In this situation skirmishes frequently happened, and it was found that, by degrees, the apprehensions of the provincials began to wear away.

A few days after the capture of New York, a fire broke out, by which nearly a third part of the city was reduced to ashes; and unless the exertions of the troops and the sailors of the fleet had preserved the remainder, not a house would have been left standing. Some persons, who were thought to have been concerned in the cause of this calamity, were thrown into the flames by the soldiers, and burnt to death, though it could never be ascertained who were the real authors of the conflagration.

General Howe, being reinforced by a division or two of Germans, marched towards the American army encamped at White Plains. On the 28th of October, a general skirmish commenced between the advanced parties. On the 29th, the general moved in columns to the support of his van, and to bring on a general engagement. General Washington kept him at bay until the 31st, when he retired to higher ground, and left a strong rearguard to cover White Plains. The British general now abandoned the enterprise, and on the 8th of November drew off his army towards Kingsbridge. On the 15th, he sent a summons to Colonel Magraw, commanding Fort Washington, and the next day stormed the fort, and made prisoners of the whole garrison. On the 18th, Lord Cornwallis moved to the attack of Fort Lee; but General Greene drew off the garrison, abandoned the fort, and joined Washington, who, on the 22d, crossed North river, and retired to Newark, where he found himself almost abandoned by the army, and left to the mercy of a victorious pursuing enemy, with only about three thousand five hundred men to accompany him in his flight. On the 28th, Washington retired to Brunswick, and Lord Cornwallis entered Newark with his victorious army. The British pursued to Brunswick, and Washington retired to Princeton, December 1st. Cornwallis halted a week at Brunswick, agreeable to orders; and, in the mean time, Washington saw himself abandoned by the Jersey and Maryland brigades of militia, whose terms of service then expired.

On the 7th, Cornwallis advanced upon Princeton, and Washington retired to Trenton. The next day Cornwallis entered Trenton, just at the critical moment that Washington, with his remnant of an army, had crossed the Delaware, and secured the boats to prevent his passing. General Howe had joined Lord Cornwallis at Newark, and now made a stand at Princeton, and issued the proclamation of the king's commissioners, proffering pardon and peace to all such as should submit in sixty days.

Such were the distresses of the army and the country, when they saw their liberties about to expire under the pressure of an overwhelming foe, that men of the first distinction, in great numbers, in that part of the country, embraced the overture, and made their submission.

To add to the distresses of this most trying scene, General Lee, who had harassed the rear of the British army, with about three thousand men, was surprised in his quarters, on the 18th of December, and taken by the enemy. The Jerseys were thus completely overrun by the victorious armies of the British, and nothing but disaster waited upon the Americans.

CHAPTER XXXII.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION.-Project for the invasion of Canada by the Americans-Extraordinary march of Arnold through the woods of Maine-Expedition of Montgomery against Canada-Capture of Montreal-Siege and attack of Quebec-Death of Montgomery-Perseverance of Arnold-Evacuation of Canada by the Americans-Desperate condition of the American camp-Fortitude and resolution of Washington-Capture of the Hessians at Trenton-Affair of Princeton-Successful movements of Washington—The British expelled from the Jerseys.

WHILE the important events related in the preceding chapters were taking place, occurrences of almost equal magnitude and importance were in progress in another part of the continent. At an early period of the struggle, congress determined to strike a blow where the enemy least expected it. A resolution was adopted to invade Canada. This design was approved by Washington, and he projected a plan for this purpose as novel as it was bold. He conjectured that there must exist a route, through the district of Maine and Lower Canada, to Quebec, through the wilderness and across the mountains, which, though unknown to the rest of the world, and frequented only by the mountaineers during summer, might serve to conduct an army from the shores of the Atlantic to those of the St. Lawrence. The greater part of this region was nothing but an immense forest without a human inhabitant; yet the difficulty of obtaining provisions for an army in these desert solitudes was entirely overlooked in the sanguine hopes of surprising Quebec. A force of eleven hundred men was immediately organized at Cambridge, and placed under the command of Colonel Arnold, an officer of great bravery, even to rashness, and of a firmness not to be shaken. Colonel Burr, afterwards vice-president of the

United States, joined the expedition. On their arrival in Canada they were to unite themselves with the forces of General Montgomery, who was to invade the country by the way of the lakes.

The expedition embarked at Newburyport, in transports, for the Kennebec, on the 13th of September, 1775. So rapid were the preparations for this enterprise, that, fourteen. days from the time the scheme was determined on, the troops embarked at Gardiner, on the Kennebec, in two hundred batteaux, which had been built, equipped and provisioned in the interval. Arnold divided his men into three bodies. The first, composed of riflemen, under Captain Morgan, formed the vanguard, to explore the country, sound the fords, prepare the ways, and look out for portages around the falls and rapids. Wherever the stream ceased to be navigable, it became necessary for the soldiers. to carry upon their backs all the lading of the boats, and finally to drag the boats themselves by land. The second detachment kept a day's march in the rear of the first, and the third followed at the same interval. The perils and difficulties of the undertaking soon became apparent. The current was rapid; the bed of the river was rocky; the falls

In this situation skirmishes frequently happened, and it was found that, by degrees, the apprehensions of the provincials began to wear away.

A few days after the capture of New York, a fire broke out, by which nearly a third part of the city was reduced to ashes; and unless the exertions of the troops and the sailors of the fleet had preserved the remainder, not a house would have been left standing. Some persons, who were thought to have been concerned in the cause of this calamity, were thrown into the flames by the soldiers, and burnt to death, though it could never be ascertained who were the real authors of the conflagration.

General Howe, being reinforced by a division or two of Germans, marched towards the American army encamped at White Plains. On the 28th of October, a general skirmish commenced between the advanced parties. On the 29th, the general moved in columns to the support of his van, and to bring on a general engagement. General Washington kept him at bay until the 31st, when he retired to higher ground, and left a strong rearguard to cover White Plains. The British general now abandoned the enterprise, and on the 8th of November drew off his army towards Kingsbridge. On the 15th, he sent a summons to Colonel Magraw, commanding Fort Washington, and the next day stormed the fort, and made prisoners of the whole garrison. On the 18th, Lord Cornwallis moved to the attack of Fort Lee; but General Greene drew off the garrison, abandoned the fort, and joined Washington, who, on the 22d, crossed North river, and retired to Newark, where he found himself almost abandoned by the army, and left to the mercy of a victorious pursuing enemy, with only about three thousand five hundred men to accompany him in his flight. On the 28th, Washington retired to Brunswick, and Lord Cornwallis entered Newark with his victorious army. The British pursued to Brunswick, and Washington retired to Princeton, December 1st. Cornwallis halted a week at Brunswick, agreeable to orders; and, in the mean time, Washington saw himself abandoned by the Jersey and Maryland brigades of militia, whose terms of service then expired.