thousand in the Highlands, the remainder should proceed without delay to King's Bridge with a view to an attempt upon New York. Gates dissuaded it as an empty scheme.

The barbarous destruction of private property in this expedition of General Vaughan kindled the indignation, not merely of America, but of the people of England. The only act of like nature by way of retaliation, committed by an officer of the continental army, was the act of Putnam. He, soon after, caused the private dwelling of General Delancey, specially offensive as a partisan leader, to be burned to the ground.*

CHAPTER XII.

WHILE Howe had drawn his army within his lines near Philadelphia, Washington, daily weakened by the departure of the militia, was looking intently for tidings from Saratoga. Rumors came of successes, but until the twenty-fifth of October, no authentic intelligence was received of the capitulation of Burgoyne, and this came through an indirect channel. Not a line was received by him from Gates.

Eager to meet the enemy with an equal force of regulars which he never before had, Washington called a council of war. They met on the twenty-ninth of October, five major-generals and ten brigadiers. Hamilton was present, and drew up the minute of their proceedings. The enemy's force was stated to be ten thousand men, rank and file, fit for duty. The American, exclusive of the garrisons on the river forts, three hundred continentals at Mifflin, and three hundred and fifty at Red Bank, and five hundred militia towards Chester, amounted to eleven thousand, of whom two thousand seven hundred were militia, soon to be reduced to eight hundred by the expiration of their term of service. The calls upon Pennsylvania and New Jersey for aid were mentioned, and the results under Gates, Putnam and Clinton, VOL. I.-22

stated. Questions were then propounded as to the eligibility of attacking the enemy; if not eligible, what ground they should take until forced by the season from the field. Where then should be the cantonment? How the enemy was to be prevented drawing supplies for the winter; and whether any and what succors could, with propriety, be drawn from the northern army. Other questions of army regulations and economy were submitted. The conclusion was, that the enemy ought not to be then attacked; a present position for the army was indicated; the river garrisons to be reinforced; and succors to be drawn from the northern army, to consist of twenty regiments, fifteen of Massachusetts, three of New Hampshire, and Lee's and Jackson's. Morgan was on his way. A mission of one of Washington's aides to Gates was also advised.

Congress were formally apprised of this opinion, with the reasons for it, in a letter by Hamilton in the name of the commander-in-chief, and were informed that he had sent Colonel Hamilton to General Gates, "to give him a just representation of things, and to explain to him the expediency of our receiving the reinforcements which have been determined necessary, if they will not interfere with and frustrate any important plans he may have formed. Indeed, I cannot conceive that there is any other object now remaining that demands our attention and most vigorous efforts so much as the destruction of the enemy in this quarter. Should we be able to effect this, we shall have little to fear in future." A letter was immediately addressed to Gates by Washington, also from the pen of Hamilton, in which, after congratulating him upon his success, as “an event that does the highest honor to the American arms," and expressing his "regret that a matter of such magnitude should have reached him by report

only, or through the channel of letters not bearing that authenticity, which the importance of it required, and which it would have received by a line under your signature, stating the simple fact," he observed: "Our affairs having happily terminated at the northward, I have, by the advice of my general officers, sent Colonel Hamilton, one of my aides, to lay before you a full state of our situation, and that of the enemy in this quarter. He is well informed upon the subject, and will deliver my sentiments upon the plan of operations that is become necessary to be pursued. I think it improper to enter into a particular detail, not being well advised how matters are circumstanced on the North River, and fearing that by some accident my letter might miscarry. From Colonel Hamilton you will have a clear and comprehensive view of things, and I persuade myself you will do all in your power to facilitate the objects I have in contemplation."

Hamilton departed under instructions drawn by himself. "It having been judged expedient by the members of a council of war held yesterday, that one of the gentlemen of my family should be sent to General Gates, in order to lay before him the state of the army and the situation of the enemy, and to point out to him the many happy consequences that will accrue from an immediate reinforcement being sent from the northern army, I have thought it proper to appoint you to that duty, and desire that you will immediately set out for Albany, at which place, or in the neighborhood, I imagine you will find General Gates.

"You are so fully acquainted with the principal points on which you are sent, namely, the state of our army and the situation of the enemy, that I shall not enlarge on those heads. What you are chiefly to attend to, is to point out, in the clearest and fullest manner, to General

Gates, the absolute necessity that there is for his detaching a very considerable part of the army at present under his command to the reinforcemeat of this; a measure that will in all probability reduce General Howe to the same situation in which General Burgoyne now is, should he attempt to remain in Philadelphia without being able to remove the obstructions in the Delaware, and open a free communication with his shipping. The force which the members of the council of war judge it safe and expedient to draw down at present, are, the three New Hampshire and fifteen Massachusetts regiments, with Lee's and Jackson's, two of the sixteen, additional. But it is more than probable that General Gates may have detained part of those troops to the reduction of Ticonderoga, should the enemy not have evacuated it, or to the garrisoning of it. If they should, in that case the reinforcement will be according to circumstances; but, if possible, let it be made up to the same number out of other corps. If, upon your meeting with General Gates, you should find that he intends, in consequence of his success, to employ the troops under his command upon some expedition, by the prosecution of which the common cause will be more benefited than by their being sent down to reinforce this army, it is not my wish to give any interruption to the plan. But if he should have nothing more in contemplation than those particular objects which I have mentioned to you, and which it is unnecessary to commit to paper, in that case you are to inform him that it is my desire that the reinforcements before mentioned, or such part of them as can be safely spared, be immediately put in motion to join the army.

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"I have understood that General Gates has already detached Nixon's and Glover's brigades to join General Putnam; and General Dickinson informs me, Sir Henry Clin