 right of the grenadiers, and they also marched a large 
 body round their flanks, in order to cut off their retreat. 
 To oppose this bold enterprize the British light infantry, 
 with a part of the 24th regiment, were directed to 
 form a second line, and to secure the return of the 
 troops into camp. In the mean time, the Americans 
 pushed forward a fresh and a strong reinforcement 
 to renew the action upon the left ; where the troops, 
 overpowered by so great a superiority, gave way, 
 but the light infantry and 24th regiment, by a rapid 
 movement, came to give succour, and saved the line 
 from being carried; in doing which, brigadier general 
 Frazer received his mortal wound. 
 
 The action now became very serious, as the British 
 lines lay exposed to the enemy’s sudden attack. In this 
 crisis of danger general Burgoyne appeared cool and 
 intrepid. He directed generals Philips and Reidesel to 
 cover the retreat, while such troops as were most 
 ready were ordered for the defence of the camp. 
 The British troops were hard pressed, but retreated in 
 good order ; they were obliged to leave six pieces of 
 cannon behind, all the horses having been killed, and 
 
 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 all the artillery men, who had, as usual, behaved with the 
 utmost bravery, being either killed or wounded, 
 
 _ •* Veteran bands 
 
 Here made their last campaign. w 
 
 General Arnold, with a brigade of continental troops, 
 pushed rapidly forward, for that part of the camp 
 possessed by lord Balcarres, at the head of the British 
 light infantry, and some of the line; here they were 
 received by a heavy and well directed fire which mowed 
 down their ranks, and compelled them to retreat in 
 disorder. Arnold now left this brigade and put him¬ 
 self at the head of a fresh corps, which he ordered 
 instantly to advance and attack the lines in their 
 front, which were defended by lieutenant colonel 
 Urey man, at the head of the German reserve. The 
 Americans pressed on with rapidity, and carried the 
 works. Arnold was one of the first who entered them, 
 and was wounded. Lieutenant colonel Breyman was 
 killed. The Germans retreated firing, until they had 
 gained their tents in the rear of the entrenchments; but 
 supposing that the assault was general, gave one dis¬ 
 charge, after which some retreated to the British camp, 
 but others surrendered prisoners. Night at length put 
 an end to the engagement. 
 
 This day’s battle added many brave officers and 
 men to the melancholy list of killed and wounded. 
 
 Brigadier general Frazer, on account of his dis¬ 
 tinguished merit, was greatly lamented by the whole 
 army ; Sir James Clarke, general Burgoyne’s aid-de- 
 camp, was mortally wounded ; majors Ackland and 
 Williams were taken prisoners. The former was 
 wounded. The general himself had some very nar¬ 
 row escapes, a shot passed through his hat aud 
 another through his waistcoat. It was with great truth 
 said, that, in the service of this campaign, the British 
 •fEcersbled profusely and most honorably. 
 
AMERICAN WAR* m 
 
 On the side of the Americans, the loss in killed and 
 wounded was very great, and far exceeded ours. 
 
 The enemy now having made a lodgment on the right 
 of the British, their rear of course was exposed. In 
 order to avoid this, general Burgoyne, by a judicious 
 manoeuvre, took a position upon the heights above the 
 general hospital ; this was executed in the night with 
 the greatest order, regularity, and silence. By this entire 
 change of front, the American army was under the 
 necessity of forming a new disposition. 
 
 October 8th. The British remained under arms all this 
 day, offering the enemy battle, but nothing more than 
 skirmishes took place, in one of which the American 
 general Lincoln was dangerously wounded. 
 
 In the mean time, general Burgoyne discovered that 
 the Americans were marching a strong column forward, 
 in order to turn the British right, which, if effected 
 would have enclosed them on every side ; nothing could 
 prevent this but an immediate retreat to Saratoga. 
 
 The army began to march to this place at nine o’clock 
 at night; major general Reidesel led the van, and major 
 general Philips brought up the rear. They were under 
 the necessity of leaving the sick and wounded behind. 
 
 9tli. This evening the van arrived at the heights of 
 Saratoga, having endured much hardships on the 
 march, from a heavy rain and bad road ; here it was 
 discovered that a division of the Americans had 
 already arrived, and were employed in throwing up 
 entrenchments on the heights before the British, on 
 whose approach they retired over the ford, and joined a 
 large body there ; who likewise were employed for the 
 same purpose of preventing all retreat. 
 
 10th. The batteaux with what little provisions remained 
 were constantly fired upon, from the opposite side of the 
 river ; many of them fell into the hands of the enemy, 
 and several of the men wh# conducted them, were killed 
 and wounded. 
 
160 
 
 JOURNAL OF TI1E 
 
 11th. Several men were employed this day iti 
 landing the provisions from the boats, and conveying 
 them up to the hill, under a very galling fire from 
 
 the enemy. • . 
 
 Very great indeed were the distresses which the 
 
 army had to encounter at this period, yet they were 
 borne with fortitude. The greatest subordination was 
 manifested throughout the British lines. The men were 
 willing and ready to face any danger, when led on 
 by officers whom they loved and respected, and who 
 shared with them in every toil and hardship. 
 
 Numerous parties of the militia now joined the Ame¬ 
 ricans and swarmed around the little adverse army like 
 iprds of prey. Roaring of cannon and whistling of 
 bullets from their ride pieces, were heard constantly by 
 day and night. 
 
 12th. A council of war, composed of general officers 
 was held, in which general Burgoyne stated the present 
 situation of affairs to the following effect: 
 
 “ Upwards of fourteen thousand of the enenfiy, with 
 a considerable quantity of artillery almost surround 
 us, threatening an attack every moment. Two large 
 bodies with cannon at Fort Edward guard that passage. 
 A brigade below Saratoga church, by which their two * 
 armies' can have a free communication. Our batteaux 
 destroyed, and the enemy in possession of the immediate 
 passes over Hudson’s River. The following routes are 
 those which offer themselves for the retreat of the 
 
 “ 1st. To cross the river by the ford at Fort Edward. 
 
 “ 2d. To take a passage over the mountains until we 
 arrived at some place higher up the river, where it can 
 be passed by rafts. 
 
 “ 3d. To continue the march on the mountains until 
 we arrive at a ford, reported to be passable, but the 
 passage of which is acknowledged to be attended with 
 much danger. 
 
167 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 4th. To persevere in the march over the mountains, 
 until we clear the head of Hudson s River, keeping on 
 the westward of Lake George until the army shall arrive 
 at Ticonderoga. The Indians, and some small bodies 
 of stragglers only, have effected the latter passage. 
 
 At the same time, general Burgoyne submitted to the- 
 council his readiness to attack the enemy, and attempt 
 forcing a passage through their ranks. The council, 
 however, determined in tavor of a retreat by night. 
 
 It was also stated, that the provisions could not possibly 
 •holdout beyond the 20th, and that there were neither 
 rum nor spruce'beer. 
 
 It would be rendering an act of injustice to the 
 memory of general Burgoyne not to copy distinctly the 
 communications which he made to the council, and their 
 answers on each head. This will clearly evince, that 
 he then did nothing of himself; but, on the contrary, 
 that he acted from the collective wisdom of the army. 
 From the four different statements already given, the 
 general deduced the following propositions, and to them 
 the council gave the annexed replies : 
 
 “ 1st. To wait in the present position an attack from 
 the enemy, or the chance of favourable events. 
 
 “ 2d. To attack the enemy. 
 
 “ :}d. To retreat, repairing the bridges as the army 
 moves for the artillery, in order to force the passage 
 of the ford. 
 
 “ 4th. To retreat by night, leaving the artillery and 
 the baggage ; and should it be found impracticable to 
 force the passage .with musquetry, to attempt the upper 
 ford, or the passage round Lake George. 
 
 ‘■‘5th. In case the enemy by extending to their left, 
 leave their rear open, to march rapidly toi Albany. 
 
 “ Upon the first proposition resolved, that the situation 
 would grow worse by delay ; .that the provision now m 
 ‘ store is not more than sufficient for the retreat, s iou 
 
 Y 
 

 l (ft 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 impediments intervene, or a circuit of country become 
 necessary; and as the enemy did not attack when tin* 
 gfound was unfortified, it is not probable they will do 
 it now, as they have a better game to play, 
 
 •' “The second una Jvisable and desperate, there being no 
 possibility of rcconnoitering the enemy’s position, and 
 their great superiority of numbers known. 
 
 “ The third impracticable. 
 
 “ The fifth thought worthy of consideration by the 
 lieutenant-general, major-general PhHlijxs, and brigadier- 
 general Hamilton ; but the position of the enemy yet 
 gives no open for it. 
 
 “ Resolved, that the fourth proposition is the only re¬ 
 source, and that to effect it, the utmost secrecy and 
 silence is to be observed ; and the troops are to be put 
 in motion from the right in the still part of the nigfyt, 
 without any change in the disposition.”^ 
 
 The arrival of scouts prevented the execution of this 
 determination. They brought intelligence, that u the 
 enemy’s position on the right was such, and they had 
 so many small parties out, that it would be impossible 
 to move without being immediately discovered. Thus 
 circumstanced, general Burgoyne again assembled the 
 council. This measure became indispensable, from the 
 .situation of the British army and the character of their 
 general. Rashly to have sacrificed the lives of those 
 over whom be had command, would have been temerity ; 
 meanly to save their lives by compromise (unless no 
 other means existed) would have for ever tarnished his 
 own reputation. He summoned the officers for their 
 
 * It depended upon the delivery of six days provision in due 
 time, and upon the return of scouts who had been sent forward, 
 to examine by what route t*?e array could probably move the first 
 lour miles undiscovered, whether the plan should take place on 
 That day, or on the morrow; 
 
 y 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 16 Q 
 
 opinion ;* and, in this sad dilemma, acted on their 
 resolves. But the minutes of this last proceeding, will 
 best speak for themselves. 
 
 ** Minutes and proceedings of a council of war, con¬ 
 sisting of all the general officers, field officers, and 
 captains commanding corps, on the heights'of Saratoga, 
 October the 13th, 1777 : 
 
 “ The lieutenant-general having explained the situation 
 of affairs as in the preceding council, with the additional 
 intelligence, that the enemy was intrenched at the fords 
 of Fort Edward, and likewise occupied the strong 
 position on the pine plains between Fort George and 
 Fort Edward, expressed his readiness to undertake at 
 their head, any enterprise of difficulty or hazard that 
 should appear to them within the compass of their 
 strength and spirit. He added, that he had reason to 
 believe a capitulation had been in the contemplation 
 of some, perhaps of all, who knew the real situation 
 of things ; that, upon a circumstance of such conse¬ 
 quence to national and personal honor, lie thought it a 
 duty to bis country, and to himself, to extend bis council 
 beyond the usual limits ; that the assembly present might 
 justly be esteemed a full representation of the army ; 
 and that he should think himself unjustifiable in taking 
 any step in so serious a matter, without such a con¬ 
 currence of sentiments as should make a treaty the act 
 of the army as well as that of the general. I he first 
 question, therefore, he desired them to decide was : 
 
 “ Whether an army of three thousand five hundred 
 fighting men, and well provided with artillery, were 
 justifiable, upon the principles of national dignity and 
 military honor, in capitulating in any possible situation l 
 Resolved, nan. con . in the affirmative.” 
 
 * The field officers and captains commanding corps were 
 added to this council. 
 
 Y 2 
 
 
170 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 “ Question 2. Is the present situation of that nature r—' 
 Resolved, nem. con. that the present situation justifies 
 a capitulation upon honorable tei ms. 
 
 General Burgoyne then drew up the following let. 
 ter directed to general Gates, relative to the ne. 
 gociation, and laid it before the council It was 
 unanimously approved, and upon that foundation the 
 treaty opened. 
 
 “ After having fought you twice, lieutenant general 
 Burgoyne, has waited some days in his present posi¬ 
 tion, determined to try a third conflict, against any 
 force you could bring to attack him. 
 
 “ He is apprized of the superiority of your numbers, 
 and the disposition of your troops, to impede his 
 supplies, and render his retreat a scene of carnage 
 on both sides. In this situation he is compelled by 
 humanity, and thinks himself justified by established 
 principles, and precedents of state, and oi war, to 
 spare the lives of brave men upon honorable terms. 
 
 “ Should major general Gates, be inclined to treat 
 upon that idea, general Burgoyne would propose a 
 cessation of arms, during the time necessary to com¬ 
 municate the preliminary terms by which^in any 
 extremity, he, and his army, mean to abide.” 
 
 General Gates then transmitted .the following pro¬ 
 posals to general Burgoyne: 
 
 “General Burgoyne’sarmy being exceedingly reduced 
 by repeated defeats, by desertion, sickness, &c. their 
 provisions exhausted, their military horses, tents and 
 baggage taken or detroyed, their retreat cut off, and 
 their camp invested, they can only be allowed to 
 surrender prisoners of war. 
 
 “ Answer. Lieutenant general Burgoyne’s army how¬ 
 ever reduced, will never admit that their retreat is cut 
 off while they have arms in their hands. 
 
171 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 « The troops under his excellency general Burgoyne’s 
 command, may be drawn up in their encampments, 
 where they will be ordered to ground their arms, and 
 may thereupon be marched to the river side to be 
 passed over in their way towards Bennington. 
 
 “ Answer. This article inadmissible in any extremity ; 
 sooner than this army will consent to ground their 
 arms in their encampment, they will rush on the enemy 
 detetmined to take no quarter. If general Gates docs 
 not mean to recede from this article the treaty ends at 
 once. The army will to a man proceed to any act ol 
 desperation rather than submit to that article.” 
 
 General Gates did recede from this article, and the 
 following was substituted in its stead. 
 
 “ The troops to march out of their camp with the 
 honors of war, and the artillery of the entrenchments, 
 to the verge of the river, where their arms and artillery 
 must be left. The arms to be piled by word of com¬ 
 mand from their own officers.* 
 
 “ A free passage to be granted to the army under lieute¬ 
 nant general Burgoyne to Great Britain, upon condition 
 of not serving again in North America during the present 
 contest; and’the port of Boston to be assigned for the 
 entry of transports to receive the troops whenever general 
 Howe shall so order.”f 
 
 Such was the melancholy catastrophe of these brave 
 men, after undergoing “ a series of hard toil, incessant 
 effort, stubborn action, till disabled in the collateral 
 branches of the army, by the total defection of the 
 Indians, the desertion or timidity of the Canadians 
 
 * While the British troops were marching from the heights 
 of Saratoga to the verge of the river, the American drummers 
 and fifers were ordered by General Gates to play 
 “ Yankey Doodle,” while at the same tune his i troops iw«r 
 drawn ui. in a thick part of the wood out of sight of the British 
 army. The arms were piled by order ol the British officers. 
 
 Y This article was never fulfilled. 
 
172 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 and Provincials, some individuals excepted; disap¬ 
 pointed in the last hope of any timely co-operation 
 from other armies; the regular troops reduced by 
 losses from the best parts to three thousand five hundred 
 fighting men, not two thousand of which were British ; 
 only three days provisions in store, upon short allow¬ 
 ance ; invested by an army of sixteen thousand men, and 
 no apparent means of retreat remaining. * 1 he British 
 
 army, under these circumstances, were induced to open 
 the above treaty. 
 
 In the mean time Sir Henry Clinton had sailed up 
 the North River, attacked and carried Fort Montgomery, 
 and passed it in his attempt to favour the descent of 
 general Burgoyne, and in all probability a junction of 
 these two armies would have been effected, had the 
 expedition been earlier adopted, as meditated by Sir 
 Henry Clinton. 
 
 Fort Montgomery was erected by the Americans the 
 year before ; there was laid a strong boom across the 
 river, guarded by two frigates, the Hudson being 
 navigable for ships of war of sixty guns much higher 
 than this fort, and at spring tides for frigates near 
 to Albany. 
 
 After this fort was taken, the town of Esopus (now. 
 called Kingston,) situated near the west bank of Hudson’s 
 River, was destroyed by general Vaughan ; it was here 
 that captain Rose and lieutenant Meddagh, two leaders 
 of the loyalists, were executed without a regular form 
 of trial, for their adherence to the British cause; this 
 circumstance, with others of a similar nature, had 
 rendered the place extremely odious to the loyal 
 followers of the British arms, and possibly might have 
 occasioned its conflagration. A large body of loyalists 
 were forming at this time on the eastern shore of the 
 river, to join the royal army ; but the advanced state 
 * General Burgoyne’s own words. 
 
 * 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 ©f the season prevented the continuance of Sir Henry 
 Clinton’s force in the rear, and they were obliged to 
 return to New York. 
 
 It should have been mentioned, that, on the very day 
 the royal forces crossed Hudson’s River, the Americans 
 in order to cut off the retreat of the British army, under 
 general Burgoyne, in the most effectual manner, under¬ 
 took an expedition against Ticonderoga. They con¬ 
 ducted their operations with such secrecy and address, 
 that on the 18th of September a sudden and general 
 attack was made upon the carrying place of Lake George, 
 Sugar Hill, Ticonderoga, and Mount Independence. 
 The sea officer commanding the armed sloop stationed 
 to defend the carrying place, as also some of the officers 
 commanding at the ports at the Sugar Hill, and at the 
 portage were surprized, and a considerable part of four 
 companies of the 53d regiment were made prisoners. A 
 blockhouse, commanded by lieutenant Lord of that 
 regiment, was the only post on that side where they had 
 time to make use of their arms, and they made a gallant 
 defence, till cannon taken.from the Surprize vessel was 
 brought against them. 
 
 The enemy having twice summoned brigadier general 
 Powell, and received such answers as became a gallant 
 officer, entrusted with so important a post, and having 
 tried during the course of four clays several attacks, and 
 being repulsed in all, retreated without doing any con¬ 
 siderable damage. 
 
 Brigadier general Powell gave great commendation to 
 the British and German troops stationed at Mount In¬ 
 dependence. 7 The brigadier mentioned with great ap¬ 
 plause the behaviour of captain Taylor of the 21st 
 regiment, who was accidentally there on the road to the 
 army, and lieutenant Beercroft of the 24th regiment, 
 ’ who, with the artificers in arms, defended an important 
 battery. 
 
,74. JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 On the 24th of September, the enemy enabled by the 
 capture of the gun boats and battcaux, (vv ie t ej ia( 
 made after the surprize of the sloops,) to cm ar upon 
 Lake George, attacked Diamond Island in two divisions. 
 Captain Aubrey, and two companies of the 47th regiment, 
 had been posted at that island from the time the army 
 passed the Hudson’s River ; the enemy were repulsed 
 by captain Aubrey, with great loss, and pursued by the 
 gun boats under his command to the east shore, where 
 two of our principal vessels were re-taken together 
 with all the cannon ; they had just time to set fire to e 
 other batteaux, and retreated over the mountains. 
 
 The sacrifice which, without obtaining its end, was 
 made in the course of this campaign, will the more u y 
 appear on perusal of the following list of those who 
 
 suffered and those who fell: 
 
 July 2d. Lieutenant Haughton, 53d regiment, wounded near 
 
 _6th. Second Lieutenant Clelland, Royal Artillery, killed 
 
 at Hubberton. 
 
 Volunteer Sutton, wounded at do. 
 
 _7th. Major Grant,* 24th regiment, killed at do. 
 
 Lieutenant Douglas. 29th do. do. do. 
 
 __ Haggart, marines, do. ao. 
 
 LIGHT INFANTRY. 
 
 Major Lord Balcarres, 53d regiment, wounded at do. 
 
 'jh'ZZ Sit t t 
 
 Sd £. t 
 
 grenadiers. 
 
 Captain SUypleton, 9th regiment, died of his 
 
 wounds, at do. , 
 
 Major Ackland, 20th do. wounded, at 
 
 Captain Ross, 34-th do. < 
 
 __ Shrimpton, <>2d do. ‘ °- 
 
 Lieutenant Rowe, 9th do. "°* 
 
 --Steele, 29th do. * l °- 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 * Major Grant was twice wounded at Ticonderoga, under 
 general Amherst, in the former wars. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 175 
 
 Lieutenant Richardson, 34th regt. 
 Volunteer Lindsay, 
 
 wounded \ 
 
 } berton 
 
 do. do. 
 
 Lieutenant Westrop, 9 th regt. 
 
 killed | 
 
 Fort 
 
 Ann. 
 
 
 c 
 
 wounded 1 
 
 
 Captain Montgomery, — 
 
 doJ 
 
 Sc taken > 
 
 prisoner, j 
 
 do. 
 
 Lieutenant Stavely, — 
 
 do. 
 
 wounded do. 
 
 - Murray, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 Adjutant Fielding, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 
 
 < 
 
 f Ben- 
 
 Lieutenant Wright, — 
 
 do. 
 
 killed *< 
 
 ning- 
 * ton. 
 
 Ensign Baron De Salons, — 
 
 do. 
 
 wounded. 
 
 do. 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 f Free- 
 
 Captain Jones, Roval Artillery, 
 
 killed < 
 
 ' man's 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 * Farm. 
 
 Lieutenant Cooke, 20th 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 -Lucas, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 Currie, 21st 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 M‘Kenzie, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 -Robinson, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 .-Reynal, 24th 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 -Hervey, G2d 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 Ensign Phillips, -— 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 -Taylor, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 -Young, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 Lt. Col. Lynd, 20th 
 
 do. 
 
 wounded 
 
 do. 
 
 *-Anstruther, 62d 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 
 Major Forbes, 
 
 9th 
 
 It" : 
 
 -Agnew, 
 
 24th 
 
 
 * Ilarnage, 
 
 62d 
 
 
 Captain Sweetenham 
 
 , 9th 
 
 
 - Dowling, 
 
 21st 
 
 * 
 
 Stanley, 
 
 — 
 
 
 Farquire 
 
 — 
 
 
 -Weyms, 
 
 — 
 
 k . 
 
 -Ramsay, 
 
 — 
 
 
 - Blake, 
 
 24t.h 
 
 
 Lieutenant Prince, 
 
 9th 
 
 
 Rutherford, 21st 
 
 
 Ensign Hervey, 
 
 62d 
 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do.- do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 
 Thus marked * were wounded in two different actions. 
 
178 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Oct. 7 th, Brig, general Frazer, 
 
 SirJames Clarke,Aid 1 
 deCamp to General > 
 Burgoyne, 3 
 
 Captain Wight, 
 
 Lieutenant Obin, 20th 
 
 ._Turnbull, 21st 
 
 _Stewart, 62d 
 
 C near 
 killed, < Still 
 £ Water, 
 f mortally ^ 
 
 ) woundedW 
 
 j & taken f 
 * prisoner, 3 
 
 53d regiment, killed Jo. 
 
 Lt. Col. Anstruther, 
 ♦Major Ackland, 
 Harnage, 
 
 20th 
 
 62d 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 do. do. 
 wounded do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. do. 
 
 Captain Strangways, 21th 
 
 -Bunbury, 62d 
 
 -Green Aid del 
 
 deCamp toGeneral £ 31st 
 Philips 3 
 
 Captain Bloomfield, 7 £ 0 y a ] Artillery, do. do. 
 
 Lieutenant Bat'tersby, 29 th light infantry,do. do. 
 
 __ Fisherton, 21st do. do. 
 
 _*Ricnardson,34th grenadiers, do. 
 
 __Dowling, 29th regiment do. 
 
 _Doyle, 24th do. 
 
 __Williams, 29th do. 
 
 _. Richardson, 34th battalion, 
 
 ,_. Houghton, 53d regiment, 
 
 _Smith, Royal Artillery, 
 
 -- Howarth, do. 
 
 Ensign Connel, 20th regiment, 
 
 .-Blake, 62d do. 
 
 Oct. 1 lth. Adjutant Fiffcgerald, — 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 at 
 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 do. 
 
 c» 
 
 do. killed < Sara*- 
 (.toga, 
 
 taken S near 
 
 -7th, Major Ackland, 20th do. j prisoner, 
 
 -Williams, Royal Artillery, do. do. 
 
 . (Fort 
 
 July 9th. Captain Montgomery, 9th regiment, do. | Ann . 
 Oct. 7 th. 
 
 Money, De-l 
 
 puty Quarter Masters—-— do. 
 General, 3 
 
 Lieutenant Johnson, 29th do. 
 
 — - York, — do. 
 
 f near 
 do. \ Still 
 l Water 
 
 do 
 
 do 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
Ensign D’Antroch, 
 
 July 9th, Surgeon Shelly, 
 
 KILLED. 
 
 1 Brigadier General, 
 1 Major, 
 
 1 Aid de Camp, 
 
 3 Captains, 
 
 15 Lieutenants, 
 
 4 Ensigns, 
 
 » 12 Serjeants, 
 
 5 Drummers, 
 
 313 Bank & File. 
 
 WOUNDED. 
 
 2 Lieutenant Colonels, 
 5 Majors, 
 
 16 Captains, 
 
 18 Lieutenants, 
 
 4 Ensigns, 
 
 1 Adjutant, 
 
 2 Volunteers, 
 
 38 Serjeants, 
 
 4 Drummers, 
 
 715 Rank & File. 
 
 355 Total killed. 
 
 805 Total wounded. 
 
 Killed...355 
 
 Wounded.805 
 
 Total killed and wounded of the British army. H60 
 
 ■■he following numbers surrendered prisoners at Sara- 
 1 , on the nth October, 1111 
 
 The 
 
 toga, on me i itn * • • • - 
 
 British troops, including the sick and wounded, in camp..2240 
 
 German ditto, do. do.1700 
 
 Canadians, Provincials, Batteaux-men, .. 
 
 Sick and wounded left behind in the British camp, ? 
 
 i " _i T> __ rofvonfpH t n . j 
 
 : and wounded lelt behind in tne wiusu camp, r 46Q 
 when general Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga.j 
 
 Total. 
 
 An account of brass ordnance taken : 
 
 ..4880 
 
 4- 
 
 12 ditto. 
 
 18- 
 
 6 ditto. 
 
 4 
 
 3 ditto. 
 
 5—— 
 
 5-§ inch royal howitzers 
 
 2- 
 
 8 inch brass mortars. 
 
 .35 
 
 
 Z 2 
 
 Total 
 
17$ 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The loss of general Frazer was a severe shock to the 
 army, and the sensation which it produced was felt by 
 all ranks, from the commander in chief to the private. 
 After he was wounded, he was supported by two officers, 
 one on each side of his horse. When he arrived in camp, 
 the officers all anxiously enquired as to his wound : the 
 down cast look and melancholy that were visible to every 
 one, too plainly spoke his situation, and all the answer he 
 could make to the many inquiries, was a shake of his 
 head, expressive that all was over with him. So much 
 was he beloved that even the women flocked round, 
 solicitous for his fate. 
 
 When he had reached his tent, and was recovered a 
 little from the faintness occasioned by the loss of blood, 
 he told those around him, that he saw the man who shot 
 him ; he was a rifle man, and aimed from a tree. The ball 
 entered a little below his breast, and penetrated just 
 under the back bone. After the surgeon had dressed 
 his wound, he said to him, very composedly, “ Tell 
 me, to the best of your skill and judgment, if you 
 think my wound is mortal.” When he replied, “ I am 
 sorry, sir, to inform you, that it is; and that you 
 cannot possibly live twenty-four hours.” The general 
 called for pen, ink, and paper, and after making his 
 will, and distributing a few little tokens of regard to the 
 officers of his suite, desired that he might be removed 
 to the general hospital. Early the next morning, he 
 hieathed his last, and at his particular request was 
 buried without any parade in the great redoubt, by the 
 soldiers of his own corps. 
 
 About sum-set, the corpse was carried up the bill. 
 The procession was in view of both armies. As it passed 
 b y> generals Burgoyne, Phillips, and Ileidesel, with 
 most of the officers of the army, joined the procession. 
 
 1 he troops who fought immediately under general Frazer, 
 » ot bein S acquainted with the privacy of burial that was 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 179 
 
 enjoined by his will, construed it into neglect, and urged 
 by a natural wish to pay the last honours to him in the 
 eyes of the whole army, marched after the body in 
 solemn procession to the grave. 
 
 The enemy, with an inhumanity deserving the con¬ 
 demnation of every liberal mind, cannonaded the pro¬ 
 cession as it passed, and during the service over the 
 grave the aggression was repeated. Charity would in¬ 
 cline us to hope, although probability is against the 
 fact, that they were unacquainted with the nature of the 
 awful ceremony. Sacred from interruption and hostility, 
 even among the most barbarous of mankind, are the last 
 sad offices which the living pay to the dead. 
 
 Nor should the heroism of lieutenant Hervey, of the 
 j62d regiment, a youth of sixteen, and nephew to the 
 adjutant general of the same name, be forgotten. It was 
 characterized by all that is gallant in the military 
 character. 
 
 In the battle of the 19th of September, he received 
 several wounds, and was repeatedly ordered off the field 
 by lieutenant colonel Ansti;uther, but his heroic ardor 
 would not allow him to quit the battle while he could 
 stand, and see his brave comrades fighting beside him. 
 A ball striking one of his legs, his removal became 
 absolutely necessary, and while they were conveying 
 him away, another wounded him mortally. In this 
 situation, the surgeon recommended him to take a 
 powerful dose of opium, to avoid a seven or eight hours 
 life of most exquisite torture. This he immediately 
 consented to, and when the colonel entered the tent, 
 with major Marriage, who were both wounded, they 
 asked whether he had any afiairs they could settle for 
 him? His reply was, that being a minor, every thing 
 was already adjusted ; but lie had one request, which 
 he retained just life enough to utter : u Tell my uncle, 
 I died like a soldier”- 
 
ISO 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Major Ackland when wounded, observed the British 
 troops were retreating; he requested Gaptain Simpson 
 of the 31st regiment, who was an intimate friend, to 
 help him into camp, upon which, being a stout man, 
 he conveyed the major on his back a considerable way, 
 when the enemy pursuing so rapidly, he was obliged 
 to leave him behind to save himself. As the major 
 lay on the ground, he cried out to the men who were 
 running by him, that he would give fifty guineas to 
 any soldier who would convey him into camp. A stout 
 grenadier instantly took him on his back, and was 
 hastening into camp, when they were overtaken and 
 both made prisoners. 
 
 Captain Bloomfield, of the artillery, received a wound 
 which was very remarkable, a shot passing through 
 both cheeks without hurting the inside of his mouth. 
 
 Lieutenant Hovvarth, of the same corps, was wounded 
 in his knee. It was very singular, that he was so 
 strongly prepossessed with an idea of being wounded, 
 that when the orders came for the detachment’s going 
 out, being in company with lieutenant Anburey, after 
 reading the orders, and that his brigade of guns were 
 to go, he said to that officer, God bless you, Anburey, 
 farewell; for I know not how it is, but I have a strange. 
 presentiment that I shall either be killed or wounded. 
 
 'Some letters passed between the opposed generals. 
 The first was from general Burgoyne, by lady Ackland,. 
 whose husband was dangerously wounded, and a prisoner, 
 recommending her ladyship to the care and protection 
 of general Gates. Gates’s answer was pointed with the 
 sharpest irony, in which he expresses his surprise that 
 his excellency after considering his preceding conduct, 
 should think that he could consider the greatest atten¬ 
 tion to lady Ackland, in the light of an obligation. 
 These epistles, although mere communications between 
 individuals, and frequently on private affairs, yet serve 
 
AMERICAN WAR. IS l 
 
 to pour tray the disposition of the tunes , anil unveil the 
 cause that gave rise to the unhappy contest. 
 
 “ The cruelties,” added he, “ which mark the retreat 
 of your army, in burning the gentlemen and farmeis 
 houses as they went along, are almost, among civilized 
 nations, without a precedent; they should not endeavour 
 to ruin those they could not conquer ; this conduct be¬ 
 trays more the vindictive malice of a monk, than the 
 generosity of a soldier.” 
 
 What gave rise to this charge, was the following 
 
 circumstance: on the west bank of Hudson’s River, near 
 
 the height of Saratoga, where the British army halted, 
 after the retreat, stood general Schuyler’s dwelling house, 
 with a range of barracks and store-houses, &c. The 
 evening the army arrived at these buildings, the wea¬ 
 ther being very wet and cold, the sick and wounded 
 were directed to take possession of these barracks; 
 while the troops took post on the height above it. 
 In the course of the night, the barracks took fire by 
 accident, and being built of wood, were soon con¬ 
 sumed. It was with the greatest difficulty that the 
 wounded soldiers were rescued fiom the flames. 
 Two days after this, the enemy had formed a plan 
 of attack ; a large column of troops was approach¬ 
 ing to pass the liver, preparatory to a general action: 
 this column was entirely covered from the fire of the Bri¬ 
 tish artillery, by some of these buildings. General Bur- 
 goyne ordered them to be set on fire ; but so far 
 was the sufferer from putting an invidious construction 
 upon that action, that one of the first persons general 
 Buro-oyne saw after the convention was signed was 
 the owner, general Schuyler; who, instead of blaming the 
 English general, owned he would have done the same 
 
 * The author was in the house when it took fire, and it was 
 with the greatest difficulty he escaped- 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 J $2 
 
 upon the like occasion, or words to that effect. He 
 did more. He conducted him to his house ; presented 
 him to Mrs. Schuyler ; continued him in his family 
 during the whole time of his stay in Albany, with a table 
 \ of more than twenty covers for himself and friends, and 
 with every other possible demonstration of hospitality; 
 a situation painful at that time, but now pleasing, and 
 carrying undeniable testimony how little he deserved the 
 charge^ thrown out against him. 
 
 On this occasion, and at this distance of time, the 
 energetic language of general Burgoyne, when he de¬ 
 manded a trial, cannot be passed by. It speaks the 
 proud, dignified spirit of the soldier, alike conscious 
 of his humanity as his courage, and is a clearer 
 refutation of the calumnies advanced against him, than 
 the most laboured and artful defence, which wealth 
 could purchase, or ingenuity fabricate: 
 
 “ As for myself, if I am guilty, I fear I am doubly 
 guilty : An army lost! The sanguine expectation of the 
 kingdom disappointed ! A foreign war caused, or the 
 commencement of it accelerated ! An effusion of as 
 brave blood as ever ran in British veins, and the 
 severest family distresses combined with public calamity! 
 If this mass of miseries be indeed the consequence of 
 my misconduct, vain will be the extenuation I can plead, 
 of my personal sufferings, fatigue, and hardships, la¬ 
 borious days and sleepless nights, ill health, and trying 
 situations ; poor and insufficient would be such atone¬ 
 ment in the judgment of my country, or perhaps in the 
 eyes of God ; yet with this dreadful alternative in view, 
 I provoke a trial. Give me inquiry. I put the interests 
 that hang most emphatically by the heart strings of the 
 man—my fortune—my honor—my head—I had almost 
 said my salvation upon the issue.” 
 
 There were as many witnesses of the truth of this 
 statement oi lau&» as there' were- meu in the British 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 183 
 
 army. Indeed, the more these charges were sifted (and 
 the general was very strictly examined in the house of 
 commons) the more it tended to place the suffer¬ 
 ing officer in a very high point of view, whether con¬ 
 sidered as a man, a soldier, or the leader of an army, 
 in the most trying and perilous service. It proved 
 that he possessed the confidence and affection of his 
 army in so extraordinary a degree, that no loss or 
 misfortune could shake the one, or distress or affliction 
 weaken the other. It established an instance, as far 
 as it could be conclusive, (and a close examination was 
 not able to weaken it), perhaps unequalled in the military 
 history, that notwithstanding so long and continued a 
 scene of unceasing fatigue, hardship and danger, finally- 
 ending in general ruin and captivity, not a single voice 
 was heard through the army, to upbraid, to censure, 
 or blame their general, and that at length, when all 
 their courage and efforts were found ineffectual, and 
 every hope totally cut off, they were still willing to 
 perish along with him. 
 
 But perhaps the best testimonial of the rectitude of 
 c-eneral Burgoyne’s character, was what fell from the 
 pen of his illustrious rival. A higher eulogium, and 
 one more just, was never paid by the generous heart 
 of one soldier to another. Near five mouths after the 
 convention of Saratoga, general Burgoyne, finding his 
 health declining, and hearing that his character had 
 been much traduced in England, solicited congress 
 to permit him to return, on his parole of honor, to 
 England. He also applied to general Washington 
 for his interference in the matter. The following is 
 
 Washington’s answer: 
 
 Head Quarters, Pennsylvania, March Wth, 1778. 
 
 > “ SIR —I was, only two days since, honored with your 
 
 very obliging letter of the 11th of February. 
 
 A a 
 
184- 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 “ Your indulgent opinion of my character, and the 
 polite terms in which you are pleased to express it, are 
 peculiarly flattering ; and I take pleasure in the oppor¬ 
 tunity you have afforded me of assuring you, that, far 
 from suffering the views of national opposition to be 
 imbittered and debased by personal animosity, I am ever 
 ready to do justice to the merit of the gentleman and the 
 soldier ; and to esteem, where esteem is due, however 
 the ideas of a public enemy may interpose. You will 
 not think it the language of unmeaning ceremony, if I 
 add, that sentiments of personal respect, in the present 
 instance, are reciprocal. Viewing you in the light of 
 an officer contending against what I conceive to be the 
 rights of my country, the reverse of fortune you experi¬ 
 enced in the field cannot be unacceptable to me ; but, 
 abstracted from considerations of national advantage, I 
 can sincerely sympathize with your feelings, as a soldier, 
 the unavoidable difficulties of whose situation forbid his 
 success: and as a man, whose lot combines the calamity 
 of ill health, the anxieties of captivity, and the painful 
 sensibility for & reputation, exposed, where he most 
 values it, to the assaults of malice and detraction. 
 
 “ As your aid-de-camp went directly on to congress, 
 the business of your letter to me had been decided before 
 it came to hand. I ana happy that the cheerful acqui¬ 
 escence with your request prevented the necessity of 
 my intervention. And, wishing you a safe and agree¬ 
 able passage, with a perfect restoration of your health, I 
 have the honor to be, &c. “ George Washington.” 
 
 The circumstances relative to Major Ackland and his 
 lady are so very remarkable, and they have been so 
 variously related, that it becomes necessary, on both 
 accounts, to ; notice them. The accuracy of the following 
 detail may be depended on. Tire communication comes 
 directly from general Burgoyne. There is scarcely an, 
 instance, either in ancient or modern history, that more. 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 185 
 
 finely depicts the resolution, affection, and fortitude of 
 woman toward the husband of her heart and vows than 
 this. If war sometimes in bad men, calls forth all the 
 viler passions of our nature, in woman it is otherwise ; 
 it rouzes into action an heroism otherwise unknown, 
 an intrepidity almost incompatible with the sex, and 
 suyakens all the dormant susceptibilities of their mind. 
 
 “ Besides the continuation of general fatigue, this 
 day was remarkable for a circumstance of private dis¬ 
 tress too affecting to be omitted. The circumstance to 
 which I allude, is lady Harriet Ackland’s passage through 
 the enemy’s army, to attend her woundecf husband, 
 then their prisoner. 
 
 “ The progress of this lady with the army could hardly 
 be thought abruptly or superfluously introduced, were it 
 orily for the purpose of authenticating a wonderful story. 
 It would exhibit, if well delineated, an interesting pic¬ 
 ture of the spirit, the enterprise, and the distress of 
 romance ; realized and regulated upon the chaste and 
 sober principles of rational love and connubial duty. 
 
 “ Lady Harriet Ackland, sister to the earl of Uchester, 
 had accompanied her husband, major John Dyke Ackland, 
 son of Sir Thomas Ackland, to Canada in the beginning 
 of the year 1776. In the course of that campaign she 
 had traversed a vast space of country, in* different ex¬ 
 tremities of season, and with difficulties that an European 
 traveller will not easily conceive, to attend him, in a 
 poor hut at Chamblee, upon his sick bed. 
 
 “ In the opening of the campaign-of 1777, she was 
 restrained from offering herself to a share of the fatigue 
 and hazard expected before Ticonderoga, by the posi¬ 
 tive injunctions of her husband. The day after the 
 conquest of that place, he was badly wounded, and 
 she crossed the Lake Champlain to join him. 
 
 u As soon as he recovered, lady Harriet proceeded to 
 follow hi? fortune* through the campaign, and at Fort 
 
 A a 2 
 
1$<3 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Edward, or at the next camp, she acquired a two- 
 wheel tumbril, which had been constructed by the arti¬ 
 ficers of the artillery, something similar to the carriage 
 used for the mail upon the great roads of England. 
 Major Ackland commanded the British grenadiers, 
 which were attached to general Fraser s corps ^ and 
 consequently were always the most advanced post of 
 the army. Their situations often called them to be so 
 alert, that no person slept out of his clothes. In one of 
 these posts of danger a tent, in which the major and lady 
 Harriet were asleep, suddenly took fire. An orderly ser- 
 jeant of grenadiers, with great hazard of suffocation, drag¬ 
 ged out the first person he caught hold of. It proved to be 
 the major. It happened that in the same instant she 
 had, unknowing what she did, and perhaps not per¬ 
 fectly awake, providentially made her escape, by creep¬ 
 ing under the walls of the back part of the tent. The 
 first object she saw, upon the recovery of her senses, 
 was the major on the other side, and in the same instant 
 perceived him again in the fire, in the search of her. The 
 serjeant again saved him, but not without the major 
 being very severely burned in his face and different 
 parts of the body. Every thing they had with them in 
 the tent was consumed.* 
 
 “ This accident happened a little time before the 
 army passed Hudson’s River. It neither altered the 
 resolution, nor the cheerfulness ot lady Harriet; and 
 she continued her progress, a partaker of the fatigues 
 of the advanced corps. The next call upon her for¬ 
 titude was of a different nature, and more distressful, 
 as of longer suspense. On the march of the 19th, 
 the grenadiers being liable to action at every step, 
 
 * This accident was occasioned by a favourite Newfoundland 
 dog, who, being restless, overset the table, on which a candle 
 \vas burning, and which, rolling to the walls of the tent, in¬ 
 stantly set them on fire. 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 187 
 
 she had been directed by the major to follow the route 
 of the artillery and baggage, which was not exposed. 
 At the time the action began, she found hefSelf near 
 a small uninhabited hut, where she alighted. When 
 it was found the action was becoming general and 
 bloody, the surgeons of the hospital took possession 
 of the same place, as the most convenient for the care 
 of the wounded. Thus was the lady in hearing of 
 one continued fire of cannon and musketry, forfour hours 
 together, with the presumption, from the post ol her 
 husband at the head of the grenadiers, that he was 
 in the most exposed part of the action. She had three 
 female companions, the baroness of Reidesel, and the 
 wives of two British officers, major Harnage, and lieu¬ 
 tenant Ileynal; but, in the event, their presence served 
 little for comfort. Major Harnage was soon brought 
 to the surgeons, very badly wounded ; and a little 
 time after came intelligence that lieutenant Reynal 
 was shot dead. Imagination will want no helps to figure 
 
 the state of the whole groupe. 
 
 “ From the date of the action, the 'Ith of October, 
 lady Harriet, with her usual serenity, stood prepared for 
 new trials! and it was her lot that their severity increased 
 with numbers. She was again exposed to the hearing 
 of the whole action, and at last received the s 10 c o 
 her individual misfortune, mixed with the intelligence 
 of the general calamity : the troops were defeated and 
 major Ackland, desperately wounded, was a prisoner. 
 
 “ The day of the 8th was passed by lady Harnet 
 and her companions in common anxiety ; not a tent 
 nor a shed being standing, except what belonged to 
 the hospital; their refuge was among the wounded and 
 
 “ When the army was upon the point of moving, 
 after the halt described, I received a message from ta y 
 Harriet, submitting to my decision, a proposa (.an 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 1$S 
 
 pressing an earnest solicitude to execute it, if not in- 
 terfering with my designs) of passing to the camp 
 of the enemy, and requesting general Gates’s per¬ 
 mission to attend her husband. 
 
 Though I was ready to believ<5 (for I had expe¬ 
 rience) that patience and fortitude, in a supreme degree, 
 were to be found, as well as every other virtue, under 
 the most tender forms, I was astonished at this proposal. 
 After so long an agitation of the spirits, exhausted not 
 only for want of rest, but absolutely for want of food, 
 drenched in rains for twelve hours together, that a 
 woman should be capable of such an undertaking, as 
 delivering herself to the enemy, probably in the night 
 and uncertain of what hands she might first fall into, 
 appeared an effort above human nature. The assistance 
 I was enabled to give was small indeed. I had not 
 even a cup of wine to offer her; but was told she 
 had found, from some kind and fortunate hand, a little 
 rum and dirty water. All I could furnish to her was 
 an open boat and a few lines, written upon dirty and 
 wet paper, to general Gates, recommending her to 
 his protection. 
 
 Mr. Brudenell, the chaplain to the artillery, (the same 
 gentleman who had officiated so signally at general 
 Fraser’s funeral) readily undertook to accompany her, 
 and with one female servant, and the major’s valet-de- 
 chambre, (who had a ball which be had received in, 
 the late action then in his shoulder,) she rowed down 
 the river to meet the enemy. But her distresses were 
 not yet to end. The night was advanced before the 
 boat reached the enemy’s out-posts, and the sentinel 
 would not let it pass, nor even come on shore. In 
 vain Mr. Brudenell offered the flag of truce, and re¬ 
 presented the state of the extraordinary passenger. The 
 guard was apprehensive of treachery, and therefore 
 tin eaten ed to fire into the boat if it stirred before day 
 

 AMERICAN WAR. 199 
 
 light. Her anxiety and suffering were thus protracted 
 through seven or eight dark and cold hours ; and her 
 reflections upon that first reception could not give her 
 very encouraging ideas of the treatment she was after¬ 
 wards to expect. But it is due to justice, at the close 
 of this adventure, to say, that she was received and 
 accommodated by general Gates, with all the humanity 
 and respect that her rank, her merits, and her fortunes 
 deserved. 
 
 u Let such as are affected by these circumstances of 
 alarm, hardship, and danger, recollect, that the subject 
 of them was a woman of the most tender and delicate 
 frame ; of the gentlest manners ; habituated to all the 
 soft elegancies, and refined enjoyments that attend high 
 birth and fortune; and far advanced in a state in 
 which the tender cares, always due to the sex, become 
 indispensably necessary. Her mind alone was formed 
 for such trials.’* 
 
 A circumstance of as singular, but altogether of an 
 opposite nature, happened in the desperate adventures 
 of one Whitcomb, who undertook to steal a British 
 officer for the Americans, and who, in executing his 
 scheme, actually murdered brigadier general Gordon. 
 Lieutenant Anburey, who was on the spot, thus relates 
 the particulars: 
 
 “ Whitcomb, a native of Connecticut, and a great par¬ 
 tisan of the Americans, who, after the defeat upon the 
 lakes, (in 1776, as already related in a former part of 
 this work), offered his service to venture through the 
 woods, and bring in prisoner an English officer, for 
 which purpose he stationed himself among the thickest 
 copses that are between La Praire and St. John’s. The 
 first officer who happened to pass him was brigadier 
 general Gordon ; he was mounted on a spirited horse, 
 and Whitcomb thinking there was little probability of 
 of seizing him, fired at, and wounded him in the shoulder. 
 
100 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The general immediately rode as fast as lie could to the 
 camp at St. John’s, which he had but just reached, when 
 with loss of blood and fatigue, he fell from his horse; 
 some soldiers took him up, and carried him to the 
 hospital, where, after his wound was dressed, and he was 
 a little at ease, he related the circumstance, which being 
 immediately made known to general Carleton, a party 
 of Indians were sent out to scour the woods, and search 
 for Whitcomb ; but in vain, as he hastened back to 
 Ticonderoga. General Carleton, however, imagining he 
 might be lurking about the woods, or secreted in the 
 house of some disaffected Canadian, issued out a pro¬ 
 clamation among the inhabitants, offering a reward of 
 fifty guineas to any one that would bring Whitcomb, 
 alive or dead, to the camp. 
 
 “ A few days after this general Gordon died of his 
 wound, in whose death we sincerely lamented the loss 
 of a brave and experienced officer. 
 
 “ When Whitcomb returned to Ticonderoga, and in¬ 
 formed the general who commanded there, that although 
 he could not take an officer prisoner, he believed he had 
 mortally wounded one, the general expressed his dis¬ 
 approbation in the strongest terms, and was so much 
 displeased at the transaction, that Whitcomb, in order to 
 effect reconciliation, offered his service to go again, 
 professing he would forfeit his life, if he did not return 
 with a prisoner. 
 
 “ He accordingly with two other men, proceeded 
 down Lake Champlain, in a canoe, to a small creek, 
 where they secreted it, and repaired to the woods, to 
 the same spot where Whitcomb had stationed himself 
 before ; the two men lay concealed a little way in the 
 wood, whilst he skulked about the borders of it. 
 
 ** The regiment of which our friend S— — is 
 quarter-master, having occassion for some stores from 
 Montreal, he was goipg from the camp at St. John's 
 
AMERICAN WAR. j 
 
 to procure them ; be was advised not to go this road, but 
 b> the way of Chamblee, on account of the late accident - 
 but you know him to be a man of great bravery and 
 personal courage, joined with uncommon strength • re- 
 so ving not to g0 so many miles out of his road for 
 
 sho y ul7 " 'IT™’ hC j ° C0Sdy added > that ^ 
 
 should be very glad to meet with him, as he was su-e 
 he should get the reward ; in this, however, he was 
 greatly mistaken, his reward being no other than that 
 of being taken prisoner himself. 
 
 “ Previous to his setting out he took every precau- 
 fon, having not only loaded his fusee, but charged a 
 brace of pistols. When he came near to the woods I 
 iave already described, he was very cautious ; but in 
 an instant, Whitcomb, and the two men he had with 
 him, sprung from behind a thick bush, and seized him 
 before he could make the least resistance ; they then 
 
 tied his arms behind him with ropes, and blind-folded 
 
 him. 
 
 . ■ ‘ T- V 
 
 It was three days before they reached the canoe 
 bat had been concealed, during which time they had 
 but very scanty fare ; a few hard biscuits served to allay 
 ungei, while the fruits of the wood was a luxury ! 
 Vhen Whitcomb had marched him to such a distance 
 as he thought he could not make his escape, were he at 
 liberty,, through fear of losing himself; for the greater 
 ease on his own part, and to facilitate their march, 
 they untied his hands, and took the cloth from his 
 eyes. Only picture to yourself what must have been 
 bis feelings, at seeing himself in the midst of a thick 
 wood, surrounded by three desperate fellows, and un- 
 certain as to their intentions ! 
 
 At night, when they had partaken of their scanty 
 pittance, two out of the three used to sleep, whilst the 
 °tliei kept watch. The first night he slept through 
 fatig Ue . on the second, as you may naturally supoose, 
 
 13 b 
 
192 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 and from bis great anxiety of mind, he could not close his 
 . el m the middle of the eight an oppottunt.y oec«r^ 
 whereby he could have effected his escape for the man 
 whose Ltch it was, fell fast asleep. He has smce told 
 me how his mind wavered for a length oftrme.wha 
 measures to pursue; he could not bear the idea of put- 
 f 1Dff them to death, though justified by the ru es of 
 war : if he escaped from them, they might m all pro- 
 bability retake and ill-treat him. The great hazard of 
 all which determined him to abide by his fate was, that 
 by’being so many miles in a tract of wood where he 
 could not tell what direction to take (having been blind¬ 
 folded when he entered it) he might possibly wander 
 up and down till he perished with hunger. In this 
 restless state he remained till day-break, when they re¬ 
 sumed their march, and in the evening came to the 
 creek where the canoe was concealed ; they then secured 
 him again, put him in the canoe, and proceeded up the 
 lake to Ticonderoga, where they arrived early the 
 next morning. When they landed him he was again ^ 
 blind-folded, that he might not see their works, and 
 thus conducted to the general, whose only motive for 
 endeavouring to get an officer was, either by threats or 
 intreaties, to gain information relative to our army. In 
 this, however, he was greatly disappointed, and as he 
 could not obtain the least intelligence from our friend, 
 be ordered him as prisoner of war upon his parole, to 
 some of the interior towns, from which place, as I in¬ 
 formed you iu my last, he is just returned as hearty and 
 as well as ever.” 
 
 The same author also relates a circumstance, which 
 was well known to the whole British army, and which 
 the Author of this Journal can fully corroborate. It 
 happened after the battle of Freeman’s Farm, on the 
 19 tli of September, 
 
I 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 193 
 
 We have within these few evenings, exclusive of other 
 alarms, been under arms most of the night, as there has 
 been a great noise, like the howling of dogs, upon the 
 right of our encampment; it was imagined the enemy 
 set it up to deceive us, while they were meditating some 
 attack. The two first nights this noise was heard, ge¬ 
 neral Fraser thought it to have been the dogs belonging 
 to the officers, and an order was given for the dogs 
 to be confined within the tents; any that were seen 
 running about, the prevost had orders to hang them. 
 The next night the noise was much greater, when a 
 detachment of Canadians and Provincials were sent out 
 to reconnoitre, and it proved to have arisen from large 
 droves of wolves that came after the dead bodies ; they 
 were similar to a pack of hounds, for one setting up 
 a cry, they all joined, and when they approached a 
 corpse, their noise was hideous till they had scratched 
 it up.” 
 
 It is a remark which has been frequently made by 
 foreigners of most countries, that there is a feeling, a 
 sensibility observable in the Irish character, which, if 
 not absolutely peculiar to us, forms a most prominent 
 feature in our disposition. The following circumstance, 
 of which many then in the British as well as American 
 armies were witnesses, may not be altogether unappro¬ 
 priate, particularly to the native reader. 
 
 During the time of the cessation of arms, while the 
 articles o°f capitulation were preparing, the soldiers of the 
 two armies often saluted, and discoursed with each other 
 from the opposite banks of the river, (which at Saratoga 
 is about thirty yards wide, and not very deep,) a soldier 
 in the 9th regiment, named Maguire, came down to the 
 bank of the river, with a number of his companions, who 
 engaged in conversation with a party of Americans on the 
 opposite shore. In a short time something was observed 
 very forcibly to strike the mind of Maguire. He sud- 
 
194 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 denly darted like lightning from his companions, and 
 resolutely plunged into the stream. At the very same 
 moment, one of the American soldiers, seized with a 
 similar impulse, resolutely dashed into the water, from 
 the opposite shore. The wondering soldiers on both 
 sides, beheld them eagerly swim towards the middle 
 of the river, where they met; they hung on each 
 others necks and wept; and the loud cries of “ My 
 brother ! my dear brother !! !” which accompanied the 
 transaction, soon cleared up the mystery, to the asto- 
 nished spectators. They were both brothers, the first 
 had emigrated from this country, and the other had 
 entered the army ; one was in the British and the other 
 in the American service, totally ignorant until that hour 
 that they were engaged in hostile combat against each 
 other’s life. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 J95 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Captured Troops march to the Vicinity of Boston, Their 
 deplorable Situation. Congress refuses the Embarka¬ 
 tion of the British Troops to England . Description 
 of Boston. Of the Island of Nantucket. Of the 
 hale Fishery . Its Origin , and wonderful Im¬ 
 
 provement. Curious Method of Paying the Seamen. 
 Account of Catching the Whales , He. British Troops 
 removed from Prospect-hill to Rutland County. Con¬ 
 gress still refuses to ratify the Convention of Saratoga. 
 Debates in the House of Lords on the Independence 
 of America. Lord Chatham's Speech on that Subject. 
 His Death. 
 
 IMMEDIATELY after their surrender, the British 
 tioops, were marched upwards of two hundred miles 
 to the vicinity of Boston, where they were confined 
 in boarded huts on Winter and Prospect Hills. It 
 is true, the court of Massachusetts passed resolu¬ 
 tions for procuring suitable accommodations for them, 
 but from the general unwillingness of the people to 
 administer the least civility, and from the feebleness 
 of the authority which the American rulers had at that 
 time over the property of their fellow citizens, their 
 situation was rendered truly deplorable. 
 
 Such were the disagreeable and distressing circum¬ 
 stances, which on every side increased the miseries 
 confinement, that, at this time, the most faithful 
 
KJ 
 
 1 96 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 recitffl must despair of credence. It "as not infre- 
 amen, for thirty, or for,; persons, men women and 
 children, to be indiscriminately crowded together m 
 one small, miserable, open hot ;» the., prov.smns and 
 fire-wood on short allowance; and a scanty port,on of 
 straw their bed, their own blankets them only cover¬ 
 ing. In the nighttime, those that could he down, 
 and the many who sat up from the cold were obliged fm- 
 quently to rise and shake from them the snow which the 
 wind drifted in at the openings ; or, in case of rain, 
 endure the “ chill peltings of the merciless storm 
 
 General Burgoyne, ever attentive to the welfare of 
 his army, remonstrated in a letter to general Gates, 
 
 i * enme stron°* expostulations, 
 
 and after making use of some stron 
 
 he added, “ the public faith is broken; this letter 
 being laid before congress, gave an a aim. 
 roborated, they said, an apprehension Previously 
 entertained, that the captured troops, on their embark¬ 
 ation, would form a junction with the British gan isons 
 
 in America. , . 
 
 Some paltry resolutions which were passed, ie 
 
 the British soldiers no, having faithfully dehmed 
 up all their accoutrements, were of so shame 
 nature, a, to be highly dtsg,aceful to the ««■££ 
 and seemed strongly to indicate that they were re J 
 to orasp at any pretence, however weak or futile, 
 by which they could evade the terms of the eonven 
 tion, without incurring the charge of a direct breach 
 
 of public faith. , , 
 
 Just at this time, a requisition was made y 
 commander in chief a, New-York, for dm^ embrfa- 
 tion of the convention troops, either at the 
 near New-York, or at Rhode Island, instead of Boston, 
 which was the place appointed for their departure o 
 
 *• The officers (without any regard to rank), were frequently 
 crowded, six or eight together in one small hut. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 m 
 
 Europe; and in consequence of the expectation enter¬ 
 tained, that the proposals would have been complied 
 with, the transports for the conveyance of the troop* 
 were assembled at Rhode Island. The congress, how¬ 
 ever, not only refused to comply with the requisition, 
 but made it a ground of a pretended suspicion that 
 the measure was proposed, merely to afford an oppor¬ 
 tunity to the convention troops to join their fellows, 
 with an intention of making some pretence to evade, 
 or break the terms of the capitulation, and continue 
 to act in America, to the great detriment and danger 
 of the common cause. To strengthen this colour of 
 suspicion, they pretended that twenty six transports, 
 which were provided at Rhode Island, were insuffi¬ 
 cient for the conveyance of above five thousand si» 
 hundred men,* in a winter voyage to Europe; and 
 that, in the present state of things, with respect of 
 provisions, both in the British fleet and army, it was 
 scarcely possible they said, that they could have been 
 victualled for so long a voyage in so short a time. 
 
 General Burgoyne offered to pledge himself, th^t 
 notwithstanding the injurious suspicions entertained of 
 his own honor, and that of his officers, they would 
 still join with him in signing any writing, or instrument, 
 that might be thought necessary for strengthening, 
 confirming, or renewing the validity of the convention. 
 But the congress was inexorable. It was easily seen 
 that the measure which they had adopted, was not so 
 lightly taken as to be easily given up, and that ex¬ 
 planations and securities, could produce no eflect on 
 their determination. They had passed a resolution, 
 from which they never receded, that the embaikation o» 
 general Burgoyne’s army, should be suspended, 
 
 * Here the congress magnified the numbers of the British, 
 even adding all the womeu and children belonging to t ? 
 captured troops. 
 
 i 
 
 l 
 
*SS JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 When general Burgoyne found that congress was 
 resolved that no ratification of the convention which 
 was tendered, would be accepted, he applied for leave 
 to return home, which was immediately granted; 
 general Phillips therefore remained to command the 
 captured troops, and general Burgoyne sailed for 
 England, 
 
 The reader will here naturally expect some account 
 of the town of Boston. The Author’s own observation, 
 when a prisoner on Prospect Hill, and which has been 
 much assisted by a gentleman who a few years after¬ 
 wards travelled through the country, enables him to 
 oiler the following. This part of America, (particularly 
 the Island of Nantucket), has not been much benefited 
 by the revolution. The proprietors of this island were 
 in a much greater progress to wealth while under the 
 British dominions, than they have been since. 
 
 Boston is the most populous, if not the largest city in 
 North America, and stands upon a peninsula of four miles 
 circumference, within forty-four miles of the bottom of 
 Massachusetts Bay. It was greatly damaged by an earth¬ 
 quake in 1727, and by the bombardment of the Americans 
 themselves in the year 1776. It is most advantageously 
 situated for trade. On the north side are several small 
 islands called Brewsters, one of which is called Noddle’s 
 Island. T he only safe way for entrance into the harbour, 
 is by a channel ; so narrow, that three ships can scarce 
 pass in abreast. But there are proper marks to guide 
 them, and w ithin the harbour there is room enough for 
 five hundred ships to lie at anchor in a good depth of 
 water, while they are covered by the cannon of a regular 
 and very strong fortress. At the bottom of the bay is a 
 very noble pier, near two thousand feet in length, along 
 which, on tne north side, extends a row of warehouses. 
 
 1 he head of this pier joins the principal street in the 
 town, which is like most of the others, spacious and 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 199 
 
 well built. The town has a fine and striking appear., 
 ance at entering, as it lies at the very bottom of the 
 bay like an amphitheatre. It has a town-house, where 
 the courts meet, and the exchange is kept. Round the 
 exchange are a great number of shops. There are 
 several places of public worship. These buildings are 
 lofty and elegant, with towers and spikes. It contains 
 upwards of nine thousand houses, and it is supposed 
 near sixty thousand inhabitants. 
 
 The trade of New England was very great, before 
 the unhappy contest with the parent country. They 
 were the coasters of all North America, the West Indies, 
 and many parts of Europe. 
 
 The activity and enterprize of the inhabitants of this 
 state are wonderful, particularly in the object of their 
 fisheries. Mr. Burke, in his speech in the house of 
 commons, in 1775, has thus characterized and immor¬ 
 talized them : ( ‘ Behold !” says he, u the manner in 
 which the people of New England have carried on the 
 whale fishery. Whilst we follow them among the tum¬ 
 bling mountains of ice, and behold them penetrating 
 into the deepest recesses of Hudson’s Bay and Davis’s 
 Strats! Whilst we are looking for them beneath the 
 arctic circle, we hear that they have pierced into the 
 opposite region of polar cold ! That they are at the 
 antipodes, and engaged under the frozen serpent of the 
 south ! Falkland’s Island, which seemed so remote and 
 romantic an object for the grasp of national ambition, 
 is but a stage and resting place in the progress of 
 their victorious industry ! Nor is the equinoctial heat 
 more discouraging to them than the accumulated winter 
 of both the poles. We know that whilst some of them 
 draw the line and strike the harpoon on the coast of 
 Africa, others run the longitude, and pursue their 
 gigantic game along the coast of the Brazils ! No sea 
 
 C c 
 
500 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 but what is vexed with their fisheries ; no climate that 
 is not witness to their toils ! Neither the perseverance 
 of Holland, nor the activity of France, nor the dexterous 
 and firm sagacity of English enterprise, evei canied 
 this most perilous mode of hardy industry, to the ex¬ 
 tent to which it has been pushed by this recent people; 
 a people, who affe still, as it were, but in the grizzle, 
 and not yet hardened into the bone of manhood. 
 
 Nantucket, in the province of Massachusetts, is a 
 ^mall island, about eighty miles from Boston, and one 
 hundred and twenty from Rhode Island; it is the 
 great nursery for seamen, pilots and fishermen. This 
 island appears to he the summit of some huge sandy 
 sea-mount, ♦affording some acres ot dry land, for the 
 habitation of man. 
 
 The first proprietors of this island, began their career 
 of industry with a single whale-boat, with which they 
 went to fish for cod; the small distance from their 
 shores, at which they caught it, enabled them soon to 
 encrease their business, and those early successes, first 
 led them to conceive that they might likewise catch 
 the whales, which hitherto sported undisturbed on 
 their banks; after many trials, and several miscarriages 
 they succeeded. Thus they proceeded step by step. 
 The profits of one successful enterprise, helped them 
 to purchase and prepare better materials for a more 
 extensive one; as these were attended with little costs, 
 their profits grew greater. The south sides of the 
 island from east to west, were divided into four equal 
 parts, and each part, was assigned to a company of 
 six, which though thus separated still carried on their 
 business in common. In the middle of this distance, 
 they erected a mast, provided with a sufficient num¬ 
 ber of rounds, and near it they built a temporary 
 hut, where five of the associates lived, whilst the sixth 
 7 from this high station, carefully looked toward the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 2C i 
 
 sea, in order to observe the spouting of the whales. 
 Thus they went on, until the profits they made, 
 enabled them to purchase larger vessels, and to pur¬ 
 sue them farther. When the whales quitted their 
 coasts, those who failed in their enterprises, returned 
 to the cod fisheries, which had been their first school, 
 and their first resource ; they even began to visit the 
 banks of Cape Breton, the Isle of Sable, and all the 
 other fishing places with which this coast abounds. 
 By degrees they went a whaling to Newfoundland, to 
 the Gulph of St. Laurence, to the Straits of Belleisle, 
 the coast of Labrador, Davis’s Straits, even to Cape 
 Desolation in 10° of latitude; where the Danes carry 
 on soipe fisheries, in spite of the perpetual severities 
 of that inhospitable climate. In process of time they 
 visited the Western Islands, the latitude of 34° famous 
 for that fish, the Brazils, the coast of Guinea, Falk¬ 
 land’s Islands, and the South Sea. Their confidence is 
 so great, and their knowledge of this branch of busi¬ 
 ness so superior to that of any other people, that 
 they have acquired a monopoly of this commodity. 
 Such were their feeble beginnings, such the infancy 
 and progress of their maritime schemes; such is now 
 the degree of boldness and activity to which they are 
 arrived in their manhood. After their examples several 
 companies have been formed in many of the capitals, 
 where every necessary article of provisions, implements 
 and timber, are to be found. But the industry ex¬ 
 erted by the people of Nantucket, has hitherto enabled 
 them to rival all their competitors; consequently this 
 is the greatest mart for oil, whale bone, and sper¬ 
 maceti, on the continent. They possess like the 
 generality of Americans, a large share ot native pene¬ 
 tration, activity and good sense, which leads them to 
 a variety of other secondary schemes, too tedious to 
 mention: they are well acquainted with the cheapest 
 
 C c 2 
 
202 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 method of procuring lumber from Kennebec river, 
 Penobscot, &c. pitch and tar from North Carolina; 
 flour and biscuit from Philadelphia; and beef and pork 
 from Connecticut. They know how to exchange their 
 cod-fish and West Indian produce for those articles, 
 which they are continually either bringing to their 
 island, or sending off to other places where they are 
 wanted. By means of all those commercial negotia¬ 
 tions, they have greatly cheapened the fitting out of 
 their whaling fleets, and therefore much improved 
 their fisheries. 
 
 The vessels most proper for whale fishing, are brigs 
 of about one hundred and fifty tons burthen, particu¬ 
 larly when they are intended for distant latitudes. 
 They always man them with thirteen hands, in order 
 that they may row two boats; the crews of which 
 must necessarily consist of six, four at the oars, one 
 standing on the bows with the harpoon, and the 
 other at the helm. It is also necessary that there 
 should be two of these boats, that if one should be 
 destroyed in attacking the whale, the other, which is 
 never engaged at the same time, may be ready to 
 save the hands. Five of the thirteen are always Indians, 
 the last of the complement remains on board to steer 
 the vessel during the action. They have no wages, 
 each draws a certain established share, in partnership 
 with the proprietor of the vessel, by which (economy 
 they are all pvoportionably concerned in thfc success 
 of the enterprise, and all equally alert and vigilant. 
 These whale-men seldom exceed the age of forty. 
 
 As soon as they arrive in those latitudes where 
 they expect to meet with whales, a man is sent up 
 to the mast head; if he sees one, he immediately 
 cries out u a WAITE paw ANA,” “ Here is a whale;” they 
 then all remain still and silent until he repeats u pawana,” 
 “ A whale” when in less than six minutes, the boats arc 
 
AMERICAN WAR. ^03 
 
 launched, and filled with every implement necessary for 
 the attack. They row toward the whale with astonish¬ 
 ing velocity. There are various ways of approaching 
 the whale, according to their peculiar species; and 
 this previous knowledge is ot the utmost consecpience. 
 When these boats are arrived at a reasonable distance, 
 one of them rests on its oars, and stands off', as a 
 witness of the approaching engagement; near the bows 
 of the other the harpooner stands up, and on him 
 principally depends the success of the enterprise. He 
 wears a jacket closely buttoned, and round his head 
 a handkerchief lightly bound: in his hands he holds 
 the dreadful weapon, made of the best steel, marked 
 sometimes with the name of their town, and some¬ 
 times with that of their vessel; to the shaft of which 
 the end of a cord of due strength, coiled tip with 
 the utmost care in the middle of the boat, is firmly 
 tied; the other end is fastened to the bottom of 
 the boat. Thus prepared, they row in profound si¬ 
 lence, leaving the whole conduct of the enterprise 
 to the harpooner and to the steersman, attentively 
 following their directions. When the former judges 
 himself to be near enough to the whale, that is, at 
 the distance of about fifteen feet, he bids them stop ; 
 perhaps she has a calf, whose safety attracts all the 
 attention of a dam, which is a favourable circum. 
 stance; perhaps she is of a dangerous specie^, audit 
 is the safest to retire, though their ardour will seldom 
 permit them ; perhaps she is asleep, in that case he 
 balances high the harpoon, trying in this important 
 moment to collect all the energy of which he is 
 capable. He launches it forth—she is struck: from 
 her first movement they judge of her temper, as well 
 of their future success. Sometimes, in the immediate 
 impulse of rage, she will attack the boat and demolish 
 it with one stroke of her tail; in an instant the frail 
 
204 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 vehicle disappears', and the assailants are immersed in 
 the dreadful element. Were the whale armed with the 
 jaws of the shark, and as voracious, they never would 
 return home to amuse their listening wives with the 
 interesting tale of the adventure. At other times she 
 will dive and disappear from hucnan sight, and every 
 thing must then give^ way to her velocity, or else 
 all is lost; sometimes she will swim away as if un¬ 
 touched, and draw the cord with such swiftness that 
 it will set the edge oi the boat on fire by the fric-: 
 tion. If she rises" before she has run out the whole 
 length, she is looked upon as a sure prey. The blood 
 she has lost in her flight, weakens her so much, that 
 if she sinks again, it is but for a short time; the 
 boats follow her course with an almost ecpi«o speed. 
 She soon re-appears; tired at last with convulsing..the 
 element, which she tinges with her blood, she dies, 
 and floats on the surface. At other limes i‘ may hap¬ 
 pen, that she is dangerously wounded, though she car¬ 
 ries the harpoon fast in her body ; when she will iiter- 
 nately dive and rise, and swim on with nabated 
 vigour. She then soon reaches beyond the length of 
 v the cord, and carries the boat along with amazing velo¬ 
 city; this sudden impediment sometimes will retard 
 her speed, at other times it only serves to rouse her 
 anger, and to accelerate her progress. The harpooner, 
 with the axe in his hands, stands ready. When he 
 observes that the bows of the boat are greatly pul¬ 
 led down by the diving whale, and that it begins 
 to sink deep and take much water, he brings the axe 
 almost in contact with the cord; he pauses, still 
 flattering himself that she will relax ; but the moment 
 grows critical, unavoidable danger approaches; some¬ 
 times men more intent on gain, than on the preservation 
 of their lives, will run great risks; and it is wonder¬ 
 ful how far these people have carried their daring 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 205 
 
 courage at this awful moment! But it is in vain to 
 hope'; their lives must be saved, the cord is cut, the 
 boat rises again. If after thus getting loose, she re¬ 
 appears, they will attack and wound her a second 
 time. She soon dies, and when dead, she is towed 
 along side of their vessel, where she is fastened. 
 
 The next operation is to cut with axes and spades, 
 every part of her body which yields oil; the kettles 
 are set a boiling, they fill their barrels as fast as it 
 is made; but as this operation is much slower than 
 that of cutting up, they fill the hold of their ship 
 with those fragments, least a storm should arise and 
 oblige them to abandon their prize. They frequently 
 produce from one hundred and fifty, to two hundred 
 barrels of oil. After having once vanquished this 
 leviathan, there are two enemies to be dreaded, be¬ 
 side the wind; the first of which is the shark. That 
 fierce voracious fish, often comes alongside, and shares 
 with them on their prey. They are very mischievous ; 
 but the second enemy is much more terrible and irre¬ 
 sistible ; it is the killer, sometimes called the thrasher, 
 a species of whale about thirty feet long. They are 
 possessed of such a degree of agility and fierceness, 
 as often to attack the largest spermaceti whales; and 
 not seldom to rob the fishermen of their prey, nor is 
 there any means of defence against so potent an ad- 
 versarv. When all their barrels are full, (for every 
 thing is done at sea,) or when their limited time is 
 expired, and their stores almost expended, they return 
 home, freighted with their valuable cargo. 
 
 The following are the names, and principal character¬ 
 istics of the various species of whales, known to these 
 people. 
 
 The river St. Laurence whale. 
 
 The diska, or Greenland do. 
 
 The right whale, or seven feet bone, common on 
 the coasts of this country, about sixty feet long. 
 
206 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The spermaceti whale found all over the world, 
 and of all sizes; the longest are sixty feet* and yield 
 about one hundred barrels of oil. 
 
 The hump back, on the coast of Newfoundland, 
 from fort}' to seventy feet in length. 
 
 The finn back, an American whale, never killed, as 
 being too swift. 
 
 The sulphur bottom, river St. Laurence, ninety feet 
 long; they are but seldom killed, being extremely 
 swift. 
 
 The grampies, thirty feet long ; never killed, on the 
 same account. 
 
 The killer, or thrasher, about thirty feet; they often 
 kill the other whales, with which they are at per¬ 
 petual war. 
 
 The black fish whale, twenty feet, yields from eight 
 to ten barrels. 
 
 The porpoise, weighing about one hundred and 
 sixty pounds weight. 
 
 In 1769, they fitted out one hundred and twenty 
 five whalemen; the first fifty that returned brought 
 with them eleven thousand and six barrels of oil. In 
 1770 they fitted out one hundred and thirty five vessels 
 for the fisheries, at thirteen hands each; four West 
 India men, twelve hands ; twenty five wood vessels, 
 four hands; eighteen coasters five hands; fifteen Lon¬ 
 don traders, eleven hands. All these amount to two 
 thousand one hundred and fifty-eight hands, employ¬ 
 ed in one hundred and ninety-seven vessels.* 
 
 * The Americans were undoubtedly injured in many valuable 
 branches of trade, by the separation from the mother country. 
 Their ship trade, in consequence of the revolution, received 
 a great check. Their market for oil is not equal in France, 
 to that which they formerly found for it in-England. Shortly 
 after the American war, the king of France offered the people 
 of Nantucket a settlement at Dunkirk, with many immunities 
 and privileges, such as building them a town, exempting 
 them from taxes, and allowing them the free exercise ©t 
 
207 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 “ Marriage is so highly respected that all persons 
 marry here, and marry early, and the women are almost 
 universally the happy mothers of a numerous offspring. 
 Their children, born by the sea side, hear the roaring of 
 its waves as soon as they come into the world ; it is the 
 first noise with which they become acquainted, and by 
 early plunging into the water, they acquire that boldness, 
 that presence of mind and dexterity, which makes them 
 ever after such expert seamen. They often hear their 
 fathers recount the adventures of their youth, their 
 combats with the whales; and these recitals imprint on 
 their opening minds, an early curiosity and taste for 
 the same life. They often cross the sea to go to the main¬ 
 land, and learn even in those short voyages, how to 
 qualify themselves for longer and more dangerous ones ; 
 they are therefore deservedly conspicuous for their 
 maritime knowledge and experience, all over the con¬ 
 tinent. A man born here, is distinguishable by his 
 gait, from an hundred other men, so remarkable are 
 they for a pliability of sinews, and a peculiar agility 
 which attends them even to old acre. 
 
 O 
 
 “ In the name of honour, humanity, and justice, let 
 not one part of the quaker’s conduct be forgotten! 
 there is not a slave on the whole island, at least, 
 among the Friends ; whilst slavery prevails all around 
 them, this society alone, lamenting that shocking in¬ 
 sult offered to humanity, has given the world a 
 singular example of moderation, disinterestedness, and 
 Christian charity, in emancipating their negroes. 
 
 “ Idleness is the most heinous crime that can be com¬ 
 mitted in Nantucket: an idle man would soon be 
 
 their own religion ; in consequence of which many went there. 
 But all, or at least the greater part of these privileges have been 
 lost by the changes in the French government; and they now 
 suffer a dimunition in their trade without any equivalent to 
 indemnify them for the loss. 
 
 D d 
 
Ifl 
 
 203 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 pointed out as an object of compassion; for idleness 
 is considered as another word for want and hunger. 
 Tills principle is so thoroughly well understood, and 
 is become so universal, so prevailing a prejudice, that 
 literally speaking, they are never idle. Even if they 
 go to the market place, which is, if I may be allowed 
 the expression, the coffee-house of the town, either to 
 transact business, or to converse with their friends; 
 they always have a piece of cedar in their hands, 
 and while they are talking, they will, as it were in¬ 
 tuitively,- employ themselves in converting it into 
 something useful, either a bung or spoil for their oil 
 casks, or some other article.” 
 
 In the summer of the year 1T78, the captured Army 
 was ordered to remove from Prospect-hill to Rutland 
 County, about fifty miles to the south of Boston. 
 Here we were confined in a sort of penn or fence^ 
 which was constructed in the following manner t A 
 great number of trees were ordered to be cut down 
 in the woods, these were sharpened at each end, and 
 drove firmly into the earth very close together, en¬ 
 closing a space of about two or three acres. American 
 sentinels were planted on the outside of this fence, at 
 convenient distances, in order to prevent our getting 
 out. At one angle, a gate was erected, and on 
 the outside thereof stood the guard house; two sentinels 
 were constantly posted at this gate; and no one could get 
 out unless he had a pass from the officer of the guard ; 
 but this was a privilege in which very few were indulged. 
 Boards and nails were given the British in order to 
 make them temporary huts, to secure them from the 
 rain, and the heat of the sun. The provisions were 
 rice and salt pork, delivered with a scanty hand. 
 The officers were allowed to lodge in the farm houses, 
 which lay contiguous to the penn ; they were permit- 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 209 
 
 ted likewise to come in amongst their men for the pur¬ 
 pose of roll-call, and other matters of regularity. 
 
 While the captured troops remained here, Sir Henry 
 Clinton, the commander in chief in New York, ap¬ 
 plied again to congress, in behalf of general Burgoyne’s 
 army. In a letter to Henry Laurence, Esq. president 
 of congress, dated New York, September 19th, 1778, 
 he acquaints the congress that his Majesty had given 
 him positive injunctions to repeat the demand, that 
 the convention of Saratoga be fulfilled according to 
 the conditions stipulated by lieutenant general Burgoyne, 
 in respect to the troops serving under his command, 
 and to require permission for their embarkation; to this 
 letter, congress sent the following answer : 
 
 “ Sir,—Your letter of the 19th was laid before con¬ 
 gress, and I am directed to inform you, that the congress 
 make no answer to insolent letters. Signed, 
 
 “ Charges Thompson, Sec.” 
 
 Soon after the intelligence of the capture of general 
 Burgoyne’s army reached Europe, the court of France 
 openly avowed a treaty of amnesty, commerce, and 
 alliance with the United States. France, from the be¬ 
 ginning of the contest, had secretly encouraged the 
 Americans in their opposition, and supplied them libe¬ 
 rally with the means of defence, while at the same time 
 they amused Great Britain with declarations of the most 
 pacific disposition. 
 
 “ On the 7th of April, the duke of Richmond, in 
 the house of lords moved an address to the king on 
 the state of the nation. In his speech in support of 
 this address, his grace declared in strong terms, his 
 conviction of the necessity of an immediate recogni¬ 
 tion of American independence. “ The mischief, 
 he said, ii whatever might be the magnitude of it, 
 was already done; America was already lost; her 
 
210 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 independence was as firmly established as that of other 
 states. We had sufficient cause for regret, but our 
 lamentation on the subject was of no more avail than it 
 would be for the loss of Normandy and France. ’ The 
 earl of Chatham in expectation that this point would 
 come under discussion that day, resolved, however en¬ 
 feebled and afflicted by his corporeal infirmities, to 
 make his appearance before the house, in order to 
 bear his decided testimony against it. The mind feels 
 interested in the minutest circumstances relating to the 
 last day of the public life of this renowned statesman 
 and patriot. He was dressed in a rich suit of black velvet, 
 with a full wig, and covered up to the knees in flannel. 
 Pn his arrival in the house, he refreshed himself in the 
 lord chancellor’s room, where he staid till prayers were 
 over, and till he was informed that business was going 
 to begin. He was then led into the house, by his son, 
 ^nd son-in-law, Mr. William Pitt, and lord viscount 
 Mahon, all the lords standing up out of respect, 
 and making a lane for him to pass to his own bench . 
 he bowed respectfully to them as he proceeded. He 
 looked pale and emaciated, but his eye retained all it* 
 native fire; which joined to his general deportment, 
 and, the attention of the house, formed a spectacle very 
 striking and impressive. 
 
 66 When the duke of Richmond had sat down, lord 
 Chatham rose, and began by lamenting “ that his bodily 
 infirmities had so long, and at so important a crisis pre¬ 
 vented his attendance on the duties of parliament. He 
 declared, that he had made an effort almost beyond the 
 powers of his constitution, to come down to the house 
 on this day, perhaps the last time he should ever enter 
 its walls, to express the indignation he felt at the idea 
 which he understood was gone forth, of yielding up 
 the sovereignty of America: my lords,” continued he. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 2H 
 
 u I rejoice that the grave has not closed upon me, that 
 I am still alive to lift up my voice against the dismem¬ 
 berment of this ancient and noble monarchy. Pressed 
 down as I am by a load of infirmity, I am little 
 able to assist my country in this most perilous con¬ 
 juncture ; but, my lords, while I have sense and memory, 
 I never will consent to tarnish the lustre of this nation 
 by an ignominious surrender of its rights and fairest 
 possessions. Shall a people so lately the terror of the 
 world, now fall prostrate before the house of Bourbon? 
 It is impossible. I am not, I confess, well informed 
 of the resources of this kingdom, but I trust it has 
 still sufficient to maintain its just rights, though I know 
 them not. Let us at least make one effort, and if we 
 must fall, let us fall like men.” 
 
 “ The duke of Richmond, in reply, declared himself to 
 be u totally ignorant of the means by which we were 
 to resist with success the combination of America with 
 the house of Bourbon. lie urged the noble lord to 
 point out any possible mode, if he were able to do 
 it, of making the Americans renounce that indepen¬ 
 dence of which they were in possession. His grace 
 added, that if HE could not, no man could; and that it 
 was not in his power to. change his opinion on the 
 noble lord’s authority, unsupported by any reasons, 
 but a recital of the calamities arising from things not 
 in the power of this country to alter.” 
 
 “ Lord Chatham, who had appeared greatly moved during 
 the reply, made an eager effort to rise at the conclusion 
 of it, as if laboring with some great idea, and impatient 
 to give full scope to his feelings; but before he could 
 utter a word, pressing his hand on his bosom, he fell 
 down suddenly in a convulsive fit. The duke of 
 Cumberland, lord Temple, and other lords near him, 
 caught him in their arms. The house was immediately 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 212 
 
 cleared, and his lordship being carried into an adjoin¬ 
 ing apartment, the debate was adjourned. Medical 
 assistance being obtained, bis lordship in some degree 
 recovered, and was conveyed to his favorite villa, 
 of Hayes, in Kent, where, after lingering some few 
 weeks, he expired, May 11* 1TJS, in the seventieth 
 year of his age.” 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 t » • ‘ ' 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 The Americans, raise an Army. Warlike Stores sent 
 from France for their use . . Loyal Provincials cm- 
 bodied and placed tinder Governor Try on. Expe¬ 
 
 dition to Peek's Kill. To Danbury. General 
 Wooster killedMemoir of that Gentleman. Vessels 
 Kc. destroyed by the Americans at Sagg Harbour. 
 General Prescot carried off from Rhode Island. Lord 
 Sterling repulsed. Washington regains his strong 
 Camp in the Jerseys. British troops embark. Arrive 
 at the River Elk. Action at BrandyAVine. Lord 
 Cornwallis takes possession of Philadelphia. Works 
 constructed to render the passage of the Delaware 
 impracticable. Action at German-town. Mud Island 
 and Red Bank abandoned by the Americans. General 
 - Howe returns with the British troops to Philadelphia. 
 Americans encaynp at Valley Forge. 
 
 It is now time that we should return to general Howe’s 
 army, which we left at the conclusion of Chap. VIII. 
 at New Brunswick. The reader will recollect that the 
 American head quarters were then at Morristown. 
 
 While the British troops lay at Brunswick and 
 Amboy, congress was indefatigable in recruiting their 
 army ; at Morristown ninety-six battalions were ordered to 
 be raised for the service of the United States, and in some 
 of the colonies the enlisting of apprentices and of Irish 
 indented servants, was^ permitted; this army was distin- 
 
214 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 guished by the name of continentals, and in addition 
 to their pay and bounty, they were promised one hun¬ 
 dred a cres of land at the conclusion of the wai. 
 
 Early in the spring of 1117, twenty-one thousand 
 stand of arms, and one thousand barrels of powder were 
 sent from France, and arrived in America, for the use 
 of the continental army. 
 
 On the other side a considerable body of provincial 
 troops was formed under the auspices of general Sir 
 William Howe. They included not only Americans, but 
 British and Irish refugees, from the different parts of the 
 continent, and were officered by those gentlemen who 
 for their attachment to the royal cause, had been olliged 
 to abandon their respective provinces. Governor Tryon, 
 who already, in his civil capacity, commanded the militia, 
 and who had taken the utmost pains in its establish¬ 
 ment, was now placed at the head of these new levies 
 under the title and rank of major general. 
 
 Before the royal army took the field, in prosecution 
 of the main business of this campaign, two enterprises, 
 for the destruction of the American stores, were under¬ 
 taken, the first was conducted by colonel Bird, who 
 in March landed with five hundred men, at Peck’s 
 Kill, near fifty miles from New York. The Americans 
 upon the approach of the British troops, set fire 
 to the barracks and principal store houses, and then re¬ 
 treated to a strong pass in the mountains. The loss 
 of provisions and other valuable articles was conside- 
 rable. 
 
 In April, major general Tryon, brigadier general 
 Agnew, and Sir William Erskine, with a detachment 
 of two thousand men, embarked at New York, and 
 ' passing through the Sound landed between Fairfield 
 and Norfolk the next day. They now perceived that 
 the country was rising to intercept their return, and 
 as no carriages could be procured to bring off the stores, 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 215 
 
 they set fire to the magazine; in the execution of this 
 service, eighteen houses, which were built near the ma- 
 gazine, were unavoidably burned. 
 
 The detachment returned by the way of Ridgefield, 
 and was greatly harassed by the enemy under generals 
 Wooster and Arnold. While Wooster hung upon the 
 rear of the British, Arnold by crossing the country gained 
 their front, and got possession of Ridgefield \ here 
 they found the American general covered by an in- 
 trenchment which lie had hastily thrown up. The vi U 
 Iage was forced, and the Americans drove back on all 
 sides. The action, while it lasted, was sharp. Arnold 
 displayed his usual intrepidity. PI is horse having been 
 shot under him, while he was extricating himself, a 
 British soldier advanced to run him through with his 
 bayonet, but he shot him dead with his pistol, and 
 got off safe.* 
 
 General Tryon remained that night at Ridgefield, and 
 renewed bis march the next morning. The enemy 
 having been reinforced with troops and cannon, the 
 British were exceedingly harrassed, during their march. 
 Early in the evening the detachment gained the hill of 
 Campo, within cannon shot of their ships, and formed. 
 The Americans were now assembled in great numbers, 
 and seemed determined on an attack. General Tryon 
 ordered the British troops to advance and charge with 
 their bayonets. This order was executed with such 
 impetuosity, that the enemy was totally broken and 
 dispersed. 
 
 The troops were now embarked without molestation. » 
 The loss of the British in killed, wounded, and missing, 
 amounting to one hundred and seventy two, of whom < 
 
 * Congress voted that a horse properly caparisoned should 
 be presented to general Arnold, in their name, as a token of 
 his gallant.conduct on that day. 
 
 Ee 
 
216 
 
 JOURNAL OP THE 
 
 more than two-thirds were wounded. NoBritish officer 
 was killed. It was supposed the Americans lost double 
 that number. 
 
 Several of the American officers were killed and 
 wounded ; among the former doctor Atwater, a gen¬ 
 tleman of respectable character and considerable influ¬ 
 ence. General Wooster, though seventy years old, be¬ 
 haved with the vigor of youth; and received a mortal wound. 
 
 The Americans were very industrous in calling forth 
 all the military talent of the country. Neither the extreme 
 of youth, or advanced age, formed any impediment to 
 their actual service. Brigadier general Wooster, (like 
 Putnam) was in the decline of life, when the troubles 
 began. He was born at Newhaven, in Connecticut, 
 a province of New England, in the jear nil. His 
 father was a man of great wealth and connexions; 
 and this, his only son, received a liberal education. 
 High in blood, and fraught with youthful ardour, 
 the whole bent of his disposition seemed turned to¬ 
 wards the pursuits of a soldier, tor him the military 
 life appeared to possess every attraction. And his 
 father, it should appear, by no means wished or at¬ 
 tempted to turn aside the current of his temper. He 
 entered the army when but twenty years of age; and 
 gained an high reputation from the many events in 
 which he signalized his courage and intrepidity. In 
 the war between France and England, when America 
 was the scene of action, he distinguished himself in a 
 manner much to his honor. He commanded a com¬ 
 pany in general Pepperall’s regiment of foot, was present 
 at the taking of Cape Breton, to the reduction of which 
 place, the corps in which he served very much contribu¬ 
 ted, and during the whole war reaped those laurels in 
 America, which raised his name to no inconsiderable height 
 
 on both sides the Atlantic. After the peace, in 
 his regiment was reduced, and he returned home to 
 

 AMERICAN WAR. 2 I7 
 
 the bosom of his relatives. His father being dead, 1 
 lie became the inheritor of his estate, and the greater 
 part of his wealth. It was at this period, or shortly 
 after, that he married Miss Boroughs, a young 
 lady of Rehoboth, near Providence, This marriage 
 brought him a large accession of property ; and thus 
 circumstanced, he resolved on retiring from the army, 
 and enjoying the charms of domestic ease and retire¬ 
 ment. He accordingly placed himself on the half-pay 
 list, in which he continued ’till the year 1776. 
 
 When the troubles in America proved too violent 
 for any peaceable adjustment, and by repeated acts 
 of hostility, the parent country was at last roused to 
 arms, Clinton, Burgoyne, the Howes, and other dis¬ 
 tinguished officers were sent to America. The congress 
 thus opposed by experience and valour took on their 
 part, the wisest resolutions which human sagacity could 
 dictate; they determined likewise to call forth into 
 action the greatest military talents which America 
 could furnish.* Agreeable to this resolve, it may be 
 naturally imagined that they could not easily pass by 
 such a character as captain Wooster. A most respect¬ 
 ful invitation was sent desiring him ii to assist 
 Ins native country in the hour of her calamity.” 
 Embosomed in the affections of a beloved family, he 
 yet felt, and acknowledged the superior motive. He 
 obeyed tbe mandate, and was appointed a brigadier 
 general in the service of congress. This, as might 
 have been expected, caused bis name to be im¬ 
 mediately struck off the half pay list. He was then 
 tar advanced in years ; but he entered a second time 
 
 * Mqre than one third of the soldiers in the American 
 ranks had formerly been in the British service; and what 
 was still worse, these men were indefatigable in training the 
 raw recruits to the use of arms. 
 
 Ee 2 
 
 
2i8 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 on the military jifip with all the avidity of youth. 
 
 It was an unhappy circumstance for England, that 
 some of the bravest and most experienced officers in 
 her pay, then residing in America, turned against he 
 and supported the insurrection. To this, perhaps, 
 much more than to any other cause, was America 
 indebted for her ultimate success. This was precisely 
 the case with regard to general Wooster. In several 
 affairs of minor importance, but which in the end 
 led to matters of the highest consequence, his know¬ 
 ledge of the art of war, rendered essential services to 
 the party to whom he attached himself, until at last, 
 when Montgomery was defeated before Quebec, geneial 
 Wooster, wjy* ordered to march to the relief of the 
 besiegers. In this, however, his former success deserted 
 him, as the reader has already been informed. 
 
 On account of one circumstance which attaches it¬ 
 self to this country, it may be worth while to mention 
 general Wooster’s issue, a son and daughter. The 
 former was finishing his education in England. When 
 the American troubles broke out, he came over to Ireland, 
 and the rupture between the two countries preventing 
 the regularity of his remittances from America, his 
 circumstances became, from youthful extravagance much 
 involved, until at last he was arrested, and thrown 
 into the Four Courts Marshalsea. All the letters and 
 remittances from his father being of course, intercep. 
 ted by the British government, the young man remained 
 in confinement, until general Wooster, through anothei 
 channel, sent him money to pay his debts, the re- 
 mainder of which enabled him, (though contrary to 
 his father’s commands) to leave the country. The 
 general, fearful of the issue of the American struggle, 
 had positively enjoined young Wooster to remain it* 
 England until the war was terminated. This injunc¬ 
 tion however he disobeyed j and as soon as he gained 
 
219 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 the American shore, actually joined that part of the 
 continental army which his father commanded. 
 
 The following is the inscription on a monument 
 greeted in honor of general Wooster, by order of 
 congress: 
 
 In honor of 
 DAVID WOOSTER, 
 
 Brigadier general of the army of the 
 United States, 
 
 In defending the liberties of America 
 and bravely repelling the inroads of the British 
 Troops to Danbury, in Connecticut; 
 
 He received a Mortal Wound 
 on the 27th April, 1777, 
 and Died on the 2d May following. 
 
 The Congress of the United States, as an 
 acknowledgement of his merit and services, have 
 caused this Monument to be erected. 
 
 Four hundred dollars were allowed for erecting this 
 monument. 
 
 On the 24th of Ma}', colonel Meigs, an enterprising 
 American officer, (who had attended Arnold in the ex¬ 
 pedition to Quebec, and had been taken prisoner in 
 the attempt to storm that city, as before related) 
 having passed his detachment, consisting of one hun¬ 
 dred and seventy men in whale boats over the Sound, 
 which separates Long Island from Connecticut, landed 
 on the north branch of Long Island, within four 
 miles of Sagg harbour, and notwithstanding the re¬ 
 sistance they met with from the guard and crews of 
 the vessels, they fully completed their design, having 
 burned twelve sloops and brigs which lay at the 
 wharf, and entirely destroyed every thing on the 
 shore, they brought off* with them about ninety 
 prisoners, consisting of the officer who commanded. 
 

 220 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 with his men, and most of the masters and crews 
 of the small vessels which they destroyed. A circum¬ 
 stance which renders this expedition particularly curious, 
 that the colonel and his party returned to Guilford in 
 Connecticut, in twenty-five hours from the time of 
 their departure, having in that short time, not only com¬ 
 pleted the object of their expedition, but traversed by land 
 and water a space not less than ninety miles. However this 
 may be, congress ordered an elegant sword to be pre¬ 
 sented to colonel Meigs for his good conduct in this 
 expedition. About six weeks after the above transaction, 
 another daring enterprise was executed. The circum¬ 
 stance was as follows. The British troops on Rhode 
 Island, were divided into two large encampments, one 
 covering the town, the other subdivided into three parts, 
 and stationed towards the northern extremity of the 
 Island. For the convenience of being as near as possi¬ 
 ble to all those encampments, general Prescot, wh© 
 commanded the troops, slept every night in the middle 
 between them, about five miles distance from each 
 extremity, and about half a mile from the western coast 
 of the Island; this place be thought secure, by its 
 great distance from the main land, and by means of some 
 ships of war which were stationed along that coast, at 
 no greater distance from it than two miles. However, 
 an American colonel of the name of Burton, accom¬ 
 panied by forty volunteers, passed from Warrick 
 Neck to Rhode Island, a distance of ten miles, by 
 water, eluded the guard ships, and landed about twelve 
 o’clock at night at the opening of a ravine, into which 
 they crept, and proceeded undiscovered to the general’s 
 quarters, and carried off the general, his aid de camp, 
 and the sentinel. The enterprise was conducted with 
 so much silence and address, that no alarm was 
 given, though a guard was at a very little 
 distance from the bouse, until Burton and bis party 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 221 
 
 had nearly reached the continent with their prize. 
 Congress resolved that an elegant sword should be pre¬ 
 sented to colonel Burton, as a testimonial of his gallant 
 behaviour. 
 
 Towards the latter end of May, general Washington 
 quitted his winter encampment at Morristown, and took 
 a strong position on the high lands round Middle- 
 brook, in the vicinity of Brunswick. In this strong 
 position he threw up works along the front of his 
 lines, but his principle advantage was the difficulty 
 to approach his camp, the ground being so judiciously 
 occupied as to expose the British to every kind of 
 danger in the attempt. On the one side he covered 
 the Jerseys, and on the other, he observed the motions 
 of the British army at Brunswick, of which he com¬ 
 manded a full prospect. 
 
 Many stratagems were employed by the British 
 general, to draw Washington from this strong situation. 
 On the 24 th of June, general Howe, suddenly re¬ 
 linquished his position in front of the Americans, and 
 retired to Amboy; at the same time preparations were 
 made for passing the army to Staten Island, this feint 
 had the desired effect, for as soon as the British army 
 began to move, intelligence was received that Washington 
 had moved down from the mountain, and taken post 
 at Quibble Town, intending to attack the rear of the 
 British army ; general Howe lost no time in endeavour* 
 ing to profit by this movement of the Americans ’ 
 he immediately marched the army back, by different 
 routes, in order to cut off some of the advanced parties 
 of the enemy, and likewise, if possible, to bring 
 Washington to a general engagement in the neighbour¬ 
 hood of Quibble Town ; at the same time lord Cornwallis 
 with his column, was directed to take a considerable 
 circuit to the right, and by turning the enemy s left, 
 take possession of some passes in the mountains, which 
 
222 JOURNAL OF T1IE 
 
 ^ 
 
 had hitherto afforded them so advantageous a security. 
 Soon after lord Cornwallis marched with his column, 
 he fell in with a division of American troops, com¬ 
 manded by lord Sterling, whom he found advan¬ 
 tageously posted in a country much covered with 
 wood, and his artillery well disposed; the king’s 
 troops attacked them with the greatest impetuosity, 
 and after a short conflict the Americans dispersed on 
 all sides, leaving behind them three pieces of brass 
 ordnance, three captains, sixty men killed, and up¬ 
 wards of two hundred officers and men, wounded and 
 taken prisoners. 
 
 The British troops had five men killed, and thirty 
 wounded, captain Finch of the light company of 
 the guards was the only officer who suffered; the 
 wound he received proved mortal, and he died at Amboy 
 on the 29th of June, greatly regretted by the 
 British army. The troops engaged in this action 
 were the 1st battalion of guards, queen’s rangers, 
 1st battalion light infantry, 1st battalion of grenadiers, 
 and 3d battalion of Hessian grenadiers. The enemy 
 was pursued to Westfield, with little effect ; for 
 Washington seeing his error, immediately retook posses- 
 siorr%f his strong camp on the hills, and secured those 
 strong passes on the mountains, the possession of which, 
 by the British troops, would have exposed his whole army 
 to certain ruin. 
 
 General Howe, now found it necessary to make an 
 attempt on Philadelphia by sea. 
 
 About this time the following humane order was 
 sent from the war office tor general Howe. 
 
 ic If a wound shall be received in action by any com¬ 
 missioned officer, which shall occasion the loss of an 
 eye, or a limb, he shall receive a gratuity in money 
 of one year’s full pay, and be further allowed such 
 ex peaces relating to his care (if not performed at the 
 
\ 
 
 American wai*. m 
 
 kingls charge,) as shall be certified to be reasonable 
 by the surgeon general of the army, and inspector 
 general of regimental infirmaries, upon examination of 
 the vouchers which he shall lay before them. 
 
 66 If the wounds received shall not amount to the loss 
 of a limb, the charge of cure only shall be allowed, 
 certified as above. When any commissioned officer 
 shall lose an eye or a limb as aforesaid* the com¬ 
 manding officer of the corps in which he serves, shall 
 deliver to him a certificate, specifying the time when, 
 and the place where the said accident happened; a 
 duplicate of which certificate, shall likewise be trans¬ 
 mitted with the next monthly returns. When any 
 commissioned officer shall be killed in action, his 
 widow and orphan children (if he leave any) shall be 
 allowed as follows: 
 
 c( The widow, a full year’s pay' according to her hus¬ 
 band’s regimental commission: each child under age, 
 and unmarried, one third of what is allowed to the 
 widow; posthumous children to be included. 
 
 “ All persons dy ing of their wounds, within six months 
 after battle, shall be deemed slain in action. 
 
 “ The commanding officers of corps, in which the 
 slain officer served, shall, on demand, give a cer¬ 
 tificate of his being killed in action, to his surviving 
 wife and orphans respectively, specifying the time 
 when, and the place where, the said accident happened, 
 a duplicate of which, shall likewise be transmitted 
 with the next monthly returns.” 
 
 It was about this time that colonel Maclean left 
 New York, to join his new-raised troops in Halifax 
 and Canada. He was a meritorious officer, and inde^ 
 fatisable in his exertions to obtain men for the service. 
 
 Lieutenant colonel Maclean’s corps ot emigrants, 
 though part).v raised in 1775, had not, from their 
 
 r f 
 
521 journal of the 
 
 dispersed situation, which compelled them to serve in dif¬ 
 ferent parts of America, an opportunity of being reviewed, 
 or of receiving their colours in due form. The battalions, 
 however were reviewed in June last, 1111, by gener. 
 Massey, at Halifax, when their appearance gave universal 
 satisfaction to the general and the spectators. Previous 
 to the review, their colours were consecrated, and their 
 respective chaplains, preached a sermon suitable to 
 the occasion. An oath was then solemnly administered 
 to each individual; and the commanding officer delivered 
 a charge to the men, which it is presumed may not be 
 •unacceptable to many readers, particularly to young 
 officers and soldiers, who have never been present 
 at any ceremony of the kind. The substance was 
 
 as follows: 
 
 tt Man is born under obligations of conforming to 
 the rules of propriety and rectitude, and with a passion 
 for the applause which is due to virtuous actions. 
 
 <4 While inferior professions hold out sordid views as 
 a spur to emulation, the object of the military is of 
 the* most sublime nature, viz. to perform gallant 
 actions, that shall gain the approbation of their sove¬ 
 reign and superior officers, the esteem even of the 
 enemy, the gratitude of fellow subjects, and the ad¬ 
 miration of posterity. 
 
 ‘4 Happy those who shall have arrived at this exalted 
 summit 1 To gain it, the greatest men that ever ex¬ 
 isted did not think it too much to sacrifice interests, 
 ease, and $ven life; nor is it inaccessible to private 
 soldiers, whether as a collective body, or as indi¬ 
 viduals any more than to officers. 
 
 44 j n the histories of the most warlike nations of antient 
 times, we find mention of the actions of private soldiers 
 who are recorded by name, \yith the honors and reward 
 that followed ; and instances of the like merit are no 
 less frequent in our modern armies. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 22 b 
 
 “ Who then does not feel the influence of that divine 
 spark, which prompts us to rise above the common 
 level? Who has not ambition to transmit. Ins name 
 with applause to posterity 5 Who does not wish and 
 pant for the opportunity to signalize himself? 
 
 u It is in the strongest manner recommended to the 
 soldiers, to cherish in their breasts this natural and 
 laudable passion for true glory : it inspires a senti¬ 
 ment of dignity, which leads to cleanliness, and neatness 
 in dress, to abstain from drunkenness and every other 
 abject vice ; it renders them attentive and diligent on 
 duty, cool and brave in action; on all occasions they 
 will be patient, obedient, disinterested, and generous. 
 The approbation of their officers will follow, and from 
 thence many indulgences; nor will the esteem and 
 rewards of their country be wanting, to enable such 
 illustrious career, to spend the decline of life in tran¬ 
 quillity, ease and comfort. In these their honorable 
 retreats, to recollect the memory of gallant actions, 
 to relate and dwell on their circumstances, to meet 
 now and then a companion of former dangers, will 
 rekindle youthful ardor, and afford the most pure 
 and exquisite pleasures, when the toil and pain that 
 accompanied them are no more. 
 
 tc Duty and prudence dictate to a soldier the greatest 
 care of his arms and accoutrements; they are the in¬ 
 struments of his defence, and of acquiring the honor 
 he contends for ; his pride should consist in having 
 them of the best quality possible, always neat and in 
 good order, always (it for instant and certain execu¬ 
 tion. "it is ever natural for a brave soldier to entertain for 
 them the most ardent regard, and to wish that even 
 in death they should not be separated. Thus it was 
 a maxim with the Spartans, to return from battle 
 with, or on their shields. Epaminondas, one of the 
 best generals of antiquity, being mortally wounded. 
 
 F f 2 
 
226 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 ;vas only anxious lest his arms should fall into the 
 enemy’s hands. The arms of the Roman soldiers 
 weighed sixty pounds, and it was death to throw away 
 
 any part of them. But, 
 
 “ The colours, are above all things the object of a 
 soldier’s particular regard, attention, and attachment; 
 this was the case in warlike nations at all times. 1 lie 
 Romans worshipped and swore by them, and to lose 
 them was to incur certain death. We have many in¬ 
 stances in antient history, of commanders, in a doubt¬ 
 ful engagement, throwing the colours among the troops 
 of the enemy, knowing that, therefrom the comage, 
 ardour, and exertion, of the soldiery would instantly 
 redouble, beat the enemy, and retake them. 
 
 “ Though we do not worship the colours, yet the 
 awful cermony of this day sufficiently evinces, that 
 they are with ps, as in antient times, the object of 
 peculiar veneration; they hold forth to us the idea 
 of the prince whose service we have undertaken, of 
 our country’s cause which we are never to forsake, 
 and of our military honor which we are ever to 
 preserve. 
 
 “ The colours, in short, represent every thing that is 
 
 dear to the soldier; at the sight of them all the pow¬ 
 ers of his soul are to rouse, they are a post to which he 
 must repair through fire and sword, and which he 
 must defend while life remains; to this he is bound, 
 besides every other consideration, by the acceptance 
 of a most solemn oath: to desert them is the blackest 
 perjury and eternal infamy: to lose them by such an 
 accident, even as one might otherwise judge una¬ 
 voidable, is not to be excused, because to lose them, 
 no matter how, is to lose every thing; and when they 
 are in danger, or lost, officers and soldiers have 
 nothing foi it but to recover them or die. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 227 
 
 iC Penetrated therefore with innate eagerness for glory, 
 mindful of the fame of their ancestors, emulous of the lus r 
 tre of their countrymen, now on service in other parts 
 of America, and incited by the example already ex¬ 
 hibited, and the honor already acquired by officers 
 and fellow soldiers of the regiment, the Royal High¬ 
 land Emigrants, will, it is hoped, always act with a 
 dignity becoming the military profession, acquit them¬ 
 selves on every occasion, of theoath emitted this day, and 
 not only transmit their honor and colours unsullied to 
 posterity, but let every individual think himself entitled, 
 nay bound, to aim at something that may deservedly 
 shine in the page of history 
 
 The month of July was far advanced before the 
 preparations for the expedition against Philadelphia 
 were completed, and it was the 2'id before the fleet 
 was able to sail from Sandy Hook. The force em¬ 
 ployed on this occasion, consisted of thirty six 
 battalions of British and Hessian infantry, a regiment 
 of light dragoons, and a corps of loyalists, amounting 
 in the whole to about sixteen thousand men. At 
 the same time a strong detachment was left behind 
 at New York, under Sir Henry Clinton, and seven 
 battalions were stationed on Rhode Island. 
 
 After a tedious navigation, the fleet entered Chesa- 
 peak Bay, and was conducted as far up the river 
 Elk as was practicable. Here the army landed with¬ 
 out opposition, on the 25th of August. Part of the 
 troops was left to guard the stores, while general Howe 
 proceeded with the main body to the head of the Elk. 
 
 General Washington, on the news ot the arrival of 
 the British in the Chesapeak, left the Jerseys and hastened 
 to the relief of Philadelphia, with fifteen thousand 
 men. In the beginning ot September, he met the 
 jroyal^army at Chad’s-ford, on the Brandy-wine, a 
 jSiuall stream which empties itself into Christiana Cieek. 
 
22S JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Here Washington adhered' to his former method of 
 skirmishing, and harrassing the rojal aim) on its 
 march ; but as this was insufficient to stop its progress, 
 he retired to that side of the Creek next to Phila¬ 
 delphia, with an intent to defend the passage. This 
 brought on a general action. On the ltth, our army 
 advanced in two columns, that undei geneial Kn\p- 
 faausen, to Chad’s Ford, had arrived in front of the 
 enemy about ten o’clock, while the other column under 
 lord Cornwallis, having marched twelve miles round to 
 the forks of the Brandywine, crossed both branches, 
 taking from thence the road to Ddworth, in order to 
 turn the enemy’s right at Chad’s ford. 
 
 General Washington, having intelligence of this 
 movement, detached general Sullivan to his right, with 
 near 10,000 men, who took a strong position, with 
 his left, near to the Brandywine, both flanks being 
 covered by very thick woods, and his artillery ad¬ 
 vantageously disposed. About four o’clock the king’s 
 troops advanced, and lord Cornwallis having formed his line 
 of battle, tlie light infantry and chasseurs began the 
 attack; the guards and grenadiers instantly advanced 
 from the right, the whole under a he^vy fire of 
 artillery and musquetry: but they pushed on with an 
 impetuosity not to be sustained by the enemy, who 
 fall in ir back into the woods in the rear, the king s 
 troops entered with them and pursued them closely for 
 .near two miles. 
 
 After this success, a part of the enemy’s right took 
 a second position in a wood, from whence the 1st 
 light infantry and chasseurs soon dislodged them ; from 
 this time they did not rally again in force. 
 
 The 2d light infantry, 2d grenadiers, and 4th bri¬ 
 gade moved forward a mile beyond I)ilworth, where 
 they attacked a corps of the enemy, strongly posted 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 22* 
 
 to cover the retreat of their army, which corps not 
 being forced till it was dark, the enemy escaped a 
 total overthrow. 
 
 A part of the Americans retired to Chester, and 
 remained there that night, but the greater body did 
 not stop until they reached Philadelphia. They had 
 about three hundred men killed, six hundred wounded, 
 and near four hundred made prisoners. In the list of 
 their wounded, were two of their general officers, the 
 marquis de la Fayette, and general Woodward. The 
 former was a French nobleman of high rank, who had 
 left his native country and offered his service to con¬ 
 gress. While in France, and only nineteen years of 
 age, he espoused the cause of the Americans; having 
 determined to join them, he communicated his inten¬ 
 tions to the American commissioners at Paris. They 
 conceived that a person ol so much importance would 
 be of service to their cause, and encouraged his 
 design. Before he left France, intelligence arrived in 
 Europe that the American insurgents, reduced to 2000 
 men, were flying through the Jerseys before a British 
 force of 30,000. Under these circumstances, the 
 American commissioners at Paris, thought it but 
 honest to dissuade him from the present piosecution 
 of his perilous enterprise, but their advice was in 
 vain. Having embarked in a vessel, which he purchased 
 for the purpose, he arrived in Charlestown early in 
 irn, and soon after joined the American army. 
 Congress resolved that 46 in consideration of his zeal, 
 illustrious family, ;nd connections, he should have the 
 .rank of major general in their army.” He was wounded 
 in the leg while rallying the American troops. 
 
 The loss on the side of his majesty’s troops, 
 amounted to about three hundred killed, and lorn 
 hundred and eighty-eight wounded. Eight pieces £f 
 cannon and a great quantity of militaty stoics 
 taken from the enemy. 
 
550 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The British army lay during the night on the field of 
 battle, and the next day, major general Grant, with the 
 first and second brigade, marched to Goncoid, loid 
 Cornwallis with the light infantry and British grena¬ 
 diers, joined him within five miles of Chester. 
 
 At this period intelligence being received that the 
 enemy were advancing on the Lancaster road, it was 
 immediately determined to push forward and attack 
 'them ; but a most violent fall of rain setting in, the 
 intended attack became impracticable. 
 
 The enemy apprized of the approach of our army, 
 marched the' whole night and got to Yellow Springs, 
 having all their small ammunition damaged by the 
 rain. ° It being found that general Wayne was 
 lying in the woods with a corps of fifteen hundred 
 men, and four pieces of cannon, major general Grey, 
 was detached on the 20th to surprize them; their 
 out-post and pickets were forced without noise, with 
 the bayonet, about four o’clock in the morning; the 
 Americans had scarcely time to turn out, and when 
 they did, they paraded in the light of their fires. 
 This directed the British how and where to proceed; 
 they rushed in upon them, killed and wounded not 
 less than three hundred on the spot, taking between 
 seventy and eighty prisoners, including officers, their 
 arms, and eight waggons loaded with stores ; on our side 
 only one captain of light infantry, and three men were 
 killed in the attack, and four, wounded. The horrors of 
 this conflict (although so few of the British army were 
 lost) almost realized the terrific idea of one of out 
 £veat poets: 
 
 “ Uproar, revenge, and rage, and hate appear 
 
 In all their murd’rous forms; and flame, and blood. 
 And sweat, and dust, array the broad campaign 
 ]n horror: Hasty feet and sparkling eyes. 
 
 And all the savage passions of the soul 
 Kngage in the warm business of the- day/* 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 23l 
 
 On the 2 2d of Sept, the British army crossed theSchuyl- 
 kill at Fatland-ford without opposition, and on the 
 25th marched in two columns to German-town.* Lord 
 Cornwallis with the British grenadiers, and two batta¬ 
 lions of Hessian grenadiers, took possession of Phila¬ 
 delphia the next morning. 
 
 The possession of one of the largest cities in the 
 United States, together with the dispersion of the con¬ 
 gress which had hitherto conducted their public affairs, 
 were reckoned by the British as decisive of their fate. 
 One of their first objects after they had obtained posses¬ 
 sion, was to erect batteries to command the river, 
 and to protect the city against any insult front water. 
 The British shipping were prevented from ascending 
 the Delaware by thirteen gallies, two floating batteries, 
 two zebecs, one brig, one ship ; besides a number 
 of armed boats, fire ships and rafts were constructed 
 or employed for the purpose. The Americans had 
 also built a fort on Mud Island, and erected there¬ 
 on a considerable battery. This Island, or rather a 
 bank of mud and sand, which had been accumulated, 
 is admirably situated, for the erection of works to 
 annoy shipping on their way up the Delaware. It lies 
 near the middle of the river, about seven miles below 
 Philadelphia. No vessel of burden can come up, but 
 by the main ship channel, which passes close by 
 Mud Island, and is very narrow for more than a 
 
 * Germantown is now one of the most considerable towns 
 of Pennsylvania, and is principally inhabited by High 
 and Low Dutch, it contains near five hundred houses. 
 Peach trees are planted all along before tfie doors. It is 
 exceedingly pleasant, and situated at the distance of five miles 
 from Philadelphia; it has only one street, which however, 
 is two miles long. Many oi the Philadelphians have their 
 country houses in its vicinity. The trade carried on here is at 
 present ^.reat; the place is particularly famous for coach-makers, 
 type founders, &c. 
 
 Gg 
 
252 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 mile. On the opposite shore, on the Jersey side, is 
 . b.R-h. called Red-bank. Thi. overlook, no. on 
 the river, but the neighbouring country. On 
 eminence a respectable battery was erected Between 
 these twi fortresses, which are half a mile distance 
 from each other, the American navy for the defend 
 of the river Delaware, made their harbour of retie#. 
 Two ranges of chevaux de frise were also sunk into 
 the channel; these consisted of large pieces of timber 
 strongly framed together in the manner usual 
 making the foundation of wharfs, in deep water Several 
 large points of bearded iron, projecting down he 
 
 river, were annexed to the upper parts of these - 
 vaux de frise, and the whole was sunk with stones s 0 
 as to be about four feet under the water at ow ie. 
 Their prodigious weight and strength, c0 ”_ n 
 to effect the destructio n of any vessel which came 
 noon them. Thirty of these machines were sunk 
 ,Lt three hundred yards below Mud Island so as 
 to stretch in a diagonal line across the channel. The 
 oulv open passage left, was between two piers y.ng 
 close to the fort,’ and that was secured by a strong 
 boom, and could not be approached but in a direct 
 line to the battery. Another fortification was erected 
 
 on a high bank on the Jersey shore, called Billing*, 
 port. And opposite to this, another range of chevaux 
 de frise was deposited, leaving only a narrow and shoal 
 channel on the one side. There was also a tempo 
 rary battery of two heavy cannon at the mouth of 
 Mantua-creek, about half way from lled-bank 
 
 Billingsport. . , 
 
 In the evening of the 26th, three batteries were 0 ^ 
 by the British, in Philadelphia, to act against the enemy s 
 shipping. These batteries were un finished when iey 
 were attacked by a number of gallies, gondolas an 
 other armed vessels, and the largest frigate, the Del a- 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 23S 
 
 ware, mounting thirty two guns, anchored within five 
 hundred yards of the town. About ten in the morn¬ 
 ing she began a heavy cannonade, but the tide fall¬ 
 ing, the Delaware grounded. In this condition she 
 was compelled to surrender. The smaller frigates and 
 armed vessels were forced (except a schooner that was 
 driven on shore) to return under the protection of 
 the fort already ^described. 
 
 General Washington having received a reinforcement 
 of two thousand five hundred men, and presuming on 
 the British army being much weakened by the detach¬ 
 ments to Philadelphia and Jersey, thought it a favorable 
 time for him to attack their post at Germantown, and 
 where the bulk of the royal army was posted in the 
 following order : their line of encampment crossed the 
 town at right angles near its centre: the left wing 
 extended to the Schuylkill, and was covered in front 
 by the mounted and dismounted chasseurs ; the queen’s 
 rangers, and a battalion of light infantry were in front 
 of the right: the 40th regiment, with another batta¬ 
 lion of light infantry, were posted on the Chestnut-hill, 
 road, three quarters of a mile in advance. The 
 American commander recommended, that the attack 
 should be made in different places, to produce the 
 greater confusion, and to prevent the several paits oi 
 the British force from affording support to each other. 
 From an apprehension, that the Americans from a 
 want of discipline, would not persevere in a long 
 attack, it was resolved that it should be sudden and vigor¬ 
 ous, and if unsuccessful, they were to make an expeditious 
 retreat. The divisions of Sullivan, and VY ayne, flanked 
 by Conway’s brigade, were to enter the town, by the 
 way of Chestnut-hill, while general Armstrong with the 
 Pennsylvania militia, should fall down the Munatawny 
 road, and gain the left and rear of the British. The 
 division of Green and Stevens, flanked by M‘Dougalj> 
 
 G g 2 
 
214 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 brigade, were to enter by the Limekiln road ; the 
 militia of Maryland, and Jersey, under general Small¬ 
 wood, and Furman, were to march by the old \ork 
 road, and'to fall upon the rear o i their right; lord 
 Sterling, with Nashe’s and Maxwell’s brigade, were to 
 form a corps of reserve. 
 
 At three in the morning of the 4th of Oct. the British 
 patroles discovered the enemy’s approach, and the 
 army was immediately ordered under arms. About 
 break of day, the enemy began their attack with great 
 impetuosity, the 40th regiment, and a battalion of 
 light infantry, sustained this severe attack with great 
 bravery, till they were nearly surrounded : they then 
 retreated in good order to the town, where lieutenant 
 colonel Musgrave, with six companies of the 40th 
 regiment, took post in a large and .strong stone house, 
 which lay in front of the enemy. This party being so 
 advantageously posted, k^pt one hall of the American 
 army in check, and from the windows of the house, 
 did considerable execution. General Washington, says 
 in bis letter to congress, when speaking of this affair: 
 C£ the party in Mr. Chew’s house, who were in a 
 situation not to be easily forced, had it in their 
 power from the windows, to give us no small annoy¬ 
 ance, and in a great measure to obstruct our advance.” 
 Major general Grant, now advanced with the right 
 wing of the British, and attacked the enemy’s left, 
 which gave way and was pursued through a woody coun¬ 
 try, between four and five miles; but such was the 
 expedition with which they fled, that it was not possi¬ 
 ble to overtake them. The whole American army 
 now retired, near twenty miles to Penibacker Creek, 
 and encamped. General Washington, in relating this 
 action to congress, says. “ The morning was extremely 
 
 focroy, which prevented our improving the advantages 
 we gained, so well as we otherwise should have done; 
 
. AMERICAN WAR. 235 
 
 this circumstance by concealing from us the true 
 situation of the enemy, obliged us to act with more 
 caution, and less expedition than we could have wished; 
 and gave the enemy time to recover from the effects 
 of our first impression, and what was still more un¬ 
 fortunate, it served to keep our different parties in 
 ignorance of each others movements, and hindered 
 our acting in concert; it also occasioned us to 
 mistake one another for the enemy, which I believe 
 more than any thing else contributed to the misfor¬ 
 tune which ensued. In the midst of the most promising 
 appearances, when every thing gave the most batter¬ 
 ing hopes of a victory, the troops began suddenly to 
 retreat, and entirely left the field, in spite of every 
 effort that could be made to rally them.” 
 
 The loss of the royal army in this action, amounted 
 to seventy killed, and four hundred and sixty five 
 wounded ; in the number of the former, were unhappily 
 some very brave and distinguished officers, particularly 
 brigadier general Agnew, of the 44th regiment, and 
 lieutenant colonel Bird, of the 15th. The number 
 of officers wounded was considerable. The American 
 loss was esteemed between two and three hundred 
 slain, six hundred wounded, and four hundred taken 
 prisoners; among their slain was general Nash, 
 and his aid de camp, major Witherspoon. On the 
 19th, the British troops removed from German¬ 
 town to Philadelphia, as a more convenient situation, 
 for the reduction of Mud Island^ which at that time 
 prevented the passage of the river, as the chevaux de 
 frize could not be removed until possession of that 
 post was obtained ; the British army was well apprized 
 that without the command of the Delaware, their 
 possession of Philadelphia would be of no advantage; 
 every exertion was therefore made to open the navi¬ 
 gation of that river. 
 
*36 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Colonel Donop, with a strong detachment of Hessians, 
 crossed the Delaware on the 21st, with directions to 
 proceed to the attack of Red Bank; the colonel 
 led on the troops in the most gallant manner to the 
 assault. They carried an extensive out-work, from 
 which the enemy were drawn into an interior intrench* 
 ment, which could not be forced without ladders. The 
 detachment in moving up, and returning fiom the 
 attack, suffered much by the enemy’s gallies and float¬ 
 ing batteries; colonel Donop, being mot tally wounded 
 and taken prisoner, the command devolved upon lieute¬ 
 nant colonel Linsing, who, after collecting all the 
 wounded that could be brought off, returned with the 
 detachment to carap- 
 
 The ships of war designed for the attack of Mud 
 Island, made their way with difficulty, and took the 
 best possible disposition that the situation of the river 
 would admit; they commenced their assault at the 
 same time that colonel Donop was engaged at Red- 
 bank, but with as little success. The ships could not 
 bring their fire to bear with any great effect upon 
 the enemy’s works. The Agusta ship of wai, of 64 
 guns, commanded by captain Reynolds,* and the 
 Merlin sloop of war, grounded. In this situation, though 
 the skill and courage of the officers and crews of the 
 several vessels, prevented the effect of four fire ships, 
 which the enemy had sent to destroy the Augusta, 
 she afterwards unfortunately took fire in the engage 
 ment, which obliged the other vessels to retire with 
 the greatest expedition, in order to get beyond the 
 effect of her explosion. It was at the same time 
 found expedient to abandon the Merlin, and destroy 
 her; the greater part of the officers and crew of the 
 ,Augusta were saved, but the second lieutenant, 
 
 * Afterwards Lord Ducie. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 237 
 
 chaplain, and gunner, with no inconsiderable number 
 of the seamen, unhappily perished. 
 
 Though tliis first attempt for opening the navi¬ 
 gation of the Delaware, was unsuccessful, it by no 
 means damped the resolution of the naval commanders; 
 new measures were immediately adopted, and on the 
 15 th November, the attack was renewed with the 
 greatest fury on both sides, till the works being nearly 
 demolished, the garrison retreated in the night, across 
 the river in boats to Red Bank; three clays after, 
 Mud Island was evacuated. The Americans, upon the 
 approach of lord Cornwallis, with a detachment of 
 British troops, hastily withdrew from Red Bank, leaving 
 their artillery and a considerable quantity of cannon 
 and stores behind them. A few of the enemy s 
 gallies and vessels escaped, by keeping close in with 
 the Jersey shore, to places of security above Phila¬ 
 delphia; but seventeen of them were abandoned by 
 their crews, and burned, 
 
 On the 30th and. 31st of December, the British 
 troops went into winter quarters in Philadelphia, and 
 were well accomodated; while the American army,ex¬ 
 cepting a detachment of twelve hundred at Wilmington, 
 
 were hutted in the woods, in a strong position at Valley- 
 Forge, sixteen miles from that city. 
 
 In May 1778, general Howe took his departure for 
 England, and the chief command of the British army 
 devolved on Sir llenry Clinton. 
 
23S 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Arrival of the British Commissioners for restoring Peace. 
 Their bad Success. Correspondence between Lord 
 Carlisle, and the Marquis de la Fayette. Philadel¬ 
 phia evacuated. Battle near Monmouth. General 
 Tee, tried by a Court Martial, and suspended. 
 Monsieur Gerrard arrives Minister Plenipotentiary 
 from France. British Army arrives at New York. 
 French Fleet appears before Sandy Hook. Sails to 
 
 Rhode Island. Lord Howe sails to the Relief of 
 
 Rhode Island. British and French Fleets separated 
 at the Point of Engaging by a violent Storm. 
 
 French Fleet sails for Boston and is pursued by Lord 
 
 Howe. General Sullivqn abandons Rhode Island. 
 French Fleet sails for the West Indies. Attacks St. 
 Lucia, but is repulsed. Province of Georgia reduced 
 by the British. The Author makes his Escape into 
 New York . II is J\arrative . 
 
 In the beginning of June, 1773 , the earl of Carlisle* 
 Mr. Eden,+ and governor Johnston, arrived at New 
 York ; these gentlemen, with Sir Henry Clinton, were 
 appointed by the British government, to attempt a 
 reconciliation with the American colonies j but in vain 
 were all their efforts, an implacable spirit of hostility 
 
 * His lordship, was lord lieutenant of Ireland from the 
 year 17 80 to 1782. 
 
 ■\ Now lord Auckland. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 231> 
 
 to the parent country had taken place in the breast 
 of the Americans. They had thrown themselves into* 
 the arms of France, and no exertion of reason was able 
 to unfetter the embrace. The following reflection, in 
 the commissioners declaration, roiised congress to such 
 a degree of angefjthat they declared, “ Were it not under 
 the idea of stopping the effusion of human blood, they 
 would not have read a paper containing expressions so 
 disrespectful to his most Christian majesty, the good 
 and great ally of these states, or to consider propo¬ 
 sitions so derogatory to the honor of an independent 
 nation.” 
 
 ci In our anxiety,” say the commissioners in part of 
 their letter to congress, <( for preserving those sacred 
 and essential interests, we cannot help taking notice of 
 the insidious interposition of a power, which has from 
 the first settlement of these colonies been actuated with 
 enmity to us both ; for notwithstanding the pretended 
 date, or present form, of the French offers to America, 
 yet it is notorious* that these were made in conse¬ 
 quence of the plans of accommodation previously con¬ 
 certed in Great Britain, and with a view to prevent 
 our reconciliation, and to prolong this destructive 
 war. 
 
 “ But, we trust, that the inhabitants of North Ame¬ 
 rica, connected with us b} T the nearest ties of consan¬ 
 guinity, speaking the same language, interested in the 
 preservation of similar institutions, remembering the 
 former happy intercourse of good offices, and forgetting 
 recent animosities, will shrink from the thought of be¬ 
 coming an accession of force to our late mutual enemy, 
 and will prefer a firm, a free, and perpetual coalition 
 with the parent state, to an insincere, and unnatural 
 foreign alliance.” 
 
 8 h 
 
240 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 But this was not all, general de la Fayette, a young 
 French nobleman then in the American service, and who 
 has since made so conspicuous and gallant a figure m 
 the Gallic revolution, considering the honour ot his 
 sovereign wounded, actually sent a challenge to lord 
 Carlisle, to which his lordship returned the following 
 
 temperate and dignified answer . 
 
 “ Sm—I have received your letter, transmitted to me 
 from monsieur Gimot, and I confess I find it difficult to 
 return a serious answer to its contents. The only one 
 can be expected from me as the king’s commissioner, 
 and which you ought to have known, is, that I do 
 and ever shall consider myself responsible to my country 
 and to my king, and not to any individual for my 
 public conduct and language. As for any opinion 
 or expressions contained in any publication issued under 
 the commission, in which I have the honour to be named, 
 unless they are retracted in public, you may be assured 
 I shall never, in any change, be disposed to give aft 
 account of them, much less recall them in private. 
 
 “ The injury alluded to in the correspondence of 
 the king’s commissioners to the congress, I must remind 
 vou, is not of a private nature, and conceive all nationa 
 disputes will be best decided by the meeting of admiral 
 
 Byron and count D’Estaing.” 
 
 On the 18 th of June, general Clinton following in. 
 smictions received from the parent country, evacuated 
 Philadelphia. It is probable that all idea of negociat.on 
 was now considered hopeless, as the commissioners ac¬ 
 companied the army. Their accompanying a retreat 
 from a city, -which might be properly called the capita 
 of America, was not very likely to procure for them 
 any terms to which Great Britain could possibly listen, 
 on the contrary, this circumstance only swelled the pnde 
 and increased the insolence of the American rulers. 
 The whole British army marched out of the town at 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 241 
 
 three o’clock in the morning, and crossed the Delaware 
 before noon with all its baggage.* General Washington, 
 by some means, was apprized of this movement ; in 
 consequence of which he sent expresses into the Jerseys, 
 to collect troops. The American army then likewise 
 passed the river, and were hourly joined by reinforce¬ 
 ments of the regular troops, and of their militia. 
 General Gates, with an army from the northward, was 
 fast advancing. In this situation, general Clinton re¬ 
 treated across the country towards Sandy Hook, at which 
 place he could with facility effect the passage to New 
 York. 
 
 At this juncture, Washington was far from being 
 inactive ; he pursued the retreat of the British, and also 
 sent the marquis de la Fayette, with a strong body of 
 chosen troops, to harrass their rear ; general Lee, (who 
 had been some time exchanged,) followed with a division, 
 to support him, and the^commander in chief finally so 
 managed his own movements, that with the main body 
 he covered and sustained the whole. 
 
 On the 27th of June, the British army encamped in 
 a strong position in the neighbourhood of Freehold 
 Court House, in the county of Monmouth ; the follow¬ 
 ing morning the van division of the Americans, under 
 general Lee, commenced the attack. General Clinton 
 had already, with due precaution, directed general 
 Knyphausen to take the baggage of the whole army 
 under his division, which consisted of the 17th light 
 dragoons, the 2d battalion of light infantry, Hessian 
 
 * Several of the loyalists of Philadelphia went along with 
 the British army ; some, who remained behind, were treated 
 with great severity by the Americans. Messieurs Roberts and 
 Carlisle, gentlemen of respectable characters of the Quaker 
 persuasion, suffered death for their attachment to the royal 
 cause. 
 
 H h 2 
 
242 
 
 JOURNAL OF T{1E 
 
 yagers, 1st and 2d brigades, British, Stern’s and Loo’s 
 brigade of Hessians, Pennsylvania loyalists, West Jersey 
 volunteers, and Maryland loyalists. General Clinton was 
 induced to this order, under the firm persuasion that 
 the baggage only was Washington’s object, it having 
 been his constant practice to avoid a general engage¬ 
 ment with the British ; the general, therefore, with 
 much wisdom and foresight, placed it in a state of 
 securit} 7 , and prepared himself to encounter the Ame¬ 
 rican Fabius. Under the head of baggage was com¬ 
 prised not only all the wheel carriages, of every deno¬ 
 mination, but also the bat horses ; a train, vyhich as the 
 country admitted but of one route for carriages, extended 
 near twelve miles. Sir Henry Clinton had with him the 
 16th light dragoons, 1st and 2d battalion of British gre¬ 
 nadiers, 1st battalion of light infantry, Hessian grenadiers 
 guards, and the third, fourth, and fifth brigades. 
 
 The total disagreement between the British and Ame¬ 
 rican accounts of this action, is not a little perplexing 
 to the impartial narrator ; both parties claim the ad¬ 
 vantage, but the Americans, particularly at that time, 
 had their reasons for their misrepresentations—reasons 
 which did not at all influence the reports of the British 
 commanders. 
 
 The marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the. 
 American cavalry, began the attack. They were in¬ 
 stantly charged with great spirit by the light dragoons. 
 The Americans did not wait the shock, but fell back 
 in disorder upon their own infantry. The British 
 then proceeded on their march ; but, on the rear¬ 
 guard descending from the heights above Freehold into 
 a plain near three miles in length, and above one in 
 breadth, several columns of the enemy appeared, and 
 descended into it also. About ten o’clock they began 
 to cannonade the rear of the British. Sir Henry Clinton, 
 as has already been observed, being apprehensive that 
 
243 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 the baggage was their sole object, determined on the 
 attack of these divisions, in order to oblige those troops 
 who were at that time on his flanks to return. These 
 divisions were endeavouring to gain his front, that they 
 might attack the baggage, and therefore impede his 
 progress. 
 
 The British grenadiers, guards, light infantry and 
 queen’s rangers now engaged the enemy with such 
 vigor, that their first line, commanded by general Lee, 
 was completely broken ; their second line withstood the 
 attack with great obstinacy, but was also defeated ; 
 they both rallied, however, and posted themselves with 
 a morass in their front. They were again charged by 
 the British troops, and were with difficulty preserved 
 from total defeat by the junction of their main body, 
 which was supposed to consist of twenty thousand men, 
 under general Washington. 
 
 When Washington found the division under general 
 Lee retreating in disorder, he rode up to Lee, and pro¬ 
 posed several questions to him, which implied censure. 
 Lee answered with warmth and unsuitable language. 
 Washington then ordered two of his battalions to form 
 on advantageous ground, which he judged suitable for 
 giving a check to the advancing enemy. Lee was then 
 asked, if he would command on that ground, to which 
 he consented, and added to Washington, in a haughty 
 tone, “ Your orders shall be obeyed, aud I will not be 
 the first to leave the field.” Lee continued until the 
 last on the field of battle, and brought off the rear of the 
 retreating troops. 
 
 In this action the bravery and discipline of the 
 British forces were gloriously conspicuous. Facts 
 speak for themselves. They forced an enemy, supe¬ 
 rior in numbers, from two strong positions, and endured 
 excessive fatigue, both from unremitting toii, and the 
 intense heat of day. The British general took up the 
 
24* JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 position from whence the enemy had first been driven* 
 after they had quitted the plain ; and having reposed 
 the troops till ten o’clock at night, to avoid the ex¬ 
 cessive heat of the day, he took advantage of a fine 
 moon light-night to rejoin general Knyphausen, which 
 he effected near Middleton. On the 30th of June 
 the whole royal army arrived at Sandy Hook, with¬ 
 out the loss of either their covering party or baggage; 
 from whence it passed over to New York without 
 further molestation. 
 
 After the evacuation of Philadelphia, much praise 
 was due to admiral lord Howe for the excellent dis¬ 
 positions which he made to cover the troops passing 
 the Delaware. It is pretty evident that Washington 
 was at first deceived by his own caution and dread 
 of being decoyed into a general engagement, and 
 that he then ascribed the slow movements of the Bri¬ 
 tish to a design on the part of Sir Henry Clinton, 
 of gaining the strong grounds above him, and so 
 inclosing his army to the river. 
 
 The loss of the royal army in killed, wounded, 
 and missing, was three hundred and fifty-eight men, 
 fifty-nine of whom, through excessive heat and fatigue, 
 fell dead without a wound. The honorable lieutenant 
 colonel Monckton, who commanded the 2d battalion 
 of grenadiers, fell in the action. “ This gallant officer,” 
 says one of the writers on the American war, u who 
 had frequently encountered death in all its forms, 
 had the fortune of being more than once grievously 
 wounded, both in the last war and the present; and 
 after the hair-breadth escape of a recovery, when left 
 among the dead on the field, was only reserved to 
 be killed on this day, at the head of the second 
 battalion of grenadiers,” A braver soldier never expired 
 on the field of battle. 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 2U 
 
 The conduct of Washington on this occasion, (how¬ 
 ever he might have been selLdeceived, relative to 
 some of the movements of Sir Henry Clinton,) was 
 highly creditable to his military skill. 
 
 His timely interposition with the main body of thjR 
 American army, prevented the rest from being entirely 
 cut off; and by his subsequent movements, he suc¬ 
 ceeded in gaining it such an advantageous position, 
 as entirely secured it from attack. 
 
 The loss of the Americans, however, in killed and 
 wounded, was very considerable.* Colonel Bonner and 
 major Dickinson, officers highly esteemed by their 
 country, fell in this engagement. The emotions of 
 mind, added to the fatigue of a remarkably hot day, 
 brought on such a suppression of the vital powers, 
 that numbers of the Americans, as well as the English, 
 were found dead on the field of battle, without any 
 marks of violence on their bodies. 
 
 After the engagement the American general drew off 
 his troops to White Plains, near King’s Bridge. 
 Taking up a commanding position, he remained there 
 until the latter end of autumn, watching the motions 
 of the British, when he retired to Middle Brook, in 
 Jersey. 
 
 In the mean time, the haughty spirit of Lee could 
 
 not brook the language which general Washington had 
 
 hastily used when he met his troops retreating before 
 
 the British, on the 28th. It is probable that Washington 
 
 intended to take no further notice of Lee’s conduct 
 
 on the day of the action ; but, upon the general’s 
 
 receiving from him a letter couched in the most disre- 
 © 
 
 spectful terms, and replete with the most violent invec¬ 
 tive, he was immediately put under an arrest, and a 
 
 * According to their own accounts it amounted to three 
 hundred and sixty-one men, including thirty-two officers. 
 
5tG 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 court martial, of which lord Sterling was president 
 was held upon him. His accusation consisted of three 
 principle charges i viz. Disobedience of orders, mis¬ 
 behaviour in action, and disrespect to his commander* 
 He was found guilty upon every charge, and suspended 
 from all his military commands for twelve months. 
 
 Immediately on the departure of the British troops 
 from Philadelphia, the congress returned to that city, 
 and gave public audience to monsieur Gerrard, minister 
 plenipotentiary from the court of France. 
 
 It may now be necessary to revert to the maritime 
 events of the war. Early in the spring, count D‘Estaing 
 had been dispatched from the port of Brest, with 
 twelve ships of the line and six frigates ; there were 
 six thousand soldiers on board, for the assistance of 
 the American cause. The whole armament suffered 
 considerably on the voyage, and did not arrive off the 
 coast of America before the beginning of July. 
 
 On finding that lord Howe had sailed to New\ork, 
 count D'Estaing followed him, and in a few days the 
 French fleet appeared off Sandy Hook. The British 
 admiral had only eleven ships, very inferior in mag¬ 
 nitude and weight of metal. The French commander 
 seemed fully determined to attack the English fleet, 
 and force his way into the harbour of New York. 
 The British admiral ranged his ships with much nau¬ 
 tical skill to receive him. He was powerfully supported 
 by the inhabitants. Upwards of one thousand volunteers, 
 from the trading vessels, then lying at New \ork, 
 entered on board the British ships of war ; the masters 
 and mates of die transport-ships took their situations 
 at the guns, with the common seamen ; others put to 
 sea in light vessels, in order to watch the motions of 
 the enemy ; and in our army, the officers and privates 
 contended with so much eagerness, to serre on board 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 
 the ships of war, as marines, that it became necessary, 
 to decide the point of honor by lot. 
 
 After the French fleet had remained at Sandy Hook for 
 eleven days, they weighed anchor and put to sea. Lord 
 Howe’s fleet was, at that time, every way for resistance 
 inferior. Indeed, nothing but the excellent disposition 
 made by the noble admiral, and the determined activity, 
 not only of the respective crews, but also of the volun¬ 
 teers, could possibly have saved it, had the count felt 
 himself inclined to come to action. The tacit compli¬ 
 ment that he paid to the skill, the resolution, and the 
 the character of lord Howe, by not daring to attack him 
 with so decided a superiority of strength, raised that 
 nobleman’s name to a degree of exaltation which will 
 make it live for ever. So freely, however, was the 
 matter spoken of in America, that, in order to save 
 the credit of the French admiral, it was reported that 
 he determined to force the harbour; but the American 
 pilots on board, declared it impossible for the large ships 
 of his squadron to pass the bar. On this curious apology, 
 it is not surely too much for an old subject of the 
 British empire, (and who has been on the spot,) to 
 declare his belief, that if admiral Nelson had commanded 
 D’Estaing’s fleet, he would have found water enough 
 to have brought the largest ships in that squadron 
 alongside the quay of New York. 
 
 The next attempt of D’Estaing was against Rhode 
 Island, in order to co-operate with general Sullivan, 
 in an enterprise against Newport. General Sir Robert; 
 Pigot, who commanded on the island, having been re¬ 
 inforced, made every preparation for a vigorous defence. 
 In the mean time, lord Howe being reinforced by 
 some ships from England, (part of a squadron com¬ 
 manded by admiral Byron), immediately stood out to 
 sea, though still inferior in force, in order to give 
 
 I i 
 
 
24S 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 battle. D’Estaing, finding that he was pursued to Rhode 
 Island so quickly, (as he only had entered the harbour 
 of New Port the day before,) determined to hazard an 
 engagement; accordingly, he put out to sea with his 
 whole fleet. 
 
 But, while the two commanders were busily em¬ 
 ployed in manoeuvring for the weather gage, a tre¬ 
 mendous tempest arose, which separated the fleets. 
 Amidst this conflict of the elements, the Languedoc, 
 of ninety guns, D’Estaing’s own ship, alter losing her 
 masts, fell m with the the Renown, of fifty guns, com¬ 
 manded by captain Dawson, who attacked her with 
 great fury, when the appearance of six French ships 
 of the line, compelled him to desist. Captain Raynor, 
 in the Isis, and commodore Hotham, in the Preston, 
 each of fifty guns, fought with much gallantry the 
 Tonnant of eighty guns and tire Caesar of seventy-four 
 guns ; but no ship on either side struck her colours. 
 Lord Howe, with all possible dispatch, followed D’Estaing 
 to Boston, and entered the bay, under the hope of a 
 favorable opportunity of attack : but, to his great mor¬ 
 tification, he found the French fleet lying in Nantucket 
 road, so well defended by the forts and batteries on that 
 island, that it was found to be absolutely impractible. 
 
 In the mean time, general Snlliv&n and his army in 
 Rhode Island, with the people of the northern colo^ 
 rues, complained loudly of the conduct of D’Estaing. 
 For this they boldly assigned their reasons, which were, 
 fhat they had engaged in an expedition of great ex¬ 
 pense and danger, under prospect of the most effec¬ 
 tive co-operation of the French fleet; that depending 
 thereon, they had risqued their lives on an island, 
 where, without naval protection, they were likely to 
 be enclosed, like wild beasts, in a toil ; and that in this 
 situation they were first deserted, and then totally 
 abandoned, at the very time when they stood most in 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 219 
 
 need of help. It was a fact, at that time pretty ge¬ 
 nerally admitted in America, that it was under these 
 apprehensions their general was deserted by most o.f 
 the militia, (who composed nearly half of his army) 
 which obliged him to retreat from his lines; and though 
 he was most vigorously pursued, and repeatedly attacked 
 in every quarter by the British forces, yet, his mea¬ 
 sures were so well conducted, that he gained the north 
 end of the island, from whence he passed his troops 
 over to the continent without any considerable loss. 
 Indeed, before he quitted the island, the marquis de la 
 Fayette, who commanded under him, set off for Boston 
 by land, to request the speedy return of the French 
 fleet. To this requisition D’Estaing would not consent. 
 He had been very roughly handled a few days before 
 by a British captain, and he knew very well the 
 great danger his master’s fleet would be exposed to, 
 if he again fell in with the British navy. But he 
 offered to lead the French troops which he had on 
 board against Ilhode Island, in co-operation with the 
 American forces. 
 
 The most remarkable transactions, during the re¬ 
 mainder of this campaign, might, from their nature, 
 almost be termed naval expeditions, at least they were 
 intimately connected with maritime warfare. 
 
 In October 1778, lord Howe sailed for England, on 
 account of his health, and the command of the fleet 
 devolved on admiral Gambier. 
 
 There is no doubt but it was part of the insidious 
 policy of the French cabinet to strike a blow at the 
 British possessions in the West Indies. How this plan 
 had been methodized, it is impossible at this period 
 to ascertain ; but its operations became so intimately con¬ 
 nected with American affairs, that it is necessary to take 
 some notice of them. 
 
 The projects of D’Estaing being effectually discon¬ 
 certed at Rhode Island, he sailed in the beginning of No- 
 I i 2 
 
250 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 venibcr for the West Indies, in order to second the ope¬ 
 rations of the Marquis de Bouille, governor of Martnnco, 
 who had already captured the island of Dominique. Three 
 days before the French fleet left Boston, the 4th, 5th, 
 15th, 21th, 2Sth, 35th, 40th, 46th, 49th, 55th, regi¬ 
 ments, and a corps of Hessians, under the command 
 of general Grant, sailed from New York, in order to 
 strengthen the garrisons of the West India Islands. 
 
 It may be necessary that the reader may the more 
 clearly understand the sequel of American transactions, 
 to mention the progress of the British arms in the 
 West Indies. Upon the arrival of the troops there, 
 a descent was made on the island of St. Lucia and 
 by the active exertions of brigadier general Meadows, 
 the advanced posts were carried. While these opera- 
 rations were going on, D’Estaing appeared in view. 
 That commander upon his arrival at Martimco had been 
 ioined by a fleet of transports, with nine thousand 
 land forces on board, with which he had hoped to 
 effect the entire reduction of the British islands. A - 
 miral Barrington’s squadron, which was greatly infe¬ 
 rior to the French fleet, was stationed across the en¬ 
 trance of the Carenage, and was supported by several 
 batteries, erected on the shore. The French admiral 
 bore down with twelve sail of the line; but met with 
 so gallant a reception, that he thought proper in a 
 short time to draw off. In the afternoon he renewed 
 the attack, With his whole squadron, and a furious 
 cannonade, directed chiefly against admiral Barrington’s 
 division, was kept up for several hours. This, how¬ 
 ever, made no impression on the English fleet, and 
 the French admiral was again obliged to desist from 
 the attack. He then landed a body of nine thousand 
 troops, which be formed in two divisions; putting 
 himself at the head of the right, he gave the Marquis 
 ,i„ Rmiille orders to lead on the left. They advanced 
 
251 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 * 
 
 rapidly towards the English lines, keeping up a heavy 
 fire as they proceeded The British troops reserved 
 their fire until they saw them mount their trenches; 
 then a tremendous fire was poured upon the assailants, 
 which immediately stopped their progress, and threw 
 them into disorder ; before they could recover, they 
 were charged by the British. The slaughter was 
 dreadful; and it was with difficulty the French reached 
 their ships. The count re-embarked his troops, and 
 left the island to its fate. It soon after surrendered 
 to the British arms* 
 
 The American government had, in the begining of the 
 year projected the reduction of West Florida ; and 
 several detachments of their troops had made some 
 successful incursions into that country. This awakened 
 the attention of the British commanders to the southern 
 colonies ; and an expedition against them was resolved 
 on. Georgia \yas the place of its destination ; and the 
 more effectually to ensure success, colonel Campbell, a 
 brave and prudent officer, with the 71st, and two bat¬ 
 talions of Hessians, four battalions of provincials, and 
 a detachment of artillery, embarked at New York ; 
 while general Prevost, who commanded in East Florida, 
 was directed to set out with all the force he could 
 spare. The armament from New York, under com¬ 
 modore Sir Hyde Parker, arrived at the mouth of 
 the Savannah, in the month of December ; and though 
 the enemy were very strongly posted in an advanta¬ 
 geous situation on the shore, the British troops made 
 good their landing, and the light infantry, under cap¬ 
 tain Cameron, of the 71st, regiment, formed and ad¬ 
 vanced. A body of Americans, however, attacked them 
 with great bravery ; but the Highlanders rushed on, 
 and drove the Americans into the woods. Captain Came¬ 
 ron, a spirited and valuable officer, with two High¬ 
 landers, were killed, and five were wounded. The British 
 
252 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 troops then advanced towards Savannah, the capital of 
 the province. The day, however, was destined for still 
 further triumph to the royal cause. T hey had uot 
 marched far when they attacked and defeated the Ame¬ 
 rican troops, who opposed them with great resolution 
 and bravery. This victory was complete : upwards of 
 one hundred of the Americans were killed, thirty- 
 eight officers, four hundred and-fifteen privates, forty- 
 eight pieces of cannon, twenty-three mortars, the foit 
 with its ammunition and stores, the shipping in the 
 river, a large quantity of provisions, with the capital 
 of Georgia, were all, in the space of a few hours, 
 m the possession of the conquerors. The broken re¬ 
 mains of tfie American army retreated across Savan¬ 
 nah river into South Carolina. The different posts upon 
 that river were secured by the British troops, and the 
 province of Georgia was entirely at peace in seven 
 days after the defeat of the American army. General 
 Prevost now arrived at Savannah, and took the command 
 of the British troops. The conquest of South .Caro¬ 
 lina was next projected. 
 
 While these operations were carrying on in the 
 southern province, the captured troops in New 
 England, as already described,* were ordered to march 
 to the east parts of Virginia. 
 
 This was universally considered by the privates as a 
 very great hardship, and by the officers as a shameful 
 violation of the articles of capitulation. The applica¬ 
 tion of general Burgoyne to general Gates on this 
 subject, bas already been mentioned. It should seem 
 that the origin of the whole delay was ascribable to 
 -the congress ; for the members hesitated not to declare, 
 when pushed bard on the violation of the seventh ar¬ 
 ticle of the convention, “ that it the troops were 
 suffered to embark for Great Britain (according to the 
 spirit of that article,) as soon as they left their 
 * Page 203. 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 coasts^ they would form a junction with tire British 
 garrisons in America.” Still further to colour their 
 breach of faith, with an apparent shew of justice-, they 
 alleged, that it nad been often asserted by the British 
 nation, “ that faith was not to be kept with rebels,” and 
 that therefore, congress would be deficient in attention 
 to the interests of America, if they suffered the cap¬ 
 tured troops to depart. 
 
 When I saw that the American rulers had no inten¬ 
 tion, of allowing the British troops to return to England, 
 I determined on attempting my escape into New York. 
 The idea immediately suggested itself to me, that it would 
 be much more agreeable, arid indeed less dangerous, 
 to have companions in iny flight; I therefore resolved 
 to induce as many of my comrades as I could to join 
 me. I soon made myself acquainted with the routi 
 which it was necessary that we should take; I found 
 that we were to cross the North River, only sixty or 
 seventy miles above New York. This then appeared 
 to me the mast favorable point from which to attempt 
 our escape. Unfortunately, however, for my scheme, 
 our officers (fearful of their regiments being, at their 
 return to Europe, reduced to skeletons) had pre¬ 
 
 viously issued orders, that if any soldier should absent 
 himself from his regiment only for 0116 day or night, 
 He should be returned as a deserter; and if brought 
 back to his regiment bi T any of the inhabitants or 
 American soldiers, he should be tried by a court mar¬ 
 tial, and punished accordingly. I was fully avvarc, 
 that the intention of this order was to keep the men 
 together, and likewise to deter them from remaining in 
 the country, it being the constant practice of the 
 Americans to induce the captive soldiers to become 
 settlers. These orders prevented many from attempting 
 their escape. But For them, numbers like myself, and 
 
 1 
 
254. 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the companions of my journey, would hate made good 
 
 their escape into New York. 
 
 While the Americans protected to the uttermost 
 those deserters, who left the British aim) to sette 
 among them, they who were caught by th^in in t e 
 attempt to join the king’s forces at New York, had 
 every thing to fear ; nor was the least their being 
 brought back to their respective regiments under 
 the odium of desertion. 
 
 I weighed in my mind all the consequences that 
 would most probibly result, should 1 be taken by the 
 natives; and the more I thought of the attempt, the more I 
 began to feel a degree of enthusiam, to which 1 was before 
 a stranger. I looked forward, not without hope, to the 
 prospects before me, and 1 began already to indulge 
 the exultation of effecting my escape. Indeed I lia 
 wrought myself up to such a pitch of firmness, that 
 I am persuaded, the most agonizing cruelties which 
 the Americans could have inflicted on my body, would 
 have been unable to have effected any alteration in 
 my resolution. 
 
 I communicated my scheme to two of my comrades, 
 over whom I had most influence, and persuaded them 
 to join me in the attempt ; one of these soldiers under¬ 
 standing the French and German languages, was a 
 powerful assistant in effecting our escape, as our guards 
 were chiefly composed of German troops. By his con¬ 
 versing with these men, we obtained permission to go 
 to a house in order to buy some necessaries which we 
 wanted. When wq got to the house, we took care not 
 to return to the line of centries again ; hut moved furthei 
 from the guards, by degrees; until we entirely lost 
 sight of them. We then began to fear, lest the next 
 inhabitants we met, might pick us up and bring us 
 back. We therefore thought it best to conceal out- 
 selves. Just at this critical moment, we perceived a 
 
255 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 a small hut on the verge of a wood. On our entering 
 it, we round a poor woman with two children We 
 entreated her to hide u s for a fere hour,, 'as we 
 were apprehensive that the American soldiers would 
 soon miss us, follow, and make search for us As the 
 chief inducement to obtain her assistance, we imme¬ 
 diately shewed her some silver money, which we pro¬ 
 mised to give her, if she assisted us in makino- our 
 escape. To this she readily consented, and as a pledge 
 of sincerity left her little child with us. She gave us 
 some provisions, locked us all up in a small apartment, 
 and went out in order to gain information. There was 
 a characteristic shrewdness about this woman which 
 highly fitted her for our purpose. She very acutely 
 observed, before she went, that this would be the best 
 method, for if our pursuers should come to the house, 
 and observe it fastened up, they would not, she believed, 
 rea it open, unless they had some previous informa¬ 
 tion of our being concealed there; and as nobody had 
 observed our coming into the hut, she hoped there 
 would be no clanger. 
 
 In this place we remained until dark, under the un¬ 
 pleasant apprehension of being seized every moment by 
 our pursuers, as we were in the very midst of them ; 
 however, fortunately for us, not one of them either 
 knocked at the door or demanded entrance. 
 
 The woman returned in the evening. “ You see ” 
 said she, “ that I have been faithful to you. Your com¬ 
 rades have all crossed the North River, with most of 
 their guards, and there are very few of the Americans 
 •it this side of the river.” It may be naturally supposed 
 that we all felt ourselves much indebted to her for her 
 faithfulness ; and, as far as was in our power, we rewarded 
 her. We then informed her, that we intended to make 
 »ur eseape into New York. She observed, that that would 
 
 K k 
 
2 5 6 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 be a very hard task to accomplish, as there were several 
 American encampments in the Highlands, which lay be- 
 
 i.i , However she gave us a recom- 
 
 tween us and that city. Howe » 
 
 mendation to a man living a few miles off wlm he 
 
 observed, would assist us in getting forward. Taking 
 
 L affectionate leave of ou, faithful hostess, we dmectcd 
 
 our course to the house of he, fr.end ; but before «o 
 
 had proceeded three miles, we were Mopped by. deep 
 
 and rapid stream. My comrades not knowing ^ 
 
 swim, I proposed to swim across, taking on 
 
 •I; Ih me, if .lie, would fai.bfully and courag.- 
 
 „i,sly follow my advice, which was to lay their hands 
 
 gently on m, loins while in dm water, striking out w,.h 
 
 t'icir* feet .u the same time. This method would have 
 
 soon carried us all across, as the river was not. very 
 
 broad ; however they both declined it, as too haaardotis 
 
 an attempt, and l-l-J » f '"dti 
 
 in order to discover a fording puce, 
 proceeded up the river two hundred yar s, w en « 
 perceived a tree lying across the stream; tins served 
 L inhabitants for a bridge. Such convemences^for 
 passing rivers are very common in America, 
 the river in safety, and pursuing our journey, arm 
 the house to which we had been directed by our late hind 
 hostess. It stood alone at the edge of a wood, and being 
 unconnected with any other human dwellmg, seem 
 admirably adapted to our purpose. The family 
 much alarmfcd when we rapped them up. We , 
 ever, soon made the owner acquainted with our inten¬ 
 tions, and informed him, that if he would conduct us to 
 New York, we would give him twenty dollars, exclusive 
 of the reward he would receive from the commander 
 ,u chief. He listened with attention, and seemed wilt- 
 i,„T to comply ; hut his wife, overhearing our discourse, 
 opposed it immediately, and declared, with tears in icr 
 eyes, that lie should not go. The rude reasonings o* 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 257 
 
 this woman appeared so powerful an instance of conjugal 
 feeling, that they made a strong impression on my mind 
 at the time. To the married reader little apology is 
 due for their introduction. “ What!” said she, “ do 
 you mean to break my heart, by foolishly running into 
 the jaws of death, depriving me of a husband, and my 
 children of a father ? You know that there are several 
 camps and garrisons between this and New York, that 
 you would not be able to go ten miles before you 
 would be taken up, and then you would be hutlg up 
 like a dog.” This discourse operated with all the power 
 of simple nature, when the whole force of the passions 
 is brought to bear on any given point. The man 
 changed his mind in a moment. u Gentlemen,” said he, 
 “ this is a very dangerous piece of work ; I know that 
 all my wife has said is true ; I know that the Ame¬ 
 ricans have very strong out-posts all along the North 
 River, as far as King’s Bridge, and if I were taken in 
 the act of bringing* you into the British lines, I could 
 expect no mercy.” All our arguments after this, could 
 not prevail with him, though we promised to give him 
 twelve dollars in advance, and two new English blankets ; 
 however he at last, for a ssoall present, conducted us to 
 another friend, who lived two miles further on our 
 journey ; this person, lie observed, might probably go 
 with us. 
 
 We set off between one and two o’clock in the morn¬ 
 ing, and arrived at the poor man’s hut, which was 
 situated on the top of a high mountain. When we 
 entered the hut, we found his wife ill of a fever, 
 and the husband, with a woman, attending her. After 
 much persuasion, and a small present, we prevailed with 
 this man to bring us to another friend that lived six miles 
 onwards, and whom there was every probability we 
 might obtain for a guide. We set off immediately, 
 
 K k 2 
 
*58 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 and after making our way for six hours, through a 
 trackless desert, full of swamps, we found ourselves at 
 day-break very near the out-posts of an American 
 encampment. Here our guide, on finding where we 
 were, being much terrified, fled from us with the greatest 
 precipitation. As his last act of attention, he pointed 
 out a path-way which led into the woods, and told 
 us to pursue that track, and it would bring us to a 
 friend. We took his advice, and continued on that 
 track for five or six miles, when we came to a small 
 hut. The inhabitants were astonished at our appear¬ 
 ance, but evidently pleased at our company. We in¬ 
 formed the woman that we were very hungry. She 
 immediately prepared a repast for us, which I need not 
 add, was j*t that time highly acceptable, as we had not 
 eaten any thing for the space of forty-eight hours. 
 
 The fatigue we had undergone during our march, 
 from the extent of country which we had traversed, 
 rendered sleep highly necessary, and we prepared to lie 
 down. This measure the woman warmly opposed. She said, 
 the American soldiers often straggled from their camp 
 to her hut, and some of them might probably come 
 upon us while we slept.” Her husband now came in, 
 and seemed glad to see us. We made him acquainted 
 with our intention of escaping into New York. He re¬ 
 peated the observations of our other directors, relative to 
 the number of the American posts, particularly on the 
 North River ; and added, u that it would be an hun¬ 
 dred chances to one, if we were not taken.” We told 
 him that we would reward him liberally, it he would 
 conduct us. He answered, “ There is a young man 
 who lives several miles off, who will, I believe, undertake 
 it : if he should, I have no objection to go ; but I 
 will not go by myself, as I well know the dangers which 
 we shall be exposed to without a second guide.” 
 
259 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 We remained at this place two days, encouraging 
 them by every argument which we could suggest to 
 make the attempt. At last we prevailed, by giving them 
 ten dollars and the two new English blankets, which 
 we had with us. We set off with our two guides about 
 six o clock in the evening, and after travelling through 
 deep swamps, thick woods, and over difficult mountains 
 for ten hours, our young guide stopped, and declared 
 that he would not proceed any further with us, unless 
 we gave him forty dollars in hand. He said, “ This 
 is a dangerous, troublesome piece of work. Here,” 
 continued he, “ is an American encampment within a 
 mile of us ; I have been there a few days ago, and I 
 know where all the centries are posted ; if I should be 
 taken, I shall lose my life.” As he uttered this, he 
 seemed to be under great terror and fear, which in¬ 
 creased when we said, “ We are not afraid of one or 
 two American centinels, only conduct us the best way 
 you can ; and if we unavoidably fall in with any of 
 them, you may leave the matter to us and fly for 
 your life.” All we could say had no effect on him, 
 and although we offered him on the spot twelve dollars, 
 he would not advance one step further. We then 
 encouraged our other guide to proceed with us, to 
 which, after much entreaty and promises of reward, 
 he consented. 
 
 We expected every moment, as we advanced, to fall 
 in with the line of centries belonging to the Americans ; 
 but, happily for us, as it rained very hard during the 
 whole night, and was very dark, we did not encounter 
 one of them, though we passed very near to a log 
 house, which was full of troops. Taking, however, 
 every possible precaution, we immediately struck off 
 into the woods, and after climbing up precipices, and 
 wading through swamps, about five o’clock in the morn¬ 
 ing, we arrived at the wished for house. This was situated 
 
260 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 only two miles from another encampment. Our guitle 
 being well acquainted with this family, told them who 
 we were, and also our intention. They received us very 
 •kindly, and gave us refreshment, informing us, at the 
 same time, that it would he highly dangeious foi us to 
 remain in the house, as the American soldiery were scat¬ 
 tered over almost the whole face of the countrj. Wc 
 held a consultation what was to be done under the then 
 existing circumstances ; and it was unanimously agreed, 
 that we should hide ourselves in a hay-stack, which was 
 near the house, until our guide could explore the 
 country, and find out the safest way for our escape. 
 We were conducted to the spot on which it stood, 
 when each of us buried himsejt up to the chin in the 
 hay, and waited the event. Our conductor was \igilant 
 in procuring all the intelligence he could with regard 
 to the station of the American army. This delayed him 
 much longer than we at first imagined. Our not hearing 
 aught from him during the space of thirty hours, made 
 ns very uneasy ; we vvevq fearful lest he also had for¬ 
 saken us, and left us to shift for ourselves. At last he 
 came, and bad us prepare to follow him. We were at 
 that time about forty miles from King’s Bridge, the out 
 post of the British army. Thus circumstanced, we 
 determined to accomplish the march, if possible, that 
 *ight; we therefore set off in high spirits, about* six 
 o’clock in the evening. 
 
 Previous to the commencement of our journey, we 
 were informed by our guide of our perilous situation, 
 » while we remained concealed in the hay-stack. The 
 Americans had determined to remove it to the camp 
 lor forage, which probably would have been done the 
 day before, only that it rained remarkably hard during 
 the whole of it. Fortunately for us, the storm con¬ 
 tinued, with unabated violence, all night; and the 
 darkness was such, that we were completely shromlsd 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 261 
 
 from all observation. These circumstances tended very 
 much to favor our escape. ■> 
 
 After as hard a march as any poor fellows ever ex¬ 
 perienced for the time, over swamps, rivers, and moun¬ 
 tains, we arrived a little before day-light at a small house 
 about one mile from the British outposts at King’s Bridge, 
 fifteen miles from New York. We boldly rapped 
 at the door, and demanded entrance. The inhabitants 
 were much terrified, on our approach, and their fears 
 
 began sensibly to increase, when we ordered them to 
 light a candle.. They assured us, that if a light were 
 seen in their house, at that hour, the habitation would 
 be soon tumbled about their ears, for the British fort 
 would immediately fire into it; we were, therefore, 
 constrained to remain in that situation until day-light 
 had commenced, as it would have been highly dangerous 
 to have proceeded to the fort in the dark. Soon as 
 morning dawned we left the house, and with joyfin 
 hearts proceeded to the fort. The out-centry chal¬ 
 lenged us ; we answered, “ We are British soldiers, who 
 have made good our escape.” We were conducted 
 with joy and wonder to the fort, and received with 
 great kindness by the officers and men. I believe we 
 were the first party belonging'to general Burgoynets 
 ariry, that effected an escape. It would not be very 
 easy to give the reader an adequate idea, eithei of -joi} 
 own feelings, or those of my associates on this occasion. 
 The toil and hardships we had sustained, the dangers 
 which we had surmounted; captivity, or death, in its 
 most frightful shapes, every moment presenting horrid 
 images to our minds; in avoiding destruction or re¬ 
 capture from the Americans, encountering the wzaiu 
 of still greater calamities; sinking into the morass or 
 quagmire ; drowning in the rapid torrent ; tumbling 
 headlong from the dreadful precipice; not to mention 
 V the terrors of the woods, among which, the least was 
 
262 . 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the encountering: the venomous bite of the American 
 serpents : when delivered from all these, we joined our 
 countrymen and fellow soldiers in arms.—Such a moment 
 must be imagined ; it cannot be described. 
 
 We were, of course, immediately conducted forward 
 to New York, when major Andre, the adjutant general, 
 received us with great affability and kindness, at the 
 head quarters. As I was the person who first planned 
 the means of escape, and conducted the whole plan, 
 under the guides, I was the object to which every in¬ 
 quiry was directed. Sir Henry Clinton the commander 
 in chief, was an experienced officer, and a sensible 
 man. He, doubtless, gave private orders, relative to 
 my examination, willing to gain information of every 
 circumstance, however minute, that might by (communi¬ 
 cating intelligence of the state of the country,) add 
 to the security of the British army. I am also inclined 
 to think, that much of the bounty that I and my 
 comrades received, w ? as the result of Sir Henry’s secret 
 benevolence. Major Andre immediately brought me 
 into the parlour, inquired very minutely into every 
 circumstance of the route I had taken with my party, 
 and the dangers I was exposed to: the number of 
 the enemy, the usage which the British soldiers re¬ 
 ceived when prisoners, &c. &c. &c. When I had 
 given him all the information which I could, he ex¬ 
 pressed much satisfaction, and told me* that if I chose, 
 I might take my passage to England in the next packet 
 that sailed but, at the same time, he intimated a 
 wish that I would continue to serve in America. I 
 answered, “ That I would rather remain, and serve 
 his majesty in America, than go home to England.” 
 
 * As I w’as at that time a non-commissioned officer, I had 
 the privilege of being sent home. 
 
265 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 The major then, with much feeling and politeness, 
 informed me, that he was authorized by Sir Henry 
 Clinton, to offer me ray choice of entering in any 
 regiment, then serving in America. I came to the resolu¬ 
 tion of serving in *the 23 d, or Royal Welch Fuzileers, 
 then quartered in New York. I was soon after appointed 
 serjeant by colonel, now general Balfour, to whose kind 
 attention I must ever feel myself much indebted. I 
 was immediately sent to an officer,* who was appointed 
 to pay the men w r ho made their escape from confine¬ 
 ment, the usual bounty. The distinction made in cases 
 like mine, by general Burgoyne himself, was highly 
 flattering to the military feelings of the soldier. The 
 general used to term them, “ honorable desertions.”— 
 This distinction he made, even in the house of com¬ 
 mons, between these soldiers, who, through every diffi¬ 
 culty, made their way to, and joined his majesty’s 
 forces, and those who left their regiments, for the 
 purpose of settling among the Americans. 
 
 * Colonel Handheld, the present commissary general of 
 Iceland. 
 
 h I 
 
 i 
 
364 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Scut hern Affairs. General Lincoln appointed to the 
 Southern Command . Victory at Briar's Creek. St. 
 James's, St. John's and Port Royal taken. Northern 
 Afairs. Connecticut Expedition . Stoncy Point stormed 
 by the Americans. D'Estaing's Attempt against Sa¬ 
 vannah. Count Polaskie mortally wounded. Some 
 Account of his Life. Colonel Maitland's Death . 
 His Character. Americans send an Expedition 
 against the Indian Settlements. 
 
 JT may now be necessary to pursue the thread of 
 this narrative in a different direction, and to turn the 
 reader’s attention to the southern affair*. 
 
 The reduction of Georgia by general Prevost and 
 colonel Campbell excited great alarm in the congress ; 
 nor were the apprehensions of ruin and discomfiture 
 to American independence less without doors, parti¬ 
 cularly among the inhabitants of South Carolina. In 
 this critical posture of affairs general Lincoln, who 
 served under Gates in the northward, as already re¬ 
 lated, was appointed to the command of the southern 
 American army. Being reinforced by a considerable 
 body of troops, he encamped v\ithin* twenty miles of 
 Savannah. Another strong body of troops was 
 
posted at Briar’s Creek, farther up the river. Thus 
 the extent ot ground for the exercise of the British go¬ 
 vernment was likely to be circumscribed within very nar 
 row bounds. General Prfetost therefore determined to 
 dislodge the party at Briar’s Creek. Lieutenant colonel 
 Prevost (the general’s brother) with three companies of 
 the 60 th regiment, Sir James Baird’s light infantry, the 
 second battalion of the list regiment, captain Tawe’s 
 provincial troop of light dragoons, and some militia, 
 amounting in the whole to nine hundred men, were 
 directed to make a circuit, in order to come upon the 
 rear of the American encampment; whilst major Mac- 
 pherson, with the first battalion of the 71 st regiment, 
 and two field pieces, appeared in their front. These 
 two dispositions proceeded in strict obedience to orders 
 It was on the 30 th of March, that the Americans 
 were attacked in front and rear, and totally routed, 
 with the loss of seven pieces of cannon, several stand 
 of colours, almost all their arms, and the whole of 
 their ammunition and baggage. Upwards of four bun¬ 
 dled men were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners; 
 among the latter was general Elbert, the second in 
 command. 1 his victory entirely broke the American 
 measures in the province ; of consequence the 
 communication was again opened between the British 
 posts and South Carolina. 
 
 This victory proved of considerable service. General 
 Lincoln was thereby reduced to a state of cautious 
 inactivity, and at last moved off towards Augusta. 
 
 Lincoln had no sooner quitted his post than the 
 British general determined on the invasion of Carolina. 
 The time was chosen with the most profound judgment, 
 but many difficulties lay in his way. The river Savannah 
 was so swelled by the excessive rains of the season, 
 that it seemed impassable; the shores were so full of 
 
 L 1 2 
 
 
ir^ 
 
 F 
 
 960 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 swamps and marshes, that no army could march over 
 it without the greatest difficulty ; to obstruct the 
 passage still more, general Moultrie was left with a con- 
 siderable body of troops, to oppose any attempt that 
 mioht be made by the British. In defiance of 
 every opposition, the constancy and perseverance of 
 the British forces at last prevailed. General Moultrie 
 was defeated, and obliged to retire towards Charlestown, 
 while the victorious army, after having waded through 
 the marshes, at last arrived in an open country, over 
 which they pursued their march with rapidity, towards 
 the capital. 
 
 A general alarm, throughout all Carolina, now took 
 place. Their capital was in danger. Lincoln, with a 
 numerous army, took possession of all the avenues 
 leading to Charlestown, and prepared for a vigorous 
 defence. But all opposition proved ineffectual; the 
 Americans were defeated in every encounter, and re¬ 
 treating continually, at last allowed the British army 
 to come within cannon shot of Charlestown, on the 
 12 th of May, 1779. 
 
 The town was summoned to surrender. The inha¬ 
 bitants would gladly have agreed to have observed a 
 neutrality during the war, and would have en¬ 
 gaged for the rest of the province ; but these terms 
 not being accepted, every preparation was made for 
 a vigorous defence of the place. It was not in the 
 power of the British commander (without being guilty 
 of that rashness, the danger of which, could not escape 
 his enlarged and consummate judgment, as an officer) 
 at that time to make an attack with any prospect of 
 success. His artillery was not of sufficient weight, there 
 were no ships to support his attack, and general Lin¬ 
 coln, advancing rapidly with a superior army, threatened 
 to enclose him between his own force and the town. 
 
 . The British commander was too wise not to be aware 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 2G7 
 
 of the danger ; if he had failed in the first attempt, cer¬ 
 tain destruction would have been the consequence. Ge¬ 
 neral Prevost’s force was about two thousand four hun¬ 
 dred strong, and the garrison three thousand three hun¬ 
 dred, including the militia. For these reasons the British 
 general withdrew his forces from before the tow n, and 
 took possession of two islands, called St. James’s, and 
 St. John’s, lying to the southward ; where, having 
 waited some time, his force was augmented by the arrival 
 of two frigates. With these he determined to make 
 himself master of Port Royal. This island, from its 
 excellent harbour, and many other natural advantages, 
 became an object of no small importance, its situation 
 commanding all the sea coast from Charlestown to 
 Savannah river. These measures, however, were not 
 accomplished without opposition from the American 
 general. Perceiving that the British had occupied an 
 advantageous post on St. John’s Island, preparatory 
 to their enterprize against Port Royal, he attempted, on 
 the 20th of June, to dislodge them from it ; but after an 
 obstinate conflict, the Americans were as usual obliged to 
 retire with considerable loss. 
 
 This disappointment was instantly followed by the 
 loss of Port Royal, of which general Prevost took 
 immediate possession. He then proceeded to Savan¬ 
 nah, and left the command to lieutenant colonel Maitland. 
 The troops were put in proper stations, and the whole 
 waited the arrival of such reinforcements as were neces¬ 
 sary for the intended attack on Charlestown. 
 
 It would swell this volume far beyond its prescribed 
 limits, to point out the merits of the British officers 
 and soldiers, who were engaged in these actions ; but 
 the singular gallantry of one exploit, performed 
 by captain Moncrief, of the engineers, in the sight 
 of both armies, ought not to be omitted: that officer, 
 with only twenty soldiers, sallied out in the face 
 
26* JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 of the American army, took an ammunition waggon, 
 and brought it safe within the lines. 1 his was a most 
 seasonable supply of what was greatly wanted: for 
 such was the scarcity of ammunition in the garrison, 
 that the last charge was in the guns when the enemy 
 gave way. 
 
 The affairs of the American campaigns were sometimes 
 of a very complicated nature : clearly to comprehend 
 several leading events-of the history of the war, it is 
 necessary in many instances, that the reader should 
 be in possession of the joint movements of the British 
 armies, acting far distant from each other m f but on the 
 co-operation of which the issue of the contest .finally de¬ 
 pended. It is hoped that this remark will be received as 
 a sufficient apology for breaking off rather abruptly 
 from the affairs, transacting in the Carolinas, and 
 proceeding to detail those of the north. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton proceeded up the North River. By 
 great exertiops of valor he carried the two impor¬ 
 tant posts of Stoney Point and Verplanks. These forts 
 securing the communication between the eastern and 
 western colonies, had been fortified with much skill and 
 diligence by the Americans. After leaving garri¬ 
 sons in them, the fleet, with the rest of the troops, 
 fell down the river and returned to New York. 
 
 The province of Connecticut was the great source 
 from - whence the Americans recruited their armies and 
 supplied them with provisions. It bad, from its si¬ 
 tuation, hitherto sustained little of that rage of war, 
 which most of the other provinces had endured. The 
 British commander, to convince the inhabitants that 
 their province was not inaccessible, and that it was 
 to our lenity and forbearance they were indebted, 
 planned an expedition against it. It formed also part 
 of the general’s plan, to compel Washington to quit 
 
AMERICAN WAR. m 
 
 his strong situation on the North River, and descend 
 into the country, for the defence of the sea coast. 
 
 As this expedition has been greatly misrepresented, 
 both by Ramsay and Belsham, the Author takes the 
 liberty to transcribe from his Journal the following 
 account of this affair ; as he was himself personally em¬ 
 ployed on the service. He is happy ro state, that many 
 lespectable British officers are still living, (particularly 
 general Garth, second in command on the expedition,) 
 who can bear full accord to the truth of the following 
 account. Indeed such refutation becomes the more 
 necessary, as the British army still lies under the odium 
 thrown on it by those virulent party writers, which has 
 never yet, to the Author’s knowledge, been answered by 
 any one. 
 
 The transports, on board which were troops amount* 
 ing to two thousand six hundred men, weighed anchor 
 at the entrance into the sound, and sailed towards New 
 Haven, the capital of Connecticut, the 4th of July. 
 Major general Try on commanded the land forces. Com¬ 
 modore Sir George Collier, in the Camille frigate, with 
 the Scorpion sloop, Halifax brig, and Hussar galley, 
 was appointed to the naval command, and escorted the 
 transports. The first division of the troops, under 
 brigadier general Garth, of the guards, disembarked at 
 some distance below the town of New Haven. He 
 had to pass the head of a creek, and was in consequence 
 compelled to take a march of seven miles, amidst the 
 continued opposition of the inhabitants ; he, nevertheless, 
 forced his way, and succeeded in gaining possession of 
 the town. Meanwhile major general Tryon, with the 2d 
 division, landed on the opposite side of the harbour, 
 4nd took a fort on the heights, the artillery of which 
 commanded it• a direct communication was thus 
 established between the two divisions of the army, one 
 <?f which was in possession of the town. The vessels 
 
, 70 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 in the harbour, artillery, ammunition, public stores, &c. 
 were taken or destroyed; but, notwithstanding the 
 opposition of the inhabitants, and their even firing front 
 the windows, after the troops were in possession of the 
 town, such was the British humanity, that, instead of 
 indiscriminate death, which by the laws of war they 
 were liable to, the town was saved from damage, and 
 private houses, as much as possible, exempted from 
 plunder, by placing sentinels before them, many of 
 whom, (such was the American gratitude,) were actually 
 wounded on their posts ! The next day a proclamation 
 was issued, promising protection and pardon to all who 
 should return to their allegiance, and threatening 
 to punish as traitors those who did not. The fort 
 was then.dismantled; the troops were re-embarked, 
 and New Haven was left in a far better situation than 
 many less offending places have experienced in all 
 countries during war. 
 
 The expedition next proceeded to Fairfield. After 
 the landing of the troops, the opposition from the in¬ 
 habitants was far more desperate than at New Haven. 
 The lenity already shewn to the offenders, serving 
 only to make' them more outrageous, an example of 
 severity became indispensible. All the public stores, 
 and the vessels in the harbour, were therefore either 
 taken or destroyed, and the town itself was laid in ashes. 
 This example had not its desired effect. As the troops pro¬ 
 ceeded, the opposition became more determined, and of 
 a nature which no regular army could patiently endure : 
 no established system of warfare pardon. Norwark and 
 Greenfield, places taken immediately afterward, there¬ 
 fore underwent a similar fate. 
 
 New London, the rendezvous for the American priva¬ 
 teers, was the last place, the reduction of which genera 
 Tryon had in view ; but as still more obstinate resistance 
 was apprehended there, it was judged that a supply of 
 
AMERICAN WAR 
 
 ammunition, and an augmentation of troops should be 
 obtained before it was attacked, though the loss of the 
 British in the expedition amounted only to twenty 
 killed, ninety-six wounded, and thirty-two missing. 
 The fleet, therefore, returned to Huntington Bay, in 
 Long Island, and the commodore went to Frog’s Neck, 
 where a conference was held with the commander in 
 chief of the army, fully to arrange the future plan 
 of attack. The immediate occasion of this conference 
 was the intelligence received by Sir Henry Clinton, that 
 the inhabitants of Connecticut, who certainly had suf¬ 
 fered much loss, both public and private, during the 
 nine days of the expedition, were highly dissatisfied 
 both with congress and general Washington ; in parti¬ 
 cular they loudly complained of the latter, in permitting 
 the destruction of so many towns on the sea-coast, and 
 remaining fixed, if not inattentive, in his strong position 
 near the North River ; and further, Sir Henry had been 
 secretly and positively informed, that many were hesi¬ 
 tating, from these circumstances, about withdrawing 
 their support from congress and making terms with 
 the parent country. 
 
 Such is the simple, impartial, and unbiassed narrative 
 of an expedition, which Ramsay, and after him Belsham, 
 have endeavoured, with all the artifice of wilful mis¬ 
 representation, so to colour as to render the British 
 name odious to humanity. No doubt, in such excur¬ 
 sions many scenes occur, at which the feeling heart 
 must revolt; but in war, all that the brave and the 
 humane can do, is to soften and alleviate its horrors ; 
 to prevent them entirely, is altogether beyond the 
 power of man. And that this was done almost in every 
 point, by the commanding officers, the Author can aver 
 from his own personal knowledge. But if persons, whose 
 residence unfortunately becomes the scat of war, will 
 
 Mm 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 272 1 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 not govern themselves prudently, whom have they to 
 blame, except themselves, for all the disastrous conse- 
 quences that may ensue ? 
 
 Mr. Ramsay makes the strange assertion, that at New 
 Haven “ the inhabitants were stripped of their houshold 
 furniture and other moveable property; and the har¬ 
 bour and water-side were covered with feathers, which 
 were discharged from opened beds! Strange, in¬ 
 deed, that soldiers weighed down with arms, ammu¬ 
 nition, and provisions, should carry feather beds so far 
 to destroy them ! and as for the houshoufd furniture 
 what were they to do with it ? Such slanderous im¬ 
 probabilities refute themselves : I never saw any thing 
 of the kind. But further, he has the hardihood to 
 assert, that, “ an aged citizen, who laboured under a 
 natural inability of speech, had his tongue cut out by 
 one of the royal army and that “ a sucking infant 
 was plundered of part of its clothing, while a bayonet 
 was presented to the breast of its mother. It is literally 
 impossible for one who has been in America during 
 great part of the war, and who has actually fought in 
 ^veral of the engagements, taread such gross falsehoods 
 without feeling more indignation than he can readily 
 express, and heaving a sigh for the depravity of human 
 nature. 1 am certain, that either of these actions, 
 proved on a British soldier, would have been punished 
 by bis officers with the greatest severity. 
 
 Mr. Belsham, although somewhat more cautious and 
 guarded in his assertions than Ramsay, is equally ran¬ 
 corous ; a fid from the art with which he fabricates his 
 deceptions, is a far more dangerous writer. His allusion 
 to the words of the proclamation, that “ the existence 
 of a single house on the coast, was a striking monu¬ 
 ment of British mercy,” is highly uncandid. This 
 was an act cf mercy after their cruel behaviour to the 
 troops. And the assertion that “all the buildings and farm. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 273 
 
 houses for two miles in extent round the town, were 
 laid in ashes, I can take upon me to contradict as a 
 gross and malignant falshood. And yet these arc the 
 men who assume the pompous name of historians, 
 and who transmit the most wanton misrepresentations 
 of public events, together with the most wicked slander 
 of illustrious individuals, to generations yet unborn 1 
 In the mean time the American general made a 
 diversion in another quarter, which broke all the mea¬ 
 sures which had been taken, with bravery equal to the 
 wisdom with which they were planned. Such is the fate of 
 war, and such sometimes the result of the best laid 
 schemes ,of man. 'In the night of the 15th of July, 
 the fort at Stoney Point was taken by surprise. The 
 Americans having had perfect knowledge of all its works, 
 knew well at what points to attack it, with advantage; 
 it was still an enterprise of much difficulty, and 
 greater danger. General Wayne was much praised 
 for his conduct in the assault. He divided his troops 
 into two columns, which entering the works in oppo¬ 
 site quarters met in the centre of them about one in the 
 morning of the 16th. The surprise was not so sudden, 
 but that a brave, resistance was made: so that the 
 killed and wounded were nearly equal. There were 
 about six hundred men in the fort, commanded by 
 lieutenant colonel Johnson. They consisted of the 17th, 
 regiment, the grenadier company of the 71st, a com¬ 
 pany of the regiment of loyal Americans, and a de¬ 
 tachment of artillery. One hundred and fifty-two were 
 either killed or wounded ; the remainder with their 
 commander were made prisoners. General Wayne’s 
 force was supposed to be about one thousand five 
 hundred. It is but just, here to praise the conduct 
 of the American commander ; he stopped the carnage, 
 and when the place was entirely calmed, not a man of 
 the garrison was put to the sword. 
 
 M m 2 
 
274 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 The bravery of general Wayne commanded the highest 
 praises of all parties. As he passed the last abbatis 
 he was wounded in the head by a musquet ball ; in 
 which state, he insisted on being carried forward, de¬ 
 claring, u That if he died he wished it might be in 
 the fort.” 
 
 To the loss of this important fortress must be added, 
 one which was at the time sensibly felt through the 
 whole army. Captain Tew, a brave and distinguished 
 officer, fell in defending the first barrier. He, with 
 the most rare and undaunted heroism, even refused the 
 quarter that was offered him by the Americans, being 
 determined to make a stand until the rest of the 
 garrison were alarmed, or perish on the spot. The 
 effort proved unavailing; and unfortunately he fell 
 a sacrifice ! His name, however, must be always dear 
 to the mind of the brave ; nor did there an officer 
 fall, during the whole campaigns, who deserved a more 
 splendid monument. 
 
 He was most dangerously (and it was at first thought 
 mortally) wounded when serving under general Amherst, 
 in the French war, at Louisbourg. He was shot five 
 ^mes through the body, once through each arm, and 
 likewise in the thigh. Through one of the apertures 
 made by a bullet, which penetrated the body, a large 
 stripe of linen was passed from the belly out at the 
 back during some months. After the engagement, his 
 wounds were so firmly believed to be mortal, that 
 they were not dressed for three days, the surgeon ex¬ 
 pecting his death every halt' hour. At length, how¬ 
 ever, with great care some hopes were entertained ; but 
 his recovery was as tedious as his situation had been 
 dangerous, until, at length he was able to accompany 
 the shattered remains of his regiment to England. 
 
 At last, by the assistance of the first surgeons, and 
 a good constitution, his wounds so far healed, as to 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 275 
 
 permit his return to the public duties of his profession, 
 and he served at those hazardous expeditions, both with 
 regard to health and life, the sieges of Martinico and 
 the Havannah. In both places the dangers encountered 
 from the enem}', admitted no comparison what¬ 
 ever with those which arose with the deadly exhalations 
 and descended witli the pestiferous dews of the climate. 
 Notwithstanding all these services, he still remained 
 unpromoted, continuing in the rank of a lieutenant, 
 the same in which he left Europe in 1757. 
 
 Some time after the peace, he returned to Great 
 Britain ; and an opportunity soon offering, he purchased 
 the captain lieutenancy of the regiment. When they 
 were reviewed by the king, he was pointed out to his 
 majesty, to whom his singular fate was related. His 
 majesty walked up to him, and after conversing with 
 him very familiarly for some time, put his name down 
 in his memorandum book, in order that he might not 
 forget him when an occasion for promoting him should 
 occur. 
 
 In 1771, he was, by his majesty’s royal favour pro¬ 
 moted to a company in the regiment, which was then 
 sent to Scotland, where it continued three years ; but 
 being again reviewed by the king, on their return to 
 London, his majesty instantly recognized Mr. Tew’s 
 person, and again most graciously condescended to 
 converse with him, giving him hopes of still further 
 preferment. 
 
 In the year, 1776, he again embarked for America, 
 where, becoming eldest captain in the regiment, on the 
 appointment of the then lieutenant-colonel and major 
 to other duties, he was promoted to its command. 
 Many and important were the services rendered by this 
 gallant officer to the royal cause, until, at last, we 
 behold him, like the Spartan, Leonidas, nobly falling 
 in defending the pass. I have already mentioned the 
 
276 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 -Jr- 
 
 affairs of Princetovvn and Germantown, at both which 
 places he bravely distinguished himself. Indeed in 
 those two actions his regiment rendered such essential 
 service, that they received the public thanks of the 
 commander in chief. It is such men who are the best 
 guards of the throne, and on whom a nation may with 
 safety fix its firmest dependence. 
 
 Washington’s arrangement for the attack on the 
 North River, included Fort Fayette with Stoney Point. 
 They were to have been assaulted at the same time. 
 The detachment which had the attack of Fort Fayette 
 in charge, did not arrive in time ; it, however, ad¬ 
 vanced under the command of the American general 
 How; and, to favor its operations, general Wayne 
 turned the cannon of Stoney Point against Iqrt Fayette. 
 Lieutenant colonel Webster commanded there. The 
 garrison was formed of the 33d regiment, part of the 
 regiment of loyal Americans, a detachment from the 
 71st, and another of royal artillery. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton was not unapprized of the danger; 
 the expedition against New London was suspended, 
 the transports and troops were recalled from the sound, 
 and the army moved on to Dobb’s Ferry, on the North 
 River. Brigadier general Sterling, with a detachment, 
 sailed np the river ; and the commander in chief, with 
 a superior force, followed, hoping that Washington 
 might be tempted, for the safety of Stpney Point, to 
 quit his fortresses, and risque an engagement. The 
 American general was too prudent, and on the contrary, 
 gave immediate orders for the evacuation of Stoney 
 Point, anil the demolition of all the works which the 
 time would permit. Colonel Webster bravely defended 
 his post at Fort Fayette or Verplank’s Neck. He sustained 
 the cannonade of Stoney Point without returning it, and 
 bent the whole of his attention to the attack, under gene¬ 
 ral How. This conduct succeeded. Before the Americans 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 277 
 
 were able to effect any thing against the fort, the 
 arrival of brigadier Sterling put an end to the contest ; 
 Stoney Point was re-taken, and on the arrival of Sir 
 Henry Clinton, the works were repaired, and brigadier 
 general Sterling, with a more numerous garrison, took 
 the command. As no manoeuvre whatever seemed likely 
 to draw Washington from his hold of security in the 
 Highlands, the transports fell down the river, and the 
 troops returned to their quarters. 
 
 The idea of forming a settlement on the bay of 
 Penobscot, had been adopted by the British commander. 
 Six hundred men from the 74th and 82d regiments 
 sailed in transports for that purpose, escorted by three 
 sloops of war. The command of this detachment was 
 given to general Maclean. It was suggested that forming 
 a post in this settlement would not only check the 
 incursions of the Americans into Nova Scotia, but also 
 facilitate the supply of timber for the royal yards 
 at Halifax, &c. that part of the country abounding 
 with forests. The bay of Penobscot is about seven 
 leagues broad at the entrance, and seventeen in length. 
 The river Penobscot empties itself into its head. About 
 nine miles below the mouth of the river, on the east 
 side of the bay is a small, but convenient harbour. 
 The point of laud on the peninsula forming one side 
 of the harbour, was the spot general Maclean fixed on 
 for the erection of a fort to protect the settlement. 
 
 The Americans lost no time in opposing the measuie. 
 A fleet, consisting of nineteen armed ships and bri¬ 
 gantines, and twenty-seven transports, with three thou¬ 
 sand troops, under the command of general Lovell set 
 sail from Boston harbour, under the protection of com¬ 
 modore Saltonstal, to oppose the undertaking. 
 
 His detachment arrived in Penobscot bay on the 25th of 
 July, but could not effect a landing until the 2Sth , three 
 sloops of war, under the direction of captain Mowat 
 
278 
 
 JOURNAL OF THR 
 
 commanding the mouth of the harbour. The fleet 
 could not enter to land the troops on one side the pe¬ 
 ninsula, and the other was so steep and rugged that 
 it was almost inaccessible. At last it was accomplished 
 on the morning of the 28th, before day break : various 
 and ineffectual assaults and skirmishes, took place 
 until the twelfth of August, (a period of fifteen days,) 
 when a deserter brought intelligence to general Maclean, 
 that the day following, a general assault was to be made 
 on the fort; but the arrival of Sir George Collier 
 caused them to forego their design, and they hastily 
 reimbarked, with the greater part of their cannon* 
 The utmost confusion took place on board, and at 
 last, not daring to wait the shock of the British 
 
 squadron, they sought safety by flight. Two of 
 
 the armed ships in endeavouring to get to sea by 
 
 passing round Long Island, were lost to them, the 
 
 one being taken, and the other was ran ashore, and 
 blown up by the crew. The rest, with the transports, 
 fled in disorder to the head of the bay, and entered 
 the mouth of the river, closely pursued by the British. 
 Here they landed in a wild uncultivated country; 
 destitute of provisions and every necessary, they had 
 to explore their way through a trackless desert, more 
 than an hundred miles before they could reach any 
 place of safety, or obtain succour. A quarrel ensued 
 between the seamen and the landsmen, each throwing 
 the blame on the other. It terminated in a battle, 
 wherein fifty or sixty men were killed, and numbers, 
 before they reached the cultivated part of the pro¬ 
 vince, perished in the woods. 
 
 Such, (with all their vast superiority of numbers, was 
 the event of the American opposition at Penobscot. 
 General Maclean was entitled to, and received the 
 highest praise. “ In the progress and issue of this 
 expedition,” says St^dman, “ we see how much may be 
 
I 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. m 
 
 effected by a very inconsiderable force, when British 
 officers act with zeal and unanimity in the service of 
 their king and country.” 
 
 On the English side, seventy were killed, wounded, 
 and missing ; on board the fleet, fifteen killed and 
 wounded. 
 
 The loss of the American soldiery was never ascertain¬ 
 ed ; but it must, on the whole, have more than exceeded 
 two-thirds of their force. Of their fleetsthere were— 
 
 TAKEN. 
 
 Warren, 32 guns, 
 
 Monmouth, 24 do. 
 
 Vengeance, 24 do. 
 
 Putnam, 22 do. 
 
 Sally, 22 do. 
 
 Hector, 20 do. 
 
 Black Prince, 18 do. 
 
 ^ Sky Rocket,. 16 do. 
 
 Active, 16 do. 
 
 fcURNT. 
 
 Hampden, 20 guns, Nancy, v 16 guns. 
 
 Hunter, 18 do. Rover 10 do. 
 
 Once more the reader’s attention is solicited to other 
 scenes, and following the operations of the southern 
 armies, let us pursue the narrative of affairs before 
 Savannah. 
 
 Count D’Estaing, after taking St. Vincent’s and Gre¬ 
 nada, sailed for America, and arrived an unexpected 
 visitant on the coast of Georgia. His fleet consisted 
 of twenty sail of the line, two of fifty guns, and eleven 
 frigates, with which he surprised and took the Experiment 
 of fifty guns and three frigates. 
 
 As soon as his arrival was known to the Americans, 
 general Lincoln marched for Savannah, and in a short 
 ' N n 
 
 Defence, 16 guns. 
 Hazard, 16 do. 
 Diligence, 14 do. 
 Tyrannicide,14 do. 
 Providence, 14 do. 
 
 “ Spring Bird, 12 do. 
 Together with 21< sail 
 of transports. 
 
 
?S0 JOURNAL OF Tllfc 
 
 the time place was invested both by sea and land. The 
 British were diligent in making every preparation for 
 its defence. Before the arrival of Lincoln, the count sent 
 a peremptory summons, demanding the surrender of the 
 place to the arms of France. To this general Prevost 
 replied, by inquiring on what terms ? I he French com¬ 
 mander rejoined, “That it was for the besieged to offer, 
 terms. 1 ’ A truce for twenty-four hours was then dc- > 
 manded and granted. During this time colonel Maitland, 
 after encountering incredible difficulties, arrived from 
 Beaufort, which place he had been ordered to abandon. 
 The difficulties he had overcome in his march were 
 astonishing. His arrival decided the fate of Savannah: 
 for when some of the officers in council were for 
 capitulating, the colonel resolutely arose, though almost 
 worn out with fatigue, and said, “ that the word 
 capitulation was what lie abhorred t ’ adding, in a firm 
 tone, “ that if he should survive, and go home to 
 Britain, he would report to the king the name of 
 the first officer who should dare to propose a capi¬ 
 tulation.” Thus encouraged, the garrison determined 
 on the most vigorous resistance. The works of the 
 garrison were strengthened by tire incessant labour 
 of the troops and the negroes, under the direction of 
 that excellent engineer major Moncrief. 1 he siege 
 commenced with nine mortars, and thirty pieces of 
 cannon from the land side, and fifteen, from the water. 
 
 It was at this period that general Prevost solicited 
 leave, to send the women and children out of the 
 place. This was tauntingly refused on the part ot 
 the Americans, ltamsay says (with his usual candor 
 and truth !) that they were fearful lest the plunder 
 of the Carol inas should Ire thus conveyed away ; but I 
 am almost weary with noticing the mis-representations 
 of this writer. 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 3&1 
 
 The hurricane season, so fatal on that part of the 
 American coast, had now commenced, and the sailors 
 began to murmur at delay. This forced them on the 
 desperate attempt of storming the place, which was com¬ 
 menced at Springhold battery, October 9th, early in 
 the morning, by three thousand five hundred French 
 troops, six hundred continentals, and three hundred and 
 •fifty of the inhabitants of Charlestown. These troops, 
 under the command of D’Estaing and Lincoln, resolutely 
 marched up to the lines ; but the tremendous and well 
 directed fire of the batteries, joined to that in a cross 
 direction from the gallies, threw their whole columns into 
 confusion ; not before, however, they had planted two 
 standards on the British redoubts. 
 
 There were two feints made by the American militia 
 to draw the attention of the garrison from the real point 
 of attack, to their centre and left. Meanwhile it was 
 intended that count Dillon should secretly pass the edge 
 of the swamps, the redoubts, and batteries, and attack 
 the rear of the British lines. The troops were in 
 motion before day-light, but a heavy fog arising with 
 the morning, they lost their way in the swamp, and 
 were finally exposed to the view of the garrison 
 and the fire of the batteries, which was so hot and 
 tremendous., that they in vain attempted to form, and 
 their whole design was defeated. 
 
 Lieutenant Tawes, of the 71st regiment, nobly fell 
 with his sword in the body of the third of the assailants 
 he had killed. It was in defending the gate of the 
 redoubt that he fell. The enemy rushed forward, 
 and two standards (one American and the other 
 French) were fixed on thq parapet.. They were soon 
 displaced, and the conflict for possession of the redoubt 
 became hot and bloody. At Jast, when every thing 
 hung in suspense, lieutenant colonel Maitland seized the 
 critical moment, and ordered the grenadiers of the 60tb 
 
 N n 2 
 
£82 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 regiment, with the marines, to charge the enemj, who 
 began to give way, being annoyed at once by the 
 slaughter in the redoubt, the heavy fire from the bat¬ 
 teries, and the guns of the Germaine armed brig, which 
 played incessantly upon them. This judicious move¬ 
 ment decided the contest. The enemy were driven out 
 of the redoubt with immense slaughter ; they fled in all 
 directions; six hundred and thirty-seven French and 
 two hundred and sixty-four of the Americans were left 
 upon the spot, either killed or wounded. 
 
 General Prevost did not order any pursuit, as thp 
 enemy, notwithstanding their loss, were three times the 
 number of the garrison. However their ranks were still 
 further thinned, during their flight, by the heavy and 
 well directed fire of the British garrison, under the 
 command of captain Charleton. The loss of the be¬ 
 siegers, upon the whole, was upwards of one thousand 
 men, among whom were forty-four officers. 
 
 Count D’Estaing was wounded in two places, neither 
 of the wounds were mortal, and count Polaskie received 
 a ball, of which he died shortly after the engagement. 
 
 The event, in Polaskie’s life, which will long render 
 him an object of public curiosity, and also of public 
 execration, was the attempt to assassinate the king of 
 Poland. He was, at the time he planned the atrocious 
 enterprise, a general in the army of the confederates. 
 The conspirators who carried it into execution, were 
 about forty in number, and were headed by three chiefs, 
 named Lukawskie, Strawenskie, and Kosinski. These 
 three chiefs had been engaged for that purpose, by 
 Polaskie, who, in the town of Cvetscho, now in Great 
 Poland, obliged them to swear in the most solemn 
 manner, by placing their hands between his, either to 
 deliver the king alive into his hands, or, in case that 
 was impracticable, to put him to death. On the 2d of 
 November, 1771, about a month after they had quitted 
 
233 
 
 Cyetscho, they obtained admission into Warsaw, un¬ 
 suspected, by the following stratagem: they disguised 
 themselves as peasants, who came to sell hay, and con¬ 
 cealed their saddles and clothes under the loads in the 
 waggons. On Sunday night the 3d of November, 1771, 
 a few of these conspirators remained in the skirts of 
 the town, and the others repaired to the place of ren¬ 
 dezvous, the streets of the Capuchins, where his 
 majesty was expected to pass by, about his usual hour 
 of returning from visiting to the palace. The king had 
 to visit his uncle prince Zartoriski, grand chancellor 
 of Lithuania, and was on his return from thence to the 
 palace between nine and ten o’clock. He was in a coach, 
 accompanied by at least fifteen or sixteen attendants, be¬ 
 sides an aid-de-camp in the carriage. Scarcely was he 
 two hundred paces from prince Zartoriski’s palace, when 
 he was attacked by the conspirators, who commanded 
 the coachman to stop on pain of instant death. They 
 fired several shots into the carriage, one of which passed 
 through the body of a- hey-duc, who endeavoured to 
 defend his master from the violence of the assasins. 
 Almost 'all the persons who preceded and accompanied 
 his majesty, were dispersed; the aid-de-camp abandoned 
 him, and attempted to conceal himself by flight. Mean¬ 
 while the king had opened the door of his carriage, 
 with the design of effecting his escape, under shelter of 
 the night, which was extremely dark. He had even 
 alighted, when the assasins seized him by the hair, ex¬ 
 claiming in Polish, with horrible execrations, We 
 have thee now; thy hour is come.” One of them dis¬ 
 charged a pistol at him, so very near, that he felt the 
 heat of the flash, while another cut him across the head, 
 with his sabre, which penetrated to the bone. They 
 then laid hold of his majesty by the collar, and mount¬ 
 ing on horseback, dragged him along the ground be- 
 
 7 
 
 
 4 
 
\ 
 
 281 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 tween their horses at full gallop, for near five hundred 
 paces, through the streets of Warsaw. 
 
 It is astonishing that none of the balls which passed 
 through the carriage should hurt or wound the king, 
 several went through his pellise, or sur great coat. “ I 
 have seen this,” says that celebrated writer, Nathaniel 
 Wraxal, Esq. “ and the holes made in it by the pistol 
 bullets)’ It is no less wonderful that the assassins should 
 carry him through such a number of streets without 
 being stopped. A Russian sentinel did had them, but 
 as they answered in Russiau, he allowed them to pass, 
 imagining them to be a patrole of his nation. The 
 night besides was exceeding dark, and Warsaw has no 
 lamps. All these circumstances contribute to account 
 for the extraordinary event. 
 
 All was confusion during this time at the palace, 
 where the attendants spread the alarm. T he foot guards 
 ran immediately to the spot from whence the king 
 had been conveyed ; but they found only his hat all 
 bloody, and his bag ; this increased their apprehen¬ 
 sions for his life. The whole city was in an uproar. 
 The assassins profited by the universal confusion, 
 terror, and consternation, to bear away their prize. 
 Finding, however, that he was incapable of following 
 them on foot, and that he had already nearly lost his 
 respiration, they set him on horseback ; and then re¬ 
 doubled their speed for fear of being overtaken. When 
 they came to the ditch which surrounds Warsaw, they 
 obliged hira to leap his horse over. In the attempt 
 the horse fell twice, and at the second fall broke his 
 leg. They then mounted his majesty on another, all 
 covered as he was with dirt. 
 
 The conspirators had no sooner crossed the ditch, 
 than they began to riffle the king, tearing off the 
 order of the black eagle of Prussia, which he wore 
 round his neck, and the diamond cross hanging to it. 
 
\ 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 285 
 
 lie requested them to leave him his handkerchief, to 
 which they consented ; his pocket book escaped their 
 rapacity. 
 
 A great number of the assassins retired, after having 
 thus plundered him, probably to notify to their re¬ 
 spective leaders the success of their enterprise, and 
 the king s arrival as a prisoner. Only seven remained 
 with him, of whom Kosinski was the chief. The nmht 
 was exceedingly dark ; they were absolutely ignorant 
 of the way ; and as the horses could not keep their 
 legs, they obliged his majesty to follow them on foot, 
 with only one shoe ; the other being lost in the dirt. 
 
 They continued to wander through the open mea¬ 
 dows, without following any certain path, and without 
 getting any great distance from Warsaw. They again 
 mounted the king on horseback, two of them holding 
 him on each side bv the hand, and a third leading 
 his horse by the bridle. In this manner they were 
 proceeding, when his majesty finding they had taken 
 the road, which led to a village called Burakow, 
 warned them not to enter it, because there were some 
 Russians stationed in that place, who might probably 
 attempt to rescue him.* Finding himself, however, in¬ 
 capable of accompanying the assassins in the painful 
 posture in which they held him, he requested them 
 at least to give him another horse and a boot. This 
 request they complied with ; and continuing their 
 progress through almost impassable lands, without any 
 
 * This intimation may at first sight appear unaccountable; 
 but was really dictated by the greatest address and judgment. 
 He apprehended, with reason, that on the sight of a Russian 
 guard, they would instantly put him to death and fly ; whereas, 
 by informing them of the danger they incurred, he in some 
 measure gained their confidence. In effect, this behaviour of 
 tfie king seemed to soften them a little, and made them 
 believe he did not mean to escape from them. 
 
 
286 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 road, and ignorant of their way, they at length found 
 themselves in the wood of Bielany, only a league distant 
 from Warsaw. From the time they had passed the 
 diteh, they repeatedly demanded of Kosinski, their 
 chief, “ If it was not yet time to put the king to 
 death ?” and these demands were reiterated in propor¬ 
 tion to the difficulties they encountered. 
 
 Meanwhile the confusion and consternation increased 
 at Warsaw. The guards were afraid to pursue the 
 conspirators, lest terror of being overtaken should 
 prompt them in the darkness to massacre the king: 
 and on the other hand, by not pursuing, they might 
 jnve them time to escape with their prize, beyond the 
 possibility of assistance. Several of the first nobility 
 at length mounted on horseback, and following the 
 irack of the assassins arrived at the place where his 
 majesty had passed the ditch. There they found his 
 pcllise, which lie had lost in the precipitation with 
 which he was hurried away : it was bloody, and pierced 
 with holes made by the balls or sabres. This ca 3cd 
 them to imagine that he was no more. 
 
 The king was still in the hands of the seven re¬ 
 maining assassins, who advanced with him into the wood 
 of Bielany, when they were suddenly alarmed by a 
 Russian patrole or detachment, instantly holding coun¬ 
 cil, four of them disappeared, leaving him with the other 
 three, who compelled him to walk on. Scarce a quarter 
 of an hour, after a second Russian guard challenged 
 them anew. Two of the assassins then fled, and the 
 king remained alone with Kosinski, the chief, both on 
 foot- 3 . His majesty, exhausted with the fatigue he had 
 undergone, implored his conductor to stop, and sufter 
 him to take a moment’s repose. Kosinski refused it, 
 menacing him with his naked sabre; and at the same 
 time informed him, that beyond the wood they should 
 find a carriage. They continued their walk until they 
 
287 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 <&ame to the door of the convent of Bielany. Kosinski 
 appeared lost in thought, and so much agitated hy his 
 reflections, that the king, perceiving his disorder, and 
 observing that he wandered without knowing the road, 
 said to him, “ I see you are at a loss which way to 
 proceed. Let me enter the convent of Bielany, and 
 do you provide for your own safety.” No,” replied 
 Kosinsksi, “ I have sworn.” 
 
 They proceeded till they came to Mariemont, a 
 small palace belonging to the house of Saxony, not 
 above half a league from Warsaw. Here Kosinski be¬ 
 trayed some satisfaction at finding where he was, and 
 the king still demanding an instant’s repose, he at length 
 consented. They sat down together on the ground, 
 and the king employed these moments in endeavoring 
 to soften his conductor, and induce him to favor 01 ; 
 permit his escape. His majesty represented the attro- 
 city of the crime he had committed, in attempting to 
 murder his sovereign, and the invalidity of the oath 
 he had taken to perpetrate so heinous an action. 
 Kosinski lent attention to this discourse, and began 
 to betray some marks of remorse. " But,” said he, 
 
 if I should consent and reconduct you to Warsaw, 
 what will be the consequence? I shall be taken and 
 executed.” 
 
 “ This reflection plunged him into new uncertainty 
 and embarrassment. “ I give you my word,” answered 
 his majesty, “ that you shall suffer no harm; but if 
 you doubt my promise, escape while there is yet 
 time; I can find my way to some place of security, 
 and I will certainly direct your pursuers to take the con¬ 
 trary road to that which you have chosen.” Kosinski 
 could not any longer contain himself, but throwing 
 himself at the king’s feet, implored forgiveness for 
 the crime be had committed, and swore to protect 
 him from every enemy ; relying totally on his gene-r 
 » O o 
 
28* JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 rosily for pardon and preservation. His majesty reitc- 
 terated his assurances of safety. Judging, however, that 
 it was prudent to gain some asylum without delay, 
 and recollecting that there was a mill at some con¬ 
 siderable distance, he immediately made towards it. 
 Kosinski knocked, but in vain; no answer was given. 
 He then broke a pane of glass in the window, and 
 entreated for shelter, to a nobleman who had been 
 plundered by robbers. The miller refused, supposing 
 them to be a banditti, and continued for more than 
 half an hour to persist in his denial. At length the 
 king approached, and speaking through the broken 
 pane, endeavored to persuade him to admit them 
 under his roof, adding, “ If we were robbers, it would 
 be easy for us to break the whole window, instead of 
 one pane of glass,” This argument prevailed . they 
 at length opened the door, and admitted his majesty. 
 He.immcdiately wrote a note to general Coccei, co¬ 
 lonel of the foot guards. It was literally as follows: 
 
 <<. By a kind of miracle, I have escaped from the 
 hands V the assassins. I am now at the mill of Mar- 
 riemout. Come as soon as possible and take me from 
 hence. I am wounded, but not dangerously.” 
 
 “ It was with the greatest difficulty that the king could 
 persuade any one to carry this note to Warsaw, as 
 the people of the mill,,, imagining that he was a no¬ 
 bleman who had just been plundered by robbers, were 
 afraid of falling in with the troop. Kosinski then 
 offered to restore every thing he had taken, but his 
 majesty left him all, except the blue ribband of the 
 White Eagle. When the messenger arrived with the note 
 at Warsaw, the astonishment and joy was incredible. 
 Coccei immediately rode to the mill, followed by a de¬ 
 tachment of the guards. He met Kosinski at the door with 
 his sabre drawn, who admitted him, as soon as be knew him. 
 The king had sunk inty a sleep caused by his fatigue, 
 
289 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 CNffQIIPIWI 
 
 and was stretched on the ground covered with the 
 miller’s cloak. Coccei immediately threw himself at 
 his majesty s feet, calling him his sovereign and kissing 
 his hand. It is not easy to describe the astonishment 
 of the miller and his family, who instantly imitated 
 Coccei s example, by throwing themselves on their knees. 
 This.mill is still standing, rendered memorable by so 
 singular an event. It is a wretched polish hovel, 
 at a distance from any house. The king rewarded 
 the miller to the extent of his wishes, in building 
 him a mill upon the Vistula, and allowing him 1 
 small pension* His majesty returned to Warsaw in 
 general Coccei’s carriage, and reached the palace 
 by five in the morning. His wound was found not 
 to be dangerous, and be soon recovered the bruises 
 and injuries which be had suffered during this memo- 
 rable night. 
 
 “ The king in his speech to the Diet, on the trial 
 of the conspirators, interceded strongly for Kosinski, 
 or John Kutsma, to whom he gratefully expresses him¬ 
 self indebted for these favors, in the following words: 
 “ As I was in the hands of the assassins, I heard them 
 repeatedly ask John Kutsma, if they should not assas¬ 
 sinate me, but he always prevented them. He was 
 the first who persuaded them to behave to me with 
 greater gentleness ; and obliged them to confer on me 
 some services, which I then greatly wanted ; namely, 
 one to give me a cap, and another a hoot; which 
 at that time were no trifling presents; for the cold 
 air greatly affected the wound in my head ; and my 
 foot, which was covered with blood, gave an inex¬ 
 pressible torture, which continued every moment in¬ 
 creasing.” 
 
 Lukawski and Strawenski were both executed. They 
 both suffered without manifesting the least contrition 
 
 O o 2 
 
 
m JOURNAL OV THE 
 
 for their guilt; the latter behaved with that fortitude 
 which was worthy a better cause.” 
 
 After the conclusion of these troubles, Polaski es¬ 
 caped from Poland, and repaired to America, where he 
 raised a regiment of horse, and was appointed by con¬ 
 gress a major general of their armies. 
 
 But although death thus swept away from the Ame¬ 
 rican service a most active and dangerous character, 
 the triumph of the British garrison was alloyed by a 
 event, on their part of the most distressing nature. This 
 was the loss of that highly esteemed and much beloved 
 officer, colonel Maitland. The noxious vapours which 
 rise from the American marshes during the summer 
 season, proved fatal to his constitution. Before he 
 left Beaufort he was attacked with a billious disorder, 
 which was increased by his route through the marshes 
 to Savannah. The anxiety and hardships of the siege 
 served only to aggravate the complaint, which termi¬ 
 nated in the dissolution of an officer whose name will 
 be dear to Britons, until patriotism ceases to be a virtue, 
 and loyalty becomes a crime. Soon after his death a 
 character of him appeared in Ri vington’s New York 
 Royal Gazette, the elegance, strength, and beautiful 
 diction of which (I have no other reasons) inclines me 
 strongly to suspect that, it was written by his friend 
 major Andre. 
 
 “ The late colonel Maitland was one of the most 
 active officers at the commencement, and during the 
 progress of the American war : his zeal and gallantry 
 were sufficient incitements to lead where danger 
 dignified and rendered a post honorable. Though he 
 possessed an easy fortune, had a seat in the house of 
 commons, and was of an advanced age, yet he never 
 availed himself of such powerful pretensions, or ex¬ 
 pressed a desire of returning from the field of honor. 
 Unshaken loyalty, genuine patriotism, undaunted bra- 
 
* cr } r > judicious conduct, steady coolness, and unre¬ 
 mitting perseverance, constituted his character as ap 
 officer. His benevolence was ever exerted when indi¬ 
 gence presented ; he not only relieved, but sympathized 
 with the distressed : to inform him of any person that re¬ 
 quired charitable exertion, was an ample recommendation. 
 His disposition was so extremely amiable that to know him 
 was to admire him. His address was easy and en^a^ino* * 
 his language strong, nervous and persuasive: his affabi¬ 
 lity rendered him pleasing to every observer: he was 
 beloved by his friends, respected by his acquaintances, 
 and revered by every officer and soldier under his 
 command. His country will feel the loss of so accom¬ 
 plished a chief; his acquaintance will long lament the 
 loss of so venerable a friend ; the indigent search in 
 vain for another so eminently benevolent, and the 
 soldiers, long accustomed to his pleasing command, 
 lament his death, and revere his memory.” 
 
 About this time the congress, in order to terrify the 
 Indians into neutrality, gave orders for an expedition 
 which should convince them that the inhabitants of. 
 the sea coast were possessed of the means of carrying 
 devastation into the heart of their territory. It was 
 imagined that such a measure would deter them from 
 
 D 
 
 again invading and ravaging the American settlements. 
 Five thousand men with artillery and field pieces, uhder 
 the command of major general Sullivan, entered the 
 Indian possessions. The natives fled as they ap¬ 
 proached, and a general destruction of every thing 
 commenced ; “ more,” says Stedman, “ than one hun¬ 
 dred and fifty thousand bushels of corn were destroyed 
 their gardens were laid waste, evert the fruit trees were 
 cut down; and one wide and spreading desolation every 
 where met the eye.” Meantime the Indians invaded the 
 provincial towns and settlements, and thus mutual destruc¬ 
 tion commenced. The Indians were enraged, but not 
 
 
292 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 overcome; and the little benefit and great expense of the 
 measure, rendered it very unpopular—-Congress became 
 dissatisfied—it never had general Washington’s appro¬ 
 bation—and general Sullivan, on his return, resigned all 
 his employments and retired. While the northern 
 Indians were thus suffering under the invasion of ge¬ 
 neral Sullivan, those of the south, were also made to 
 feel the effects of American retribution. Such a system 
 of warfare is shocking to humanity, and, after all, it# 
 very policy seems to be at best but problematical. 
 
 i 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton , with a large Body of Troops sails 
 from New York , and arrives , after much Difficulty , 
 in South Carolina . Charlestown Capitulates to the 
 British Forces. Memoirs of Captain Grattan , 
 the 6Uh Regiment . *57/’ Henry Clinton returns 
 
 to New York . Zortf Cornwallis fakes the Command 
 of the Royal Forces in the Southern Provinces. 
 Battle near Camden. Major Ferguson defeated. 
 
 Towards the latter end of the year 1779, Sir 
 Henry Clinton entrusted the command of the royal 
 army in New York, to lieutenant general Knyphausen, 
 and embarked for the southward, with a formidable 
 force, provisions, ammunition, &c. The whole sailed 
 from Sandy Hook on the 26th of December, under 
 convoy of admiral Arbuthnot. The passage proved 
 both tedious and dangerous. Part of the ordnance, 
 some of the artillery, and most of the cavalry horses 
 were lost; nor did the fleet arrive at Tybu, in Geor¬ 
 gia, until the 31st of January, 17S0. 
 
 In a few days the transports sailed with the army 
 for North Edisto. They landed about thirty miles from 
 Charlestowm (after a short passage) and took possession 
 of John’s Island, Stono ferry, James’s Island, and 
 Wappo-cut. A bridge being thrown over the canal, 
 
TU JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 part of the forces took post on the banks on Ashlejf 
 river, opposite Charlestown. 
 
 The tedious passage from New \orkj afforded op¬ 
 portunity to the Americans to fortify Charlestown ; 
 and from the losses which the expedition had sustained, 
 Sir Henry Clinton deemed it prudent to send orders 
 to New York for a reinforcement of men and stores, 
 lie also drew twelve hundred men from the garrison 
 at Savannah. Brigadier general Patterson who com¬ 
 manded this detachment, crossed the river Savannah, 
 and traversing the couutrj r , arrived on the banks of 
 Ashley river. The siege was immediately commenced. 
 A depot was formed at Wappo, on James’s Island ; 
 fortifications were erected there, and on the main land, 
 opposite the southern and western ends of Charlestown. 
 An advanced party crossed the river, and broke ground 
 at eight hundred yards from the American works; 
 and batteries were erected on Charlestown neck. Nor 
 were the Americans idle during this period : they put 
 the town into every possible state of defence. 
 
 Clarlestown is said to contain about one thousand 
 four hundred houses, and about eight thousand inha¬ 
 bitants, including the blacks, who are by far the 
 more numerous, almost every white man, in this 
 boasted land of liberty, keeping a great number of 
 slaves! The, inhabitants are very extravagant in their 
 living, splendid equipages, &c. But the merchants 
 suffered so much during the war, that it is 
 doubtful if they will ever regain their former 
 wealth. They boast of their town as the most polite 
 place in America ; but it is far exceeded by several 
 others, in riches as well as convenience ; the waters 
 are frequently putrid ; its climate unhealthy, and 
 every necessary of life much dearer than in any other 
 part of America. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 293 
 
 Bat there is one circumstance, which, irrthe opinion 
 of every wise as well as of every good man, must 
 operate as a drag chain of Almighty vengeance about 
 the neck of any state, practised here to a greater 
 extent than in all the other cities of America, viz. that 
 abominable and notorious traffic, the slave trade. 
 How any people pretending, as the Americans do’ 
 to the profession of Christianity, can dare to drive on an 
 horrible traffic in the blood of their fellow creatures, 
 their co-heirs in redemption, and thus stab the religion 
 which they profess in one of its most vital parts, 
 is a dreadful solecism, at which a Pagan may laugh; 
 a Mahometan triumph ; a deist exult, and which even 
 a Jew might pity. But the sincere Christian must 
 lament the continuance of the deplorable evil, alike 
 ashamed of the practice, as incompetent to its cure. 
 These reflections struck the mind of the Author, when 
 he perused the following paragraph, relative to the in¬ 
 habitants of Charlestown, in the historical review of 
 North America: 
 
 <c In the midst of every appearance of festivity 
 and joy, scenes of misery, with the horrors of slavery, 
 momentarily intervene to assault the eye and ear ! The 
 feelings of humanity are shocked, with the hardships 
 of incessant toil ! The very ground is damp with 
 the sweat and tears of the unhappy Africans. The 
 crack of the whip too frequently intercepts the joys 
 of convivial mirth ! Here may be seen every day, 
 and all day long, thousands of our fellow creatures 
 branded, chained, and treated like cattle in every 
 respect, but that of humanity ! They are indeed fed 
 the same, but are harder worked, and more severely 
 abused.” 
 
 The British troops carried on their parallel from the 3d 
 to the 10th of April. Immediately on the comoletion 
 
 P P 
 
*94 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 of the first parallel, the town was summoned to sur. 
 render; the batteries were opened; and from that 
 time, a constant fire commenced. On the Wando 
 River, at Simpson’s Port, and Santic Ferry, posts 
 were established, and works thrown up by the Ame¬ 
 ricans, to guard their reinforcements and secure their 
 retreat. 
 
 Meanwhile, admiral Avbuthnot passed Fort Moul¬ 
 trie, on Sullivan’s Island, though strongly opposed 
 from the American batteries, and anchored under 
 James’s Island, with the loss of twenty-seven seamen 
 killed and wounded, some damage to the shipping, 
 and the burning of the Acteus transport, which 
 grounded within gun shot of the island. The Ame¬ 
 rican commander, with his fleet, fell back to Charles¬ 
 town. 
 
 The Americans, to keep up the communication 
 with the country, formed a camp at Monk’s Corner, 
 which was the rendezvous of their militia. This 
 post was surprized by lieutenant colonel Tarleton, 
 which gave the British the command of the country, 
 and enabled them to intercept the supplies of pro¬ 
 visions. 
 
 Our batteries soon obtained a superiority over those 
 of the enemy, a council of war was held by the Ame¬ 
 ricans, in consequence of which, the town offered to 
 surrender, on condition of 6t security to the persons 
 and property of the inhabitants, and leave being given 
 for the Americans to withdraw.” 
 
 These terms were instantly rejected by general 
 Clinton, as soon as they were offered ; but the gar¬ 
 rison would not alter their conditions, >nnder the hope 
 that succours would soon arrive from the neighbouring 
 states, in consequence of which, the town was closely 
 invested, both by land and water, Fort Moultrie sur- 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 2 o 5 
 
 rendered, and the American cavalry, which had escaped 
 from Monk’s Corner were all either killed, captured, 
 or dispersed. 
 
 On the 9th of May, the town was again summoned, 
 and Lincoln was inclined to surrender his army pri¬ 
 soners of war ; but the inhabitants thought to obtain 
 better terms, and the siege recommenced. The third 
 parallel was opened, shells and carcasses thrown into 
 the town, and the cannon and mortars played on the 
 garrison at less than one hundred yards distance; the 
 pickets, crossed the ditch by sap, and advanced within 
 twenty-five yards of the American works. 
 
 Matters continued in this state till the 11th, 
 when the inhabitants addressed general Lincoln to ca¬ 
 pitulate, which was accordingly done, and major ge¬ 
 neral Leslie took possession of the town on the 12th. 
 There were in it upwards of four hundred pieces of 
 artillery. The garrison, as prisoners of war, marched out 
 of the town ; their drums were not allowed to beat 
 a British march, nor their colours to be uncased. They 
 laid down their arms in front of the works ; the 
 militia returned home, on parole; the inhabitants 
 were considered as prisoners on parole, and like 
 the militia, held their property accordingly ; a vessel 
 was allowed to proceed to Philadelphia, with general 
 Lincoln’s dispatches, unopened ; upwards of five thou¬ 
 sand troops, and near one thousand sailors surren¬ 
 dered ; all the ships of war, and other vessels were 
 taken. 
 
 Among the officers were, two major generals, five 
 brigadier generals, three majors of brigade, sixteen 
 colonels, nine lieutenant colonels, fifteen majors, eighty- 
 four captains, one commodore, eighty-four lieutt .iants, 
 thirty-two second lieutenants or ensigns. The deputy 
 governor, council, and civil officers were all made 
 
 P p 2 
 
296 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 prisoners. The total loss of the British from their de¬ 
 barkation to the surrender, was as follows 
 
 Ensign M'Gregor, 71 st, Regiment, killed. 
 
 -Cameron, do. do. do. 
 
 1 Serjeant, do. 
 
 73 Rank and File, 
 
 Lieut. White, grenadier comp 
 
 -- Bever, 
 
 -— Grant, 
 
 -Freeman, light infantry. 
 
 Captain M'Leod, 
 
 Lieutenant Wilson# 
 
 2 Serjeants, 
 
 176 Rank apd File. 
 
 do. 
 
 33d 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 42d 
 
 dq. 
 
 do. 
 
 6tth 
 
 dp. 
 
 do. 
 
 7 1st 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 do. 
 
 
 
 do. 
 
 
 
 do. 
 
 Captain Grattan received a severe contusion in the 
 bead, by the bursting of a shell in one of the trenches. 
 He however recovered, returned to Ireland, and died 
 during the rebellion in Wexford. Of this brave and 
 amiable officer, the author has received the following 
 brief account, from authority, which is indisputable. 
 
 Captain William Grattan, studied surgery under the 
 celebrated Mr. Cleghorn of the city of Dublin. When 
 he had attained a perfect knowledge of his profession, 
 he was appointed assistant surgeon to his majesty’s 
 64th regiment of foot, at that time commanded by 
 his friend and patron general Pomeroy. The regi¬ 
 ment lay in Cashel, in the county of Tipperary, when 
 they received orders for the theatre of war. They 
 marched to the Cove of Cork, and embarked for the 
 continent of America. 
 
 When they arrived at the place of destination, Mr. 
 Grattan, who was at that time very young, glowed for 
 more ardent employment, and possessing the soul of 
 a soldier, he longed to weild the sword in the field of 
 
 * A few days after the capitulation, a magazine took fire in 
 Charlestown, and captain Collins, a valuable officer, with several 
 men of the royal artillery, perished by the explosion. 
 
s 
 
 5 
 
 ! . 
 \l 
 
 battle, to espouse his country’s cause, and amidst 
 the dreadful terrors of war, to meet the hostile foe* 
 He purchased a commission in his own regiment, and 
 shortly after a lieutenancy. Our young soldier avoiding 
 the follies and extravagancies, of which too many are 
 guilty, applied himself closely to the knowledge 
 of the military science, in all its various departments, 
 which he soon acquired. He was often heard to say, 
 ^ Gambling and extravagance were the bane of a soldier.” 
 What he disapproved in others he never allowed in 
 himself. He lived with economy and frugality, and 
 in the course of a few years, he purchased a com¬ 
 pany. Captain Grattan possessed a strong understanding, 
 sound judgment, and deep penetration; these, with 
 a perfect knowledge of his profession, made him an 
 invaluable officer. He became the soul of his own 
 regiment, which he never exchanged for another. 
 Merit like his could not be hid. He was honored 
 with the confidence of his commanding officer, con¬ 
 sulted on all matters of importance, appointed assistant 
 engineer to Sir Henry Clinton, and was universally 
 beloved by all, as well the privates of his own regi¬ 
 ment, as the generals of the army. 
 
 “ In September 1781, when Count De Grasse, with 
 a powerful French fleet, had the entire possession of 
 the Chesapeak, and general Washington had formed a 
 junction with the French troops, commanded by the 
 marquis De La Fayette, for the purpose of surround¬ 
 ing lord Cornwallis, at Yorktown, Sir Henry Clinton 
 dispatched captain Grattan, with information that 
 eight thousand British troops would immediately march 
 to reinforce him. Captain Grattan encountered most 
 imminent danger on this service ; but he arrived sate 
 with his dispatches at Yorktown, the 15th of Septembei, 
 and had the honor of receiving lord Cornwallis s t an - 
 1 ® public orders. 
 
( 
 
 23* JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 u Captain Grattan was seventeen years absent from 
 Europe ; he served in all the American war, and was 
 in the West Indies. During this period he was not 
 one day absent from his regiment^ unless when 
 engaged on business of great importance, or in 
 public employ. 
 
 Captain Grattan was in many battles, and displayed 
 the greatest valor and intrepidity. He served at the 
 battles of Long Island, Germantown, Monmouth, Dan¬ 
 bury, Brandywine, in Pennsylvania, the Eutaw Springs, 
 in South Carolina, Brooklyn, on Long Island ; Mon¬ 
 mouth, at the burning of the enemy’s stores on Peek 
 Hill, at the siege of Charlestown, where he was 
 wounded ; at the affair of Chamblee River, where the 
 famous colonel Laurens, son to the president of congress, 
 was killed, and his party defeated by the 64th and a 
 party of the 17th, besides a most fatiguing duty of two 
 years in South Carolina, where the regiment lost up¬ 
 wards of four hundred men. 
 
 On Saturday morning, the 15th of May, 1784, captain 
 Grattan landed at Portsmouth, with six other commis¬ 
 sioned officers, and the remains of his regiment. On 
 his arrival in England, he wrote to his friends in Ire¬ 
 land ; the September following he arrived in Edenderry, 
 in the King’s County, where he was joyfully received 
 by his aged parents, three brothers, and two sisters, as 
 one restored from the dead. 
 
 In the year 1792 he married miss Giffard, a lady of 
 amiable qualifications, the daughter of Sir Duke Gitfard, 
 of Castle Jordan, baronet. He then retired from the 
 army, and settled in Rathangan. He was magistrate 
 for the county, and sovereign of Kildare. When the 
 penetrating mind of captain Grattan foresaw the ap- * 
 proaching rebellion, he did not think it his duty to be 
 an idle spectator ; he applied to government for an 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 399 
 
 ■M* ^ ^ ■ 
 
 appointment, and was shortly after made deputy 
 general in the commissariat department. 
 
 In the year of 1798, while in Dublin, he received 
 orders to join general Needham, and march to the 
 relief of Wexford. He fought at the battle of Arklow, 
 He was also at the taking of Enniscorthy, and Vinegar 
 Hill. On the 20th of June, after the fatigue of the 
 day’s action was over, captain Grattan who had been 
 on such arduous duty since he had left Dublin, felt 
 the need of refreshment. Invited by the lovely appear¬ 
 ance of the Slaney, flowing under the hill, and attended 
 by a faithful servant, he proceeded to it, to enjoy 
 the refreshment of bathing; as he had not been in the 
 cold bath since he returned to Europe, we may natu¬ 
 rally suppose it was the cause of what followed. Some¬ 
 time after he arrived in Wexford he was confined to 
 his bed. He experienced the greatest kindness and 
 attention from Mrs. Hattan, a lady of fortune, who re¬ 
 sides near the town, and colonel Finley, of the county 
 of Dublin Militia. They hardly ever left him. Colonel 
 Finley wrote to Mrs. Grattan, who was at that time in 
 Dublin, and informed her of his illness. His amiable 
 wife, with no other companion but her sister, immedi¬ 
 ately set out to join him, and faced all the dangers 
 of the counties of Wicklow and W ex ford at that peri¬ 
 lous time. She arrived safe; but though she did, 
 how afflicting must her anguish have been, when her 
 good and amiable husband expired shortly after her 
 arrival! 
 
 The finest perfections enriched his character. He 
 was an obedient and dutiful child to his parents, to 
 the latest moments of their lives—a kind and good 
 brother—an affectionate husband—a sincere friend an 
 elegant gentleman, and ail experienced and valiant 
 soldier. The former are known by his friends, and 
 the latter can be proved by his military zeal in the 
 
500 
 
 JOURNAL OF Tilt 
 
 service of his country, and the following letters of 
 thanks from lord Cornwallis : 
 
 « Wynnsborough, Nov. 21, 1780. 
 
 “ —x have jUst heard from colonel Balfour, that 
 you are returned from your expedition to general 
 Leslie, where you have succeeded to r\iy most sanguine 
 wishes. I beg you will accept of my sincere acknow¬ 
 ledgments for your zecll> prudence , and good mandgement 
 in this important business. 
 
 I am, Sir, your most obedient, 
 
 And most humble servant, 
 
 “ Cornwallis.” 
 
 “ To captain 'Grattan, 64 th regiment . 
 
 “ Culford, August 19, 1784. 
 
 €C Sir —It givfcs me great concern to hear of the par* 
 ticular hardships of your situation, in regard to your 
 commission of Quarter Master of the 64th Regiment. I 
 shall, at all times, be ready to bear testimony of your 
 inerity and good services , when you were under my 
 command; and I shall ever acknowledge my obligations 
 to you, for your zeal and diligence for the public service, 
 in executing an important commission at my reques: 
 in 1780. 
 
 I am, Sir, your most obedient, 
 
 And most humble servant, 
 
 “ Cornwallis.” 
 
 “ To captain Grattan, 64 th regiment . 
 
 As the besiegers made no sallies or desperate as¬ 
 saults, their loss amounted to only eighty-nine killed, 
 and one hundred and forty wounded. This was the 
 first instance in which the Americans had ventured to 
 defend a town. The event demonstrated the policy 
 of W ashington’s system, who never during the whole 
 war, attempted the defence of any town, against 
 the investment of regular troops. In favor of general 
 
301 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 Lincoln, it is however but just to remark, that Charles¬ 
 town was the only considerable place in the southern 
 boundary of the confederacy ; for its preservation South 
 Carolina and the neighbouring states seemed willing 
 to make great exertions: the congress and both states 
 of the Carolinas promised an army of near ten thou¬ 
 sand men to its support. These were actually on 
 their march ; but the British had taken such a position, 
 that succours could not be thrown into the place, 
 or any retreat successfully made. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton, with a liberal policy, held forth 
 every inducement to the inhabitants that was likelv 
 to draw them back to their allegiance, and issued 
 strong and salutary threats, to those who should con¬ 
 tinue contumacious. In a few days, in conjunction 
 with admiral Arbuthnot, as commissioners for restoring 
 peace, the inhabitants were offered “ pardon for their 
 past treasonable offences, and a reinstatement in the 
 possession of all their rights and immunities, which 
 they heretofore had enjoyed, under a free British go¬ 
 vernment, exempt from taxation, except by their 
 own legislatures.” 
 
 The. next object with general Clinton, was to bring 
 back to their allegiance the whole southern states. 
 Garrisons were therefore posted in different parts of 
 the country, to awe the inhabitants. The troops 
 marching for the relief of Charlestown were encoun¬ 
 tered on the borders of North Carolina, by different 
 bodies sent out for that purpose. One of these 
 consisting of three hundred Americans, commanded by 
 colbnel Buford, was overtaken at Wacsaws, by lieu¬ 
 tenant colonel Tarleton, and completely defeated. Up¬ 
 wards of one hundred officers and men (says colonel 
 Tarleton, in his own History of the Campaign), were 
 killed on the spot, three colours, two six-pounders, 
 and above two hundred prisoners, with a number of 
 
 Q q 
 
302 
 
 JOURNAL OF THB 
 
 waggons, two royals, quantities of new clothing, othei 
 military stores, and camp equipage were taken.” Colonel 
 Tavleton ascribes much of the ** complete success of 
 this difficult enterprise, to the blunders and mistakes 
 of the American commanders. 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton (leaving between three and four 
 thousand men for the southern service) embarked eaily 
 in June for New York. On his departure the com¬ 
 mand devolved on earl Cornwallis. 
 
 Almost the whole of South Carolina was now restored 
 to its legal government; but the calm was only tem¬ 
 porary: the submission was only nominal: for when a 
 levy was attempted to be raised among the young 
 men who had no families, to form a body to act against 
 the hostile Americans, the spirit of disaffection broke 
 out in various ways ; and it evidently appeared 
 that they possessed a hatred to the British govern¬ 
 ment. 
 
 In the mean time the Americans marched an army 
 through Jersey and Pennsylvania, which embarking at 
 the head of the Elk, landed soon after at Petersburg!*, 
 and thence proceeded through the country toward 
 South Carolina. It consisted of Maryland and Dela¬ 
 ware troops, commanded by major general Baron dq 
 Kalb, who afterwards resigned to general Gates. The 
 Americans expected much from the popularity of thq 
 latter. 
 
 As the American army approached to South Carolina, 
 our army, which then consisted of seventeen hundred 
 infantry, and two hundred cavalry was concentrated at 
 Camden. The army with which Gates advanced, was 
 by the arrival of the militia, increased nearly to six 
 thousand men. On the night of the 15th we marched 
 from Camden, intending to attack the Americans in 
 their camp at Rugeley’s Mills. In the same night Gates 
 put his army in motion, with an intention of surpris- 
 
803 
 
 American war. 
 
 ing our camp, or posting himself on an eligible po¬ 
 sition near Camden. Our army was ordered to march 
 at ten o’clock P. M. The American army was ordered 
 to march at the same hour. The advance guard of 
 both armies met about two o’clock in the morning. 
 Some of the American cavalry, being wounded in the 
 first fire fell back on others, who recoiled so suddenly, 
 that the first Maryland regiment was broken, and the 
 whole line of their army was thrown into confusion. 
 The enemy soon rallied and both they and we 
 kept our ground, and a few shots only from the advanced 
 Cent!ies of each army were fired during the night. 
 A colonel Patterfield, on whose abilities general Gates 
 particularly depended, was wounded in the early part 
 of this skirmish As soon as day light appeared, 
 we saw at a few yards distance our enemy drawn up 
 in very good order in three lines. Our little army 
 was formed in the following plan: 
 
 Four companies of light infantry. Royal Welch Fusileers, or 
 23d regiment, on the right wing, 
 led on by lieutenant colonel Webster. 
 
 Volunteers of Ireland, Legion Infantry, two American loyal 
 corps, on the left wing, led on by lord Rawdon. 
 
 Two six and two three pounders were placed in the centre, 
 between the two wings. 
 
 7 1st, the Legion cavalry regiment, with two six pounders, 
 formed the reserve. 
 
 It happened that the ground on which both armies 
 stood, was narrowed by swamps on the right and left, 
 so that the Americans could not avail themselves 
 'of their superior numbers in out flanking us. We 
 immediately began the attack with great vigor, and 
 m a few minutes the action became general along the 
 whole line $ there was a dead calm with a little hazi¬ 
 ness in the air, which prevented the smoke from rising j 
 this occasioned such thick darkness, that it was difficult 
 
 Q q 2 
 
aoi 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 to see the effect of the fire on either sides. Our army 
 either kept up a constant fire, or made use of their bayonets 
 as opportunity offered. After an obstinate resistance 
 for some time the Americans were thrown into total con¬ 
 fusion, and were forced to give way in all quarters. 
 The continental troops behaved well, but some of the 
 militia were soon broken. Injustice to the North Carolina 
 militia, it should be remarked, that part of the brigade 
 commanded by general Gregory acquitted themselves 
 well • they were formed immediately on the left of the 
 continentals, and kept the field while they had a car¬ 
 tridge to fire. Gregory himself was twice wounded oy 
 a bayonet in bringing off his men : several of his 
 regiment, and many of his brigade who were made pn- , 
 soners had no wound except from bayonets. About 
 one thousand prisoners were taken, two hundred and 
 ninety of which being wounded were carried into 
 Camden, and more than twice that number killed. The 
 Americans lost the whole of their artillery, eight brass 
 field pieces, upward of two hundred waggons, and the 
 greatest part of tlieir baggage, tents, &c. with a number 
 of colors. Almost all their officers were separated from 
 their respective commands. The fugitives who fled on 
 the common road, were pursued above twenty miles 
 by colonel Tarleton’s cavalry, and the way was covered 
 with arms, baggage, and waggons. Baron de Kalb, 
 the second in command, a brave and experienced officer 
 in the American service, was mortally wounded, having 
 exhibited great gallantry in the course of the action, and 
 received eleven wounds; be was taken prisoner, and 
 died on the next day of his wounds; we buried him 
 in Camden with all the honors of war. 
 
 The baron, who was a German by birth, bad long 
 been >in the French service. He had travelled through 
 the British provinces, about the time of the stamp act, 
 tmd is said u> have reported to his superiors on bis 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 return, iC that the colonists were so firmly and uni¬ 
 versally attached to Qreat Britain, that nothing could 
 shake their loyalty.” The congress resolved that a mo¬ 
 nument should be erected to his memory in Annapolis, 
 with a very honorable inscription. 
 
 In compiling an eventful history, like the present, 
 many circumstances must unavoidably be taken on the 
 authority of others. For these the author is no farther 
 responsible than in selecting that report which appears 
 the nearest to truth. Far different, however, are those 
 matters which come beneath my own personal observa¬ 
 tions. On those a writer can dwell with precision. What 
 he thus produces is the evidence of fact. As in this 
 engagement, I had the honor of carrying one standard 
 of colours belonging to the 23d regiment, I was of 
 course, near the centre of the right wing. Iliad an op¬ 
 portunity of beholding the behaviour both of the officers 
 and privates ; it was worthy the character of the British 
 troops. The recollection still dwells deeply in my 
 memory. Lord Cornwallis’s judgment in planning, his 
 promptitude in executing, and his fortitude and cool¬ 
 ness during the time of action, justly attracted universal 
 applause and admiration. The earl of Moira, (then 
 lord Rawdon, who was only twenty-five years of age) 
 bore a very conspicuous part in the contest. Colonel 
 Webster also ought to be particularly mentioned. His 
 conduct was completely consistent with his general 
 character in the army. Cool, determined, vigilant, 
 and active ; he added to a reputation established by 
 long service the universal esteem and respect of the 
 whole army, as an officer, whose experience and oo- 
 servation were equal to his personal bravery, and the 
 rigid discipline which he maintained among the troops. 
 Captain (now general) Champaigne, who commanded 
 the Royal Welch Fuzileers, also evinced the most perfect 
 intrepidity and valor. Thus far I speak, nokfiom the 
 
 
 m 
 
 1 (! 
 
 
I 
 
 3dt> 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 report of others, but from my own immediate obser¬ 
 vation. 
 
 In all the various engagements, which the safety, 
 the honor, the interests of the empire have demanded, 
 the Irish soldier, has seldom, if ever, lagged behind 
 in the career of glory. On the present occasion, lord 
 Ravvdon was so well pleased with the conduct of his 
 regiment (the volunteers of Ireland) that he ordered a 
 silver medal to be struck off, and presented to several 
 of his men who had signalized themselves in the action. 
 
 T he author cannot conclude the account of this day*s 
 victory, without entreating pardon from the reader, 
 while he remarks that three years (excepting two months 
 and a day) had elapsed since he was made prisoner 
 at Saratoga by general Gates ! He had at length, the 
 satisfaction of seeing the same general to whom his 
 majesty’s forces, under Burgoyne surrendered, sustain 
 a signal defeat. What were his feelings at that event¬ 
 ful moment! How did he bless that Providence which 
 inspired him with the idea of effecting his escape, and 
 preserved him to be a partaker of that triumph which 
 the soldier feels, when his sovereign’s troops are vic¬ 
 torious over his enemies! More especially when that 
 victory was obtained in the hard fought field over a 
 general whose former success at Saratoga, had been 
 trumpeted from one end of America to the other, and 
 who had injured the British name, by charging the 
 officers and privates with depredations that never ex¬ 
 isted but in his own imagination. 
 
 The river Watered ran near the scene of action, 
 on the other side of which the famous American 
 flying general Sumpter was posted. On the news 
 of the defeat he immediately shifted his situation, 
 picking up in his retreat a number of the fugitives 
 from Gates’s army. Lieutenant colonel Tarleton, whose 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 307 
 
 exertions in the late action were deserving the highest 
 praise was detached with some cavalry and light in¬ 
 fantry* in the whole about 350, to attack, him. With 
 great exertion and military skill, by forced marches, 
 he surprised the party at mid-day on fishing Creek, 
 near Catawba fords. The greater part was destroyed, 
 or taken, and the small remainder dispersed ; one 
 hundred and fifty were killed, two pieces of brass can¬ 
 non, three hundred prisoners and forty-four waggons 
 were immediately in possession of the British. 
 
 The remainder of Gates’s army rendezvouzed at 
 Charlotte, from whence they retreated to Salisbury, 
 This retreat presented perhaps the most lamentable 
 spectacle of misery and wretchedness exhibited during 
 the war. 
 
 In addition to the incursions of Sumpter and Mor¬ 
 gan, colonel Clarke made an ineffectual attempt on 
 the post of Augusta in Georgia. This induced lord 
 Cornwallis to detach major Ferguson, with some mi¬ 
 litia, and the small remains of his own corps, without 
 baggage or artillery, to Tyson County, under the idea 
 of intercepting Clarke’s party. They pursued the 
 track along the mountains, far distant from the main 
 army. A select body of the American troops, about 
 one thousand of their best men, mounted on fleet 
 horses, attacked the major on the top of King’p Moun¬ 
 tain, on the confines of the Carolinas. 1 hey formed 
 three parties; colonel Lacy, of South Carolina, led 
 on, and attacked the west end. The two others were 
 commanded by colonels Campbell and Cleveland ; one 
 of which attacked on the east, and the other in the 
 centre. Major Ferguson, with great boldness, defended 
 himself with fixed bayonets, and compelled them suc¬ 
 cessively to retreat. They formed again, and getting 
 behind trees and rocks renewed their fire in almost 
 every direction. The American marksmen took deli- 
 
30$ JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 berate aim at our uncovered men, and numbers were 
 found among the slain, shot through the head. Ram¬ 
 sey, in his account of the battle acknowledges, that 
 “ riflemen took off riflemen with such exactness, 
 that they killed each other when taking sight, so in¬ 
 stantaneously that their eyes remained, after they were 
 dead, one shut and the other open, in the usual 
 manner of marksmen when levelling at their object.” 
 
 Major Ferguson shewed all possible bravery; but 
 his valiant spirit disdained either to flee or surrender. 
 After a severe contest, he received a mortal wound, 
 nobly fell, and the submission of the survivors, eight 
 hundred in number, terminated the carnage: one hun¬ 
 dred and fifty were killed or wounded ; and ten of 
 the refugees who surrendered, were inhumanly hanged 
 by the conquerors. 
 
 The fall of major Ferguson was in itself a great 
 loss to our army. He possessed superior abilities as 
 a soldier, and his spirit of enterprise was uncommon. 
 To a distinguished capacity of planning great designs, 
 he also added the practical abilities necessary to carry 
 them into execution. The advantage which the Ame¬ 
 ricans gained over him and his party in a great 
 degree frustrated a well concerted scheme for strength¬ 
 ening our army, by the co-operation of the well af¬ 
 fected inhabitants, whom he had undertaken to discipline 
 and prepare for active service. 
 
 The military science possessed by major Ferguson 
 was profound, and his adoption of it to the use of 
 the smaller arms more correct than any other officer 
 who preceded him. His execution in firing was such 
 that it almost exceeded the bounds of credibility ; he 
 very nearly brought his aim at any given object to 
 a mathematical certainty. On the 1st of June 177fr, 
 be made some experiments at Woolwich, before lord 
 viscount I ownsbend, lord Amherst, general ' Harvey, 
 
I 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 305 
 
 Deragliers, and several other officers, with the riffle 
 gun, on a new construction, which astonished all be¬ 
 holders. The like had never before been done with 
 any other small arms. Notwithstanding a heavy rain 
 and a high wind, he fired, during the space of four 
 or five minutes (after the rate of four shots per minute) 
 at a target two hundred yards distance. He nex t fired 
 six shots in one minute. He also fired (while advan¬ 
 cing after the rate of four miles per hour) four times 
 in the minute. He then poured a bottle of water into 
 the pan and barrel of the piece when loaded, so as to 
 wet every grain of the powder ; and in less than half 
 a minute, he fired with her, as well as ever, without 
 extracting the ball. Lastly, he hit the bull’s eye, 
 lying on his back on the ground. Incredible as it 
 inay seem, to many, considering the variations of 
 the wind, and the wetness of the weather, he only 
 missed the target three times, during the whole course 
 of the experiment:. A patent was afterwards granted 
 him for ail his improvements. It passed the great 
 seat on the 4th of December following. 
 
 Sumpter, soon after the dispertion of his troops, 
 found means to collect a large body of volunteers, 
 with whom he carried on from time to time, a kind 
 of skirmishing warfare. He took his chief positions 
 about Evorce, Broad and Tyger rivers, and was a 
 sore annoyance to the British. He was at last attacked 
 at Black Stocks, near Tyger River, by lieutenant 
 colonel Tarleton, and defeated ; three American colonels 
 were killed, and Sumpter himself dangerously wounded. 
 The enemy lost one hundred and twenty, and the 
 British only fifteen men. Lieutenant Skinner, of the 16th 
 regiment of infantry, who did duty with colonel Tarleton’s 
 legion greatly distinguished himself on this occasion. 
 Lieutenants Gibson and Caope, ofthe 63d, were killed, 
 
 R r 
 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 and lieutenant Money, a most promising young officer, 
 aid de camp to lord Cornwallis, died of his wounds 
 a few days after. 
 
 During the remaining part of the year, general 
 Gates was preparing to take the field. He collected 
 a large force at Hillsborough, and advanced to Char¬ 
 lotte. Congress, however, 'resolved to suspend him, 
 and ordered a court of inquiry into his conduct. So 
 much for the gratitude of a republican government. 
 The people of Virginia, however, did not so soon 
 forget Saratoga; and when he was at Richmond they 
 complimented him with a very handsome address, 
 replete with expressions of the deepest confidence. 
 
 Such was the issue of this campaign. The minds of 
 the Americans were totally alienated from the British 
 government, and to keep them under subjection when 
 conquered, was an enormous expense to the parent 
 country. The struggle had almost exhausted the 
 resources of America ; but the cause of Great Britain 
 had not in the least point been forwarded. 
 
CHAP, XV* 
 
 Northern Campaign. Incursions into the Jersey's* 
 French Fleets under Termoy, arrives at Rhode+ 
 Island. Blocked up by Admiral Arbuthnot. Sir 
 
 Henry Clinton returns from Charlestown. General 
 Arnolds defection. Major Andre's capture. His 
 Trial. Letters between Sir Henry Clinton and 
 
 General Washington. Interview between Colonel 
 Robinson and General Greene. Major Andre's Let¬ 
 ters to Washington, General Clinton, tic. Major 
 Andre's Death. His Character. Epitaph , He. 
 
 THE northern campaigns of 1730, commenced with 
 unfavorable auspices on the part of America. Their 
 army was in great want of clothings and, when with 
 the co-operation of France, they fondly expected to 
 strike an important blow by the capture of New York, 
 admiral Gucher sailed back to Europe, jmd left their 
 most favorite schemes in a broken disjointed state. 
 Their principal force lay in the strong holds of the 
 Highlands, on the other side of the North River. 
 
 During the summer the British troops made frequent 
 incursions into the Jerseys, and an unsuccessful attempt 
 was made by general Knyphausen, with seven thousand 
 men, to surprise the advanced posts of Washingtons 
 army. 
 
 R r 2 
 
m 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 On the Uth of July, 1780 , a French fleet of seven 
 ships of die line, and four frigates, besides armed 
 fcssels and transports, commanded by the chevalier de 
 Termoy, arrived at Rhode-Island,* with five regiments 
 of troops, and a battalion of artillery, under the count 
 de Rochambeau. 
 
 The arrival of the French troops produced a remark¬ 
 able circumstance in Washington’s camp. Hitherto 
 the Americans had worn blue cockades; but their gene¬ 
 ral now ordered them to wear blue and white inter¬ 
 mixed, to deuote the alliance of the French and Ame¬ 
 rican nations. 
 
 Admiral Arbuthrrot now proceeded with the British 
 fleet from New York to Rhode-Island, and so com¬ 
 pletely blocked wp the French fleet and army, as to 
 prevent their co-operation with the Americans. 
 
 In tire mean time Sir Henry Clinton returned with 
 his victorious army* from Charlestown, 
 
 A circumstance now claims attention, which, if it had 
 been successful on the part of the British, most pro¬ 
 bably would have decided the American contest for 
 ever. This was the defection of the celebrated American 
 commander, general Arnold. 
 
 On the high ground of North River Banks, stood 
 that Gibraltar of America, West Point. It was built 
 by the Americans after the loss of Fort Montgomery, 
 for the defence of the North River, and was deemed 
 the most proper for commanding its navigation. Rocky 
 ridges rising behind one another, rendered it incapable 
 of being invested by less than twenty thousand men. 
 This was the strongest post the Americans had ; the 
 thoroughfare of communication between the Eastern 
 and southern states; and was the repository of their 
 
 * The British troops had sometime before evacuated the 
 Island. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 most valuable stores; the loss of it would have been 
 severely felt. Of this important fortress general Arnold 
 had the command. He was a native of Connecticut, 
 a state remarkable for the republican principles of its in¬ 
 habitants. He was among the first who took up arms 
 against the parent country. “ His distinguished mili¬ 
 tary talents,” says Ramsay, his mortal enemy, “ had 
 procured him many honors from the state ; poets and 
 painters had marked him as a suitable subject, for the 
 display of their respective abilities. He possessed an ele¬ 
 vated seat in the hearts of his countrymen, and was 
 for some time in the full enjoyment of substantial 
 fame.” 
 
 Perhaps the real motive in which Arnold’s conduct 
 originated, will never be clearly ascertained. If we 
 may credit himself, his conduct was the result of re¬ 
 flection, conviction, principle; if we give credit to 
 Ramsay and the other republican writers, “ he betrayed 
 the American cause for a stipulated sum of money.” 
 But this assertion has never been fairly proved. 
 
 General Arnold’s own declarations are tolerably exv 
 plicit. He says, tc that when he first engaged in the 
 contest between Great Britain and her colonies, he 
 conceived the rights of his country to be in danger, 
 and that duty and honor called him to her defence : 
 a redress of grievances was his only aim and object. 
 He however acquiesced in the declaration of indepen¬ 
 dence, although fie thought it precipitate. But the 
 reasons that were then offered to justify that measure, 
 no longer could exist, when Great Britain with the 
 open arms of a parent, offered to embrace the Americans 
 3s children and to grant the wished for—redress, from 
 the refusal of these proposals, and the ratification of 
 the French alliance all his ideas of the justice and po¬ 
 licy of the war were totally changed, and from that 
 time he had become a professed loyalist. In these 
 
SU JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 principles he had only retained his arms and command, 
 
 lor an opportunity to surrender them to Great Britain 
 On the contrary, the Americans declared that his 
 country had loaded him with honors and forgiven 
 him crimes; that though he was brave, yet he was 
 mercenary ; fond of parade and extremely desirous of ac¬ 
 quiring money to defray the expenses ot it; that when he 
 entered Philadelphia after the evacuation ot the British, 
 he made governor Penn’s, the best house in it, his head 
 quarters, this he furnished in a very costly manner, 
 and lived in a stile far beyond his income That he 
 continued this extravagant course of living during his 
 stay in Philadelphia; that the generosity of the states 
 wa s not able to keep pace with the extravagance of 
 their favourite officer. That about July, m9, ne ex¬ 
 hibited heavy accounts and demands against the public ; 
 
 that the commissioners upon examination, rejected a out 
 one ha lf of the amount. That he then appealed to 
 congress, and a committee was appointed who were 
 of opinion, that the commissioners had allowed more 
 than the general had a right to expect or demand: 
 that this provoked him to outrageous proceedings 
 Disgusted at the treatment he had met with, embarrassed 
 in his circumstances, and having a growing and expensive 
 family, he turned his thoughts toward bettering ns 
 fortune by a change of sides, which afforded the only 
 hope of evading a scrutiny, and at the same time he 
 out a prospect of replenishing his exhausted coffers. 
 
 In what precise manner the. negociation was first 
 opened between Arnold and Sir Henry Clinton has never 
 
 been revealed. One thing, however, the author can 
 
 report from the most authentic source of information, 
 that the unfortunate major Andre, who fell the devoted 
 victim to it, was a volunteer in the business. He was 
 neither commanded nor solicited by Sir Henry Clinton to 
 undertake it. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 315 
 
 In the year 1770 , major And re commenced a cor¬ 
 respondence with Mrs. Arnold, under the pretence 
 of supplying her, “ says Ramsay with millinery,” (a 
 strange kind of service for a British officer !) It was 
 asserted and believed by many, that this correspond¬ 
 ence was continued and improved by general Arnold 
 without the lady’s being at all aware of the designs 
 in which he was engaged. But this was never satis¬ 
 factorily proved. And after all, for various reasons 
 that might be assigned, it is highly probable that theft 
 manner in which this negociation commenced will fot 
 ever remain unknown. 
 
 To facilitate the intercourse between general Arnold 
 and the British commander, the Vulture sloop of war 
 had been previously stationed in the North River. It 
 should likewise be mentioned that letters had passed, 
 by several conveyances, between general Arnold and 
 ma>r Andre, under the fictitious signatures of Gus- 
 tavus and Anderson. The negociation was in some 
 state of forwardness when a personal interview was 
 thought necessary. For this purpose, a boat was sent 
 by Arnold to the Vulture to fetch colonel Beverley 
 Robinson, who was the person appointed to negociate 
 with him. Colonel Robinson was ill in his birth when 
 Mr. Smith* ■ arrived with the boat, and major Andre 
 volunteered to go in his stead. Mr. Smith having re¬ 
 cently published a narrative of the whole transac¬ 
 tion (and his authority being that on which reliance 
 can be placed) this important event may perhaps be 
 best narrated in his own words. “ Colonel Robinson 
 pleaded indisposition, and said Mr. Anderson (ma,otf 
 Andre) could as effectually answer all the purposes 
 by <roin« on shore as himself; there seemed no reluc¬ 
 tance on the part of Anderson to supply colonel 
 Robinson’s place, and he appeared in a dress equip. 
 
 * Brother to the chief justice of New \orke 
 
 
$16 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 peil for the purpose, wearing boots and a large blue 
 great coat. 
 
 Mr. Anderson being ready, we left the ship, and 
 were rowed in a short time to the western shore, to 
 the place which general Arnold had appointed for the 
 interview ; this was at the foot of a mountain called 
 the Long Clove, near the low water mark, whither 
 my servant had conducted general Arnold on horse¬ 
 back, he being still lame from his wounds. 
 
 “ On my approach to the place of appointment, I 
 found general Arnold ready to receive me ; he was 
 hid among firs. I mentioned to him colonel Beverley 
 Robinson’s reason for not accompanying me, and the 
 delegation of a young gentleman, a Mr. Anderson ^ 
 whom I had brought with me, and who was then 
 with the watermen on the strand. He appeared much 
 agitated, and exnressed chagrin at the disappoint¬ 
 ment of not seeing colonel Robinson. He desired 
 me, however, to conduct Mr. Anderson to him, 
 which being done, he requested me to remain with 
 the hands at the boat. 1 went as directed, but felt 
 greatly mortified at not being present at the interview, 
 to which I conceived myself entitled from my rank 
 in life, and the trouble I had taken to effect the 
 meeting. At length they continued such a time in 
 conference, that I deemed it expedient to inform them 
 of the approaching dawn of day. Shortly afterwards 
 both came down to the boat, and general Arnold, 
 with much earnestness, solicited me to return witli 
 Mr. Anderson to the Vulture ; but I pointed out 
 the impractibility of effecting his wish, from the 
 great distance, and the fatigue of the hands. He 
 then applied to the men, who declared themselves un¬ 
 able to gratify his wish, through want of strength to 
 accomplish it, and the ebb tide being against them. 
 Convinced of the apparent impractibility of the at- 
 
' AMERICAN WAR. $17 
 
 tempt to reach the ship, and return before day with¬ 
 out being discovered from either shores by the inha¬ 
 bitants, whose eyes were constantly watching the move¬ 
 ments on the water, not only from the forts, but the 
 surrounding shores, he relinquished his solicitations, 
 and desired I would endeavour to return the boat to 
 the place from whence we first embarked ; this, with 
 much labour, and taking the circuit of the eddies, 
 was nearly effected, (as we left the boat at Crane’s 
 Island) when our attention was called to the cannon¬ 
 ade from Gallows Point against the Vulture, which 
 was compelled to fall down the river, and appeared 
 to be set on fire ; colonel Livingston, however, must 
 have been totally unacquainted with general Arnold’s 
 designs, or he never would have fired at that time 
 upon the ship. 
 
 “ On my return home, I found that general Arnold 
 and Mr. Anderson had arrived long before, Mr. An¬ 
 derson having mounted the horse my servant had rode, 
 when he followed general Arnold to the Long Clove, 
 the place of Anderson’s landing. He appeared vexed 
 that the ship had been compelled to leave her posi¬ 
 tion. General Arnold and Mr. Anderson were left 
 alone the far greater part of the day. Toward the 
 evening Arnold came to my house, and proposed 
 that I should convey Mr. Anderson back to the Vulture, 
 which had nearly regained her former situation. With 
 a fit of the ague upon me, I was unable to gratify 
 him ; on which he proposed my accompanying him 
 part of the way on his return to New York by land, 
 as soon as my health would permit, to which I made 
 no objection. He soon after returned, and told me 
 a difficulty bad occurred, of which he w r as not before 
 apprised ; for that Anderson had come on shore in a 
 military dress, which he had borrowed, from pride 
 
 S « 
 
.SIS JOURNAL OR THE 
 
 . or vanity, from an officer of bis own acquaintance at 
 
 . New York ; that it would be impossible for him to 
 travel in that uniform, he requested the loan of one 
 of my coats. Being nearly of my size, I lent him 
 a coat; the other part of his dress, be said, did not 
 require change. General Arnold then proposed returning 
 to bis command at West Point, leaving Mr. Anderson 
 very disconsolate with me; he cast an anxious look 
 towards the Vulture, and with a heavy sigh wished 
 he was on board. I endeavored to console him by the 
 hope of his being at the White Plains, or New York, 
 before her. Finding myself better I promised to ac¬ 
 company him on his way. I could not help remarking 
 
 . to him, that I thought the general might have ordered 
 a flag of truce from Stony Point, to have returned 
 him to'the Vulture, without the fatigue of his going 
 to the White Plains, that appearing to me a circui¬ 
 tous route, unless he had business to transact at that 
 place of a public nature. From this time he seemed 
 shy, and desirous to avoid much conversation; he 
 continued to urge preparations for his departure, and 
 carefully avoided being seen by persons that came to 
 the house. 
 
 “General Arnold had prepared a passport for him 
 to go to the White Plains, and a flag of truce for 
 me to go thither and return. We reached the ferry 
 at Stoney Point before it was dark, intending to pro¬ 
 ceed as far as major De La Van’s that night, we rode 
 on with an increased speed, and had reached it about 
 five or six when we were challenged by a patrole 
 party. On advancing, the commanding officer, a cap¬ 
 tain Bull, demanded a countersign before we should 
 pass, and drew his corps about us, he inquired who 
 4 we were, the reason of our travelling in the night, 
 and from whence we came ? I told him who I was, 
 and that we had passports from general Arnold* the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 3l9 
 
 commanding officer at West Point, which we had 
 received from the general that day ; that we were on 
 public service, on business of the highest import, and 
 that he would be answerable for our detention one 
 moment; he insisted on seeing the passports, and 
 conducted us to a house in the vicinity where there was 
 a light, on approaching the house Mr. Anderson 
 seemed very uneasy; but I cheered him by saying 
 our papers would carry us to any part of the country 
 to which they were directed, and that no person 
 dare presume to detain us. When we came to the 
 light, I presented the passports, which satisfied the 
 captain. 
 
 “ With no small difficulty we gained admittance into 
 a house for the night, while such was the caution 
 and danger of admitting nocturnal inmates, that vve 
 were obliged to take to bed or keep the family up, 
 who would not retire until they saw us safely lodged. 
 We slept in the same bed ; and I was often disturbed 
 with the restless motions, and uneasiness of mind ex¬ 
 hibited by my bedfellpw, who, on observing the first 
 approach of day, summoned my servant to prepare 
 the horses for our departure. He appeared in the 
 morning as if he had not slept an hour during the 
 night; he at first was much dejected, but a pleasing 
 change took place in his countenance when summoned 
 to mount his horse. 
 
 “ We rode very cheerfully towards Pine\s Bridge 
 without interruption, or any event that excited appre¬ 
 hension ; here I proposed to leave my companion; 
 but I observed that the nearer we approached the 
 bridge, the more his countenance brightened into % 
 cheerful serenity, and he became very affable; in 
 short, I now found him highly entertaining; he was 
 apt only well informed in general history, but well 
 
 S s 2 
 
320 
 
 JOURNAL OF TI1E 
 
 acquainted with that of America, particularly of New 
 York, which he termed the residuary legatee of the 
 British government (for it took all the remaining 
 lands not granted to the proprietary and chartered 
 provinces.) He had consulted the muses as well as 
 Mars, for he conversed freely on the belles lettres ; 
 music, painting, and poetry, seemed to be his delight. 
 He displayed a judicious taste in the choice of the 
 authors he had read, possessed great elegance of 
 sentiments, and a most pleasing manner of conveying 
 his ideas, by adopting the flowery coloring of poeti¬ 
 cal imagery. He lamented the causes which gave 
 birth to and continued the war, and said if there 
 was a correspondent temper on the part of the Ame¬ 
 ricans, with the prevailing spirit of the British minis¬ 
 try, peace was an event not far distant; he intima¬ 
 ted that measures were then in agitation for the ac¬ 
 complishment of that desirable object, before France 
 could establish her perfidious designs. He sincerely 
 wished the fate of the wav could alone be determined 
 in the fair, open, field-contest, between as many 
 British in number as those under the command of 
 count Rochambeau at Rhode Island, whose effective 
 force he seemed clearly to understand ; he descanted 
 on the richness of the scenery around us, and par¬ 
 ticularly admired from every eminence, the grandeur 
 of the Highland mountains, bathing their loity sum¬ 
 mits in the clouds from their seeming watery base 
 at the north extremity of Haverstravv Bay. The 
 pleasantry of converse, and mildness of the weather, 
 so insensibly beguiled the time, that we at length 
 found ourselves, at the bridge before I thought we 
 had got half tire way ; and I now had reason to 
 think my fellow traveller a different perspn from the 
 character I had at first formed of him. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 321 
 
 1 his bridge crosses Croton River, a branch of the 
 Hudson ; here we halted, and I mentioned my deter¬ 
 mination to proceed no farther. Having discharged 
 the bill to the woman, in the local money of the 
 country, my companion requested me to lend him 
 some, and I cheerfully supplied him with the half of 
 my pocket amount, although I was afraid it was not 
 current below that place ; the bridge being accounted 
 the south boundary of the American lines. He was 
 affected at parting, and offered me a valuable gold 
 watch in remembrance of him, as a keepsake, which 
 I refused.’* 
 
 The passport given the major by general Arnold 
 particularly mentioned “ to go to lines of White 
 Plains, or lower, if he thought proper, he being on 
 public business.” When he bad passed the American 
 lines and thought himself out of danger, he was 
 stopped by three of the New York militia, who with 
 others were on a scouting party between the out¬ 
 posts of the two armies. What strange infatuation 
 seized the major, not to produce his pass, defies all 
 conjecture: had he done so, this would have let him 
 pass; or, if they had proved British Scouts, they 
 would only have conducted him where he wanted to 
 go, to the royal lines. On the contrary, he impru¬ 
 dently asked the man who stopped him, “ Where he 
 belonged to ?” The man answered, “ To below,” mean¬ 
 ing to New York. Thinking himself then perfectly safe, 
 and mistaking them, by this equivocal reply for a 
 party of English, he hastily replied, “ So do I,” 
 declared himself a British officer, and pressed that he 
 might not be detained, as he was on urgent business. 
 He was soon convinced of his mistake, by the party 
 proceeding to search him. Papers, in general Arnold’s 
 hand writing, were discovered in his boots, which 
 contained exact returns of the state of the forces, 
 
322 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 ordnance, and defences at West Point, with the artil¬ 
 lery orders, critical remarks on the works, &c. The 
 major offered them his purse and gold watch, if they 
 would let him pass ; which they refused, and deli¬ 
 vered him a prisoner to lieutenant colonel Jameson, 
 who commanded the scouting parties. 
 
 When major Andre appeared before him it was 
 under the name of Anderson, which he supported, 
 choosing to hazard the greatest danger, rather than 
 Jet any discovery be made which could involve Ar¬ 
 nold, before he had time to provide fpr his safety. 
 With a view to the general’s escaping, he requested 
 that a line might be sent to acquaint him pf Ander¬ 
 son^ detention, which Jameson granted. General 
 Arnold on the receipt of this letter abandoned every 
 thing. He immediately seized the messenger’s horse and 
 instantly proceeded down a precipice, almost perpen* 
 dicular, to the river where boats were always ready 
 to pass to and from West Point. He sprang into one, 
 and directed the hands to row him down the river 
 and make for the Vulture ; but he had scarcely 
 passed Stoney and Verplanks Point, when colonel 
 Hamilton arrived at the latter, with orders to stop 
 Iiim for. by the time general Washington had searched 
 the house, the packet from Jameson arrived. 
 
 Colonel Jameson forwarded to general Washington 
 all the papers found on major Andre, together with 
 a letter, of which the following is a correct copy. 
 Here he manfully assumed his character, bursting 
 with a noble dignity from that falt>e appearance, which 
 the safety of general Arnold alone had caused him 
 to assume. This was the only point on which the 
 board of American officers could at all criminate him 
 as a spy : thus he generously sacrificed his own life 
 to the preservation of general Arnold’s. 
 
S'23 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 * Sir—W hat I have as yet said concerning myself, 
 was in the justifiable attempt to be extricated ; I am 
 too^ little accustomed to duplicity to have succeeded. 
 
 “ I beg your excellency to be persuaded, that no 
 alteration in the temper of my mind, or apprehension 
 for my safety, induces me to the step of addressing 
 you, but that it is to secure myself from an imputa¬ 
 tion of having assumed a mean character for treache¬ 
 rous purposes or self interest; a conduct incompa¬ 
 tible with the principles that actuated me, as well as 
 with my condition in life. 
 
 “ It is to vindicate my fame I speak, and not to 
 solicit security. 
 
 “ The person in your possession is major Andre, 
 adjutant general of the British army. 
 
 “ The influence of one commander, in the army 
 •0f his adversary, is an advantage taken in war. A 
 correspondence for this purpose I held as confidential 
 (in the present instance,) with his excellency Sir Henry 
 Clinton. 
 
 “ To favor it, I agreed to meet, upon ground 
 not within the posts of either army, a person who 
 was to give me intelligence ; I came up in the Vulture 
 sloop of war for this effect, and was fetched by the 
 boat from the ship to the beach ; being there I was 
 told the approach of day would prevent my return, 
 and that I must be concealed until the next night. 
 
 I was in my regimentals, and had fairly risked my 
 person. ^ 
 
 Against my stipulation, my intentions, and with-r 
 out my knowledge before hand, I was conducted, 
 within one of your posts. Your excellency may con¬ 
 ceive my sentiments on this occasion, and will ima¬ 
 gine how much more I must have been affected by 
 a refusal to reconduct me back the next night as I 
 had been, brought]; thus become a prisoner, I had 
 
 
32 * JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 i niiiHcd mv uniform, ind W3s 
 concert my escape. my „ itll0ut the Ame . 
 
 P““ d another way and bei informe d 
 
 rican posts, to neutral grounu > d » 
 
 t was out ot the reach ot all armed part.es, and left 
 ,o proceed for New York, I was taken at Fa,,, Town 
 
 bv some volunteers. , . , 
 
 .. Tlius as I have had to relate, I was betrayed 
 
 (being adjutant general of the British arm, tnto the 
 rle condition of an enemy withm you, posts 
 - Having avowed myself a Brrttsh officer I know 
 nothing to reveal but what relate, to myself, winch 
 is true on the honor of an officer and a ge°"™“- 
 “ The request 1 have to make to yoor excellency, 
 anti I am conscious I address myself well, is, that 
 in any rigor, policy may dictate, a decency of con. 
 duet towards me may mark that, though unfortunate, 
 
 1 am branded with nothing dishonorable, as no motive 
 
 could be mine, but the service of my king, and as 
 
 I was involuntarily an impostor. 
 
 « Another request is, that I may be permitted to 
 write an open letter to Sir Henry Clinton, and another 
 
 to a friend for clothes and linen. 
 
 “ I take the liberty to mention the condition ot 
 some gentlemen in Charlestown, who being either on 
 parole', or under protection, were engaged m a con- 
 spiracy against us; though their situat.on is not si¬ 
 milar, they are objects who may be sent in exchang 
 for me, or are persons, whom the treatment I receive, 
 
 may in sonic degree affect. 
 
 « It is no less, Sir, a confidence in the generosity 
 
 ofvour mind, than on account of your superior station, 
 
 that I have chosen to importune you with this letter. 
 I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, 
 Sir, your excellency’s most obedient, 
 
 And most humble servant, 
 John Andre, Adj. Gen 
 
 « JI's Excellency, George Washington, kc. %c.” 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 %2j 
 
 Major Andre had been removed under a strong 
 escort to Tappan or Orangetown, when general Wash¬ 
 ington referred his whole case to the examination 
 and decision of fourteen general officers, (of whom 
 were the marquis De La Fayette and baron De 
 Steubin) with the assistance of the judge advocate, 
 general Lawrence. Major Andre disdaining all sub¬ 
 terfuge and evasion, and studying to place his charac¬ 
 ter in so fair a light, as might prevent its being shaded 
 by the present circumstances, voluntarily confessed 
 every thing that related to himself, while he concealed 
 with the most scrupulous nicety whatever might involve 
 others. Being interrogated by the board with respect 
 to his conception of coming on shore, under the sanc¬ 
 tion of a flag, he said with a noble frankness of mind, 
 that if he had, he might certainly have returned under 
 it. The board was exceedingly struck with his candor 
 and magnanimity. They did not examine a single 
 witness, but founded their report merely upon his own 
 confession. In this they stated the following facts: 
 “ That major Andre came on shore on the night of 
 the 21st of September in a private and secret manner ; 
 that he changed his dress within the American lines ; 
 that under a feigned name, and a disguised habit, he 
 was taken on his way to New York, and when taken, 
 several papers were found in his possession, which con¬ 
 tained intelligence for the enemy.” That major Andre, 
 ii ought to be considered as a spy, and that agree¬ 
 able to the laws and usages of nations he ought to 
 suffer death.” 
 
 It may be naturally imagined that the British officers 
 were indefatigable in their exertions to save major 
 Andre from his impending fate. Sir Henry Clinton, 
 and lieutenant general Robertson wrote letters, in 
 which every suggestion and entreaty were used to 
 
 T t 
 
520 
 
 JOURNAL OR THE 
 
 general Washington on the subject ; but in vain. Ge¬ 
 neral Arnold went so far as to take the whole guilt 
 of the transaction on himself. He urged, that every 
 thing done by major Andre was transacted at his par¬ 
 ticular request, and at a time when he was acknow¬ 
 ledged commanding officer in the department. He con¬ 
 tended, “ that he had a right to transact all those 
 matters, for which, though wrong, major Andre ought 
 not to suffer death.” 
 
 An interview also took place between general Ro¬ 
 bertson on the part of the British, and general Greene 
 on the part of the Americans. Every thing was urged 
 by the former that ingenuity or humanity could sug¬ 
 gest for averting the proposed execution ; Greene made 
 a proposal for delivering up Arnold instead of Andre; 
 but found this could not be acceded to by the British, 
 without offending against every principle of honor and 
 policy, general Robertson urged “ that Andre went 
 on shore under the sanction of a flag, and that being 
 in Arnold’s power, he was not accountable for the 
 subsequent actions, which were said to be compul¬ 
 sory.” To this it was replied that “ he was employed 
 in the execution of measures very foreign to the 
 object of flags of truce, and such as they were never 
 meant to authorize or to countenance, and that major 
 Andre in the course of his examination had candidly 
 confessed, that it was impossible for him to suppose 
 that he came on shore under the sanction of a flag.” 
 As Greene and Robertson differed so widely in both 
 their statements of facts, and the interference they 
 drew from them, the latter proposed to the former 
 that the opinion of disinterested military gentlemen 
 might be taken on the subject, and generals Knyphausen 
 ami Roehambeau were mentioned ; general Robertson also 
 urged that Andre possessed a great share of Sir Henry 
 Clinton’s esteem, and hinted, as his last recourse that 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 327 
 
 he would be infinitely obliged if l, e should be spared. 
 He ottered that in case Andre should be permitted 
 to return with him to New York, any person whatever, 
 that might be named, should be set at Jibery. All 
 these arguments and entreaties having failed, Robertson 
 presented a long letter from Arnold, in which he en¬ 
 deavored to exculpate Andre, by acknowledging him¬ 
 self the author of every part of his conduct, “ that he 
 had particularly insisted on his coming from the Vulture 
 under a flag which he had sent for that purpose.’ 
 He declared that if Andre suffered, he should think 
 himself bound to retaliate. He also observed “ that 
 forty of the principal inhabitants of South Carolina had 
 justly forfeited their lives, which had hitherto been 
 spared only through the clemency of Sir Henry Clin¬ 
 ton, who would no longer extend mercy if major 
 Andre suffered ; an event which would probably open 
 a scene of bloodshed, at which humanity must revolt.” 
 He entreated Washington by his own honor, and for 
 the sake of humanity, not to suffer an unjust sentence 
 to touch the ^life of Andre, but if that warning should 
 be disregarded, and Andre suffer, he called 4< heaven 
 and earth to witness that he alone would be justly 
 answerable for the torrents of blood which might be 
 spilt in consequence.” 
 
 Indeed every exertion was made by our commanders 
 to save Andre, but without effect; it was urged, on 
 the contrary, that the general opinion of the Ameri¬ 
 can army, was, that his life was forfeited, and that 
 national dignity and sound policy required that the 
 forfeiture should be exacted. 
 
 General Greene was originally a Quaker, a stern re¬ 
 publican, and such was the rancor displayed through¬ 
 out the whole transaction, both by him and the marquis 
 He La Fayette that they may almost literally be said 
 
 T t 2 
 
 mm 
 
328 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 to have thirsted for the blood of the unfortunate victim 
 whom fate had put in their power. 
 
 Here again I am compelled to notice the misrepre¬ 
 sentation and detect the falsehood of the account given 
 by Bclsham. He says the unfortunate Andre “ was 
 apprehended in disguise, and with a false passport. 
 True the major was apprehended in disguise, but 
 his passport was not a false one. It was signed by 
 the commanding officer of the American district Jfo® 
 whence he came. Was the signature “ Arnold, ” a 
 forgery ? It was a true passport on the part of major 
 Andre, and general Arnold who signed it alone was 
 accountable to the American government for it. But 
 this is Belsham’s constant practice, by coupling a 
 truth with a falshood, (as the Jews vend a damaged 
 article with a sound one) they both pass muster with 
 the wreat mass of mankind, until a critical examina¬ 
 tion detects the fraud. The same writer tells us, with 
 an air of triumph, that the major “ suffered death in 
 that degrading mode which gives the brave, the keenest 
 wound, notwithstanding the urgent solicitations and the 
 impotent , injudicious menaces of Sir Henry Clinton. 
 What injudicious menace escaped from Sir Henry 
 Clinton during the whole unfortunate negociation ? His 
 letter to general Washington is a master piece of pru¬ 
 dence, of humanity, of temperate, energetic remon¬ 
 strance, conjoined with manly dignity. I have not the 
 vanity to suppose myself capable of determining the 
 merits of the great body of historians; but certainly, 
 if I may be permitted to give an opinion on those 
 who have published the American transactions, Mr. 
 Belsham is of all the most artful and dangerous. His 
 misrepresentations are of deep design, and his false co¬ 
 lorings are laid on with so much adroitness, that it is 
 no easy matter completely to detect him. But pn some 
 points I think lie has been sufficiently unmasked. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 5 ^ 
 
 I introduce here a quotation from Smith, which 
 places Sir Henry Clinton’s character in the most amiable 
 point of view. 
 
 “ The noble humanity in his breast, which at the 
 moment when every agonized feeling must have been 
 wounded to its greatest height, alone prevented him 
 from making that sacrifice which the laws of arms 
 and the manes of the murdered Andre seemed almost 
 imperiously to require at his hands. 
 
 “ The Greyhound schooner, flag of truce which brought 
 general Robertson’s last letter to general Washington, 
 dated on board the schooner on the 2d of October, 
 the day major Andre suffered, carried to New York 
 the melancholy account of that event. 
 
 u No language can describe the mingled sensations of 
 horror, grief, sympathy, and revenge, that agitated 
 the whole garrison ; a silent gloom overspread the ge¬ 
 neral countenance ; the whole royal army, and citizens 
 of the first distinction, went into mourning. Sir Henry 
 Clinton (although stung with the deepest sorrow for 
 the loss of so valuable an officer,) who best knew 
 how to appreciate his merits, could not indulge a 
 spirit of Resentment, in exercising the dictates of pas¬ 
 sion or policy, by a retaliation on a number of Caro¬ 
 lina prisoners, of the first distinction, who had forfeited 
 their lives agreeable to the usage of war. In almost 
 every instance, where humanity could be exercised, 
 the lenity of Sir Henry Clinton was eminently conspi¬ 
 cuous, both in civil and military matters.” 
 
 It is to be regretted, that, we have benefited so littl* 
 by so great a literary genius as major Andre was. I be 
 following letters (which are extracted from Smith $ 
 Narrative) prove him to have been a young man of 
 very considerable intellect. 
 
$9 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Major Andre to Sir Henry Clinton) dated Tappan, 
 September 29th : ' V ' 
 
 “ Si R _ Your excellency is doubtless already apprized 
 of the manner in which I was taken, and possibly of 
 the serious light in which my conduct is considered, 
 and the vigorous determination that is impending 
 
 Under these circumstances, I have obtained ge¬ 
 neral Washington’s permission to send you this letter; 
 the object of which is, to remove from your breast 
 anv suspicion, that I could imagine I was bound by 
 your excellency’s orders to expose myself to what has 
 happened. The events of coming within an enemy s 
 posts, and of changing my dress, which led me to 
 my present situation, were contrary to my own inten¬ 
 tion^, as they were to your orders ; and the circuitous 
 route which I took to return, was imposed (perhaps 
 unavoidably) without alternative upon me. 
 
 In addressing myself to your excellency on tnis 
 occasion, the force of all my obligations to you, 
 and of the attachment and gratitude I bear you, re¬ 
 curs to me. 
 
 “ With all the warmth of my heart, I give you 
 thanks for your excellency’s profuse kindness to me: 
 and I send you the most earnest wishes for your web 
 fare, which a faithful, affectionate, and respectful at¬ 
 tention can frame. 
 
 “I have a mother and three sisters, to whom the 
 value of my commission'would be an object, as the 
 lags of Grenada has much affected their income. It is 
 needless to be more explicit on this subject, I am 
 persuaded of your excellency’s goodness, &c. &c. 
 
 I have the honor to be, &c. 
 
 John Andre, Adj. Gen.” 
 
 On October the 2d, the tragedy was closed. The 
 major was superior to the terrors of death: but the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 3Si 
 
 disgraceful mode of dying which the usage of war had 
 annexed to his unhappy situation, was infinitely dread¬ 
 ful to him : he was desirous to be indulged with a death 
 worthy of his profession ; and accordingly he wrote the 
 day before, the following letter to general Washington : 
 
 “ Sir Buoy’d above the terror of death, by the 
 consciousness of a life devoted to honorable pursuits, 
 
 and stained with no action that can give me remorse, 
 
 I trust that the request I make to your excellency at 
 
 this seiious period, and which is to soften my last 
 
 moments, will not be rejected. 
 
 “ Sympathy towards a soldier will surely induce vout* 
 excellency, and a military tribunal, to adopt the mode 
 of my death to the feelings of a man of honor. 
 
 Let me hope, Sir, that if aught in my character 
 impresses you with esteem towards me, if aught in 
 my misfortunes marks me as the victim of policy, and 
 not of resentment, I shall experience the operation of 
 these feelings in your breast, by being informed that 
 I am not to die on a gibbet. 
 
 I have the honor to be, &c. 
 
 John Andre, Adj. Gen.” 
 
 “ General Washington consulted his officers upon 
 the subject. Pity and esteem wrought so powerfully^ 
 that they were all for shooting him, till Greene in¬ 
 sisted on it that his crime was that of a common spy, 
 that the public good required his being hanged, and 
 that if he was shot the public would think there were 
 favorable circumstances entitling him to notice and 
 lenity. His observations had thek desired effect, and 
 they resolved that there would be an impropriety in 
 granting the major’s request ; but his delicacy was saved 
 from the pain of receiving a negative answer. The 
 guard which attended him in his confinement marched 
 with him to the place of execution. The way, 
 
 over 
 
3J2 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 which he passed, was eluded on all sides with anxious 
 spectators, as he went along between two officers of 
 his guard, his arms being locked in thews, he bowed 
 himself familiarly to all those with whom he had been 
 acquainted in his confinement. A smile of compla¬ 
 cency expressed the serene fortitude of his mind. 
 Upon seeing the preparations on the fatal spot he 
 asked with some degree of concern, Must I die 
 this manner?” He was told it was unavoidable. He 
 replied, “ I am reconciled to my fate, but no o 
 the mode.” Soon after recollecting himself, he added, 
 
 “ It will be but a momentary pang.” He ascended 
 the Cart with a pleasing countenance, performed the 
 last offices to himself, with a composure which ex¬ 
 cited the admiration of all the spectators Being told 
 the final moment was at hand, and asked if he had 
 any thing more to say, “ nothing but to request 
 that you will witness to the world that I dtehke a brave 
 man - He died universally esteemed and regretted. 
 The' sympathy he had excited in the American army 
 was perhaps unexampled, under any sum tar c.rcum- 
 stances. Numbers condemned, very few justified 
 but all regretted the fatal sentence which put an end to 
 
 his valuable life. , ( 
 
 k He was a young officer of great abilities, an 
 
 uncommon merit. Nature had bestowed on him an 
 elegant taste for literature and the fine arts, whic 1 y 
 industrious cultivation he had greatly improved. He 
 possessed many amiable qualities, and very great ac¬ 
 complishments. His fidelity together with Ins place 
 and character, eminently fitted him for tie negoci- 
 ation with Arnold, but his high ideas of candour, ami 
 his abhorrence of dishonorable conduct, made 
 inexpert in practicing those arts of deception w it 
 it required. It may not be improper to add, that ou 
 gracious sovereign, who never suffers any public service 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 333 
 
 to pass unrewarded, has caused an elegant monument 
 to be erected in Westminster Abbey, which, with, the 
 historic page both of England and America will per¬ 
 petuate the virtue and gallantry of major Andre > 
 through ages yet unknown* 
 
 Description of the Monument in Westminster Abbey y 
 for MAJOR JOHN ANDRE, designed by Robert 
 Adam , Esq. Architect , and executed in statuary marble , 
 by Mr. P. M. Van Gelder. 
 
 This monument is composed of a sarcophagus, elevated 
 on a pedestal, upon the pannel of which is engraved 
 the following inscription: / 
 
 SACRED TO THE MEMORY 
 of 
 
 MAJOR JOHN ANDRE , 
 
 Who, raised by his Merit, at an early Period 
 of his Life, to the Rank of 
 
 ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE BRITISH FORCES 
 
 IN AMERICA, 
 
 and, employed in an important but hazardous Enterprise, 
 
 FELL A SACRIFICE 
 
 to his 
 
 Zeal for his King and Country , 
 on the 2d of October, 1780, aged 29, 
 universally beloved and esteemed by the Army 
 in which he served, and lamented even 
 by his Foes. 
 
 His gracious Sovereign 
 
 KING GEORGE III. 
 
 has caused this Monument to be erected. 
 
 The following description of the characters on the 
 sarcophagus, and remarks on the lamented catastrophe 
 are copied front Smith’s Narrative. 
 
 “ On the front of the sarcophagus, general W ash- 
 ington is represented in his tent, at the moment 
 
 U u 
 
 
3J4 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 when he had received the report of the court martial 
 held on major Andre ; at the same time a flag of truce 
 arrived from the British army, with a letter for general 
 Washington to treat for the major’s life. ut e 
 fatal sentence being already passed, the flag was sen 
 back without the hoped-for clemency in his favor. 
 
 “ Major Andre received his condemnation wit u 
 fortitude and resolution which had always marked Ins 
 character, and is represented going with unshaken 
 spirit to meet his doom. 
 
 “ On the top of the sarcophagus, a figure °l 
 Britannia reclined, laments the premature fate of so 
 gallant an officer. The British Lion too, seems in¬ 
 stinctively to mourn his untimely death. 
 
 - Ancient or modern history does not exhibit an 
 instance, where an officer fell so universally lamented 
 by adversaries and friends; an irrefragable proot ot 
 unsullied honor, and superior merit. 
 
 “ Eulogy cannot do sufficient justice to the deserts 
 of this rarely accomplished hero; and it must be 
 some consolation to his surviving friends, that his 
 and their foes drop the tear of sympathy, and min¬ 
 gle their sorrows at the same shrine, made sacred to 
 virtue and truth.” 
 
 It has already been noticed, as matter of regret, 
 that' distinguished as major Andre was by literary 
 talent, so" little of his compositions survived him. 
 The following Poem however the author is enabled to 
 lay before the reader; from the authority of a re¬ 
 spectable person, a native of America; where it is 
 crenerally acknowledged to have been the majors 
 composition. It was written a few days previous to his 
 excution. Other testimony of its authenticity it is now 
 impossible to produce, as no British officer was per¬ 
 mitted to attend his last moments, console the heroic 
 sufferer, or receive the dying injunctions of the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 335 
 
 *nan, who fell a martyr to the interests of his coun¬ 
 try. But if such report carries with it full conviction 
 to the author, it will to the mind of the loyal and un¬ 
 prejudiced reader, and as for those who were instru¬ 
 mental in robbing the major of life, or who can approve 
 the deed, it would be a waste of words to attempt 
 the removal of their doubts. Under # these circum¬ 
 stances, to have suppressed it altogether would have 
 been criminal, and on this authority it is inserted, 
 leaving the reader to his own unbiassed judgment 
 * as to its authenticity. 
 
 HAIL sovereign love, which first began. 
 The scheme, to rescue fallen man ! 
 
 Hail matchless, free, eternal grace. 
 Which gave my soul a Hiding Place! 
 
 Against the God who built the sky 
 I fought with hands uplifted high. 
 Despis’d the mention of his grace. 
 
 Too proud to seek a Hiding Place . 
 
 Enwrapt in thick Egyptian night. 
 
 And fond of darkness more than light: 
 Madly I ran the sinful race. 
 
 Secure, without a Hiding Place . 
 
 But thus the eternal council ran, 
 
 “ Almighty love, arrest that man!’ 
 
 I felt the arrows of distress. 
 
 And found I had no Hiding Place . 
 
 Indignant justice stood in view. 
 
 To Sinai’s fiery mount 1 flew, 
 
 But Justice cry’d with frowning face, 
 This mountain is no Hiding Place . 
 
 Ere long a heav’nly voice I heard. 
 
 And mercy’s angel soon appear’d. 
 
 He led me in a placid pace. 
 
 To Jesus as my Hiding Place . 
 
 On him Almighty vengeance fell. 
 
 Which must have sunk a world to hell, 
 He bore it for a sinful race, 
 
 And thus became their Hiding Place. 
 
( 
 
 !36 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Should sevenfold storms of thunder roll. 
 
 And shake this globe from pole to pole: 
 
 No thunder bolt shall daunt my lace. 
 
 For Jesus is my Hiding Place. 
 
 A few more rolling suns at most. 
 
 Shall land me on fair Canaan’s coast. 
 
 Where I shall sing the song of grace. 
 
 And see my glorious Hiding Place. 
 
 Major Andre’s remains were interred in an open 
 field, belonging to a Mr. Mabie, in the vicinity where 
 he suffered. 
 
 The end of the year 1780 was now arriving; win¬ 
 ter set in with great severity. The Americans, in 
 addition to the inclemencies of the season, had many 
 hardships to encounter. The three years, for which 
 period the American troops were originally enlisted, be¬ 
 ing expired ; and enraged at the hardships which they 
 had suffered, a spirit of insurrection manifested itself: at 
 first in the troops of the Pennsylvania line, which soon 
 spread to the New Jersey line. The American gover¬ 
 nors, well acquainted with the grievances endured by 
 the army, wisely redressed thepi, and passed a gene¬ 
 ral amnesty. The soldiers which were under the 
 immediate command of general Washington also be¬ 
 gan to betray the most alarming discontent; but 
 actuated by that wisdom for which he was so con¬ 
 spicuous, he remained in his quarters, and by his 
 presence prevented their murmurs from breaking out 
 into absolute resistance. 
 
 Mean time the paper currency of the Americans 
 became every hour more and more depreciated. The 
 financial arrangements of the congress, of course fell 
 into the utmost confusion: a general discredit began 
 to prevail, and it was clearly perceived by the most 
 intelligent members of their government, that nothing 
 
337 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 could possibly preserve tlieir affairs from utter ruin 
 but a foreign loan, and that to a considerable amount. 
 This they attempted with the Dutch, and by means 
 of French ihfluence, in opposition to the stadtholder 
 and the British interest, it was brought into a state 
 of forwardness under the negociation of a Mr. Lee, 
 (formerly an alderman of London, and brother to 
 the American general Lee,) agent for the congress, 
 and John de Neufville, an Amsterdam merchant. 
 This measure, although resorted to at a. moment 
 of the most distressing exigence, had been in con¬ 
 templation ever since the year 1778 , at which time 
 the parties first met at Aix-la-Chapelle. It was sanc¬ 
 tioned by Van Berkel, grand pensionary of Amster¬ 
 dam. Provisionary articles were signed by the parties, 
 and copies transmitted to America and Holland. This 
 was all transacted with that secrecy, so consonant 
 to the insidious policy of the Dutch, who negociated 
 in that crafty manner which left them at liberty, 
 according as the affairs of America prospered or failed, 
 to avow or disavow, the treaty to Great Britain.—A 
 remark here must press on the minds of most readers. 
 How strikingly has Providence placed before the 
 world, an awful lesson on national duplicity, by 
 the present humiliation of that money-loving, cunning 
 people, under the French domination ! 
 
 To ratify this nefarious bargain, Mr. Henry Laurens, 
 the late president of congress, was dispatched from 
 America. He embarked at Philadelphia for Holland, 
 but in the progress of the voyage the vessel was 
 captured by the British, and Laurens, with all his 
 official documents, sent to England ; the box which 
 contained the papers was thrown overboard ; but a 
 loyal and determined sailor secured it from sinking. 
 The name of the ship which captured Mr. Laurens 
 was the Vestal, commanded by captain Keppel. He 
 
 
rj • -m 
 
 333 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 was landed in Devonshire, and arrived at the admi¬ 
 ralty on the 7th of October, 17 S 0 . On his ex¬ 
 amination he disclaimed all allegiance to Great Britain, 
 and boldly avowed himself an agent and a subject of 
 the American government. 
 
 The administration on this occasion, acted with a 
 becoming spirit. The papers of Mr. Laurens had 
 put them in full possession of the perfidy of the 
 Dutch. A memorial was accordingly presented by 
 the British ambassador at the Hague, requiring the 
 states general to disavow the proceedings of the pen¬ 
 sionary Van Berkel and 11is adherents, and demand¬ 
 ing their immediate trial and punishment. The Dutch, 
 conscious of their guilt, attempted to delay the busi¬ 
 ness; but the English ambassador was finally recalled, 
 and hostilities commenced between the two nations. 
 
 Mr. Laurens was committed to the Tower on a 
 charge of high treason, but from circumstances which 
 afterwards arose, never brought to trial. 
 
 This extraordinary character was of French descent. 
 His ancestors fled to America upon the revocation of 
 the edict of Nantz, under Lewis XIV. They settled 
 in South Carolina, in the capital of which his father 
 carried on the business of a sadler, for which employ¬ 
 ment he intended his son. Mr. Laurens was born 
 in the year 1724 ; his education was very limited, 
 and for some time he followed the business of his 
 father. But, being of an aspiring turn of mind, and 
 eager for the attainment of wealth, he quitted the 
 business of a sadler, and commenced merchant. 
 Remarkable for a rigid punctuality in all his deal¬ 
 ings, he established a high character for integrity 
 and attention to business. It is this which does every 
 thing in America for the mail of business: he 
 became rich, and by degrees respectable. He was 
 appointed a provincial colonel in the war with France, 
 
333 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 and commanded an expedition against the Indians. 
 At the time of passing the stamp act, he was among 
 the friends of government and supported the authority 
 of the parent country. Charlestown at that time be¬ 
 came the seat of much civil dissention; to avoid 
 taking a part in which he left America and went over 
 to England. Strange to record ! it was there that all his 
 principles of loyalty were shaken, and he returned to 
 America a staunch and sturdy republican. 
 
 He immediately took part with the American op¬ 
 positionists, and professed himself a patriot, ready to 
 make any sacrifice in what he termed the common 
 cause, and to defend that cause in every extremity: 
 this was in the year 1775. The Americans at that 
 time were indefatigable in uniting to their side, men 
 of talent, enterprize and integrity. Mr. Laurens 
 possessed the very requisites which they,, desired to con¬ 
 stitute a leading character, and he was accordingly 
 advanced to be president of the provincial congress of 
 Carolina. From that province he was nominated a 
 delegate to the continental congress. There he be¬ 
 came a distinguished member, and was eventually 
 appointed president of that assembly. The modera¬ 
 tion, good sense, and ability which he displayed in 
 that office commanded the respect, even of the first 
 men among those, who neither approved his principles, 
 nor wished success to his cause. The importance to 
 America of the Dutch loan, can best be estimated, by 
 the congress sending such a man to transact the busi- 
 ness: his capture by captain Keppel was a sore blow 
 to their interests. 
 
 It may be necessary here to rest a moment, and 
 notice the difference in point of humanity between 
 the British government, and the American partizans. 
 With the bleeding wounds of the untimely, and remorse¬ 
 less fate of major Andre, still fresh on recollection. 
 
340 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the cabinet of St. James paused before they reta¬ 
 liated on America, in the person of the late president 
 of her senate (the highest officer in time of peace, 
 and in war second to none but the commander in 
 chief, Washington.) The shade , of the murdered 
 Andre seemed from the grave to cry for vengeance.— 
 Yet British magnanimity, in the worth of the indi¬ 
 vidual, ameliorated the punishment of the traitor— 
 and Mr. Laurens, with his friend Turnbull,* deputy 
 adjutant general of the American forces, suffered 
 only a partial confinement, for deeds which would 
 have doomed them to the gibbet, if not to the torture, 
 under any other state. Surely the sons of many of 
 the Americans must blush, for the cruel violence of 
 their fore-fathers in this unhappy contest. 
 
 * Mr Turnbull, son to the governor of Connecticut, and 
 deputy adjutant general to the American forces who left 
 4merma for France with a major Tyler, and who fiom thence 
 came to England, was also apprehended and his papers seized. 
 Several letters to and from his lather and other persons in 
 America being produced, and his conferences at Pans with 
 Dr. Franklin fully established, he was committed to the New; 
 Prison, Clerkenwell, about a month after the commitment o. 
 Mr. Laurens to the Tower. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 S4i 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Southern Campaign under Lord Cornwallis. General 
 Greene succeeds Gates in the Command of the American 
 Southern army. Colonel Tarleton defeated at Cowpens. 
 Lat'd Cornwallis crosses the Catawba. The Author's 
 Narrative of that Transaction. Colonel Webster 
 joins Lord Cornwallis. They pursue Ceneral Morgan . 
 Junction of the American Armies. General Greene 
 driven out of North Carolina . Lord Cornwallis's 
 
 « Proclamation at Hillsborough . General Greene re¬ 
 crosses the Dan , and again enters North Carolina . - 
 Lord Cornwallis retires from Hillsborough . Action 
 
 of Guilford Court House . British Army arrives at 
 Wilmington. 
 
 QUITTING the affairs of the north, which were con¬ 
 ducted by general Clinton, we shall now revert to 
 events in the south under lord Cornwallis. s 
 
 The capture of Charlestown, and the reduction of 
 almost all the whole of South Carolina, naturally inclined 
 the British commanders to extend their views to the 
 conquest of North Carolina. The Americans on their part 
 saw the necessity of reinforcing the southern army ; 
 and general Greene, at the recommendation of Wash¬ 
 ington, was appointed to its command, which was trans¬ 
 ferred to him at Charlotte by general Gates. A 
 country thinly inhabited, and abounding with swamps, 
 afforded every advantage to a partizan warfare over a 
 large and regular army. This system was acted on by 
 Greene, and accordingly general Morgan, with a nUt 
 
 Xx 
 
3 42 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 merous detachment was directed to threaten the British 
 post at Ninety Six, on the western extremity of South 
 Carolina; the main body under general Greene at the 
 same time,' moving on to north side of Pedee, opposite 
 Cheraw-HilL 
 
 The British army, at that time, had marched two 
 hundred miles from the sea-coast, and was preparing 
 for an invasion of North Carolina. In order therefore 
 to drive Morgan from its rear, and deter the inhabitants 
 from joining his standard, lieutenant colonel Tarleton 
 with six hundred men (three hundred of which were 
 cavalry) proceeded against him. The engagement took 
 place at Cowpens. The British, led on by the colonel 
 himself, advanced, confident of victory, with a shout, 
 and poured a tremendous - fire on the enemy. The 
 American line gave way, and fled ; the British advanced, 
 and engaged the second. At that critical moment, 
 colonels Washington and Howard rallied the flying 
 troops, and, joined by the militia, led them on to the 
 support of the second line. The British were thrown 
 into confusion : three hundred were killed and wounded ; 
 the whole of the artillery-men (who worked the guns) 
 that did not share their fate, were taken, with two 
 three pounders. Colonel Tarleton, with about fifty of 
 the cavalry, made a last, desperate, but glorious effort: 
 he charged and repulsed Washington’s horse, retook 
 the baggage of the corps, cut the detachment who had 
 it in possession to pieces, destroyed the greater part, 
 and retired with the rest to Hamilton’s Ford.* 
 
 This defeat (particularly the loss of the light infantry) 
 was a severe loss to the royal camp. The prisoners 
 were conveyed by forced marches to Richmond; so 
 
 * In lord Cornwallis’s dispatches to government concerning 
 this engagement, he says, “ In justice to the detachment of 
 the royal artillery, I must here observe, that no terror could 
 induce them to abandon their guns, and they were ail killed 
 and wounded in the defence of them.” 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 3+3 
 
 that a]l att< *P ts of ‘he main army to re-capture tfim 
 - re y«.,l,„g The „™, y bahed during" 
 
 It! Z T'"' 0 ”’ and *“"■*»* bi! 
 
 L i> J. f ,'. m i rCbKl thro "g t ' N “'b Carolina, ,o 
 
 t ;:l;l the Da -’ -*•.«■»-* - 
 
 v On the 1st day of February, at day light in the 
 morning, we were directed to cross M‘CoJan’s Ford 
 |» order dislodge a pare, of the Americsns 
 
 the command of General Davison, which were strong 
 posted on the opposite hills. Lord Cornwallis, accord¬ 
 ing to his usual manner, dashed first into the river 
 mounted on a very fine spirited horse, the brigade 
 of guards followed, two three pounders next, the Royal 
 Welch Fuzileers after them. Colonel Webster had been 
 previously directed to move with a strong guard divi¬ 
 sion to Beattie’s Ford, six miles above M‘Cowan’s in 
 order to divide the attention of the Americans. 
 
 The place where we forded was about half a mile 
 over. The enemy stood on the hills of the opposite 
 shore, wh.ch were high and steep, hanging over the 
 nver, so that they had every advantage over us, to 
 facilitate their firing on those who attempted to c’ross 
 there. Lord Cornwallis’s fine horse was wounded 
 under him, but his lordship escaped unhurt. Amidst 
 these dreadful oppositions, we still urged through 
 this rapid stream, striving with every effort to gain 
 the opposite shore; just in the centre of the river, 
 the bombardier who was employed in steering one of 
 the three pounders, unfortunately let go his hold of 
 the helm of the gun, and being a low man, he was 
 forced off his feet, and immediately carried headlong 
 down the river. At that very instant, I was bringing 
 U P the division that covered this gun, and encouraging 
 the men to hold fast by one another, and not to be 
 dismayed at the enemy’s fire, or from the rapidity or 
 
 X x 2 
 
34t JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 depth of the water, wbteh was at this place_ more than 
 four feet deep, and very rocky at the bottom I 
 knew that if this artillery man was either k.lled or 
 drowned, his loss would be great indeed, as we had 
 
 no man at hand that could supply his place in working 
 
 the gun; this consideration darted through my mind 
 in an instant, and 1 was determined to save his hf 
 or perish in the attempt. 1 therefore quitted my bM 
 of the right hand man of my division, and threw 
 myself on my belly on the surface of the water, an 
 in nine or ten strong strokes, I overtoo im. y 
 
 this time he was almost exhausted, having been carried 
 
 down the stream heels over head, upwards of for y 
 yards I got him on his feet, and led him back i 
 safety to his gun. It was very remarkable, and taken 
 pat.'Ll.r notice of by .he British troops, 0 **™* 
 this transaction not one shot was fire a ns y 
 Americans; indeed they might have e.sdy shot us bo h 
 in the head, as the current of the river 
 very near to them. After this affair the enemy began 
 again a very, heavy fire upon ns, ""“ thee!s “ ' 
 divisions waded on, in a cool intrep.d manner, to retu 
 their fire, betng impossible as our carton h b 
 were all tied a. the back of our necks This urged 
 us on with greater rapidity, till we gained the opposite 
 shore*, where* we were obliged to *-hl. up a «,y 
 hi*h hill under, a heavy fire; several of our men 
 were killed and wounded, before we reached the sum¬ 
 mit The American soldiers did all that brav ? pen 
 could do, to oppose our passage across the river, 
 and I believe not one of them moved from his p > 
 till we mourned the hill, and used our bayonets; them 
 numeral was the first man that received us sword m 
 hand, and suffered himself to be cut to pieces sooner 
 than retreat; after his death, his troops were soon 
 defeated and dispersed. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 Let the reader only for a moment consider what a 
 situation the British troops were placed in, while they 
 were wading over this ford, upwards of five hundred 
 yards wide, up to their breast in a rapid stream, their 
 knapsacks on their back, sixty or seventy rounds of 
 powder and ball in each pouch, tied at the pole of 
 their necks, their firelocks with bayonets, fixed on 
 their shoulders, three hundred of their enemies (ac¬ 
 counted the best marksmen in the world) placed on 
 a hill as it were over their heads, keeping a con¬ 
 tinual and very heavy fire upon them. 
 
 Yet such was the resolution with which they en- 
 countered the danger, and such the determined regu¬ 
 larity which was observed, that only one officer, 
 (lieutenant colonel Hall) and three privates were killed 
 and thirty six wounded. A striking instance of what 
 mav be effected in situations, deemed by many as 
 invincible impediments to the progress of an army, by 
 coolness, courage, and resolution. It may'be necessity 
 
 to mention, that lord Cornwallis’s horse though he was 
 
 shot in the water, did not fall until he reached the 
 shore. General Leslie’s horses were carried down the 
 river- and such was the rapidity of the stream, t a 
 brigadier general O’Hara’s horse rolled with him down 
 
 ih i::rT^z nr^irting ^oc 
 
 Tarrant’s Tavern, ten miles from Beatties kord, the 
 1 arrant s ’ , vvnv an d the colonel pro- 
 
 23d 1 7 , T t thetvairy almuL About five hundred 
 ceclkil 'Vi re tcive him, who were unme- 
 
 , ; ere .hen prepared ,o receive ^ fifly 
 
 dlately charge , gallantry of these 
 
 killed and the rest d.spersed. The D a»an y 
 
346 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 actions made such an impression on the inhabitants* 
 that the troops made their way without molestation 
 to the Yadkin, notwithstanding the inveterate preju¬ 
 dice which this part of North Carolina bore to the 
 British name. General Greene’s plan of waiting till 
 Huger and Williams joined him, was thus com¬ 
 pletely frustrated, the troops at the different fords 
 were withdrawn, and Morgan began a precipitate 
 retreat to the Yadkin. 
 
 Meantime colonel Webster’s division passed Beattie’s 
 Ford, on the Catawba, and joined that of lord 
 Cornwallis on the road to Salisbury. They imme¬ 
 diately began to pursue Morgan; but he reached 
 the Trading Ford, and passed the Yadkin, with the 
 loss of his baggage, which the flight of the riffle 
 men left in possession of the king’s troops. A 
 heavy rain which fell during the night, rendered 
 the fords impassible, and so swelled the river, that 
 general Morgan having secured all the boats and flats 
 on the opposite shore, the pursuit was rendered impos¬ 
 sible, except by marching up the western banks of 
 the Yadkin, and passing by the shallow fords near 
 its source. This gave time for the junction of the 
 the American armies. In this situation, it was the 
 aim of lord Cornwallis to get between the American 
 army and Virginia, and thereby cut off general 
 Greene’s retreat to that place. His lordship was, by 
 some means, misled by false information relative to 
 the lower fords being impassible, and began his 
 march to the upper fords of the Dan. Of this, 
 general Greene took advantage, and by a rapid 
 fhght, reached Boyd’s and Irwine’s Ferries, and passed 
 he river; but so closely was he pursued by his 
 lordship that the last division had scarcely crossed, 
 when the British reached the opposite banks. The 
 difficulties and hardships which the troops endured 
 
AMERICAN WAR 
 
 in this ineffectual pursuit, were sustained with an 
 heroism that was inspired by the idea of termi¬ 
 nating the contest in this part by one decisive 
 blow, which certainly would have been done, but 
 for the mistake relative to the fords. General Greene 
 having thus made his escape from North Carolina 
 lord Cornwallis returned to Hillsborough, where he 
 erected the royal standard, and issued a proclamation 
 inviting all the loyal inhabitants to join him. 
 
 General Greene receiving intelligence of this, and 
 dreading the consequences, took the daring measure 
 of again crossing the Dan, with the legion of colo¬ 
 nel Lee, and returning to North Carolina. 
 
 A transaction here forces itself on record, more 
 foul, inhuman and abominable than any thing which 
 took place during the war. The loyalists on the 
 branches of Haw River, having risen in numbers, 
 lieutenant colonel Tarleton was dispatched to forward 
 their organization, and give them succour. Colonel 
 Lee was sent with his legion to counteract the mea¬ 
 sure. On the 25th of February, the assembled loy¬ 
 alists were proceeding in a body to the standard of 
 Tarleton, when they were met in a narrow lane by 
 his legion. They mistook the American cavalry for 
 Tarleton’s dragoons, and were surrounded before they 
 perceived their error. In this situation they imme¬ 
 diately begged for quarter; but the relentless Ame¬ 
 rican refused it, and in the very act of supplicating 
 mercy, two or three hundred were inhumanly 7 but¬ 
 chered.—When did such a deed as this stain the 
 British arms ? Had tw 7 enty T Americans thus fallen, 
 how would the pages of Ramsay, Belsham, and the 
 other republican historians have foamed with the charges 
 of murder, massacre, blood, and malice!!!! However 
 the historian may weep over the record, this is a 
 specimen of republican mercy, as horrible as it is true. 
 
 
0 
 
 54S JOURNAL OF TUB 
 
 Such was the scarcity of provisions at Hillsborough, 
 that it was found impossible to support the army in 
 that place. They were even obliged »to kill some of 
 their best draft horses. They therefore passed the 
 Haw, and encamped in Allamance Creek. This 
 
 movement much dispirited the loyalists, and raised 
 
 the drooping hopes of the Americans. As the British 
 retired, Greene advanced, crossed the Haw, and posted 
 himself between Troublesome Creek and Reedy Fork, 
 carefully changing his posi’ion every night, to avoid an 
 engagement. In this situation, lord Cornwallis gave 
 orders to beat up the American posts at Reedy Fork, 
 in order to compel them to a greater distance, or a 
 
 perhaps allure Greene, who lay in the direction of 
 Guildford Court-House, to a general engagement. Early 
 in the morning of the 6th of March, the army 
 passed Allamance Creek, and marched towards Reedy 
 Fork. The Americans were not unapplied of the 
 movement, and hastily retreated across the Fork. 
 
 General Greene instead of marching to their assist¬ 
 ance, abandoned them to their fate. At Wedzell’s 
 Mill, they were overtaken by lieutenant colonel Web¬ 
 ster, and numbers fell. The supplies and reinforce¬ 
 ments which Greene anxiously expected, arrived at 
 last, under Lawson, Butler, and Eaton, , with the a 
 
 North Carolina militia, from the frontiers, commanded 
 
 by Campbell and Preston, making his numbers in 
 the whole upwards of five thousand men. 
 
 Thus reinforced, he determined to offer lord Corn¬ 
 
 wallis battle. He re-passed the Haw, and marched to 
 Guildford Court-House, but twelve miles from the 
 British army, at the Quakers’ meeting house in the 
 forks of Deep River. 
 
 On the 15th of March, about four miles from 
 Guildford, the engagement began; colonel Tarleton 
 Jed on the British advance. The Americans were 
 
349 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 commanded by general Lee, who behaved with the 
 most undaunted bravery, and maintained himself 
 against the most formidable opposition, until the 23d 
 tegiment advancing to the support of Tarleton, 
 compelled him to give way. Greene formed his 
 order of battle on a commanding scite. It consisted 
 of three lines. Two brigades of the North Carolina 
 militia flanked by a wood, composed the first. That 
 of Virginia, commanded by Stephens and Lawson, 
 formed the second. These were compleatly encom¬ 
 passed in the wood, three hundred yards i n the 
 rere of the first. Four hundred yards behind them, 
 in open ground, near the Court House, the third 
 was formed, consisting of two brigades of continental 
 troops. Two corps of observation were placed dn 
 the right and left flanks ; the one commanded by colo¬ 
 nel Washington, the other by colonel Lee. The 
 British advance was formed by a column of royal 
 artillery, under the command of lieutenant Macleod ; 
 and the disposition of the main attack was as fol¬ 
 lows: the 71st, the regiment of Rose, commanded 
 by general Leslie, and the 1st battalion of guards, 
 colonel Norton, formed the right line; the ,23d and 
 33d led on by colonel Webster, and supported bv 
 brigadier general O’Hara, and the grenadiers and 2d 
 battalion of guards, constituted the left; corps of 
 observation, light infantry of the guards, and yagers, 
 on the left of the artillery, and the cavalry ; in 
 column behind on the road. 
 
 These masterly dispositions preluded one of the 
 , most signal battles ever gained by British valour. 
 The details are so accurately laid down by Stedman, 
 who had every opportunity of ascertaining even the 
 minutest circumstance, that it may be better to quote 
 his account of it, than by aiming at originality, 
 
 Y v 
 
 
360 
 
 < 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 fall short of the particulars. “ This disposition be- 
 ing made, the line received orders to advance, and 
 moved forward with that steady and guarded, but 
 firm and determined resolution wheih discipline alone 
 can confer. It has been remarked by an cye-wit- 
 nesS,* that “ the order and coolness of that part 
 of Webster’s brigade which advanced across the open 
 ground, exposed to the enemy’s fire, could not be 
 sufficiently extolled.” At the distance of one hun¬ 
 dred and forty yards they received the enemy’s first 
 fire, but continued to advance unmoved. When 
 arrived at a nearer and more convenient distance, 
 they delivered their own fire, and .rapidly charged 
 with their bayonets: the enemy did not wait the 
 shock, but retreated behind their second line. In 
 other parts of the line the British troops behaved 
 with equal gallantry, and were not less successful. 
 The second line of the enemy made a braver and 
 stouter resistance than the first. Posted in the woods, 
 and covering themselves with trees, they kept up for 
 a considerable time a galling fire, which did great 
 execution. At length, however, they were compelled 
 to retreat, and fail back upon the continentals. In 
 this severe conflict the whole of the British infantry 
 were engaged. General Leslie, from the great extent 
 of the enemy’s front, reaching far beyond his right, 
 had been very early obliged to bring forward the 1st 
 battalion of the guards, appointed for Ins reserve, 
 and form it into line: and lieutenant colonel Webster, 
 finding the left of the 33d regiment exposed to a 
 heavy° fire from the right wing of the enemy, which 
 greatly out-flanked him, changed its front to the 
 left, and the ground become vacant by this move¬ 
 ment, was immediately occupied by general O’Hara, 
 
 ' \ 
 
 * Lieutenant colonel Tarleton. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 351 
 
 with the grenadiers, and 2d battalion of the guards. 
 Webster moving to the left with the 33d regiment, 
 supported by the light infantry of the guards, and 
 the yagers, routed and put to flight the right wing 
 of the enemy, and in his progress, after two severe 
 struggles, gained the right of the continentals ; but 
 the superiority of their numbers, and the weight of 
 their fire obliged him, separated as he was from the 
 British line, to re-cross a ravine, and occupy an 
 advantageous position on the opposite bank, until 
 he could hear of the progress of the king’s troops 
 on the right. The British line being so much ex- 
 tended to the right and left, in order to shew a front 
 equal to the enemy, was unavoidably broken into 
 intervals in the pursuit of the first and second 
 American lines; some parts of it being more ad¬ 
 vanced than others, in consequence of the different 
 degrees of resistance that had been met with, or of 
 other impediments arising from the thickness of the 
 woods, aiid the inequality of the ground. The 
 whole, however, moved forward; and the second 
 battalion of the guards, commanded by the honor¬ 
 able colonel Stuart, was the first that reached the 
 open ground at Guildford Court House. Impatient to 
 signalize themselves, they immediately attacked a 
 body of continentals, greatly superior in numbers, 
 that was seen formed on the left of the road, routed 
 them and took their cannon, being two six-poun¬ 
 ders ; but pursuing them with too much ardour and 
 impetuosity towards the wood on their rear, were 
 thrown into confusion by a heavy fire received from 
 a body of continentals, who were yet unbroken, and 
 being instantly charged by Washington s dragoons, 
 were driven back with great slaughter, and the loss 
 of the cannon that had been taken. Lieutenant 
 
 y y 2 
 
352 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Macleod, advancing along the road with the royal 
 artillery, had by this time reached the open ground. 
 
 By a spirited and well-directed cannonade he checked 
 the pursuit of the Americans. Fortunately also, the 
 71st regiment, belonging to general Leslie’s division, 
 was seen emerging from the woods on the right, and 
 the 23d not long afterwards, made its appearance on 
 the left. To the right and left of these regiments, 
 general O’Hara, although severely wounded, rallied 
 with much gallantry and great expedition, the re- 
 mains of the 2d battalion of the guards; and the 
 Americans were quickly repulsed and put to flight, 
 \Vith once more the loss of the two six-pouriders: 
 two other six-pounders were also taken, being all 
 the artillery which they had in the field, and two 
 ammunition waggons. The 71st pushed forward to 
 an eminence at the Court House, on the lelt flan* 
 of the continentals. Lieutenant colonel Webster again 
 advanced across the ravine, defeated the corps that 
 was opposed to him, and connected himself with 
 the centre of the British line. The continentals of 
 the American army being now driven from their 
 ground, as well as the militia, a general retreat 
 took place; but it was conducted with order and 
 regularity. The 23d and 71st, with part of the 
 cavalrj, were at first sent in pursuit of the enemy, 
 but afterwards received orders to return. It is pro¬ 
 bable that, as the British commander became more 
 acquainted with all circumstances of the action, and 
 the number of the killed and wounded, be found it 
 necessary to countermand his orders, and desist Iroin 
 the pursuit. The action being now ended in the 
 centre and left of the British line, a firing was still 
 heard on the right, where general Leslie with the 
 1st battalion of the guards and the regiment of Bose, 
 bad been greatly impeded in advancing, by the ex- 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 35* 
 
 cessive thickness of the woods, which rendered their 
 bayonets of little use. The broken corps of the 
 enemy were thereby encouraged to make frequent stands, 
 and to throw in an irregular fire ; so that this part of 
 the British line was at times warmly engaged in front, 
 flank, and rear, with some of the enemy that had been 
 routed in the first attack, and with part of the extre¬ 
 mity of their left wing, which, by the closeness of 
 the woods, had been passed unseen. 
 
 u At one period of the action the first battalion of 
 the guards was completely broken. It had suffered 
 greatly in ascending a woody height to attack the 
 second line of the Americans, strongly posted upon 
 the top of it, who, availing themselves of the advan¬ 
 tages of their situation, retired, as soon as they had 
 discharged their pieces, behind the brow of the hill, 
 which protected them from the shot of the guards, 
 and returned as soon as they had loaded, and were 
 again in readiness to fire. Notwithstanding the dis¬ 
 advantage under which the attack was made, the guards 
 reached the summit of the eminence, and put this part 
 of the American line to flight: but no sooner was it 
 done, than another line of the Americans presented 
 itself to view, extending far beyond the right of the 
 guards, and inclining towards their flank, so as almost 
 to encompass them. The ranks of the guards had 
 been thinned in ascending the height, and a number 
 of the officers had fallen : captain Maitland, who at 
 this time received a wound, retired to the rear, and 
 having had his wound dressed, returned immediately 
 to join the battalion of guards to which he belonged. 
 Some of the men, too, from superior exertions, had 
 reached the summit of the eminence sooner than others; 
 so that the battalion w^as not in regular order when 
 it received the fire of the third American line. The 
 enemy’s fire being repeated and continued, and, from 
 
( 
 
 354 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 ^ 
 
 the great extent of their line, being poured in not 
 only on the front but flank of the battalion, completed 
 its confusion and disorder, and notwithstanding every 
 exertion made by the remaining officers, it was at 
 last entirely broken. Fortunately, at this time, the 
 Hessian regiment of Rose, commanded by lieutenant 
 colonel de Bury, which had hitherto suffered but little, 
 was advancing in firm and compact order on the left 
 of the guards, to attack the enemy. Lieutenant colonel 
 Norton thought the fortunate arrival of the regiment 
 of Rose presented a favorable opportunity for forming 
 again his battalion, and requested the Hessian lieu¬ 
 tenant-colonel to wheel his regiment to the right, 
 and cover the guards, whilst their officers endeavoured 
 to rally them. The request was immediately and most 
 gallantly complied with; and, under the cover of the 
 tire of the Hessians, the exertions of lieutenant colonel 
 Norton, and his few remaining officers, were at last 
 successful in restoring order. The battalion, being 
 again formed, instantly moved forward to join the 
 Hessians: the attack was renewed, and the enemy 
 were defeated. Rut here the labours of this part of 
 the line did not yet cease. No sooner had the guards 
 and Hessians defeated the enemy in front, than they 
 found it necessary to return and attack another bocy 
 of them that appeared in the rear; and in this manner 
 they were obliged to traverse the same ground in 
 various directions, before the enemy weie complete y 
 put to the rout. The firing heard on the right, alter 
 the termination of the action in the centre, and on 
 the left, induced lord Cornwallis to detach Tarleton, 
 with part of the cavalry, to gain intelligence of what 
 was doing in that quarter, and to know whether genera 
 Leslie wanted assistance. But before Tarleton’s arrival 
 on the right, the affair was over, and the British 
 troops were standing w'ith ordered arms ; all resistance 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 3.55 
 
 having ceased on the part of the Americans, except 
 from a few hardy rifflemen, who lurking behind trees, 
 occasionally fired their pieces, but at such a distance 
 as to do no mischief. These colonel Tarleton, when 
 requested, readily undertook to disperse with his cavalry, 
 and rushing forward under cover of a general volley 
 of musquetry from the guards and the regiment-of 
 Bose, quickly performed what was expected of him. 
 In this affair colonel Tarleton himself received a slight 
 wound, but the rest of his corps returned unhurt. 
 
 “ In this battle the British troops obtained a victory 
 most honorable and glorious to themselves, but in its 
 consequences, of no real advantage to the cause in which 
 they were engaged. They attacked, and defeated an 
 army of more than three times their number,* not taken 
 by surprise, but formed in regular order of battle, 
 and ready to engage; an army too, that is allowed 
 on all hands to have been strongly and judiciously 
 posted, on ground chosen with care, and most excel¬ 
 lently adapted to the nature of the troops that occupied 
 it. The resistance of the enemy was in proportion to 
 the advantages they possessed ; nor did they yield, but 
 
 * By the return of the adjutant of the day, it appears that 
 the British troops engaged in the action, amounted to fourteen 
 hundred forty five. The cavalry are not included in this 
 return, and indeed they were not engaged, except for an 
 instant on the right, after the action in the centre, and on 
 the left, was over. The Americans were generally supposed 
 to amount to seven thousand men, and a letter, found in the 
 pocket of one of their serjeants that was slain, specifies seven 
 thousand to be the number of their arinv but Gordon in 
 his history, who appears to have taken their numbers, from 
 official documents, states them to be fourteen hundred and ninety 
 continentals, and two thousand seven hundred and fifty three 
 militia; in all, Tour thousand two hundred and forty three 
 foot soldiers, and two hundred cavalry. But he seems not 
 to have included the back woods men, under Campbell and 
 Preston ; so that their whole number probably exceeded seven 
 thousand men. 
 
Wft JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 with extreme reluctance. Even the militia, encouraged 
 by their position, fought with bravery, and greatly 
 weakened the British line before it reached the con¬ 
 tinentals. The Virginia militia, who composed the 
 second American line, did not quit their ground, it is 
 said until their commander, seeing them no longer able 
 to withstand the attack of regular troops, and ready 
 to be overpowered, gave orders for a retreat. A vic¬ 
 tory atchieved under such disadvantages of numbers 
 and ground, was of the most honorable kind, and placed 
 the bravery and discipline of the troops, be\ond all 
 praise; but the ex pence at which it was obtained ren¬ 
 dered it of no utility. 
 
 “ Before the provincials finally retreated, more than 
 one third of all the British troops engaged had fallen. 
 The whole loss, according to the official returns, amount¬ 
 ed to five huudred and thirty two: of these ninety 
 three were killed in the action, four hundred and thir¬ 
 teen were wounded, and twenty six missing. Amongst 
 the killed were the honorable lieutenat colonel Stuart 
 of the guards, lieutenant O’Hara of the royal artillery, 
 brother of the brigadier, lieutenant Robinson of the 
 23d regiment, ensign Talbot of the 33d, and ensign 
 Grant of the 71st; amongst the wounded, were bri¬ 
 gadiers general O’Hara, and Howard ; lieutenant colonels 
 Webster, and Tarleton; captains Swanton, Scbutz, 
 Maynard, Goodricke, lord Dunglass, Maitland, Peter, 
 Wilmousky, and Eichenbrodth ; lieutenants Salvin, Win- 
 yard, Schewener, and Graise; ensigns Stuart, Kelly, 
 Gore, Hughes, and De Troot; and adjutant Colguboun, 
 and Fox.’ 
 
 The loss of the Americans in this action has been 
 variously estimated, and does not appear to have been 
 fully ascertained. If we are to credit their official 
 returns, their whole loss in killed and wounded, as 
 well of militia as continentals, did not exceed two 
 
AMERICAN WAR. S - T 
 
 hundred and fifty men . But, by lord Cornwallis’s 
 ispatches, it appears that between two and three hundred 
 of their dead, were found upon the field, after the 
 action; and if we proportion their wounded according 
 to the number of the slain, their whole loss in killed 
 and wounded, must have greatly exceeded that of the 
 British troops. The number of those who were missing, 
 according to their own returns, was confessedly great; 
 but as the British troops took but few prisoners, is 
 is probable that the greatest part of the missing, con¬ 
 sisted of militia, who, escaping from the action, fled 
 to their own houses, and did not afterward* return. 
 
 “ The wounded of both armies were collected by the 
 British, as expeditiously as possible after the action : 
 it was, however, a service that required both time and 
 care, as from the nature of the action, they lay dis¬ 
 persed over a great extent of ground. Every assistance 
 was furnished to them, that in the then circumstances 
 of the army could be afforded; but, Unfortunately the 
 army was destitute of tents, nor was there a sufficient 
 number of houses near the field of battle to receive 
 the wounded. The British army had marched several 
 miles on the morning of the day on which they came to 
 action. They had no provisions of any kind whatever 
 on that day, nor until between three and four in the 
 afternoon of the succeeding day, and then but a scanty 
 allowance, not exceeding one quarter of a pound of 
 flower, and the same quantity of very lean beef. The 
 night of the day on which the action happened was 
 remarkable for its darkness, accompanied with rain, 
 which fell in torrents. Near fifty of the wounded, it 
 is said, sinking under their aggravated miseries, expired 
 before morning. The cries of the wounded, and dying 
 who remained on the field of action during the night, 
 exceeded all description. Such a complicated scene of 
 
 Z z 
 
358 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 . . , a fnr the sake of humanity, 
 horror and distress, it is hope , 
 
 rarely occurs, even in a military 
 
 (A dismal carnage!) ba,h ’J ."'Xk fliltmg life. 
 
 Lay welt’ring on the ground t»»" h ' d ,„t 
 
 Convuls’d, the_ nerves st'll shivemir^^ ^ 
 
 Torn with fresh wounus , "■ ■ down 
 
 Forbid the soul’s remove, *“^ham it 
 By the hard laws of nature, tosusta.^ ? ^ ^ 
 
 Gnashing”with anguish, chide his ling’rir.g late. 
 
 “ History, perhaps, does not furnish a the 
 
 a battle gained under all the disadvantages’' and 
 
 British troops, (assisted by a regiment of Court 
 
 some Yagers,) had to contend against ^ 
 
 House. Nor is there, perhaps, on deter- 
 
 fury, an ins,once of a baule fought ££, 
 
 mined perseverance th “ ® battles 0 f Cressyr 
 
 troops on that memora e ay. , Q f olir own 
 
 of Poictiers, and of Agincourt, the gl ^ ^ each of 
 country, and the admiration of a fe , .1 r 
 
 Cr ^ither from par.,cu!ar loca! 
 
 fortunate and favorable eirenm.ta.reea someth, ^. 
 degree to counter-balance the > ail)st the 
 
 here, time, place, and numbers, all » j 
 
 British. The American general bad chose„ his^^ ^ 
 
 which was strong, commanding, an but to send 
 
 had time not only to make his disposition, but to^ 
 
 away his baggage, and every ^ British, 
 
 and his troops, in numbers far exceed 
 were drawn out in readiness to commence the act 
 when lord Cornwallis approached to‘ attac 
 
 General Greene tied to Reedy hoi ’ . 
 
 when he had passed the river, he halted on t ie °P1> 
 banks to collect his stragglers. When he ha \ Y 
 accomplished this, he pushed on to Troublesome Creek, 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 359 
 
 about twelve miles further. Lord Cornwallis, (from the 
 army being in want of provisions, and its several other 
 distresses,) found it would be inadvisable to pursue the 
 fugitives. It on the other hand became indispensably 
 necessary to move towards some place where supplies 
 might be obtained. Accordingly about seventy wounded 
 were left at the Quaker’s meeting house, under pro¬ 
 tection of a flag of truce, and the army slowly retired to 
 Cross Creek. 
 
 It was part of lord Cornwallis’s plan for the opera¬ 
 tion in the north, that colonel Balfour, the com¬ 
 mandant at Charlestown, should dispatch a force by 
 water, sufficient to take Wilmington, as a post of 
 communication, and a medium of obtaining supplies. 
 This service was executed by major Craig in the 
 end of January, and put in a proper state of defence. 
 Wilmington lies near the mouth of Cape Fear River ; 
 and Cross Creek (a settlement of loyal Highlanders) 
 is on a branch of it* about one hundred miles up 
 the country. From thence it was expected the army 
 would obtain supplies, and it was moreover admirably 
 adapted, from its central situation, as a rallying 
 point for those who were well affected to the royal 
 cause. Lord Cornwallis began his march from Guild¬ 
 ford Court House by issuing a proclamation, inviting 
 the loyal to his standard, and offering pardon to 
 those who should return to their allegiance. His 
 lordship then proceeded by slow marches to Cross 
 Creek ; general Greene following him as far as Ram¬ 
 sey’s Mill, on Deep River. Nothing but slight occa¬ 
 sional skirmishes ensued during the march. On his 
 arrrival at the Creek, every hope was disappointed. 
 Four days forage could not be had in twenty miles, all 
 communication, with Wilmington from the narrowness of 
 the river, was impracticable, and the scatteied inhabi¬ 
 tants on its lofty banks were irreconcilably hostile. The 
 troops therefore began their march to W ilmington, at 
 
 Z z 2 
 
36© 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 which place they arrived on the '7th of April. During 
 these toilsome movements, the British army sustained 
 an almost irreparable loss, by the deaths of colonel 
 Webster* of the 33d, captains Schutz and Maynard of 
 the guards, and captain Wilmouski and ensign De 
 Trott of the regiment of Bose. They all received 
 their mortal wounds at Guildford Court House. Of 
 colonel Webster’s great military talents and virtues, 
 mention at large has already been made in this 
 Journal; but “ the sympathetic manner in which 
 lord Cornwallis communicated to the Rev. Dr. Webster, 
 of Edinburgh, the intelligence of his son’s death, is at 
 once a proof of his lordship’s goodness of heart, his ten¬ 
 der sensibility, and of the high estimation in which he 
 held the deceased. The following is a copy of his letter 
 on that occasion 
 
 Wilmington, April 23 , 17SI. 
 
 “ Dear Sir—It gives me great concern to undertake 
 a task which is not only a bitter renewal of my own grief, 
 but must be a violent shock to an affectionate parent. 
 
 (t You have for your support, the assistance of reli¬ 
 gion, good sense, and the experience of the uncertainty 
 of human happiness. You have for your satisfaction, 
 that your son fell nobly in the cause of his country, 
 honored and lamented by all his fellow soldiers ; that he 
 led a life of honor and virtue, which must secure him 
 everlasting happiness. When the keen sensibility of the 
 passions begins to subside, these considerations will give 
 you real comfort. 
 
 “ That the Almighty may give you fortitude to bear 
 this severest of trials, is the earnest wish of your com¬ 
 panion in affliction, and most faithful servant, 
 
 “ Cornwallis.” 
 
 * It was reported in the army, that when lord Cornwallis 
 received the news of colonel Webster’s death, his lordship was 
 struck with such pungent sorrow, that turning himself, he 
 looked on his sword, and emphatically exclaimed, “ 1 have 
 lost my scabbard.” 
 
S6T 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 As the Author belonged to colonel Webster’s brigade, 
 he is enabled, (and the Reader will naturally expect it 
 from him,) to state some circumstances unnoticed 
 by an y historian, from his own personal observation. 
 After the brigade formed across the open ground, the 
 colonel rode on to the front, and gave the word, Charge." 
 Instantly the movement was made, in excellent order, 
 in a smart run, with arms charged: when arrived within 
 forty yards of the enemy’s line, it was perceived that 
 their whole force had their arms presented, and resting 
 on a rail fence, the common partitions in America. They 
 were taking aim with the nicest precision. 
 
 Tvvixt host and host but narrow space was left, 
 
 “ A dreadful interval, and, front to front, 
 ft Presented, stood in terrible array.” 
 
 At this awful period a general pause took place; both 
 parties surveyed each other for the moment with the 
 most anxious suspense. Nothing speaks, the general more 
 than seizing on decisive moments: colonel Webster 
 rode forward in the front of the 23d regiment, and 
 said, with more th^n even his usual commanding voice 
 (which was well known to his Brigade,) “ Come oti f 
 my brave Fuzileers .” This operated like an inspiring 
 voice, they rushed forward amidst the enemy’s fire ; 
 dreadful was the havoc on both sides. 
 
 “ Amazing scene! 
 
 What showers of mortal hail! What flaky fires ! w 
 
 At last the Americans gave way, and the brigade 
 advanced, to the attack of their second line. Here the 
 conflict became still more fierce. Before it was com¬ 
 pletely routed, where I stood, (it is not from egotism, 
 hut to be the better understood, that I here, without 
 breaking the thread of precision, assume the first person) 
 
 I observed an American officer attempting to fly. I 
 immediately darted after him, but he perceiving my inten- 
 
3m JOURNAL CF THE 
 
 tion to capture him, fled with the utmost speed. I 
 pursued, and was gaining on him, when, hearing a con¬ 
 fused noise on my left, I observed several bod.es of 
 Americans drawn up within the distance of a few yards. 
 Whoever has been in an engagement well knows that, 
 i„ such moments all fears of death are over. Seeing one 
 of the guards among the slain, where I stood, i stop¬ 
 ped and replenished my own pouch with the cai- 
 tridges that remained in his; during the tune I was 
 thus employed, several shots were fired at me; but 
 not one took effect. Glancing my eye the other way, 
 
 I saw a company of the guards advancing to attack 
 these parties. The Reader may perhaps be surprised 
 a t the bravery of troops, thus with calm intrepidity 
 Peking superior numbers, when formed into separate 
 WL, and all acting together; but I can assure him 
 this instance was not peculiar; it frequently occurred 
 in the British army, during the American war. 
 impossible to join this company, as several of the Ame¬ 
 rican parties lay between me and it. I aa no 
 for deliberation. How to act I knew not. On 
 instant, however, 1 saw lord Cornwallis riding across the 
 clear ground. His lordship was mounted on a dragoon s 
 horse (his own having been shot;) the sadd e- 
 under the creature’s belly, which much retarded hi 
 1 progress, owing to the vast quantity of underwood that 
 las spread over the ground; his lordship was evidently 
 unconscious of his danger. T immediately laid hold o 
 the bridle of his horse, and turned his head. 
 mentioned to him, that if his lordship had pursued i 
 same direction, he would in a few moments have bet 
 surrounded by the enemy, and, perhaps, cut to pieces 
 or captured. I continued to run along side o th 
 horse, keeping the bridle in my hand, until his lordship, 
 gained the 23d regiment, which was at that time drawn 
 up in the skirt of the woods. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 MS 
 
 4 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 General Greene marches back to South Carolina. Sur¬ 
 render of several British Posts. Camden evacuated. 
 Ninety-Six invested . Surrender of Augusta. Greene 
 repulsed with loss at Ninety-Six. Lord Rawdon forces 
 Greene to retreat . Ninety-Six evacuated • Action 
 
 at Eutaws . 
 
 IT was the intention of lord Cornwallis to have moved 
 onto Camden, to obtain supplies, and messengers were 
 accordingly dispatched to lord Rawdon, but unhappily 
 they never reached his lordship. The intelligence that 
 Greene had marched to attack lord Rawdon, and that 
 probably the fate of Camden was already decided, in¬ 
 clined his lordship to pursue a different direction, and 
 the army set out for Virginia, to join general Arnold. 
 
 An able and heroic defence of Camden was made by 
 lord Rawdon, and Greene was compelled, alter suffer¬ 
 ing severely from a sortie made by the garrison, to 
 retreat to Rugeley’s mills, about twelve miles distant. 
 
 Amidst all this display of British valour, the presence 
 of an American army, although retreating before the 
 king’s troops, occasionally harassed them severely, bv 
 acting in small parties, and this produced the open 
 avowal of disaffection among the inhabitants. 
 
 /~S 
 
364 
 
 JOURNAL Of THE 
 
 Watson, a British post on the Santee river, was sur¬ 
 rendered to Lee and Marion. Colonel W atson, however, 
 with a detachment of five hundred men, notwithstanding 
 every obstacle, made his way through the country, and 
 reinforced lord Rawdon at Camden. 
 
 With this accession of strength, his lordship attempted 
 once more to bring general Greene to an engagement 
 but he fled before him. The universal disaffection of 
 the Americans in this part, determined lord Rawdon to 
 contract the limits of the British posts, by abandoning 
 Camden: the stores not removable, were destroyed, and 
 the army retired to Monk’s Corner, for the greater 
 safety of Charlestown. In consequence of this move¬ 
 ment, Fort Motte was surrendered to Lee and Marion, 
 Orangeburgh to Sumpter, and Fort Granby to Lee 
 alone. 
 
 Flushed with these partial successes, the American 
 commander, began his operations on the western fron¬ 
 tiers. Lee and Pickens formed a junction, and the two 
 commanders sat down before Augusta, which was defended 
 by lieutenant colonel Brown, with all his former gal¬ 
 lantry when Clarke besieged it. But at length, after 
 a brave defence, it was surrendered to the Americans on 
 the fifth of June. 
 
 These disasters to the royal cause were in a great 
 measure ascribable to the British officers, commanding 
 at the different posts, being ignorant of each other! 
 operations, by the vigilance of the disaffected inhabitants, 
 who intercepted almost all their letters, dispatches, &c. 
 Thus the orders sent from Charlestown, and also by 
 lord Rawdon, for the evacuation of Ninety-Six, never 
 reached lieutenant colonel Cruger, and he acted, on 
 local circumstances only, and accordingly fortified the 
 place instead of evacuating it. In this situation it was 
 invested by general Greene. During the course of 
 the siege, which was carried on with a fury almost 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 3g$ 
 
 amounting to desperation by the Americans, that in 
 open day they attempted to set fire to the abbatis 
 with lighted combustibles. And colonel Lee had tbs 
 meanness and inhumanity to march the British prisoners 
 he brought with him from Fort Augusta in full sight 
 of the garrison, accompanied by music, playing Yankee- 
 tunes, and preceded by a British standard reversed. 
 
 At length the garrison became much distressed for 
 want of water. Their only supply depended on the 
 negroes, who were sent out at night naked, and whose 
 colour, lh darkness, rendered them objects not distin¬ 
 guishable by the Americans. 
 
 Thus dreadfully circumstanced, the British com¬ 
 mander did not despair. He still depended on relief 
 from lord Rawdon. Nor were his hopes in vain. A 
 brave and determined American loyalist, in mid day 
 rode through the American picquets, notwithstanding 
 their fire, and delivered a verbal message from his 
 lordship, “ that he had passed through Orangeburgh, 
 and was in full march to raise the siege.” How this 
 operated on a British garrison, need not be recorded. 
 Three Irish regiments had arrived at Charlestown, 
 which placed that capital in a state of security, and 
 left his lordship at liberty to attempt the relief of 
 Ninety-Six. With the flank companies of these regiments 
 and the army from Monk’s Corner, he began his march 
 iti a direction to get between general Greene and his 
 force on tire Congaree. General Greene was not 
 apprized of this intended relief, and as a last and 
 desperate effort, attempted to take the place by storm. 
 In the morning of the 18th of June, a heavy cannonade 
 was begun from ail the American batteries: at noon 
 two parties advanced under cover oi the trenches which 
 approached nearest to the works, and made lodgements 
 in the ditch : these were immediately followed by othei 
 parties with hooks to draw down the sand bags, and 
 3 A 
 
36(5 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 tools to reduce the parapet. The rifflemen, in the 
 mean time, posted on their batter} 7 , were ready to take 
 aim at every British soldier that appeared ; and the 
 Virginia and Maryland brigades, having manned the 
 lines of the third parallel, fired from them by platoons. 
 The right flank of the enemy was exposed to the fire 
 of a three pounder, as well'as to that of the block 
 houses in the village; and major Greene, who com¬ 
 manded in the Star, with much honor to himself, and 
 benefit to the service, from the beginning of the siege, 
 had his detachment ready to receive them on the pa¬ 
 rapet with bayonets and spears. As the main body of the 
 American army didnofc advance beyonfl the third parallel, 
 and was contented with supporting the parties in the 
 ditch, by an incessant fire from the trenches, the gar¬ 
 rison determined'to put a speedy period to the assault 
 by an effort of gallantry which confounded the enemy. 
 Two parties of thirty men each, one under captain 
 Campbell of the New Jersey volunteers, and the other 
 under captain French of Delaney’s, issued from the 
 sally port in the rear of the Star, entered the ditch, 
 and taking opposite directions, charged the Americans 
 who had made the lodgement with such impetuosity, 
 that they drove every thing before them, until they 
 met in the opposite quarter. The bayonet being the 
 only weapon used, the carnage was great: even the 
 American accounts admit, that two thirds of their 
 people who entered the ditch, were either killed or 
 wounded. General Greene, seeing it useless any longer 
 to continue so hopeless an attempt, called off' his troops, 
 and in the evening of the following day, finally raised 
 the siege. His baggage having been previously sent 
 off, his army marched with great expedition, and on 
 the 20th crossed the Saluda. The loss of the enemy, 
 during the siege, according to them own accounts 
 amounted to one hundred and sixty six men, including one 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 colonel, three captains, and five lieutenants: but as tha* 
 loss of the militia, who, it is said, on this occasion 
 bore the proportion of three to one of the troops, in 
 the pay of congress, was not included in their returns, 
 their total loss must have been much greater. That 
 of the garrison amounted to twenty-seven killed, and 
 fifty-eight wounded.”* 
 
 The following day lord Rawdon arrived before the 
 place, and without delay, in the ^evening, in defiance 
 of heat and fatigue, set out in pursuit of Greene, who 
 fled before him with the utmost precipitancy. The 
 fugitives were pursued to the hanks of the Enorce; 
 hut at last the American general found safety in the 
 celerity of his movements. 
 
 On his lordship’s return, preparations were made for 
 the evacuation of Ninety-Six, and the loyal inhabitants, 
 with their effects, were, under the escort of lieutenant 
 colonel Cruger, removed within the new frontier. , 
 
 After the abandonment of Ninety-Six, his lordship 
 proceeded to the Congaree, and from thence to Orange^ 
 burgh, where he was joined by lieutenant colonel Stuart, 
 with the 3d regiment, from Charlestown. 
 
 The sultry heat of the American climate, now par¬ 
 tially suspended the operations of both armies. General 
 Greene retired to the lofty hills of Santee, where he 
 was joined by Lee, Sumpter, and Marion. Lord Raw- 
 don’s health was much impaired, and, on leave of ab¬ 
 sence, his lordship returned to Europe; the command? 
 of course, devolved on lieutenant-colonel Stuart. 
 
 It now became the aim of general Greene to attempt 
 the recovery of South Carolina. Accordingly he marched 
 from the Santee Hills, and came up with the British; 
 who had passed by the Congaree, at its junction 
 with Wateree, at Eutaw Springs, about forty milts from 
 
 * Stedman 
 
 3 A 2 
 
JOURNAL Of THE 
 
 the former river. The regulars were drawn up on the 
 heights, across the road, the right wing of the army 
 consisted of the flank battalion, under the command 
 of major Majoribanks, the remainder of the army on 
 the left, in an oblique direction. A party of infantry, 
 with two pieces of artillery, defended the pass of the 
 road. Four battalions of American militia composed 
 their first line; three brigades of continental troops 
 their second; Lee’s legion covered their right flank, 
 the South Carolina state troops, under Henderson, 
 their left. Colonel Washington’s cavalry, and the Dela¬ 
 ware troops were the body of reserve ; two three pounders 
 were in front of the line, and two six pounders with 
 the second line. The legion and state troops constituted 
 the advance guard. The attack began with great im¬ 
 petuosity, some of the new raised troops were giving 
 way, when the 63d and 64th regiments rushed on the 
 enemy with bayonets in hand. The contest was severe 
 on both sides, the artillery was several times taken, and 
 retaken. At the first fire, colonel Washington was 
 wounded, and taken prisoner. Often, when the parties 
 seemed overpowered, the contest was renewed with in¬ 
 creased vigour on both sides. The Americans, how¬ 
 ever, were at last compelled to retire, leaving behind 
 them two brass six pounders, and upwards of two 
 hundred killed on the field, and sixty taken prisoners, 
 besides the wounded which were carried off during 
 the action. The total loss, according to the return 
 which was published by congress, was more than seven 
 hundred, including sixty commissioned officers, of whom 
 seventeen were killed, and forty-three wounded, among 
 the latter was lieutenant-colonel Washington. The 
 British losit six hundred and ninety-three men, eigluy- 
 five killed, three hundred and fifty-one wounded, two 
 hundred and fifty-seven missing. Of twenty-nine com¬ 
 missioned officers, three were killed, sixteen wounded. 
 

 AMERICAN WAR. 3t69 
 
 ten missing. It might well be said, in this bloody and 
 hard fought battle, that 
 
 “ Frowning war 
 
 “ All gloomy, like a gather’d tempest, stood 
 *' Wav’ring, and doubtful where to bend its fall.” 
 
 Congress voted a British standard and a gold medal to 
 general Greene^or the victory ; but the British commander 
 remained on the ground the night after the action, and 
 during the following day ! This was the last battle of 
 any note which took place in South Carolina. 
 
 As we hear no more of general Greene during the 
 American war, some readers may perhaps be curious 
 to know what became of him. There is a brief account 
 of the latter part of his life in Smith’s Narrative, which 
 may not be altogether improper to quote here: 
 
 “ Congress effectually remunerated Greene, by giving 
 him a valuable plantation, in the state of Georgia, the 
 meed of his indefatigable services, but which was, ul¬ 
 timately, his bane, and the cause of his premature 
 death; for depending too much upon his hardy con¬ 
 stitution, contrary to the advice of his friends, he 
 would, to accomplish the duties, and acquire the simple 
 character of a planter, venture out, and subject himself 
 to the meridian blaze of the sun, in order to super¬ 
 intend his negro labourers: in one of these perambu¬ 
 lations he received the coup de sohel , or, stroke of the 
 sun, as the French West Indians term the effects which 
 Europeans feel from too great an exertion, while sub¬ 
 jected to the solar heat; and fell a victim to his own 
 obstinacy, unrelented by some, and deplored by others: 
 for political attachments bore their preponderance in 
 that unhappy, divided, and distracted country, till the 
 last hour of the unfortunate war; and even now 
 they are far, very far, from extinction. In the minds 
 of some this general still lives, and is considered as 
 the deputy- saviour of his country. Hosanna one hour, 
 and crucify the next, was the prevailing principle 
 amQng the Americans! Sic transit gloria mundi! ’ 
 
370 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAP. XVIH. 
 
 Death of General Phillips. Lord Cornwallis joins Ge¬ 
 neral Arnold. Charlotteville surprised by Colonel 
 Tarleton. Unfavorable State of the American Cause. 
 Lord Cornwallis retires to Portsmouth , and finally 
 to Fork-town and Gloucester. Arrival of Count Ro- 
 chambeau. Joins General Washington. French Fleet 
 arrive in the Chesapeak . Block up York River , 
 
 New London taken by General Arnold. York-town 
 surrenders to the Americans . 
 
 A. DEEP laid, but ineffectual plan was about this time 
 formed by Washington, for entrapping general Arnold. 
 A reinforcement of two thousand British, under general 
 Phillips, were arrived in the Chesapeak : that officer 
 being superior in rank, took the command from Arnold, 
 and became general of the whole British force there. 
 He finished the works at Portsmouth, left a sufficient 
 force for its defence, and proceeded up James’s River 
 in the smaller vessels of the fleet. The army after 
 twice landing, and re-embarking, joined lord Cornwallis 
 at Petersburgh, at which place general Phillips, (equally 
 beloved and respected for his virtues, and his military 
 talents,) died of a fever, a short period before the 
 junction of the royal forces. The command again de¬ 
 volved on general Arnold; but shortly after, as matter 
 
AMERICAN WAR, 37l 
 
 of course, the superior direction of both armies became 
 nested in lord Cornwallis. 
 
 The marquis de la Fayette, had followed the route 
 of the British army, under general Phillips; but when 
 he learned the junction of the whole under lord Corn¬ 
 wallis, he took a position on the North of James’s 
 River between Richmond and Wiltown. From this 
 
 place he however, fled on the approach of lord Corn¬ 
 wallis. Meantime colonel Tarleton with a patrole pushed 
 on to Warwick Court-House, fell in with a party of 
 lour hundred militia in that neighbourhood, who were 
 routed with great loss to the Americans. Some time 
 after the colonel, and captain Champagne of the 23d 
 regiment, surprised Charlotteville, (at which place the 
 general assembly was sitting) and took seven of their mem¬ 
 bers prisoners. Brigadier general Scott, and several 
 officers and men, were killed, wounded, or taken. 
 “ The attempt to secure Mr. Jefferson was ineffectual, 
 he discovered the British dragoons from his house, 
 which stands on the point of a mountain, before they 
 could approach him, and he provided for his personal 
 safety, by a precipitate retreat. The gentlemen taken 
 on this expedition, were treated with kindness and 
 liberality.”* A great quantity of stores were found in 
 Charlotteville, which were all destroyed. A successful 
 stratagem of colonel Simcoe, also put the British in 
 possession of all the stores under the care of Baron Steu¬ 
 ben, at the point of Fork. At this period the American 
 affairs became much deranged from the want of supplies. 
 Their bills of credit suffered a dreadful depreciation: 
 few would take them for any thing wanted bv the 
 army, and they were obliged to have recourse to bills 
 of impress, to compel individuals to part with pro¬ 
 visions. For want of pay and clothing, the troops 
 were on the verge of mutinying. Even general Wash- 
 
 * Colonel Tarleton. 
 
, 72 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 in "ton confessed this in one of his letters. From the 
 po" ts of Saratoga to that of Dobb’s Ferry, inclusive, I 
 believe there is not, at this moment on band, one day s 
 supply of meat for the army.” Their marine was, if 
 possible in a worse condition than their army. n sioi 
 a "eneral bankruptcy seemed to be fast approac nug. 
 Washington saw that the only chance of continuing 
 the war, was by some bold and decisive operation 
 and New York became his object. But to carry thi* 
 or any other decisive operation into effect, the co-ope¬ 
 ration of the French ffeet and army, were necessary 
 This had been promised, and congress during the three 
 orecedin" years had anxiously expected it. At the 
 Z7 of tJ last year, they laid before the court of 
 Versailles, the desperate situation to which the American 
 irl; reduced! and .He incite n* 
 ed them, without powerful succour from France. 
 When all was suspense and terror, intelligence 
 arrived at Washington’s camp, that M. de Barras was 
 at Rhode Island, and that he brought dispatches or 
 Count de Rochambeau. The general accordingly 
 set out for Connecticut, to meet him At this_ con¬ 
 ference which was held on the 21st of May it wa 
 agreed to attack New York, and on the arrival of Comi 
 de Grasse, to strike some important blow. General 
 Washington wrote to congress, requesting t e u 
 pletion of his own battalions, and the further aid of 
 six hundred and twenty militia, from the New Englan 
 states His dispatches were intercepted in the Jerseys, 
 and immediately sent to Sir Henry Clinton. He ac^ 
 cordingly wrote to lord Cornwallis, for part ot t 
 troops under his lords!,ip’s command, to be ^ ° 
 
 succour of New York. Agreeably to general Clinton 
 request, Lord Cornwallis left Williamsburg, and passed 
 James’s River in his way to Portsmouth. Previous to 
 passing the river he encamped on a spot that coverec. 
 
AMERICAN WAR.. 373 
 
 the Ford into the island of James’s Town ; and in the 
 evening the Queen’s rangers made their way over: 
 the wheel carriages, the bat horses, and baggage fol¬ 
 lowed on the 5th and 6th. The marquis de la Fayette 
 pursued by forced marches, hoping to surprise the 
 rear guard, when the main body had passed over. Of 
 this lord Cornwallis gained intelligence, he permitted 
 the picquets to be driven in to deceive the marquis. 
 The attack began about sunset. The enemy were routed, 
 and the approach of night alone saved the whole from 
 ruin. The 43d, 76th, and 80th regiments, were in 
 the fiercest part of the action, opposed by the Penn¬ 
 sylvania line, and lieutenant-colonel Dundas, their com¬ 
 mander displayed a bravery, and firmness, which ob¬ 
 tained the applause of the whole British army. 
 
 The British main body quietly passed the river; the 
 troops destined for embarkation moved on to Portsmouth, 
 and his lordship followed with the rest. After these 
 troops were embarked, and just as they were putting 
 out to sea, an express arrived from Sir Henry Clinton 
 to prevent their sailing, and directing lord Cornwallis 
 to regain Williamsburg, as the means of saving a de¬ 
 fensive post for the larger ships, either at Point Com¬ 
 fort, or at Hampton Road. Lord Cornwallis, on due 
 examination found the two places untenable, and ac¬ 
 cordingly ordered part of the army to sail up the \ork 
 River in transports, and take possession of York Town 
 and Gloucester. On the 20th of August, his lordship 
 evacuated Portsmouth, and fixed his head quarters at 
 York and Gloucester. 
 
 On the 30th of August, in a fatal moment which 
 may be said to have turned the wavering scale in 
 favor of the Americans, Count de Grasse arrived in 
 the Chesapeak, with twenty-eight ships of the line. 
 An officer from La Fayette’s army was waiting his ar¬ 
 rival at Cape Henry. He communicated to the Count 
 
 3 B 
 
5T4 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the perilous state of American affairs; and a disposition 
 was instantly formed for blocking up ^ ° r k River, on 
 the banks of which lord Cornwallis was posted, and 
 for conveying the French land force, which the Count 
 had brought up James’s River to reinforce La Fayette. 
 All this was performed by four line of battle ships, the 
 others remaining in Lynbaven Bay, within the Capes. 
 
 The British admiral (Graves) quitted the entrance of 
 the Delaware, and came within sight of the French 
 squadron, when a partial engagement took place; but 
 from the wind, and other circumstances, it was impos¬ 
 sible for him to force the French to a general battle, 
 and it was their object to decline it; for during this 
 partial contest, while both fleets were at sea, M. de 
 Barras sailed into the Chesapeak, conveying fourteen 
 transports, laden with heavy artillery and stores. 
 
 In the mean time the commander in chief at New 
 Fork, with a view of making a diversion in Connecticut, 
 and drawing general Washington’s attention that way, 
 detached brigadier-general Arnold with a considerable 
 force to make an attempt upon New London. The 
 troops embarked on this expedition, consisted of the 
 38th, 40th, and 54th regiments, the third battalion of 
 New Jersey volunteers, the loyal Americans, the Ame¬ 
 rican legion, some refugees, a detachment of yagers, 
 and another of the royal artillery. They passed through 
 the Sound in transports, and landed in the morning 
 of the sixth of September, about three miles from New 
 London, in two divisions, one on each side of the har¬ 
 bour. That on the Groton side, consisting of the 40th 
 and 54th regiments, the third battalion of New Jersey 
 volunteers, with a detachment of yagers and artillery, 
 was commanded by lieutenant-colonel Eyre, and that 
 on the New London side, consisting of the rest of the 
 troops, by brigadier-general Arnold. On the New Lon¬ 
 don side no great opposition was made: a redoubt, 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 37§ 
 
 from which the enemy had begun a cannonade, was 
 abanooned by them upon the approach of general Arnold 
 with pan of his division ; and soon afterwards Fort 
 Trumbull, that commanded the harbour, was entered 
 hy captain Millet at the head of four companies of 
 the 38th regiment, through a shower of grape-shot, 
 which the enemy discharged from their cannon, but 
 without doing much mischief, only four or five being 
 killed or wounded in the assault. General Arnold los°t 
 no time in taking possession of New London : He was 
 opposed by a small body of the enemy with a field- 
 piece ; but they were soon so hard pressed as to be 
 obliged to fly, and leave their piece of artillery behind. 
 On the Groton side of the harbour was Fort Griswold, 
 a regular work of considerable strength. It was assaulted 
 on three sides by the 40th and 54th regiments, under 
 lieutenant-colonel Eyre, and defended by the enemy 
 with the most obstinate bravery. 
 
 At length the gallant efforts of the assailants were suc¬ 
 cessful; and with fixed bayonets they entered the works 
 through the embrasures, in the face of the enemy, 
 who were armed with long spears to oppose them. A 
 considerable carnage now ensued, until the enemy were 
 driven from the ramparts, and had ceased from all 
 farther resistance. The honor obtained hy the British 
 troops in this assault was great, hut too dearly pur¬ 
 chased. Two officers, and forty-six soldiers, were killed, 
 and eight officers, with one hundred and thirty-five 
 soldiers, wounded. General Arnold, upon his landing, 
 had been informed that the works at Fort Griswold 
 were incomplete, and its garrison inconsiderable: but 
 when he arrived at New London, and from an eminence, 
 had viewed its great strength, he dispatched an officer 
 to countermand his orders for an assault, who unfor¬ 
 tunately reached colonel Eyre a few minutes too late, 
 rhe fort had refused to surrender, and the action was 
 3 B 2 
 
376 
 
 l 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 begun. Of the garrison eighty-five were killed, includ¬ 
 ing colonel Ladyard, their commander; sixty were 
 wounded, most of them mortally, and seventy ma e 
 prisoners. Ten or twelve of the enemy’s ships were 
 burnt, that contained an immense quantity of Euro¬ 
 pean and West India goods. Unluckily they also con¬ 
 tained some gunpowder, unknown to general Arnol , 
 by the explosion of which the flames were communi¬ 
 cated to the dwelling-houses in the town, and a great 
 part of it was consumed, notwithstanding every endea¬ 
 vour to stop the progress of the conflagration. Up¬ 
 wards of fifty pieces of cannon, and a great quantity 
 of military stores found in the different works, were 
 also destroyed.* 
 
 Notwithstanding the heavy loss which the Americans 
 sustained by the destruction of New London, Wash¬ 
 ington continued his progress to Virginia, passed 
 through Philadelphia, and at the head of the Elk River 
 embarked his troops in transports sent thither by the 
 French. The whole reached Williamsburg on the 
 25th of September, general Washington and Count de i 
 
 Rochambeau went on board the Ville de Paris, and t 
 
 with Count de Grasse settled the future operations of 
 
 the allied armies. 1 
 
 On the 28th the investiture of York Town commenced. 
 
 In the evening dispatches arrived from Sir Henry 
 Clinton, promising the relief of five thousand troops, 
 and that twenty-three ships of the line, would sail, as 
 a further support by the fifth of October : the next 
 day the investment of the town was pursued ; in the 
 night the enemy began to break ground ; the French 
 made their approach on the right, the Americans oh 
 the left, forming a junction at a morass, which was 
 opposite the centre of the British works, at the same 
 
 * Stedman. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 377 
 
 time Gloucester Town was blockaded by the duke 
 De Lauzan. The garrison made a brave resistance, 
 annoying the besiegers at every possible point of attack, 
 particularly from two redoubts, which were carried out 
 near three hundred yards in front of the works. These 
 it became necessary for the besiegers to silence in the 
 night of the 14th, the one was carried by the Americans, 
 and the other by the French. A sortie was made bv 
 three hundred and fifty men, under the command of 
 lieutenant-colonel Abercrombie, against two of the ene¬ 
 my’s batteries ; a detachment of the guards, with the 80th 
 grenadiers, under lieutenant-colonel Lake, executed the 
 one, and another of light infantry, under major Arm¬ 
 strong, carried the other; eleven heavy cannon were 
 spiked, one hundred of the French troops were killed 
 and wounded, and the whole party returned, with very 
 little loss, within the British lines. However gallant 
 this enterprize, the garrison was reduced to the last 
 extremity, not a gun remained on that part of the 
 works attacked by the enemy, scarcely a shell was left, 
 and nothing remained to lord Cornwallis but to attempt 
 an escape, with the army, or immediately to sur¬ 
 render the place. “ He determined (says Stedman) to 
 attempt the latter.” On the Gloucester side of the 
 river, brigadier De Choise now commanded, and 
 lay with a small corps at some distance, in front of 
 the works. It was determined that he should be at¬ 
 tacked before break of day by the whole British force ; 
 and the success of the attack- was not in the least 
 doubted. The horses taken from him, (for he had a 
 considerable corps of cavalry) would in part mount 
 the infantry, and the rest might be supplied by others 
 collected on the road. A 10 baggage was to be carried, 
 his lordship intended to have proceeded to the upper 
 country by rapid marches, leaving his future route 
 uncertain, until he came opposite to the fords of the 
 
378 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 great rivers; when he meant to have turned off sud¬ 
 denly to the northward, upon a supposition, that the 
 enemy’s measures would be principally directed to pre¬ 
 vent his escape to the southward. After turning to the 
 northward, it was his lordship’s design to force his 
 way through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys, 
 and join the commander in chief at New York. Un¬ 
 doubtedly the attempt was beyond calculation hazardous, 
 and the issue totally precarious, but if it afforded 
 even a glimpse of hope, it was preferable to an imme¬ 
 diate surrender. 
 
 “ In pursuance of this design the light infantry* 
 the greatest part of the guards, and part of the 23d 
 regiment, were embarked in boats, and transported to 
 the Gloucester side of the river before midnight, when 
 a violent storm arose, which not only prevented the 
 boats from returning, but drove them a considerable 
 distance down the river. The passage of the rest of 
 the troops was now become impracticable, and, in the 
 absence of the boats, those that had already crossed, 
 could not possibly return. In this divided state of the 
 British force, the enemy’s batteries opened at break 
 of day: fortunately the boats returned soon afterwards, 
 and brought back, in the course of the forenoon, the 
 troops that had been carried over in the night, without 
 much loss, although the passage between York and 
 Gloucester, was greatly exposed to the enemy’s fire. 
 In the mean time, by the force of the enemy’s can¬ 
 nonade, the. British works were tumbling into ruin: 
 not a gun could be fired from them, and only one 
 eight inch, and little more than one hundred cohorn 
 shells remained. They were in many places assailable 
 already ; and if the fire continued a few hours longer, 
 it was the opinion of the engineer, and principal officers 
 of the army, that it would be madness to attempt to 
 maintain them with the present garrison, exhausted by 
 
AMERICAN WAR. m 
 
 £ -tr*- 
 
 than hv th„ "umbers by sickness even more 
 
 h s lordsh T e ‘ Under SUch circum stances 
 
 lordship, on the nth of October, unwilling to ex¬ 
 pose the remains of his gallant army to the danger of 
 
 ruimjcTstat f't’ ^ numbcrs ’ ®«d the 
 
 m J d state the works, could not fail to be successful, 
 
 adiusted TT 5 r 3 Capitulation - The terms were 
 adjusted m the course of the next day, which, though 
 
 altogether agreeable to earl Cornwallis’s wishes or 
 proposals, were, nevertheless, such as his desperate si¬ 
 tuation, obliged him to accept; and on the 19th, the 
 
 V °'. Yo . rk and Gi °ueester were surrendered to ge¬ 
 neral Washington as commander in chief of the com- 
 
 Ine . aimy ’ and tbe ships of war, transports, and other 
 vessels, to the Count de Grasse, as commander of the 
 f rench fleet. By the articles of capitulation, the gar¬ 
 risons of York and Gloucester, including the officers 
 ot the navy, and seamen of every denomination, were 
 to surrender as prisoners of war to the conbined army ; 
 tie land force to remain prisoners to the United States 
 and the seamen to the most Christian king. The o- a r- 
 nson was to be allowed the same honors'* which °the 
 garrison of Charlestown had obtained, when it surren¬ 
 dered to Sir Henry Clinton. The officers and soldiers 
 were permitted to retain their private property; and the 
 officers had liberty to proceed upon parole either to 
 Europe, or any maritime post on the continent of America, 
 m the possession of the British troops. Although the 
 article for exempting from punishment such of the 
 natives, or other inhabitants of America, as had joined 
 , B,ltlsh arm y, and were then at York, was rejected 
 y general Washington, the same thing was in effect 
 «> tained in a different form, by the permission granted 
 to earl Cornwallis, to send the Bonetta sloop of war 
 •° New \ ork, with his dispatches without bejng searched, 
 
310 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 and with as many soldiers on board as he should think 
 fit, so that they were accounted for in any future 
 exchange. By this permission, he was tacitly empow¬ 
 ered to send" off such of the inhabitants as were ob¬ 
 noxious to punishment, which accordingly was done. 
 
 By the surrender of the posts of York and Gloucester, 
 the Americans became possessed of a large train of 
 artillery, many of which were of brass, together with 
 a considerable quantity of arms, ammunition, warlike 
 stores, and provisions; and to the French were delivered 
 up, one frigate, two sloops of war ot twenty guns, 
 and a number of transports, and other vessels. ie 
 Charon, of forty-four guns, and another ship of war, 
 were set on fire by the enemy’s shells, and destroyed 
 during the siege. The combined army consisted ot 
 seve n ° thousand French, and nearly the same number 
 of continental soldiers, and about five thousand militia 
 On the day previous to the surrender, the rank and 
 file of the garrisons of York and Gloucester, amounted 
 to five thousand nine hundred and fifty, but so great 
 was the number of the sick and wounded, that only 
 four thousand and seventeen were reported fit for duty. 
 Si,- Henry Clinton in this moment of distressful exigence, 
 embarked seven thousand troops from New York ,to 
 relieve lord Cornwallis. I have already mentioned that 
 he apprized his lordship that he would send him assist¬ 
 ance by the 5th of October; but from intervemng 
 circumstances, they did not sail from Sandy Hook, 
 until the 19th, the very day on which the sunuid 
 took place. Sir Henry embarked with the exped.uon 
 himself, nor was it until they arrived otf the capes 
 of Virginia, that Sir Henry received the disastrous 
 intelligence of the capitulation. Such (observes a writer 
 on the American War, whom I have frequent occa¬ 
 sions to quote, and who was like myself an eye 
 witness to many of the events which lie narrates) was 
 
SSI 
 
 AMERICAN WAR, 
 
 the fate of an army, which, if success were the uniform 
 result of merit, would have undoubtedly shared a dif¬ 
 ferent fate : if bravery in the field, and patient, and 
 even cheerful, submission to fatigue, inclement skies, 
 and the want, not only of the comforts, but sometimes 
 even of the necessaries of life, have any claim to 
 esteem and admiration.” 
 
 It is truly grievous to perceive the stile of exultation, 
 in which the party writers indulge on this capture of 
 lord Cornwallis. One of them, in direct terms, speaks 
 
 of “ the pride of lord Cornwallis.”---What pride ? 
 
 The very reverse was his lordship’s true character. 
 In this campaign (I declare these facts from my own 
 knowledge) he fared like a common soldier. He assum¬ 
 ed, he would admit of no distinction. Every private 
 under his lordship must acknowledge, 
 
 “ He bare no hardships but his leader bore.” 
 
 Sometimes we had turnips served out for our food, 
 when we came to a turnip field ; or arriving at a field of 
 corn, we converted our canteens into rasps and ground 
 our Indian corn for bread; when we could get no Indian 
 corn, we were compelled to eat liver as a substitute for 
 bread, with our lean beef. In all this his lordship par¬ 
 ticipated, nor did he indulge himself even in the dis¬ 
 tinction of a tent; but in all things partook our suffer¬ 
 ings, and seemed much more to feel for us than for 
 himself. General indignation ought to follow such a 
 tissue of falsehood and calumny. But when a beloved 
 officer is the object of this viperous attack, it must rouse 
 a resentment in the mind of every old soldier still 
 living, who knew the contrary to be fact , which it is 
 not very easy for military feeling to bear, oi even Christian 
 forgiveness to pardon. 
 
 Ramsay, too, has a very prettily manufactured tale 
 on this occasion : “ The door keeper of congress, an 
 aged man, died suddenly, immediately after heating 
 
 3 C 
 
382 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the capture of lord Cornwallis’s army. His death was 
 universally ascribed to a violent emotion of political 
 
 j°y !!! ” 
 
 Mr. Ramsay strongly reminds me of a celebrated re¬ 
 publican preacher, in England, who had the impiety to 
 take for his text, the words of good old Simeon, Lord 
 now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine 
 eyes have seen thy Salvation,” when he preached a ser¬ 
 mon to celebrate the French Revolution !!! 
 
 As a testimony of what the enemies of lord Corn¬ 
 wallis, in America , thought and said of him, I subjoin 
 the following curious extract from a speech delivered 
 in congress by the famous Dr. Witherspoon ; without, 
 however, joining him in the severe censure he passes 
 on one of our admirals: 
 
 “ It is incumbent on us to thank heaven for the victory 
 which we have just obtained, and though over a hand¬ 
 ful of troops, yet they were flushed with success, and 
 led on by a general, whose, valour is no less illus¬ 
 trious than his discretion; by a general not equalled 
 in courage by the Macedonian madman, or in wise and 
 solemn deliberation, by the Roman Fabius; nor has his 
 defeat tarnished his fame; for he was encompassed about 
 with a mighty host of the picked troops of f ranee and 
 America, aided by a formidable navy; and to sum up 
 his difficulties, he was attacked by famine in his camp. 
 
 It would be criminal in me to be silent on this 
 occasion, which has diffused such joy in every breast. 
 To procure America freedom and happiness has ever 
 been my study, ever since I arrived among you ; for 
 this I have encountered a variety of hardships, and 
 suffered not a little in my private fortune and repu¬ 
 tation. 
 
 “ Now, gentlemen, since victory irradiates our arms, 
 let us snatch this opportunity of securing to ourselves 
 
advantageous terms of peace, so shall we reap a pro¬ 
 fitable benefit from the example of all the wise states 
 so eminent in history. 
 
 “ Some may think it very censurable, and highly 
 derogatory to the dignity of this mighty commonwealth 
 to crouch and offer terms of peace, when we have 
 been gathering such blooming laurels; but when we 
 duly weigh all the circumstances of our overrated victor}", 
 the reasonableness of my advice may more fully appear 
 to every dispassionate man. 
 
 Lord Cornwallis’s troops had boldly marched through 
 the heart of our country, opposed not only by woods, 
 rivers, and swamps, but also by all the force we could 
 send against him, which was greatly superior to him 
 in numbers; his whole army, 1 would say this foraging 
 party (for it does not deserve the name of army) did 
 not exceed four thousand ; and small as it svas, it had 
 spread universal dismay ; it bad struck terror eveu into 
 general Washington’s camp, and wondrous to relate! 
 brought that man of valour out of his lurking place^ 
 (which it would seem he had taken a lease of) at the 
 head of no less than thirteen thousand troops, whom he had 
 been training to arms, and teaching to storm mock 
 castles these three years, in a strong impregnable camp, 
 where no enemy would ever think it worth while to 
 disturb his slumbers; and so panic struck was the 
 American hero, that even with the great and formidable 
 army under his command, would he not dare to attack 
 an English foraging party ; no, he must first be sure 
 the French were before him with eight thousand of 
 the gens d’armes, as a breast work, to save his gallant 
 troops, whose blood has ever been so precious to him. 
 And to complete his safety, that thirty sail of the line 
 of battle ships, manned with twenty five thousand seamen 
 (half of whom might act ashore) were within call of 
 him. Heavens! Gentlemen, if every victory is to cost 
 
 3 C 2 
 
384 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 us so dear, if we. must s^nT into the field fifty thousand 
 men before we can capture four thousand atigue , 
 half starved English, we must view at a very remote 
 distance, our so much wished for independency : to 
 bring this about if we go on as we have, for these 
 long seven years, we ought to haye more than all the 
 wealth of all Mexico and Peru, and our womep must 
 bring forth four males at one birth. O dauntless spirit 
 of immortal Cromwell, behold how enervated are thy 
 descendants? Gentlemen, trivial and contemptible as 
 our success is, we got it by mere accident, we got 
 it not by the vigilance of our allies, or the prowess 
 of our arms; we got it by the neglect or cowardice of 
 the British admiral, who would not, when he had the 
 golden opportunity, take possession of the Chesapeak; 
 and to this gross blunder alone are we to ascribe our 
 good fortune. But, gentlemen, although one commander 
 has abandoned his post, and betrayed the best interests 
 of his country, can we suppose that his guilt will not 
 meet that severe and exemplary punishment it deserves. 
 Can we hope that British vengeance will never wake, 
 that it will always sleep ? When that culpable admiral 
 is put to death, do you foolishly imagine his successor 
 will not be alarmed for himself, and profit by his fate. 
 Yes ; he will exert himself, he will be master ot t e 
 Chesapeak, upon which you know our destiny hangs; 
 for if that is once shut up, Virginia and Maryland, 
 the springs of all our resources, the objects which en¬ 
 ticed your good and great ally to aid you, are no 
 more! Then a few British soldiers may harrass our 
 planters, lay waste their lands, set their tobacco in 
 flames, destroy their docks, and block up such slops 
 as they cannot burn or capture. It is a painful task, 
 gentlemen, for me to set before your eyes a true picture 
 of your affairs, but it is the duty of a friend. He 
 who flatters you at this awful period smiles in your 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 385 
 
 face while he stabs you in the vitals; it is by exhi¬ 
 biting to you such a picture, that you will be con¬ 
 vinced you ought to send commissioners to treat with 
 Britain for peace, without a moment’s delay. Our 
 enemies, I own, are surrounded with danger; a strong 
 confederacy is in arms against them; yet although they 
 possess but a speck of land, the fortitude of Britons, 
 their exertions and supplies have astonished the won¬ 
 dering world ; they are by no means exhausted. they 
 have hitherto asked for no alliance, they have singly 
 and alone kept all their combined foes at bay. Britain 
 has yet in store very tempting offers to hold out to 
 any potentate whom she may court; she is mistress of 
 pur seaports; the large and fruitful colony of Canada 
 is her’s; her fleets have all arrived from Quebec, the 
 Baltic, the West Indies, and East Indies, without the 
 loss of a ship ; her arms in Asia have carried conquest 
 before them; so long as they hold their dominions 
 there, they will have a perennial source of riches. Such 
 is the situation of our foe ; but how much more terrible 
 may she become, if she joins to her already resistless 
 marine the fleet of another power ! 
 
 “ Suffer me to use the words of the prophet Jere¬ 
 miah, and ask you, “ If thou hast run with footmen, 
 ‘ and they have wearied thee, how then canst thou 
 ‘ contend with horses?’ When your enemyfcbas once 
 made such an addition to her strength, she will rise in 
 her terms upon you, and in the paroxysm of her fury 
 insist upon your submission, your unconditional su - 
 mission ! In order that I may not displease some of 
 you, who hold a man a traitor for telling you wholesome 
 truths, I will suppose all I have said to be exaggerated ; 
 I will suppose Britain to be in a galloping consumption: 
 then, let me interrogate you. Do you increase m power 
 and wealth? The very reverse is your case. Your 
 maladies, I am sorry to tell you, are incurable. Where 
 
386 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 are your numerous fleets of merchant ships, which were 
 wont to cover old ocean ? Have you so much as one to 
 convoy your cargoes, or save them from capture ? Have 
 you any goods to export? Where are your luxuriant 
 glebes and smiling meads ? Alas! they are now an 
 uncultivated waste. Your commerce is extinct ; the 
 premium of insurance on the very few ships which 
 dare to peep out, never more to see their natal shore, 
 so enormous, seamen’s wages so high, (for nothing but 
 death or an English dungeon is before them !) that ruin 
 and bankruptcy have overwhelmed all descriptions of 
 men ; hardly any possess the conveniences, none the 
 luxuries of life but faithless secretaries, avaricious com¬ 
 missaries, and griping contractors. These, indeed, loll 
 in their coaches, live in princely palaces, have a nume¬ 
 rous train of vermin to attend them, and fare sumptu¬ 
 ously every day. 4 Curse on the wretch who owes his 
 greatness to his country’s ruin !’ Would to God I 
 could here draw a veil over our calamities! but the zeal 
 1 have to serve you will not allow it. I must thunder 
 in your ears, that your trade is annihilated ; your fish^ 
 eries, that fertile nursery of seamen, that fountain of all 
 we could ever boast, is no more! Our ploughshares 
 beat into bayonets, our soldiers mutinying for want of 
 pay; our planters beggared, and our farmers ruined! 
 You are oppressed with taxes ; not to emancipate you 
 from bondage—No : with taxes to support the lazy ; to 
 pamper the proud ; to exalt mean, cunning knaves, and 
 dissipated gamblers, to the first offices ot the state ; to 
 pay armies who have the figures of men, but the hearts 
 of hares ; they are, God knows, numerous enough; 
 but of what use ? Why do we call in soup-meagre 
 soldiers? Are our own cowards? Are they not disci¬ 
 plined after so many years dancing a jig to the fife 
 and drum ? Will they npt look an enemy in the face 
 
AMERICAN WAR. SS7 
 
 when their religion, their liberty, is at stake ; when their 
 wives and children are butchered before their eves. 
 
 “ O America! America! thou art now ruined, and 
 past redemption, consigned to destruction ! Curse on this 
 trench connexion !* I see thee prostrate on the ground* 
 imploring mercy at the feet of the Gallic monarch. If 
 France conquers Britain, which, for your sakes, I pray 
 God to prevent ! I tremble when I think of the accu¬ 
 mulated miseries with which you will be loaded. The 
 French have already cheated you out of Rhode Island? 
 from whence, as from a flaming volcano, will stream 
 fire to burn your ships, and lay your seaports in 
 smoking ruins. Methinks I see already the Canadians 
 rush upon your possessions in the North, and the 
 French and Spaniards overrun your southern colonies! 
 like an impetuous torrent they sweep all before them ! 
 And even those of your own flesh and blood, whose 
 lands you have confiscated, whose fathers and brother’s 
 you have murdered, join to lay you desolate ! I see 
 you turned into a desert, exposed to the ruthless 
 elements, calling upon some hospitable roof to hide 
 you from the storm ! May heaven save you from ca¬ 
 lamities, and dispose you to sue for peace ! * Now is 
 
 the appointed time ; now is the day of salvation !’ 
 
 * It was said that it was the late Queen of France’s party 
 which forced on the king the treaty with America, in the 
 view of depressing Great Britain. Louis considered it as an 
 unfair measure, and threw away the pen, when urged to sanction 
 it with his signature. But in an evil hour for himself and 
 his family, he relented, on repeated importunity, he signed thre 
 fatal instrument, which involved both hemispheres in the horrors 
 of war, and, in so doing, he remotely signed the warrant for 
 his own execution. What a lesson is this to men of all ranks, to 
 ke just and honorable in all their dealings! 
 
 Simpson’s Plea for Religion. 
 
358 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 The Author's own Narrative. Escapes from York-town. 
 Traverses the Woods. Re-taken at Frederick-town 
 Attempts to escape, but is detected. ^ on ^ nec in ' 
 Marched Prisoner to Winchester. Marched to Little 
 York Escapes with a small Party. Arrives at 
 Staten Island, and at last effects his Escape to New 
 York. 
 
 IN consequence of this disastrous capitulation, the 
 Author became a second time a prisoner of the me- 
 ricans. Fortunately for him, he was not recognized as one 
 who had formerly made his escape, but ordered to march 
 with the rest of the British troops to Winchester, situate 
 in the back parts of Virginia, upwards of two hundred 
 miles distant from York Town. In this part of his 
 Journal (which, in absence of a better phrase, he almost 
 ventures to call an historical episode) as m the nar¬ 
 rative of his escape, after being made prisoner at Sara¬ 
 toga, and for the same reasons, he takes the liberty 
 of°conveying what befel him to the Reader’s attention 
 in the first person. 
 
 ESCAPE FROM YORK TOWN. 
 
 AFTER the army under lord Cornwallis became pri¬ 
 soners, I was attached to the general hospital. I had 
 frequently officiated as an assistant surgeon, both in 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 the 9th and 23 d regiments; and sometimes, when we 
 had not a professional surgeon, I had endeavored to 
 do that duty, to the best of my knowledge. The great 
 fatigue which I underwent during the siege, brought on 
 a severe illness, front which having somewhat recovered, 
 I determined to attempt my escape to New York, (the 
 distance from York Town to New York is upwards 
 of five hundred miles.) I accordingly waited on the 
 surgeon general, and resigned my situation in the ge¬ 
 neral hospital, acquainting him that I intended to follow 
 the troops to Winchester. Having received the balance 
 due to me, I changed my dress, and appeared as a 
 private soldier. The next consideration was, how to 
 elude the French and American sentinels who guarded 
 the prisoners. This I fortunately accomplished while 
 the guards were relieving, and got outside of the two 
 barriers, on the great road which led to Frederick- 
 town in Maryland. I immediately struck into the woods, 
 to avoid the picquet guard, which I knew was posted 
 on it. Night approaching, and finding myself very 
 weak, I made every exertion to extricate myself from 
 the wood. Before it was completely dark, I perceived 
 a few houses, and went into one of them. I entreated 
 the inhabitants to let me remain there all night; this 
 they refused in the most peremptory terms, and imme¬ 
 diately turned me out of doors, threatening, that if I 
 did not instantly depart, they would take me, back a 
 prisoner to Gloucester Point. I went away with a very 
 sorrowful heart, and after remaining some time in the 
 woods, scarcely able to determine what course to take, 
 the weather being very severe and cold, and finding 
 myself becoming very weak, I made a desperate effort, 
 and went into a house, where there was a woman sur¬ 
 rounded by a number of children. I asked her the 
 favor of remaining in her house for the night. She 
 looked at me very sternly, and said, How can you 
 
 3 D 
 
590 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 expect such a favor from me, or any of the Americans, 
 seeing you came from England with an intent to destroy 
 our country ?” As I stood talking with her, her husband 
 came in. He seemed to be a humane man, and said, 
 cc It would be very hard indeed to turn you out of 
 my door such a severe evening as this. I will permit 
 you to remain here this night.” He then desired his 
 wife to get a little straw, and make me a bed near 
 the fire place. After supper I lay down ; and not 
 being disturbed by the roaring of cannon, and the 
 alarm of war, which had been my portion for many 
 months before, I slept soundly , and awaked in the morn- 
 ing greatly refreshed. I gave the children some trifling 
 presents, with which they and their parents seemed 
 much gratified, and left them with the warmest emotions 
 of thankfulness. 
 
 During this day (the 29 th of November) I marched 
 very hard on the main road, without encountering any 
 interruption, this arose from its being the route which 
 our troops had taken, the inhabitants thinking that I 
 had not been able to keep up with the partj^, had 
 lagged behind, and was endeavouring to overtake them. 
 In the evening I came to a large building, when a 
 gentlemen accosted me, observing ; “ there are a great 
 many of your men in this house, who are determined 
 to remain in the country, they have hired themselves 
 to different gentlemen. You had better join with them : 
 you shall be well used, and in a short time you may be¬ 
 come a citizen of America.” Upon my entering the house, 
 I found that there were above forty British soldiers, who 
 had hired themselves to different gentlemen about the 
 country. Early on the next morning, their masters 
 came with horses, &c. and took them away. I was 
 strongly importuned to go with them; but my mind 
 revolted at the thought. When I was preparing to 
 leave the house, the gentleman said to me, “ You 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 391 
 
 had better remain with me. I am told you can write 
 a good hand, and understand accounts; I will budd 
 a school-house for you, and make you as comfort¬ 
 able as I can.” I felt my whole frame agitated at the 
 proposal, anti notwithstanding the weather was stormy 
 and severe, and that I was very unwell, I immediately 
 left his house with indignation. This dishonorable 
 practice of enticing the British soldiers to become set¬ 
 tlers, was but too common, during the greater part 
 of the American war. When a prisoner with them, l 
 was often strongly solicited, and promised many rewards, 
 if I would desert, and remain in the country. But I 
 was determined to die rather than serve any state 
 
 hostile to Great Britain: indeed I could not even pa¬ 
 tiently support the idea of remaining a prisoner among 
 them. I had not travelled many miles when I overtook 
 a serieant of the list, and a drummer of the 23 d. 1 
 
 immediately began persuading them to venture with 
 me in attempting to escape. They both consented. 
 How entwined about the very heart of man, is the love 
 of liberty ' From that source more than the soundness 
 of my arguments, or the probability of realizing them 
 I prevailed. It is very easy to talk about going through 
 a tract of land, five or six hundred miles covered with 
 enemies; but when entangled in the wood, sinking in 
 the swamp, or fording the rapid torrent, we find it 
 an enterprize of much difficulty and danger. 
 
 However we addressed ourselves to our journey with 
 confidence ; but the next day our drummer complained 
 that we marched too hard for him, and that it was 
 impossible for us ever “ to make good ou. escape. 
 And (said he) for my part, I will stay where I am, 
 and solace myself after all my hardships.” No argu¬ 
 ments which we could urge, appearing sufficient to 
 cure his despondency, or alter his determ,naUon ^ve 
 left him, and proceeded on our journey. The next 
 
 3 D 2 
 
392 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 day we overtook a waggon which was going to Phila¬ 
 delphia. By a short conversation, we soon discovered 
 that the waggoner was a loyalist, and in consequence 
 informed him, that we were making our escape to 
 New York. He proposed to conceal us in his waggon 
 as far as Philadelphia at which place his master lived. 
 
 This was gladlv received on our part, and we promised 
 him an adequate reward ; we proceeded with him in 
 high spirits: but, unfortunately for us, we overtook an 
 American soldier, who insisted on his being taken 
 into the waggon. This disconcerted our plan for the nu 
 
 present. We were fast approaching Frederick-town, ^ 
 
 through which we could not pass concealed in the 
 waggon, on account of the presence of the Ame¬ 
 rican soldier : we therefore thought it far more prudent Yf 
 
 to quit the waggon entirely, and boldly march through 
 the town on foot. The faithful waggoner, before he 
 left us, promised to wait a few miles on the other side 
 of the town, until we should rejoin him. But how 
 vain are all human schemes! Soon as the waggon en- 
 tered the town, the American gave the alarm, and a 
 party of soldiers was ordered out to apprehend us. 
 We were seized and brought through the town, in 
 triumph. Many British soldiers were prisoners in this 
 town, and among them the regiment to which my com¬ 
 panion belonged. We were huddled among them. 
 Indeed our place of confinement was a most deplorable 
 situation. Forty or fifty British soldiers crowded together 
 in a small room. It is true we had a large parade 
 to walk about in the day; but as the winter was 
 remarkably cold, very few availed themselves of that 
 privilege. 
 
 I examined this place of confinement minutely, and 
 soon discovered, that it was surrounded by a chain of 
 American sentinels. I likewise gained information, that 
 small parties of the prisoners (under a strong guard) 
 
393 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 were often ordered out to get wood for firing. It 
 immediately occurred to me that the only chance for 
 my escape, lay in getting myself enrolled in one of 
 these wood cutting parties. 1 soon obtained this favor, 
 and immediately began to lake my measures: I strove 
 to persuade as many of the party as I could to ven- 
 tuie an escape with me. All my arguments proved 
 ineffectual, except with one man, and my old com¬ 
 panion the serjeant. I waited with anxious suspense 
 for the moment we were to be called out to wood 
 cutting. I emptied my knapsack, and distributed my 
 superfluous necessaries, putting on three shirts, and 
 taking an additional pair of shoes in my pocket. With 
 my blanket wrapped about my shoulders, I sallied out 
 when the call came, bearing my hatchet: the intended 
 companions of my flight were privately directed to keep 
 as near to me as possible. When we had arrived at 
 the wood, about half a mile from the place of confine¬ 
 ment, we set to the work of cutting. I observed to 
 one of our guards, that I saw a fine large maple tree a 
 few yards beyond him; and begged permission for 
 me and my two companions to cut it down. With that 
 rudeness which ever characterizes the low mind when in 
 office, he, in a surty manner, acquiesced in the proposal, 
 little dreaming that we all intended to give him the 
 slip. The better to color our pretence, and to cover our 
 escape, we immediately set about cutting down the tree, 
 keeping- our eyes constantly fixed on the guard. At 
 last he turned himself about, to watch the other pri¬ 
 soners. We seized the opportunity, and darted into 
 the thickest part of the wood. Fear and hope (being 
 pretty nearly balanced in our minds,) were the wings 
 which urged our flight. Our guards must have pos¬ 
 sessed the feet of deer before they could possibly have 
 overtaken us. We ran on through the woods, as near 
 as I could conjecture, during two hours, scarcely stop- 
 
39 + JOURNAL OF THE- 
 
 pin" to take breath. At last we arrived at a deep and 
 Lid river. Fortunately for us, we soon discovered a 
 ferry-boat, and on paying the fare, we crossed, -.idi¬ 
 om being examined, and pursued our way through the 
 
 woods. , , 
 
 It should have been mentioned, that though we had 
 
 on our regimentals, we disguised ourselves by wrapping 
 our blankets about us, which rather gave us the appear¬ 
 ance of Indians than of British soldiers. Wv, ha not, 
 however, proceeded far, when we were met by an 
 armed party of Americans, who instantly surrounded us, 
 and brought us back prisoners to the town I he ser¬ 
 vant, my companion, was then separated from me, as 
 his reoiment were prisoners near the town ; he was turned 
 in along with them, while 1 was sent a prisoner to their 
 guard-house, where I was used in the most cruel manner. 
 The weather was extremely cold, (the latter end of 
 November,) the guard-house was an open block-house, 
 through which the sno-w and frost made their way m 
 every direction. I procured, with much trouble, a little 
 straw to lie upon, in one corner. But I soon found that 
 my lodging would be a very hard one ; for when the 
 guard used to discover that I had fallen asleep, they 
 applied a firebrand to the straw, and as it blazed, they 
 set up a yell like the Indians, rejoicing in my distress, 
 and deriding my endeavours to extinguish the flames. 
 When the relief used to be turned, out, I sometimes 
 took the liberty of drawing near the fire, to wmn my 
 half frozen limbs, but this indulgence was of short 
 duration, for when the sentinels were relieved they came 
 pouring into the guard-house, and, if found near the 
 fire, 1 was usually buffetted about from one to the other, 
 and perhaps a dozen fixed bayonets at once placed at 
 my breast. When I found that 1 could obtain no mercy 
 f r om these savages, and that every day 1 was worse used 
 than on the preceding ; I wrote a letter to the Ame- 
 
395 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 ncan commanding officer, informing him of the cruel 
 usage which I daily received, and entreating him to 
 permit me to be confined in the town goal. This re¬ 
 quest was at last granted ; but my condition was not 
 bettered by it. There I was confined in the upper part 
 of the prison, which I had to ascend by a long board, 
 which was almost perpendicular. In this dreary situa¬ 
 tion, without any fire-place, were twelve criminals, 
 These men received a very small allowance of pro¬ 
 visions ; but, as for my part, not a morsel was alloted 
 me. My poor fellow prisoners took compassion, and 
 shared their pittance with me. Had it not been for 
 their compassion, I should have been starved todeath. 
 
 I remained in this place during twelve days, suffering 
 the bitings of hunger by day, and shivering all night 
 with the cold. It can scarcely be imagined that aught 
 could possibly have added to my sufferings : yet was 
 the case worse, for we were continually annoyed with 
 the yellings of a black woman, who was confined for 
 the murder of her child at the bottom of the jail. She 
 used to yell the wholenight long. 
 
 The reason of the bad usage which I in particular 
 received, originated, it is most probable, in two dis¬ 
 tinct causes. This town had suffered much by the 
 deaths of several young men, who had been killed 
 during the war: the regiment of horse* which was cut 
 to pieces at Long Island was composed almost entirely 
 of the inhabitants of this part of the country. This 
 was a source of general inveteracy to all British pri¬ 
 soners. I had every mischief arising from this cause 
 to support in common with my fellow prisoners. But 
 what rendered me still further an object of their 
 particular severity was, their firm conviction that I still 
 meditated my escape. This principally, if not entirely 
 
 / 
 
 * See page 121. 
 
396 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 arose, I believe, from one of Burgoyne’s army, who 
 bad deserted from his regiment, and was then m town. 
 This man certainly informed the Americans, that I had 
 made my escape from that army into New York, and 
 that I would do so again if I was not well taken care 
 of. However, I was determined, if possible to extricate 
 myself from my present dreadful situation. With that 
 intent I wrote a letter to major Gordon of the 80th 
 regiment, who was then prisoner in the town, letting 
 him know my distressed situation, and entreating his 
 intercession with the American commander, to obtain 
 my liberation from jail, and my being placed with the 
 rest of my comrades, in their confinement n^ar the 
 town. The major was not unmindful of me; for although 
 he was at that time laboring under a complication of 
 disorders, arising from the excessive fatigue he had 
 undergone during the siege, and the suffeiings of us 
 confinement, he referred my case to captain Coote 
 of the 33d regiment, (now lieutenant-general Sir Eyre 
 Coote) with his desire that application might be made to 
 the American commanders for the privilege which I 
 desired: Captain Coote most humanely interceded for 
 me, and obtained my request. 
 
 While the faculties of my nature remain entire, I 
 never can forget the affecting interview which took place 
 between the captain and me. A guard was ordered to 
 conduct me from the jail to his quarters. While 
 I was relating to him the sufferings which I had under¬ 
 gone since my being captured at Tork Town, and my 
 determination and hope still to effect my escape into New 
 York, the tear of sympathy filled bis eyes, he condoled 
 with me in our common lot, and encouraged me to perse¬ 
 vere. He then directed the serjeants of the 33d regiment 
 to build me a hut upon the ground where they were con¬ 
 fined, and to take me into their mess. He gave me a 
 guinea, and I went off to my companions in triumph. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 397 
 
 Rut my joy was only of short duration. Scarcely was 
 I settled in my hut (in some degree of ease and comfort, 
 in comparison to my former sufferings,) when 1 was ordered 
 to be moved under a guard to Winchester, where the 
 regiment to which I belonged was confined. The officers 
 and men were all glad to see me : they had heard of the 
 hardships I had endured in attempting my escape, and 
 they condoled with me : part of the British troops re¬ 
 mained here until January 1782, when co»igres$ ordered 
 us to be marched to Littl,e York, in Pennsylvania. I 
 received information, that as soon as I fell into t|ie 
 ranks to march off, I should be taken and confined in 
 Winchester jail, as the Americans were apprehensive, 
 that when I got near to New York I should again at¬ 
 tempt my escape to that place, I was advised by 
 my officers to conceal myself until the troops had 
 marched. I took the hint and hid myself in the hos¬ 
 pital among the sick, here l remained until die Ame¬ 
 rican guards had been two days on their march with 
 the British prisoners. I then prepared to follow them, 
 but at a cautious distance. The troops arrived at Little 
 York, and were confined in a, prison similar to that 
 which I have already described in page 208, only a 
 little more limited. About two hundred yards from 
 thus penn, a small village had been built by the remains 
 of general Burgoyne’s array, who were allowed very 
 great privileges with respect to their liberty in the country. 
 When some of my former comrades of the 9th regi¬ 
 ment, were informed that I was a prisoner in lord 
 Cornwallis’s army, and that I was shortly expected at 
 Little York, they immediately applied to the commanding 
 officer of the Americans for a pass in my name, claiming 
 me as one of their regiment. This was immediately 
 granted, and some of them kindly and attentively placed 
 themselves on the watch for my arrival, lest I should 
 
 3 E 
 
598 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE k 
 
 ^ u 
 
 be confined with the rest of lord Cornwallis s army. K 
 
 When I entered Little York I was most agreeably sur- i 
 
 prised at meeting my former companions; and more B 
 
 so when a pass was put into my hands, giving me 
 the privilege of ten miles of the country round while 
 I behaved well and orderly. I "'as then conducted to (f 
 
 a hut, which my poor loving comrades had built for , 
 
 me in their village before my arrival. Here I re- s 
 
 mained some time, visiting my former companions from 
 hut to hut; but I was astonished at the spirit of in- , 
 
 dustry which prevailed among them. Men, women, and , 
 
 even the children were employed making lace, buck es, 
 spoons, and exercising other mechanical trades which 
 they had learned during their captivity. They had very 
 crreat liberty from the Americans, and were allowed to 
 go round the country and sell their goods; while the 
 soldiers of lord Cornwallis’s army were closely, confined 
 in their pen. I perceived that they had lost- that ani¬ 
 mation which ought to possess the breast of the soldier. 
 
 I strove, by every argument, to rouse them from their 
 lethargy. I offered to head any number of them, and 
 make a noble effort to escape into New York, and 
 join our comrades in ’arms; but all my efforts proved 
 ineffectual. As for my own part, I was determined 
 to make the attempt. I well knew, from experience, 
 that a few companions would be highly necessary. 
 Accordingly I sent word of my intention to seven men 
 of the 23d regiment who were confined in the penn, 
 and that I was willing to bring them with me. I be¬ 
 lieve in all the British army that these men (three 
 serjeants and four privates) could not have been excelled 
 for courage and intrepidity. They rejoiced at the 
 idea; and by the aid of some of Burgoyne’s army, 
 
 • they were enabled, under cover of a dark night, to 
 
AMERICAN WAR. m 
 
 Saumarez of the 23d,* and likewise the names of the 
 men whom I purposed to bring with me. As my 
 money was almost expended, I begged of him to 
 
 advance me as much as convenient. He immediately 
 sent me a supply. 
 
 It was on the 1st of March, 1732, that I set off 
 with my party. My pass which had been procured 
 from the American commander would only protect 
 us to Susquehannah lliver which was not further than 
 ten miles: we therefore marched those ten miles free 
 from any dread of being apprehended. But when we 
 arrived at the river, which was about a mile in breadth, 
 we found that it could not be crossed on the ice, as 
 it had thawed all that day. However when the evening 
 drew on it began to freeze again, which encouraged 
 us to remain until morning, under the hope that it 
 would then be hard enough to bear us. At this place 
 I found a man who had deserted from the Royal Welch 
 Fuzileers about two years before. He seemed at first 
 Very shy of us * but after a little conversation he began 
 to be more free. He acquainted us that since his 
 desertion he had been roving about the country working 
 very hard for his livelihood, and further, that, finding 
 himself universally despised by the Americans, he had 
 become very uneasy in his mind. Perceiving him well 
 acquainted with the country, and possessing a thorough 
 knowledge of all the loyal inhabitants, I thought in our 
 present situation, he would be a valuable acquisition 
 to us as a guide. In consequence, I held out to him 
 every inducement, which I imagined might persuade 
 him to accompany us.—I urged, that we would as soon 
 as we arrived at Ne*w York, intercede with Sir Henry 
 Clinton for his pardon, which w r e had no doubt what- 
 
 * Lately assistant quarter master general, and inspector Qt 
 militia in the island ot Guernsey. 
 
 3 E 2 
 
400 JOURNAL Or TlVE 
 
 ever would be immediately granted. He was also made 
 thoroughly acquainted with the considerable rewards 
 which he wouldreceive both from the commander in chief, 
 and from ourselves. After much entreaty, an supp ying 
 him with repeated drams of peach whiskey, he at last 
 consented to guide ns through Pennsylvania and the 
 Jerseys, with which part of the country, and the tempei 
 of its inhabitants he seemed perfectly acquainte . 
 
 As it had froze all night, we ventured to cross the 
 river at day-light the next morning. 1 hough the ice 
 was exceeding weak, and broken up in many places, 
 the love of liberty had such a powerful effect, tha 
 we ventured with the firmest resolution, although the 
 ice cracked under our feet every step we took, while 
 we marched in Indian file. Having crossed this mighty 
 river, we held a consultation what was best to be done. 
 We had exceeded the bounds of my pass, and con¬ 
 sequently were liable to be arrested in our progress 
 by the first party of American soldiers we met, or y 
 any of the inhabitants who were disaffected ; and even 
 the loyalists, who might have succoured an individual 
 or two, would most probably be fearful of giving as¬ 
 sistance to such a party. Our guide, the deserter, in¬ 
 formed us, that it would be impossible for us to march 
 a mile further, unless we divided—that nine in number 
 were too many together, as such a body ot British 
 soldiers would soon spread an alarm through the eountrj 
 and cause immediate pursuit. He also strongly advised 
 us to change our regimental clothes for colored ones. 
 We all saw the propriety of this advice; with aching 
 hearts we took leave of each other. I divided the 
 party ; serjeant Collins of the 23d, (a brave soldier, and 
 a sensible man,) took three men under his care, and I 
 took the remaining four and our guide. We parted 
 with great reluctance ; but in full expectation of meeting 
 each other at New York. The party which I commanded 
 
AMEHICAN WAft. 401 
 
 lay all day in the woods: but in the evening our guide 
 brought us to the house of one of the king’s friends, 
 (the loyalists were so termed in America) where we 
 changed our regimental clothes for very bad colored 
 ones. There we remained until eleven o’clock, when, 
 favored by the night, we began our march towards Lan¬ 
 caster. We kept in the woods as much as possible, and 
 about the dawn of morning arrived at a small village. 
 We entered into a house under the hope of procuring 
 gome refreshment. Almost immediately we perceived 
 a man rising hastily out of bed. He dressed himself, 
 and ran out of the house in great haste. Apprehensive, 
 that he had ran out to alarm the neighbours, (indeed 
 our appearance was very suspicious,) we left the house 
 immediately, and took shelter in the woods; where we 
 remained, almost perishing with hunger and cold until 
 night. We then began our march. About the dawn 
 of the succeeding day, we espied & large barn and a 
 dwelling house contiguous. With one consent, we re¬ 
 solved to repose our weary limbs in this barn. We 
 soon got in, and concealed ourselves under some sheaves 
 of wheat which were in the loft. We had not re¬ 
 mained in this place more than half an houi, when a 
 boy came up to remove the corn for thrashing. He 
 was greatly alarmed when he discovered us, and im¬ 
 mediately ran down as fast he could. We thought it 
 most prudent to follow him into the house, lest he 
 should alarm the country. We entered the dwelling 
 house almost as soon as him, saluted the farmer, and 
 were desired to sit down. Our host ordered breakfast 
 to be got ready, which consisted of ground Indian corn, 
 boiled "like stirabout. No doubt, from the situation in 
 which we had been discovered, and perhaps more from 
 our looks, he perceived that we were hungry, and he 
 was very right in his observation, for none of us had 
 eaten any thing 'during more than fifty hours! After 
 
•402 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 we bad taken a hearty, I might add voracious breakfast, 
 he said, “ Gentlemen, I perceive who you are, and 
 what is your intention, but I’ll have nothing to do with 
 you. Depart in peace.” We offered him money ; but 
 he would not accept of it. We then thanked him 
 warmly, and withdrew to our usual lading place, the 
 woods ; where we remained for several hours. Our guide 
 informed us, that ten miles further, on the great road 
 leading to Philadelphia, lived one of the king’s friends, 
 from whom we should certainly receive entertainment, 
 and who would probably furnish us with a list of persons 
 disposed, from principle, to assist us for forty miles on 
 the way. Eucouraged with this information, we set oft 
 towards the house in high spirits, which we reached at 
 dusk in the evening. We sent our guide into the house, 
 while we remained concealed in the orchard. He soon 
 returned, and desired us to come in. We were received 
 most cordially by the old man, who bad us to sit down 
 at a fine large fire, until refreshment could be got 
 ready for us. He then, in the most feeling manner 
 observed, “you know the great hazard I run in receiv¬ 
 ing you as friends. It is now (continued he) eight 
 o’clock. I will let you remain under my root till twelve. 
 You must then depart.” Having said this, a good supper 
 was set before us, with plenty of cider. Tlie night 
 proved very stormy, and the rain poured down like a 
 deluge, which continued increasing every hour. How¬ 
 ever the hour of twelve arrived, and gratitude to our 
 kind host, as well as fear for ourselves forbade our stay ; 
 and we resolutely faced the terrors of the midnight storm. 
 What will not a captive endure to gain his freedom i 
 The night was very dark : we therefore ventured to 
 march on the main road to Philadelphia. It should 
 have been mentioned, that before we departed from 
 the house, our host kindly gave us a list of the king’s 
 friends- who lived in our line of march, the nearest 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 403 
 
 whom was seventeen miles from his house: we there¬ 
 fore proceeded, notwithstanding the inclemency of the 
 weather, with a degree of spirit animated by hope. 
 The rain still continued to increase, which in a very 
 short time drenched us to the skin ; and, what rendered 
 our journey more distressing, in consequence of the 
 great fall of water, was, that the road was exceeding deep. 
 Our guide ajso began to murmur at the hardships which 
 he endured: his shoes were almost worn out. Indeed 
 all our shoes were in a wretched condition. They 
 we v e so bad that we could scarcely keep them on our 
 feet. We used every suggestion that could possibly 
 encourage him to proceed; but his spirit at last failed, 
 2 nd he declared, that he was unable to go any further 
 with us : adding, with a deep sigh, “ Perhaps, after 
 all my hardships, if I should succeed, and get into New 
 York, I shall not get my pardon.” Just as he had 
 pronounced these words, we espied a small hovel on 
 the road side, and a house at a very little distance 
 from it. We therefore, in order to keep him in temper, 
 agreed to shelter ourselves from the storm under this 
 hovel; assuring him at the same time that we would 
 provide him a pair of shoes, and give him the best 
 clothes we had in exchange for his had ones. We 
 drew near to the house, in order to rest our vvcaiy 
 limbs; but, to our great mortification, we were saluted 
 with the roaring and loud grunting ot pigs which were 
 in it. We soon found it necessary to march off as 
 fast as we could from pur noisy neighbours, lest by their 
 outcries the inhabitants of the house should be alarmed. 
 Thus circumstanced we were compelled to march on. 
 At l ist we came within sight of a large barn. Here 
 we again thought to take shelter, and were again dis¬ 
 appointed ; for, as we approached nearer, we perceived 
 a light in it. Our guide began now to lose all his 
 fortitude, declaring once more that he was utterly ua- 
 
JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 able to proceed any further. A large dunghill happened 
 to be behind this bam, and as the last resource to humour 
 our guide, we agreed to. rest our limbs on it, and cover 
 ourselves with the loose litter. Here we remained about 
 half an hour, being unable to continue longer, from 
 the effects of the extreme cold. We all felt severe 
 pains in our bones, which were occasioned by the damp 
 of the dung. It therefore became the general resolve 
 to inarch on and gain our wished for house, which, 
 from the distance we had already travelled, we judged 
 could not be far off. We were further confirmed in 
 this resolution by the morning breaking fast on us. At 
 this place we arrived about the dawn. It was a tavern ; 
 but, to our unspeakable disappointment, we found that 
 several American officers lodged in the house. Thus 
 circumstanced, we were obliged immediately to proceed 
 to another friend a few miles forward. We now thought 
 it best to quit the great road, and turn off towards Valley- 
 Forge. In the course of our march we fortunately hap¬ 
 pened to come to a shoemaker's dwelling, where we got 
 all our shoes repaired, and having supplied our guide 
 with a new pair, and given him our best clothes in 
 exchange for his bad ones, and (above all) having sup* 
 plied him with plenty of peach-whiskey, wherever we 
 could procure it, he seemed determined for the present, 
 to proceed with us to New York. In the evening we 
 gained the house to which we had been directed. The 
 lady who inhabited it, was a near relation of general Lee. 
 Both herself and husband were firmly attached to the 
 royal cause. The house was situate on the banks of the 
 Schuylkill. Here we halted for two days, during which 
 time we were nobly entertained. At twelve o’clock on 
 the night of the second day the master of the mansion 
 provided a canoe, and sent his servant to put us across the 
 river, giving us the name and place of abode of another 
 friend. We now continued for some days going from 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 405 
 
 «ne friend to another, still keeping our course towards 
 New 1 ork. Early one morning we came to a river, which 
 was very broad but only about four feet deep. In the 
 middle of this river was a small island* We prepared 
 ourselves to wade over. The morning was exceeding 
 frosty which made the water very cold. Our o-uide 
 now lost all his resolution. He declared with tea^rs in 
 his eyes “ That his heart was almost broken with hard¬ 
 ships , that he was sure he would never survive if he 
 waded that river and all his fears about his pardon 
 leturned in full force upon him. We proposed to carry 
 him over on our backs, to give him half the money we 
 had, and renewed our former promises of interceding 
 for him, and procuring his pardon ; but all in vain. 
 He turned about, under great terror, and fled from us. 
 We afterwards were informed, that this unfortunate man 
 was, in the course of a few days, taken up, and the 
 fact being proved, that he was seen conducting four 
 men, supposed to be British soldiers, into New York 
 he was condemned, and hanged. 
 
 When we found it impossible to reclaim our guide, 
 we waded across the river ourselves, and were almost 
 deprived of the power of our limbs when we got on 
 the other side. Our last protector had directed us to 
 another friend, whose house was situate about two miles 
 from this river. We therefore made what haste we 
 could before the day advanced. We gained the hos¬ 
 pitable mansion, and were concealed in the barn, and 
 plentifully supplied with provisions. Thus far we had 
 been successful in our enterprize. We were near the Dela¬ 
 ware river, about twenty miles above Philadelphia. 
 That river we were to cross in our progress. But in 
 crossing it our protector could give us neither assistance 
 or recommendation. He had no connexion on its shores 
 which he durst trust. Soon however, as day dosed we 
 set off, and arrived on the banks of the Delaware about 
 
 3 F 
 
l0( j JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 nine o’clock the same evening. We boldly ventured 
 into a house to inquire for the ferry-house. Contrary 
 to expectation we were kindly entertained, and in¬ 
 formed that we were two miles from it, We remained 
 at this place all night, and proceeded to the ferry-house 
 early in the morning. A number of boatmen had just 
 entered the house before us; they were employed in 
 carrying wood to Philadelphia, and landed there (the 
 house being a tavern) to refresh themselves, They 
 were eight in number, and seemed, by their looks and 
 conversation, to suspect who we were. As soon as we 
 perceived this we called for some refreshment, and 
 appeared cheerful and undismayed. After some time 
 they withdrew into an inner room, to consult (as we 
 supposed) how they were to attack and take us. We 
 held a consultation, and were determined to part wit 
 our liberty at as dear a rate as we could. Just at this 
 crisis, when we were preparing to act on the defensive, 
 one of our party said, “ Let us seize the ferry-boat, 
 and make across the river.” This proposal was imme¬ 
 diately agreed to; and, after discharging our reckoning, 
 we sallied out of the house, jumped into the ferry-boat 
 and insisted on the negro who had the charge of her 
 rowing us across with all expedition, on pain ot instant 
 death.° This the terrified creature performed with such 
 celerity, that we were half way over the Delaware 
 before the alarm was given. The negro being in the 
 boat with us, prevented their firing on us. We soon 
 pulled to the opposite shore, and ran into the woods, 
 where we were soon secure from all our pursuers, as 
 we had above a mile and a half the start of them. 
 We lay concealed in the thickest part of the wood that 
 clay ; and at night proceeded in quest of a house to 
 which we had been directed. After much search we 
 found it, and were entertained a few hours, when we 
 proceeded to the abode of another friend. 
 
AMERICAN WAR 40* 
 
 Such was the benevolent assistance which we received 
 in this part of the country, that an imperative duty 
 forces itself on me, here to notice the malignant 
 assertions of Belsham, who says,* that when the British 
 troops were retiring to Brunswick, through the Jerseys 
 <c the licentious ravages of the soldiery, particularly 
 of the German mercenaries, during the time they were 
 in possession of the Jerseys, had excited the utmost 
 resentment and detestation of the inhabitants and that 
 “ such havoc, spoil, and ruin, were made by the forces 
 under general Howe’s personal inspection and command, 
 as were well calculated to obviate the suspicion that 
 any secret partiality to America yet remained in the 
 breast of the English general.” 
 
 To this charge (with the most awful appeal for the 
 verity of my assertion) I can a'ver, that in all the dif¬ 
 ferent places in America, through which I have marched 
 as a soldier, been carried as a captive, or travelled in 
 regaining my freedom, I never found people more 
 strongly attached to the British government, ~than in 
 the very place where Belsham says, 6< such havoc, spoil, 
 and ruin, were made by the British forces.” This we 
 now experienced in a very great degree. These very 
 inhabitants ventured their own lives to secure ours, 
 and at the risque of their whole property, and the 
 jeopardy of all their relatives and friends gave us 
 the means of safe . conduct into New York. Why 
 Belsham cherished, and on almost every occasion mani¬ 
 fested such inveterate malice against our commanders 
 and soldiers in America, is matter of astonishment to 
 me, and I might add, remains matter of mystery to 
 the discerning and loyal part of the public. If the* 
 British troops in America had been capable of coolv 
 and deliberately murdering his father, mother, and al( 
 
 * Memoirs of the Reign of George HI. VoL I. Paije $88 
 aod 408. 
 
 3 F 2 
 
*0$ JOURNAL Of THE 
 
 his relatives, nay if they had actually perpetrated the 
 horrid deed, he could scarcely have been more rancarou*. 
 
 An historian ought to record the truth , and the truth 
 only, whether of friend or foe. The officers who served 
 in the American campaigns were gentlemen (some of 
 them noblemen, or noblemen’s sons who have since suc¬ 
 ceeded to their hereditary titles) of the first families in the 
 empire, for wealth as well as honor. Men who had 
 no earthly temptation to such acts, # and whose high 
 spirits independent of that circumstance would have 
 revolted at the bare mention of the attrocities charged 
 on them. However they ultimately failed in accom¬ 
 plishing the re-union of England and America, still it 
 was the grand object of all their toils, both bodily, 
 and mental; and they were as far removed from “ amas¬ 
 sing fortunes by plunder and rapine,” (as is asserted) 
 by Ramsay, as Mr. Belsham and Ramsay are from ac¬ 
 quiring fame by candor and truth. But to return to 
 my narrative. We now entered into a country, which 
 was full of American troops, and the nearer we pro¬ 
 ceeded to New York, the more numerous they were. 
 This constrained us to act with great caution and 
 circumspection: we made but short stages among our 
 friends. On the 16th of March, we found ourselvei 
 within thirty miles of Staten Island, at which place was the 
 British out-posts. Our American friend, in whose barn we 
 lay concealed, advised us strongly to take a guide, 
 which he said he could procure for us. To this we 
 readily consented, and waited three days for our con¬ 
 ductor. The wished for moment arrived; our guide 
 came, the agreement was made, our friend procured 
 us a bottle of strong spirits, and we set off with our 
 
 * 1 am bold to assert that one British regiment was possessed of 
 more property in gold, silver watches, &c. than was in general 
 Washington’s whole army: even the inhabitants were de$- 
 tittle of gold and silver. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 conductor about nine o’clock at night, under the expec¬ 
 tation of arriving before morning in the vicinity of 
 Amboy ; which town lay opposite Staten Island, being 
 divided only by a river. In two hours march we came 
 to a village which our guide told us we might safely 
 march through, as the inhabitants were all in bed, and 
 no American troops were stationed in it. “ But lest,, 
 said he, I should happen to be seen with you, I will take 
 a circuit and meet you on the great road on the top of 
 the hill, on the other side of the village.” We con¬ 
 sented to this plan and marched through the village 
 unperceived, and arrived at the place appointed for 
 meeting ; there we remained, expecting our guide every 
 moment; but after remaining two hours we gave up all 
 hopes, and saw clearly that he had given us the slip. 
 It snowed all the time very hard accompanied with a 
 piercing north wind. Our clothes and shoes being all 
 torn, made our situation, while we waited, almost in¬ 
 supportable: we at last came to the resolution of proceed- 
 ing by ourselves, though we were entirely unacquainted 
 upon what point of the compass Amboy lay. But the stars 
 being rather bright we knew we could not be mate¬ 
 rially wrong if we proceeded due nortn. We marched very 
 hard over a broken uneven ground, sometimes on the road 
 and sometimes through the woods. At four o’clock in the 
 morning one of our companions dropped down and de¬ 
 clared with tears in his eyes, he was not able to proceed 
 any farther : the soles of his shoes had been worn off and 
 his feet were all bruised and cut. Indeed we were all 
 much in the same way. We proposed to carry him by 
 turns till daylight, when we would repose ourselves. 
 “ No,” said he, “ leave me here to die ; for I am quite 
 exhausted : if I live till morning, I will strive to creep 
 to the next house ; and if I survive, I will endeavour to 
 follow you.”-We were greatly affected at parting with 
 h\oi. To me indeed it was peculiarly distressing, as h«t 
 
410 
 
 Journal of the 
 
 was one of the men I had brought in with me to Nevr 
 York from general Burgoyne’s army, and was the man 
 whom I have already mentioned, who understood several 
 languages, and who was of so much service in effecting 
 our escape. 
 
 We marched on until the morning when we conceal¬ 
 ed ourselves in the w : ocds, until the night came on. 
 During this time we were without provisions. Soon 
 as the evening set in we prepared as well as we could, 
 for our march. About two o’clock in the morning 
 we perceived a house, on the side of a narrow road, 
 it was unconnected with any other building. Not 
 knowing, where we vrere, we agreed to stop, arid 
 obtain all the information which we could. We rapped 
 at the door, w'hich was quickly opened by an old 
 man, who with bis wife were the only persons in the 
 house. Without discovering who we were, we entered 
 into conversation with them both. It came out, during 
 our discourse, that he was a native of Dublin and 
 had left it about thirty years before. Here my being 
 a native of Ireland was of inestimable seivice to the 
 whole party. As I could mention several places in 
 Dublin, and many of the transactions which had hap¬ 
 pened in his time, he became highly pleased with my 
 conversation, and with true native hospitality brought 
 out provisions to entertain his countryman. From several 
 of his answers which he gave to some of the questions 
 which I occasionally, and I may say accidentally, put 
 to him, I perceived he was a loyalist; but being un¬ 
 willing to commit the whole party, I did not discover to 
 him whom we were. Having gained all the information 
 which we wanted, we left his house. 
 
 He had informed us where the American guards weVe 
 stationed along the banks of the river, who could at all 
 interfere with- us, which was onty the distance of two 
 miles off. We immediately proceeded towards it,* Cafe- 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 4U 
 
 fully avoiding the American posts. About an hour 
 before day-light we arrived on its banks, and as soon 
 as morning dawned, we saw with pleasure Staten Island. 
 But a deep and broad river rolled between us and our 
 place of refuge. We wandered up and down the shore 
 in hope of finding a canoe or boat ; but in vain. After 
 a fruitless search for near an hour, the broad appearance 
 of day much alarmed us, as we dreaded lest some of the 
 American sentinels, who were posted along the coast, 
 should discover us. In this dangerous situation, we held 
 a‘consultation what wa$ best to be done; when it was 
 unanimously agreed to- return to my countryman’s house, 
 discover who we were, and throw ourselves upon his 
 protection. We returned, and were not disappointed : 
 we found him to be a staunch loyalist. He observed, 
 “ The coast is full of troops—I will bring you to a 
 place of concealment.” He then conducted us to a thick 
 part of a wood, while lie went to two friends, who owned 
 a boat, in which we could at night safely cross the river. 
 There we remained until a late hour in the evening, when 
 bis two friends, with the boatmen, came to us ; and hav¬ 
 ing agreed for our passage, we proceeded to the boat. 
 The river, where we had to cross, was more than three 
 jmiles broad. 
 
 Our friends informed us, that an English sloop of war 
 was stationed there, in order to intercept the American 
 privateers and other craft, and likewise to keep the 
 coast in alarm. We entered the boat with joy., and 
 put off from the shore. They had not rowed a quarter 
 of a mile, when the wind, which had hitherto been fair 
 for us, changed against us, and blew \ei v ,es l * 
 boat, being very small, made a great deal of water. 
 This Greatly- alarmed the boatmen ; and they immedi¬ 
 ately Lade" for the shore from whence we came 
 When we perceived what they were about, we insisted 
 •that they should turn the boat, and endeavour to gam 
 
41 1 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 the sloop ; or, failing in that, row us across to Staten 
 Island. They were greatly alarmed at our resolution; 
 and declared, that it was impossible for a boat to live- 
 in that <>*ale of wind ; and that we should be all cer- 
 tainly lost, if we persisted in the attempt. But we 
 were resolved to venture, and peremptorily commanded 
 them to proceed. After beating against the wind and 
 waves for near two hours, and being almost perished 
 with wet and cold, we espied a square rigged vessel, 
 the boatmen were apprehensive at first that she was 
 an American privateer. However, as our boat was every 
 moment in danger of sinking, we determined to make 
 towards her. As we approached, we were hailed, and 
 ordered to come along side. To our unspeakable joy, 
 w’e saw British soldiers standing on the deck. Such 
 was the effect of our sufferings, that we had almost 
 lost the power of our limbs and speech : for w hen I 
 was ordered} down to the cabin to captain Skinner, 
 to give him an account who we were, I could not articulate 
 a word. Perceiving my situation, he humanely ordered 
 a large glass of rum to be given me. This soon brought 
 me to my speech, and I then briefly recapitulated to 
 him our whole story. The ship’s company being informed 
 that we were British soldiers who had escaped from 
 the Americans, were eager to express their joy. We 
 were ordered the best refreshments the vessel could 
 afford. In the morning we were put on shore on Staten 
 Island, with a letter to the captain’s father, colonel 
 Skinner, who commanded a regiment of loyal Americans, 
 and who was the commanding officer on Staten Island. 
 
 I need not tell the Reader what we felt when >ye were 
 inarching across the island, where we considered our¬ 
 selves perfectly safe within the British lines. We waited 
 on colonel Skinner, who immediately ordered a boat to 
 convey us to New York. We landed at the wharf, and 
 with cheerful steps marched to head quarters. When 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 413 
 
 LV;“e r r;,“e SmiS0 "’ « 
 
 leer, th* Serjeants of the Royal Welch Fuzi- 
 
 > y were struck with astonishment. We had Ind 
 
 of sl,aving oursdv “ *■” -«“ 
 
 Zms- n i l ' V,!re ' ,0rn 0U,; °” <**>»* i» 
 
 tion L Erj' , th '> commiserated oor condi- 
 
 »«nd=," „ S .f Th T m °" 
 
 Sir J I - ,. T 15 Was on the 23d of March, i 7 82. 
 
 We comm ry - C l T n reCe ' Vcd us with S reat kindness, 
 of whi h UI,1Cated t0 hls excellency all the information 
 
 ed 7!i ^ T 6 / 03 ^’ Which in an >’ ‘end¬ 
 
 ed to the good of the service. After this, we were 
 
 sent to receive the usual bounty, which was given as 
 
 n encouragement to those soldiers who made good their 
 
 escape After the officer who was appointed to pay 
 
 us had entered my name in the book, he turned his 
 
 eye to the top of the first page, and said, “ Here is 
 
 t e same name of a non-commissioned officer of the 
 
 9th regiment, one of the first who had made his escape 
 
 from general Burgoyne’s army, more than four years 
 
 ag °.” ^ I answered, “ I am the man.” On which he 
 
 replied, “ if you are the man, your colonel (colonel 
 
 Hdl) vvho vvas exchanged, and went to England, has 
 
 left here all your arrears of pay.” “ But,” added he, 
 
 “ }' ou must P rove tha t you are the identical person.” 
 This I soon did, as there were officers both of the 9th 
 and 23d regiments, who knew me well at that time in 
 New york. In consequence, I received a very consi¬ 
 derable sum, which was due to me. I then wrote out 
 this narrative, and presented it to major Mackenzie,* 
 deputy quarter master general. The major recom¬ 
 mended me to brigadier general Birch, the commandant 
 of New York, anti I was appointed his first clerk, for 
 
 * Now colonel Mackenzie, and secretary to the rnilitarv 
 college, London. 
 
 3 G 
 

 
 
 4U JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 which 1 had a good salary. The major’s kindness did 
 not stop there; but through his interest I was made 
 adjutant to the Merchants Corps of volunteers, who 
 were then on permanent duty in the town. 
 
 At .hi. place, during two months, ! 
 portable respite from the hard duty to which 1 had 
 been accustomed, the only repose, 1 • 
 
 which 1 had during the eight years I was in . 
 
 Colonel Balfour, having armed m New 
 from Charlestown, it being evacuated, ordeted 
 
 osd'jegjment, who were doing dnty there; .0 whtch 
 ^TheSrlrillSs fee, some anaiety for the 
 
 ^Tnnumerable hardships, and travelling through the 
 
 ± P rr int*^ 
 
 wise arrived 1 at New York, conducted by the last guide, 
 who had divided from us in passing through the village. 
 Thus thorn* by different routes, the whole party which 
 J t^k wuh n me from Little York, arrived safe at the 
 
 "TrlT 6 : the hardships which I endured, 
 Ae dangers winch I escaped from my first setting out 
 from Gloucester, after our army was taken prisoners, 
 a march of perhaps not less than one thousand miles, 
 through a wilderness interspersed with swamps, I tee 
 aud senseless must I be if I did not feel it) a degree 
 oi thankfulness to that Providence, who, not only pre- 
 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 415 
 
 i 1' 
 
 served my life in several hard fought battles, skirmishes, 
 &c. but also guided my footsteps through those desart 
 tracks, and brought me in safety once more among my 
 friends. It is true, I can state the fact in the language of 
 the great heathen poet: 
 
 “ From the din of war. 
 
 Safe I returned without one hostile scar; 
 
 Though balls in leaden tempests rained around. 
 
 Yet innocent they flew, and guiltless of a wound." 
 
 But I must acknowledge, as a Christian, (however I 
 may by some persons be charged with enthusiasm for it) 
 that in all these wonderful events of my past life, I see 
 and adore an higher direction—an arm Omnipotent 
 which has been my safe guard ; and penetrated with the 
 recollection of which I may truly say —“ O God the 
 Lord, the strength of my salvation ; Thou hast covered 
 my head in the day of battle." 
 
 3 G i 
 
 
 / 
 
4!6 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 Spirit of Political Rancor in America. Captain Huddy's 
 Execution . Correspondence between Generals Wash¬ 
 ington, Clinton , and Carleton , on the Circumstance. 
 Thirteen Captains , Prisoners under the Convention of 
 Lord Cornwallis and General Washington , draw Lots 
 for Death. The Lot falls on Captain Asgill. Appli¬ 
 cation of his Mother to the Court of France on his 
 behalf. Letters between her Ladyship and Count 
 Vergennes. The Minister of Franee intercedes on his 
 behalf. Procures his Release. General Washington'$ 
 Letter to Captain Asgill. Lady AsgilVs Letter of 
 Thanks to Count Vergennes. Articles of Peace signed. 
 The Author's Return , ike. 
 
 STROM the capture of lord Cornwallis, to the period 
 when the independence of America was acknowledged 
 by the British government, and peace between the two 
 countries concluded, little occurred to interest the 
 Reader, except the circumstance of captain Asgill.^ 
 As I am in possession, of more accurate information 
 on this subject than most who have written on American 
 affairs, I shall take the liberty of detailing on the facts. 
 
 The spirit of political rancor in America had at 
 this period risen to an uncommon height. It raged 
 
 i Now lieutenant-general Sir Charles Asgill, Bart, command¬ 
 ing the Eastern District, in Ireland. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 417 
 
 beyond all bounds. Nor was it possible for the British 
 commanders wholly to restrain the exercise of that re¬ 
 taliation by the loyalists who fought under them, which 
 was inspired, by the violence of the opposite party. 
 Smith, who wrote froilf observation and not mere report, 
 thus characterizes this party violence. “ The malignity, 
 virulence, and savage barbarity, that, at the above men¬ 
 tioned time, pervaded all ranks, classes, and denomi¬ 
 nations, whether in the civil or military line, cannot 
 be delineated in any terms, but such as must agonize 
 the heart of sensibility, and cause a blush on the cheek 
 of civilized humanity ; and the baneful effects of which 
 were not eradicated so late as the year 1801 ; when 
 at a place called Ninety-Six, and at Augusta, in Georgia, 
 in a large company, among the gentry of the country, 
 where, it would be supposed, humanity would prevail, 
 were it only through decency, and with a view to 
 example, I heard them boast of having committed bar¬ 
 barities shocking to human nature. One instance was 
 that of an old, grey-headed justice of the peace, who 
 solemnly declared, he had during the war, shot, at 
 different actions, and in cold blood, ninety-nine tories,* 
 and felt unhappy he had not accomplished the complete 
 hundred.” 
 
 At New York an association was formed among the 
 American loyalists, for the purpose of warfare on the 
 opposite party : but which was^abused into a retaliation 
 on the continentals, for the death and sufferings of 
 the king’s friends. A block-house in Monmouth county 
 was taken by a party of these, and captain John Huddy 
 made prisoner. He was conveyed to a prison-ship, lying 
 in the river, near New York, and there kept in close cus¬ 
 tody fifteen days, and then told “ That he was ordered 
 to be hanged.” Four days after he was sent out with a 
 
 * American Loyalists. 
 
41* 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 party of refugees, and hanged on the heights of Middleton. 
 The following label was affixed to his breast: 
 
 “ We the refugees having long with grief beheld the 
 cruel murders of onr brethren, and finding nothing but 
 such measures daily carrying into execution; we there¬ 
 fore determine not to suffer without taking vengeance, 
 for the numerous cruelties, and thus begin, and have 
 made use of captain Huddy as the first object to present 
 to your view, and further determine to hang man for 
 man, while there is a refugee existing. Up goes Huddy 
 for Philip White.” 
 
 Philip White in retaliation for whom Huddy 
 was hanged, had been taken by a party of the Jersey 
 militia, and was killed in attempting to make his 
 escape.* 
 
 Sir Henry Clinton as soon as he was informed of the 
 circumstance of Huddy’s execution, ordered a court- 
 martial on the captain who commanded at the transaction; 
 but being superseded in command by Sir Guy Carleton, 
 the court broke up without coming to any determination. 
 The American commander flushed with conquest, was 
 not disposed to await or abide by the judgment of 
 an English court martial, but dispatched the following 
 haughty and indignant letter to Sir Henry Clinton. 
 
 Head Quarters , April 21 st. 1782. 
 
 (( g IR _The inclosed representation, from the inhabitants 
 of the county of Monmouth, with testimonials to the fact, 
 (which can be corroborated by other unquestionable 
 evidence,) will bring before your excellency the most 
 wanton, cruel, and unprecedented murder that ever dis¬ 
 graced the arms of a civilized people. I shall not, 
 because I conceive it altogether unnecessary, trouble 
 your excellency with any animadversions on this trans¬ 
 action. Candour obliges me to be explicit—to save the 
 innocent I demand the guilty. 
 
 * Ramsay. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 418 
 
 “ Captain Lippencot, therefore, or the officer who com¬ 
 manded at the execution of captain Huddy, must be 
 given up ; or if that officer was of inferior rank to him, 
 so many of the perpetrators as will, according to the 
 tariff of exchange, be an equivalent. To do this, will 
 mark the, justice of your excellency’s character. In 
 failure of it, I shall hold myself justified in the eyes 
 of God and man, for the measures to which 1 shall 
 
 resort. 
 
 “ I beg your excellency to be persuaded, that it cannot 
 be more disagreeable to you to be addressed in this 
 language, than it is to me to offer it; but the subject 
 requires frankness and decision. I have to request your 
 speedy determination, as my resolution is suspecde 
 
 but for your answer. 
 
 “ 1 have the honor to be, &c. 
 
 George Washington.” 
 
 To which his excellency, general Clinton, returned 
 
 the following answer : . , , . , 
 
 .1 S 1R _Your letter of the 21st instant, with the enclosed 
 
 testimonials, respect.ng captain Huddy's execution, was 
 delivered to me yesterday ; and though I am extremely 
 concerned for the cause, I cannot conceal my surprise 
 and displeasure at the very improper anguage you 
 have made use of, which you could not but be sensible 
 
 was totally unnecessary. 
 
 The mildness of the British government does not 
 admit of acts of cruelty, or persecuting violence ; and 
 as they are notoriously contrary to tie tenor y 
 
 «wn conduct and disposition, (having never yet stained 
 my hands with innocent blood) I must claim t ie J * 
 
 Tf bavins it believed, that if such have been committed 
 by any person under my command, they could not 
 
 II been warranted by my an,horny n»r c ^ 
 have ever .he sanction of my approbation. M, , 
 sonal feelings, therefore, reqmrcd no snch metm.m 
 
420 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 to urge me to take the proper notice of the barbarous 
 outrage against humanity, which you have represented 
 to me, the moment it came to my knowledge; and 
 accordingly when I heard of captain Huddy’s death, 
 (which was only four days before I received your 
 letter) I ordered a strict inquiry to be made into all 
 its circumstances, and shall bring the perpetrators of 
 it to an immediate trial. 
 
 “ To sacrificeinnocence under the notion of preventing 
 guilt, in place pf suppressing would be adopting barba¬ 
 rity, and raise it to the greatest height ! Whereas, if 
 the violatros of the laws of war are punished bv the 
 generals under whose powers they act, the horrors which 
 those laws were formed to prevent, will be avoided, and 
 every degree of humanity war is capable of maintained. 
 
 Ci Could violations of humanity be justified by example, 
 many from the parts where your power prevails, that 
 exceed, and probably gave rise to this in question, could 
 be produced. In hopes the mode I mean to pursue, will 
 be adopted by you, and prevent all future enormities, 
 “ I remain, &c. H. Clinton.” 
 
 His Excellency General Washington . 
 
 This mild and dignified reply of the British comman¬ 
 der, produced no other effect than the immediate selec¬ 
 tion of one the British officers to be the sacrifice, which 
 was to atone for the death of captain Huddy. Soon, 
 however, as Sir Guy Carleton arrived, and took on him 
 the command, he dispatched the following letter to 
 general Washington : 
 
 Head Quarters, Neiv York, Itli May, 17 82. 
 
 Sir Having been appointed by his majesty to the 
 command of the forces of the Atlantic Ocean, and joined 
 with admiral Digby in the commission of peace, I find 
 it proper in this manner to apprize your excellency of 
 my arrival at New York. 
 

 AMERICAN WAR. 42 i 
 
 The occasion, Sir, seems to render the communication 
 proper, but the circumstances of the present time, render 
 it also in dispensable, as I find it just to transmit here¬ 
 with to your excellency certain papers, from the perusal 
 of which your excellency will perceive what dispositions 
 prevail in the government and people of England towards 
 those of America, and what further effects are likely to 
 follow; if the like pacific dispositions should prevail in 
 this country, both my inclination and duty will lead me 
 =to meet them witj» the most zealous concurrence. In all 
 events, Sir, it is with me to declare, that, it war must 
 prevail, 1 shall endeavour to render its miseries as light to 
 the people of this continent as the circumstances of such 
 a condition will possibly permit. 
 
 “ I am much concerned to find that private and un¬ 
 authorised persons have on both sides given way to those 
 passions which ojtgfet to have received the strongest and 
 most effectual controui, and which have begot acts of 
 retaliation, which without proper preventions, may have 
 an extent equally calamitous and dishonorable to both 
 parties, though, as it should seem, more extensively 
 pernicious to the natives and settlers of this country. 
 
 « How much soever, Sir, we tnay differin other respects, 
 upon this one point we must perfectly concur, being 
 alike interested to preserve the name of Englishmen from 
 reproach, and individuals from experiencing such un¬ 
 necessary evils as Chn have no effect upon a general deci¬ 
 sion. Every proper measure that may tend to prevent 
 these criminal excesses in individuals, I shall ever be 
 ready to embrace ! And as an advance on my part, I 
 have, as the first act of my command, enlarged Mr. 
 I.evin-ston, and have written to bis father on the subject 
 of such excesses as have passed in New Jersey, desiring 
 his concurrence in such measures, as, even under the 
 condition of war, the common interests of humanity 
 
 require. ^ 
 
422 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 te j am further to acquaint you, Sir, that it was mv in¬ 
 tention to have sent this day a similar letter of compli¬ 
 ment to congress, but am informed it is previously 
 necessary to obtain a passport from your excellency , which 
 I therefore hope to receive, if you have no objection, 
 for the passage of Mr. Morgan to Philadelphia, for the 
 above purpose. 
 
 “ I have the honor to be, with great respect, your ex, 
 
 cellency’s most obedient humble servant, 
 
 Guy Carl Eton.” 
 
 To this letter Washington returned a cool and evasive 
 answer, and finally the congress refused the passport 
 requested. 
 
 Perhaps a scene more awful can scarcely be ima¬ 
 gined, than a number of military men convened to 
 determine by lot which shall become the victim of po¬ 
 litical rancor. Thirteen captains of Lord Cornwallis s 
 army were, by the command of general Washington 
 assembled at Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, to draw lots, 
 one of which contained the mandate of death. Captain 
 Asgill drew the 12th lot, which was the fatal one. I ie 
 word “ Unfortunate ” was written inside it. The captain 
 that did not draw, who was the owner of the 13th lot, is 
 now the honourable Sir G. J. Ludlow, K. B. lieutenant 
 general and lieutenant governor of Berwick, live mi¬ 
 nutes were allowed between the drawing of each lot. A 
 dreadful pause of suspense 1 
 
 Soon after captain Asgill had drawn the “ unfortunate” 
 lot, his friend, major Gordon of the 80th regiment, 
 who commanded the British prisoners belonging to 
 lord Cornwallis’s army, wrote to general Washington, 
 soliciting permission to accompany the captain in 
 his confinement. This arose from the most generous 
 of motives, to soothe and comfort him under his 
 misfortune. The major humanely supposed that he 
 must want a friend, more especially when he consi 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 423 
 
 dered his youth, (as the captain was not at that time 
 seventeen years of age) general Washington answered 
 this letter, by declaring, “ that he would not grant 
 the major’s request, unless he would submit to all the 
 rigors of confinement and usage, which the captain 
 should receive.” To these terms the major acceded, 
 with the most heroic magnanimity, and voluntarily went 
 into confinement with the captain. No writer on Ame¬ 
 rican affairs has recorded this circumstance, which is as 
 exalted an instance of the power of friendship, between 
 two British officers, as can be produced from the 
 most boasted stories of antiquity 
 
 It should also have been mentioned, (to the honor 
 of major Gordon’s memory) that when lord Cornwallis’s 
 army surrendered at York Town, a field officer was 
 appointed to remain with the captured troops; and 
 lieutenant-colonel Lake (afterwards lord Lake) was the 
 officer to whom that service was assigned. Here the 
 major gave another instance of friendship, as rare as 
 it was disinterested. Knowing the situation of the colo¬ 
 ners health, and that he had a family in England, he 
 voluntarily submitted to remain prisoner in his room, 
 and take command of the captives. 
 
 Captain Asgill was conveyed under a strong guard to 
 the Jerseys. Indeed it was with general Washington’s 
 usual policy (a policy which his advocates ascribed to 
 the purest humanity) that he was sent there. Huddy’s 
 friends lived on the spot, and being spectators of the usage 
 captain Asgill received, they might thereby have ceased 
 their clamors, and even felt something for the innocent 
 victim of retribution. 
 
 The officer who guarded him, boasted to him on the 
 road, “ that he was a very fortunate officer! for he 
 had ’had the honor of guarding major Andre after lie was 
 taken.” This; nius.t have been very distressing to young 
 
 3 H i 
 
m 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 Asgill. Indeed the captain received very bad usage 
 throughout his confinement; he was constantly fed upon 
 bread and water. This hard treatment constrained him to 
 send his faithful servant to New York, to receive and carry 
 letters for him. This man ran great hazard in passing 
 over the North River into New York. 
 
 During captain Asgill’s confinement some letters passed 
 between him amt general Washington. The captain 
 pleaded the 14 th article of the capitulation of York Town; 
 that it would therefore be the highest breach of faitli 
 according to the laws of nations that he should suffer 
 death : this artidte, which the captain alluded to, con¬ 
 tains the following sentence:*—“ No a-rtiete of the capi¬ 
 tulation shall be violated under pretence of reprisals; 
 and if it should contain any doubtful expression, it shaft 
 be interpreted according to the ordinary sense and tenor 
 of words.”—“ Granted.” 
 
 To this strong plea general Washington replied, that 
 on several occasions during the war the British com*- 
 manders had broken many articles of capitulation, he 
 therefore* would not be bound, by one solitary article. 
 
 This was most erroneous reasoning in so great a man. 
 Is recrimination a proof of innocence or integrity ? It 
 amounts merely to this : “ Others have committed many 
 wrongs, I have therefore a right to commit one.” This 
 was justifying evil by the perpetration of evil. 
 
 Captain Asgill had frequent opportunities of making 
 his escape into New York; his whole guard (so greatly 
 was he beloved by them) offered to come in along with 
 him, if he would provide for them in England. Although 
 these offers must have been very tempting to a prisoner, 
 under sentence of death ! yet he scorned to comply, as 
 it would have involved more British Officers in trouble. 
 He nobly said, “ As the lot has fallen upon me, I will 
 abide by the consequence.” 
 
 Meantime general Washington wished to-hurry on the 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 425 
 
 execution of captain Asgill; but that wise general, Sir Guy 
 Carleton (afterwards Lord Dorchester) delayed sending 
 the determination of the court martial, which sat on 
 captain Lippencot, to the American general. This he did 
 in order to give time to captain Asgill to send home word 
 to his father and mother, to make speedy application to 
 the king and queen of France and*»count Vergennes r to 
 use their powerful intercession with Washington for his 
 life. At last general Carleton, after delaying the report 
 of the court martial orr captain Lippencot as long as he 
 could, transmitted intelligence to general Washington, that 
 he was acquitted * The reception of this intelligence 
 decided the doom of young Asgill, and he prepared to 
 die. He wrote to his family “ that before they would 
 receive that letter he should be no more.” His parents, 
 although they knew that letters from the court of France 
 were sent to America to save their son’s life, imagine 
 that they had arrived too late. Concluding that it. iat 
 suffered, the whole family went into mourning for him. 
 The reader must already know, that during t ns 
 period, lady Asgitlf had applied to count Vergennes. 
 Her letter contains so much of all that is endearing m 
 maternal feeling that I am induced to transcribe it. 
 
 * It aoDcared in the course of this trial that governor Franklin, 
 as a proper subject tor rcta 1 ^ j particularly as having 
 
 gees stated, a persecutor ot ) h^n TMwards who had been 
 
 been instrumental in hanging e P l.,:! considered the whole 
 .... of .h». description.. ll»«£ “ *** 
 
 matter, gave their opinion, j , proceeded from a con- 
 
 “ not the effect of m Ibl-V theSers of the Hoard of 
 
 “ viction that it was his duty y ^ doubt 
 
 - Directors of Associated Loyal.,^ he was nor. 
 “ their having full authority g and therefore they 
 
 suihy o* the 
 
 “ res,?*$."' i. ->..»». r to.. »<b. *•*« —-*•* 
 
 at a yery advanced period q! i- 1 
 

 <c Sir —If the politeness of the French court will permit 
 the application of a stranger, there can be no doubt 
 but one in which all the tender feelings of an individual 
 can be interested, will meet with a favorable reception 
 from a nobleman, whose character does honor, not only 
 to his own country, but to human nature. The subject, 
 Sir, on which I presume to implore your assistance, 
 is too heart piercing for me to dwell on ; and common 
 fame has, most probably, informed you of it; it there¬ 
 fore renders the painful task unnecessary. My son (an 
 only son) as dear, as he is brave, amiable as he is 
 deserving to be so, only seventeen, a prisoner under 
 articles of capitulation at York Town, is now confined 
 in America, an object of retaliation. Shall an innocent 
 suffer for the guilty ? Represent to yourself, Sir, the 
 situation of a family under these circumstances : sur¬ 
 rounded as I am, by objects of distress; distracted with 
 fear and grief; no words can express my feeling, or 
 paint the scene. My husband given over by his phy¬ 
 sicians a few hours before the news arrived, and not 
 in a state to be informed of the misfortune: my daughter 
 seized with a fever and delirium, raving about her 
 brother, and without one interval of reason, save to 
 bear heart aggravating circumstances. Let your feelings, 
 Sir, suggest and plead for my inexpressible misery. 
 A word from you, like a voice from heaven, will save 
 us from distraction and wretchedness. 
 
 “ I am well informed general Washington reveres 
 your character; say but to him you wish my son to 
 be released, and be will restore him to bis distracted 
 family, and give him back to happiness. My son’s virtue 
 and bravery will justify the deed. His honor, Sir, 
 carried him to America. He was born to affluence> 
 independence, and the happiest prospects. Let me again 
 supplicate your goodness ; let me respectfully implore 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 427 
 
 your high influence on behalf of innocence, in the 
 cause of justice, of humanity, that you would, Sir, 
 dispatch a letter to general Washington, from France, 
 and favor me with a copy of it, to be sent from hence. 
 
 I am sensible of the liberty I take in making this re¬ 
 quest ; but I am sensible, whether you comply with it 
 or not, you will pity the distress that suggests it: your 
 humanity will drop a tear on the fault, and efface it. 
 I pray that PJeaven may grant you may never want the 
 comfort it is in your power to bestow upon, “ Asgill.” 
 
 The Freuch minister, moved by so pathetic an appeal, 
 interceded with general Washington ; however, before 
 his letter arrived, the determination of the British court 
 martial, on captain Lippencot was received, ant} young 
 Asgill was ordered for execution. In 
 
 *< The very lucky minute of his fate/* 
 
 the letter from the minister of France arrived, (of 
 which the following is a copy) and he was pardoned. 
 Its elegance, as a literary composition, stands almost 
 unrivalled, and its delicate adaption to all the charac¬ 
 teristic feelings of the American commander is such, 
 as to speak no common interest in the life of captain 
 Asgill. 
 
 “ Silt—It is not in quality of a king, the friend and 
 ally of the United States, (though with the knowledge 
 and consent of his majesty) that I npw have the honor to 
 write to your excellency. It is as a man of sensibility, 
 and a tender father, who feels all the force of paternal 
 love, that I take the liberty to address to your excel¬ 
 lency my earnest solicitations, in favor of a mother and 
 family in tears. Her situation seems the more worthy 
 of notice on our part, &s it is to the humanity ol a 
 nation, at war with her own, that she has rccouisc 
 for what she ought tp receive from the impartial justice 
 of her own generals. 
 
 ¥'■ ' 
 
428 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 €t I have the honor to inclose to your excellency a cop} 
 of a letter which lady Asgill has just wrote to me. I 
 am not known to her, nor was 1 acquainted that her 
 son was the unhappy victim, destined by lot, to expiate 
 the odious crime that a formal denial of justice obliges 
 you to revenge. Your excellency cannot read this letter 
 without being affected ; it had that effect upon the king 
 and queen to whom I communicated it. The goodness 
 of their majesties’ hearts induces them to desire, that 
 the inquietudes of an unfortunate mother may be calmed, 
 and her tenderness re-assurped. I feel, Sir, that there 
 are cases where humanity itself exacts the most extreme 
 rigor; perhaps the one now in question may be of 
 the number: but allowing reprisals to be just, it is 
 not less horrid to those who are the victims ; and the 
 character of your excellency is too well known, for 
 me not to be persuaded that you desire nothing more 
 than to be able to avoid he disagreeable necessity . 
 
 « There is one consideration, Sir, which, though it is 
 not decisive, may have an influence on your resolution. 
 Captain Asgill is doubtless your prisoner, but he is 
 among those whom the arms of the king contributed to 
 put into your hands at York Town. Although this cir¬ 
 cumstance does not operate as a safe guard, it howevei 
 justifies the interest I permit myself to take in this affair. 
 Jf it is in your power, Sir, to consider and have re¬ 
 gard to it ; you will do what is very agreeable tq 
 their majesties. The danger of young Asgill, the tears, 
 the despair of his mother, affect them sensibly ; and they 
 will see with pleasure the hope of consolation shine out 
 for those unfortunate people. 
 
 “ In seeking to deliver captain Asgill from the fate 
 which threatens him, I am far from engaging you to seek 
 another victim ; the pardon to be perfectly satisfactory, 
 jnustbe entire. I do not imagine it can be productive of 
 any bad consequences. If the English general has not 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 ^ ^ 
 
 been able to punish the horrible crime Jou complain of, 
 in so exemplary a manner as he should, there is reason to 
 think he will take the most efficacious measures to prevent . 
 the like in future. 
 
 66 1 sincerely wish, Sir, that my intercession may meet 
 success , the sentiment which dictates it, and which you 
 have not ceased to manifest on every occasion, assures ir.e 
 that you will not be indifferent ;o the prayers, and to the 
 tears of a family which has se to your clemency 
 
 through me. It is rendering homage to your virtue to 
 implore it. I have the honor to be, with the most perfect 
 consideration, u De VergenneS.” 
 
 The pardon of captain Asgill was sent to him in the 
 following letter from general Washington, enclosing the 
 act of coOgress fey which it was granted. 
 
 Copy of ati order of congress releasing captain Asgill, 
 by the United Slates in congress assembled, Nov. 7, 1782. 
 
 “ On the report of a committee, to whom was referred 
 a letter of the 19th of August, from the commander in 
 chief, a report of a committee thereon, and motion of 
 Mr. Williamson and Mr. Rutledge relative thereto, and 
 also another letter of the 25th of October from the com¬ 
 mander in chief, with a copy of a letter from the count 
 Je Vergennes, dated the 29th of duly last, interceding 
 for captain Asgill. 
 
 << Resolved, that the commander in chief lie directed, 
 and lie is hereby directed, to set captain Asgill at liberty . ’ 
 Copy of a letter from general Washington to captain 
 Asgill, Covering Zhi abdve resolve. 
 
 “ Head Quarters , November 13, 1782. 
 
 a _ft affords me singular pleasure to have it in m} 
 
 power to transmit you the enclosed copy of an act of 
 congress of the 7tli instant, by which you are released 
 from the disagreeable circumstances in which you have so 
 long been.. Supposing you would wish to gd into New 
 
 4 
 
430 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 York as soon as possible, I also enclose a passport iot 
 that purpose. 
 
 Your letter of the 18th of October, came regular 
 to my hands; I beg you to believe, that my not 
 answering it sooner, did not proceed from inattention 
 to you, or a want of feeling for your situation. I 
 daily expected a deterinination of your case; and I 
 thought it better to await that, than to feed you with 
 hopes that might in the end prove fruitless. You will 
 attribute my detention of the inclosed letters, which 
 have been in my hands about a fortnight, to the same 
 cause. 
 
 “ 1 cannot take leave of you, Sir, without assuring 
 you, that in whatever light my agency in this unpleas¬ 
 ing affair may be received, I never was influenced 
 through the whole of it, by sanguinary motives, but 
 by what I conceived a sense of my duty, which loudly 
 called upon me to take measures, however disagreeable, 
 to prevent a repetition of those enormities, which have 
 beeo the subject of discussion ; and that this important 
 end is likely to be answered, without the effusion of 
 the blood of an innocent person, is not a greater 
 relief to you, than it is to, Sir, your most obedient? 
 and humble servant, “ George Washington.” 
 
 In consequence of the passport transmitted to captain 
 Asgill by general Washington, he gained New York, 
 from whence he sailed for England ; and arrived but 
 a very few days after his mother received his last 
 letter. He thought it prudent not to go immediately 
 to her ladyship; but sent the captain of the ship, gra¬ 
 dually to prepare her for an interview. Lady Asgil 
 was so overwhelmed with grief, at the supposed death 
 of her son, that she would see no stranger. She shut 
 herself up from almost every visitant. The captain 
 of the ship knocked at the door, and requested to 
 *ee lady Asgill. He was answered, that she saw no 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 431 
 
 person, (the captain's father was in the country.) 
 iC Tell her,” said the captain, “ I am just arrived 
 from New York, and that I have lately seen her son ; 
 and perhaps things are not so bad as $he imagines.” 
 The captain was admitted to see her; his mission 
 was soon disclosed ; and the mother and son meet 
 once more—a meeting which I will not attempt to 
 describe, and which none but those who, to their utmost 
 extent, have experienced the parental and filial ties 
 can imagine. 
 
 Lady Asgill with her son and family went over to France 
 personally, to thank the king and queen, and count 
 Vergennes; previous to which her ladyship wrote the 
 following letter to the count,* a translation of which 
 I subjoin. 
 
 “ Epuisee par de longues souffrances, suftoquSe par 
 un exces de bonheur inattendu, retenue dan mon lit par 
 la foiblesse & par la langueur, aneantie enfin, Monsieur, 
 au dernier degr6, il n’y a que mon extreme sensibilite 
 qui puisse~me donner la force de vous £crire. Daignez 
 accepter, Monsieur, ce foible effort de ma reconnoissance. 
 Elle a 6te mise aux pieds du tout-puissant, & croyez- 
 
 * The following are the reflections of a French writer who 
 had occasion to publish the letters. They are placed in the work 
 from whence they are copied, introductory to the letter itself, 
 and may serve to shew the sentiment which at that time pre¬ 
 vailed in France on captain Asgill’s situation. 
 
 " Do you not think that the unfortunate lady Asgill, in the 
 agonies arising from so cruel an expectation, had raised her ma¬ 
 ternal hands to Heaven an hundred times a day. She remained 
 dumb at the first rumour of her son’s deliverance. O my 
 Readers, you would know the affecting facts 1 She was expiring 
 her heart was dried up, her voice was dying away, the tomb 
 was half open before her. Her son lives, she knows it, a 
 consolatory report has resounded in her ears. I ought to be 
 silent, she is going to speak, she is going to write to that 
 humane minister, who has restored her son to her. she is going 
 to soften him again by her gratitude.” 
 
 3 1 2 
 
4 32 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 moi, elle a 6t6 presentee avec la meme sincerity, a vous, 
 Monsieur, & a vos illustres souvecains ; c’est par leur 
 auguste & salutaire entremise, ainsi que par la votre, que 
 moyennantla grace de Dieu, j’ai recouvr6 un fils a la vie, 
 auquel la mienne £toit attache. J’ai la douce assurance 
 que mes vceux pour mes protecteurs & pour vous, sont 
 entendus du ciel, a qui je les oftre. Oui, Monsieur, ils 
 produiront leur effet vis-a-vis du redoutable & dernier 
 tribunal oil je me flatte que vous et moi nous paroitrons 
 ensemble, vous pour recevoir la recompense de vos 
 vertus, moi celle de mes souffranccs. J’eleverai ma voix 
 devant ce tribunal imposant. Je reclarnerai ces re-* 
 gistres saints oil Ton aura tenu note de votre humanity. 
 Je demanderai que les benedictions descendent sur 
 votre tete, sur celui qui, par le plus noble usage du 
 privilege qu’il a regu de Dieu, (privilege vraiment 
 celeste) a change la misere en f61icit£, a retir6 le glaive 
 de dessus la tete d’un innocent, & rendu le plus digne 
 fils a la plus tendre & a la plus malheureuse des 
 meres. 
 
 66 Daignez agreer, Monsieur, cc juste tribut de re- 
 connoisance que je dois a vos sentimens vertuex. 
 Conservez-le, ce tribut, & qu’il passe jusqu’a vos des- 
 cendans, comme un temoignage de votre bienfaisance 
 sublime & exemplaire envers un etranger dont la nation 
 etoit en guerre avec la votre, mais dont la guerre 
 n’avoit point detruit les tendres affections. Que ce 
 tribut atteste encore la reconnoisance longtems apres 
 que la main qui l’exprime aura et6 r^duite en pous- 
 si€re, aiusi que le coeur qui clans ce moment ci, ne 
 respire que pour donner l’explosion a la vivacite de 
 ses sentimens; tant qu’il palpitera, ce sera pour vous 
 offrir tout le respect & toute la reconnoisance dont i 
 est p£oetr6. 
 
 ■ € Thfrrse Asgill.' 1 
 
43$ 
 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 Exhausted by long sufferings, overcome by an 
 excess of unexpected happiness, detained in my bed 
 by weakness and langor; in short, humbled before 
 God to the last degree, it is only, Sir, my extreme 
 sensibility that can give me strength to write to you. 
 Deign to accept, Sir, this feeble effort of my gratitude. 
 It has been placed at the feet of the Almighty, and 
 believe me, it has been presented with the same sin¬ 
 cerity to you, Sir, and to your illustrious sovereigns ; 
 it is by their august and salutary interposition, joined 
 to yours, that under the influence of divine grace, I 
 have recovered a son to life, to whom mine was attached. 
 I have the sweet assurance, that my vows for my pro¬ 
 tectors, and for you, are heard in heaven, by him, to 
 whom I offer them. Yes, Sir, they will produce their 
 effect, before that last and formidable tribunal, where 
 I flatter myself, that you and I shall appear together, 
 you in order to receive the reward of your virtues; 
 I, that of my sufferings. I will raise my voice before 
 that commanding tribunal. I will sue for those holv 
 registers, where your humanity shall have been noted 
 down. I will ask, that blessings may descend upon 
 your head, upon him, who by the most noble use of 
 the privilege that he has received from God, (a pri¬ 
 vilege truly celestial) has changed misery into felicity, 
 has withdrawn the sword from the heart of an innocent 
 person, and restored the most worthy son, to the most 
 tender and agonized of mothers. 
 
 “ Deign to receive kindly, Sir, this just tribute of 
 gratitude, that I owe to your virtuous sentiments; 
 yrreserve this tribute, let it pass to your descendants, 
 as a testimonial of your exemplary and sublime bene¬ 
 ficence towards a stranger, whose nation was at war 
 with yours, but which war had not destroyed the tender 
 affections. May this tribute still attest that gratitude 
 a Ipng time after the band which expresses it shall 
 
454 
 
 JOURNAL OF THE 
 
 have been reduced to dust, as well as the heart which 
 at this moment breathes only to give vent to the energy 
 of its sentiments. So long as it shall palpitate, it will 
 be in order to offer you all the gratitude and respect 
 with which it is penetrated. “ Teresb Asgill. 
 
 I shall conclude this account of captain Asgill s provi¬ 
 dential escape, with an extract taken from the Hibernian 
 Magazine for m2 ;* which may serve to shew what was 
 the prevailing opinion of the day relative to that officer. 
 
 “ Captain Asgill is only seventeen years of age, a captain 
 in the first regiment of foot guards, and only son of Sir 
 Charles Asgill, Bart, possessed of every virtue that can 
 endear him to his family or acquaintance, and in the last 
 campaigns in America, has given sufficient earnest of a 
 spirit and conduct under the different commands, (which 
 have devolved on him by the illness or absenee of h.s . 
 senior officers,) that would render him an honor to h.s 
 profession and country, 
 
 “ General Washington expressed deep concern, when 
 he wasinformedthe unhappy lot had fallen on this worthy 
 young gentleman, so well known to him by his bravery 
 and humanity in different instances, particularly when 
 the command devolving on him by the illness of h.s 
 colonel, he took a post from the Americans, commanded 
 by colonel Gregory, who being old and wounded, he sup¬ 
 ported him himself, with an awful and tender respect most 
 filial, evincing the true greatness of his amiable mind,” 
 
 At length in 1782, preliminaries of peace were signed 
 betwixt Spain, France, America, and Great Britain.— 
 Thus ended a contest, which dismembered England of 
 far more than half her territory ; but how far her 
 commerce, or her local interests as a nation, were 
 affected by it is a point which I presume not to de¬ 
 termine. Various and contradictory have been the 
 
 * This Article was written when the news arrived here that 
 captain Asgill was to die. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 435 
 
 opinions of the most profound politicians, concerning 
 it. This work being merely a Journal of events (most 
 of which passed under my own immediate observation) 
 during the war, it may with far more propriety, than 
 the investigation of such a subject, terminate with, my 
 own return to my native land. 
 
 I sailed from Sandy Hook on the 5th of December 1783, 
 and on the 17th of January, 1784, landed at Portsmouth 
 with the 23d .regiment: from that place we marched to 
 Winchester, where I requested my discharge. At that 
 time I had very great privileges allowed me in the army, 
 and was making money fast; but peace being proclaimed 
 through all Europe, I thought it my duty to come home 
 to my friends in Dublin, after an absence of near twelve 
 years, during which time I had served my country to 
 the best of my power. Colonel Balfour, who comman¬ 
 ded the regiment (well knowing that I was making 
 money in my situation,) kindly and humanely reasoned 
 with me, in order to prevail on me to remain in the army : 
 but seeing my determination was fixed, he signed my 
 discharge, and I marched up to London with a number 
 of my companions, in order to pass the board. When 
 the board sat I was considered as too young to receive the 
 pension; and likewise that I had not been long enough 
 in the service. It is true, the general officers who com* 
 posed the board at that time were unacquainted with me ; 
 and besides, as nothing was mentioned in my discharge 
 but the time of my servitude, and “ that I was dis¬ 
 charged,” they could not possibly be aware of the 
 nature and extent of my services, or the claims which I 
 possessed on the bounty of my sovereign. 
 
 Lieutenant Calvert,* of the 23d being then in London, 
 I communicated my disappointment to him. He was soriy 
 for me ; and said, “ Any thing that lies in my power I 
 
 * Now major general Culvert and adjutant general ot the 
 British forces. 
 
m JOURNAL OF Tttfc 
 
 will do for you.” He advised me to remain in London 
 until another board would sit; but I was determined not to 
 wait. Lieutenant Calvert was well acquainted with ; 
 we had served together iii America for some years ; l 
 have frequently had the honor of obeying his command, 
 and of fighting by his side in many battles and skir¬ 
 mishes. Even twenty-five years after these services, he 
 was not unmindful of me ; for when I took the liberty of 
 writing to him in September 1808, he kindly answered 
 the letter, and renewed his former acts of friendship 
 by recommending me to the duke of York* 
 
 Attachments of persons in the army to each other 
 terminate but with life, the friendship of the officer con¬ 
 tinues with the man who has fought under his command, 
 to the remotest period of declining years, and the old 
 soldier venerates his aged officer far more than perhaps 
 he did in his youthful days : it is like friendship between 
 school-boys, which encreases in manhood, and ripens in 
 old age. 
 
 I left London on the 15th of March, and landed in 
 Dublin on the 19th, to the inexpressible joy of an aged 
 mother, two sisters, and other relations, who had long 
 given up every hope that I was alive. 
 
 Since that period I have been frequently asked by 
 various friends to whom I related the circumstances of 
 the battle of Guildford Court House, why 1 did not apply 
 to marquis Cornwallis for some situation, when lord lieu¬ 
 tenant of Ireland, in the year 1798 ? My answer was, and 
 is, that at that time I had a young family, and was more* 
 over tolerably well settled. I knew his excellency would 
 have recognized me immediately, as I had been employed 
 by him during the campaign to write the duplicates of his 
 dispatches. A commission in a marching regiment would 
 most probably have been my reward, which I could not 
 have accepted, from the state of my health as well as the 
 reasons assigned. 
 
AMERICAN WAR. 437 
 
 However, to the honor of lord Cornwallis, it should be 
 mentioned, that when in America his lordship did not for¬ 
 get the service which I rendered him. A few days after the 
 battle of Guildford Court House, I was ordered to mount 
 guard over the prisoners which we had taken at that 
 battle. Among them was an American captain who had 
 committed various depredations on the loyal inhabitants 
 of the country. 
 
 This man was particularly mentioned to me, by the 
 provost marshal. I was ordered to be very careful that 
 he should not make his escape, for lord Cornwallis 
 was apprehensive he might murder and destroy the 
 inhabitants, whom he knew had assisted us in our march. 
 Unfortunately, he bribed one of my sentries, who per¬ 
 mitted him to effect it. When the circumstance was 
 made known to his lordship he was highly displeased, 
 and commanded the serjeant of the guard to be brought 
 before him, in order to be confined. But when I was 
 approaching towards him, his countenance changed into 
 a smile, and he directed his aid-de-camp to tell me to 
 go to my regiment, and to confine the sentinel who had 
 permitted the captain to get out of confinement. 
 
 Having thus brought this volume to a conclusion, 
 I have only to solicit the indulgence of the candid, 
 and the protection of the loy*d reader. My wish has 
 been to state facts as I knew they happened, in op¬ 
 position to that tissue of falsehood, which but too many 
 writers have produced on the subject. To elegance of 
 composition I prefer no claim ; but I think, on such 
 matters as the revolution of governments, it is the duty 
 of every man to let the present and the future ages know 
 those truths with which he is acquainted, and not to lock 
 them up in his own breast, until the grave closes on all 
 communication, and buries them in oblivion for ever. 
 
 If any circumstances have been misrepresented, acci¬ 
 dent and not intention was the cause. Since the fourth 
 
 3 K 
 
AMERICAN WAR 
 
 number of this work was printed, the Author has been 
 informed, that general Matthews, whose murder by 
 Tippoo Saib he relates, (p. 12S) was not the general 
 Matthews, who so gallantly assisted in the reduction of 
 Fort Washington. That brave officer was never in the 
 East Indies; but immediately after the termination of the 
 American War, he went to the West Indies , was appoint¬ 
 ed governor of St. Vincent, and remained in that island 
 many years. He died a full general in the service. 
 
 In the account of the battle of Camden, particular 
 mention ought to have been made of the 33d regiment. 
 The services which they rendered on that day, were 
 long the theme of the soldiers and officers present. 
 
 Thus, under the assistance of the Almighty, has this 
 account been brought to a period. It has not been 
 unattended by many impedimental circumstances. The 
 heavy duties of a crowded school frequently compelled 
 the Author to break in on the hours of rest, in order 
 to finish the narrative. This produced sickness, an 
 alarmino- sickness, that at one time seemed to threaten 
 life itself. Providence in mercy spared die Author; 
 but it was to consign a son (a beloved child !) to the 
 grave. Amidst personal and family afflictions, therefore 
 has this journal been finished. Had the Author been 
 more at his ease, it might in some points, perhaps, have 
 been better executed. But it would be superfluous in 
 him again to press on the Reader’s attention, that the 
 flowers of literature are not to be expected from an old 
 soldier, whose only object in the publication was the 
 unfolding of truth in defence of his country’s honor, and 
 the humanity of her officers. 
 
 Free School, Whitefriar-lanc , June 26, 1310, 
 
 THE END. 
 
363171 ^