yet arrived, and in the mean-time, the service CHAP. IV. originally contemplated being effected, lord 1777. Cornwallis might return to Philadelphia. He communicated this state of things to the commander in chief, who directed him not to advance on the enemy until his whole force was collected. Before the arrival of Glover's brigade, lord Cornwallis, who, during this incursion, had collected large quantities of fresh provisions for the relief of the British army, had taken post on a point of land making into the Delaware, called Gloucester, which was entirely under cover of the guns of the ships, and was from thence embarking his baggage and the stores he had collected, for Philadelphia. To attack him in this situation would have been little less than madness, and he manifested no disposition to leave it. About one hundred and fifty men of Morgan's rifle corps under lieutenant colonel Butler, and an equal number of militia under the marquis de La Fayette, who still served as a volunteer, attacked with A picket of great gallantry a picket of the enemy, consist. attacked and ing also of about three hundred men, and with loss. drove them with the loss of twenty or thirty killed, and a greater number wounded, quite into their camp; after which, they retired without being pursued. The marquis who was said by general Greene to search for danger, was charmed with the the enemy driven in CHAP. IV. Conduct of this small detachment. "I found 1777. the riflemen," said that nobleman in a letter to general Washington, "above even their reputation, and the militia above all expectations I could have formed of them." The enemy succeed in communica tion with his fleet. Believing that the detachment under lord Cornwallis would immediately follow the magazines they had collected, and that the present object of sir William Howe was, after uniting his forces, to attack the American army while divided; general Washington ordered Greene to lose no further time in Jersey, but immediately to recross the Delaware and join the grand army. Thus, after one continued struggle of more opening a free than six weeks, in which the continental troops displayed great military virtues, did the army of Philadelphia secure to itself the possession of that city, by opening a free communication with the fleet. While these transactions were taking place on the Delaware, general Dickenson, after informing himself precisely of the force and situation of the enemy on Staten island, projected another expedition against that post, in the hope of being able entirely to cut off Skinner's brigade of loyal Americans which was stationed there. His perfect knowledge of the country enabled him to make such a disposition as promised success, and authorized a hope that his plan would be executed, as formed. He had collected about two thousand men, and CHAP. IV. requested from general Putnam, a diversion on 1777. the side of King's bridge, in order to prevent a sudden re-enforcement from New York. general to surprise Skinner's Knowing well that success depended on Attempt by secrecy, he had concealed his object even from Dickenson his field officers, until eight o'clock of the brigade. night on which it was to be executed: yet by three o'clock in the morning, information of the design was given to general Skinner, who was thereby put on his guard; and, on the first alarm, he saved himself and his brigade, by taking refuge in some works too strong to to be carried by assault. In the flight, a few prisoners were made, and a few men killed, after which general Dickenson brought off his party with a loss of only three killed, and ten slightly wounded. CHAPTER V. An inquiry into the conduct of general Schuyler at his request, which terminates to his honour....Burgoyne appears before Ticonderoga....Evacuation of Ticonde rogą and Mount Independence....The American army evacuate Skeensborough, and retire to fort Anne.... Colonel Warner attacked by general Frazer, and obliged to retreat....Colonel Long evacuates fort Anne, and retires to fort Edward....Proclamation of Burgoyne, and counter proclamation of Schuyler....Burgoyne approaches fort Edward, and Schuyler retires to Saratoga ....From thence to Stillwater....St. Leger invests fort Schuyler....Herkemer, advancing to the relief of the fort, falls into an ambuscade, and is defeated with loss ....Colonel Baum is detached to seize the magazines at Bennington; is attacked in his intrenchments by general Starke, and entirely routed....Brechman marches to Baum's aid, is attacked by colonel Warner, and defeated....St. Leger abandons the siege of fort Schuyler, and retires to Ticonderoga....The murder of miss M'Crea....General Gates takes the command of the northern army....Burgoyne encamps on the heights of Saratoga....He attacks Gates at Stillwater....Retreats to Saratoga....Surrender of the army under Burgoyne ....Forts Montgomery and Clinton taken by the British. ....Peck's-Kill, together with forts Independence and Constitution evacuated by the Americans.. Ticonderoga and Mount Independence evacuated by the enemy. 1777. WHILE with forces constantly inferior to those of the enemy, general Washington kept up in the middle states, without essential loss, a stubborn though unequal conflict; events of great variety, and of the deepest interest, were passing in the north. 1777. Having abandoned for the present his designs CHAP. V. on Ticonderoga, and retreated from Crown Point, sir Guy Carleton withdrew into Canada, at the close of the preceding campaign, and distributed his army for winter quarters, in the several villages from the isle Aux Noix and Montreal to Quebec. General Burgoyne, who had served under Carleton, made a winter · voyage to England in order to state fully to administration, the condition of their affairs in the northern department; and to assist in making arrangements for the next campaign. On the part of the Americans, their army, having been formed only for one year, dissolved of itself at the expiration of the terms for which the troops had been engaged. Far from being able to attempt any thing against the detached parts of the enemy, which were perhaps too far from each other to furnish mutual aid, if vigorously attacked; they found infinite difficulty in keeping up even the appearance of garrisons in their forts, and entertained serious apprehensions of an attempt on Ticonderoga, while the firmness of the ice afforded an easy passage for troops over the lakes. The regiments to be raised in Massachussetts, New Hampshire, and the northwestern parts of New York, were assigned for the defence of this frontier; but the recruiting service progressed so slowly, and such difficulties were experienced in clothing and arming those Gg VOL. III. |