1780.

They had yet done little mifchief on their CHAP. XVI, march, but at Springfield they burnt moft of the houses in the town, and retired from thence to Elizabethtown. After fome time, they advanced from Elizabethtown with the whole of their infantry, a large body of cavalry, and fifteen or twenty pieces of artillery. Their march was then rapid and compact: they moved in two columns, one on the main road leading to Springfield, the other on the Vauxhall road. Major Lee with the horse and picquets, opposed the right column, and colonel Dayton with his regiment, the left; and both gave as much oppofition as could have been expected from fo fmall a force.

General Greene obferved in a letter to congrefs, that the American troops were fo extended, to guard the different roads leading to the feveral paffes over the mountains, that he had fcarcely time to collect them at Springfield, and make the neceffary difpofitions, previous to the appearance of the enemy before the town; when a cannonade commenced between their advance and the American artillery, posted for the defence of the bridge.

Every prudent measure was taken by general Greene, to confront and repel the invaders, protect the inhabitants, and fecure the retreat

of his own parties, when danger appeared from fuperior numbers. The generals Maxwell and Dickenson, the colonels Shrieve, Ogden, and others, at the head of their regiments, exhibited the highest specimens of American bravery: but the enemy continued to press on in great force. Their left column began an attack on colonel Angell, who was posted to secure a bridge in front of the town. "The action was "fevere, and lafted about forty minutes; when "fuperior numbers overcame obftinate brave"ry," and forced the American troops to retire over the fecond bridge.

After various military manoeuvres, skirmishes, and retreats, general Greene took poft on a ridge of hills, from whence he detached parties to prevent the burnings of the enemy; who spread conflagration wherever it was in their power, and retreated towards ElizabethThis detachment from the British army finished their marauding excursion, and re-croffed to Staten Ifland, July the twentythird.

town.

The outrage of innocence in instances too numerous to be recorded, of the wanton barbarity of the foldiers of the king of England, as they patroled the defenceless villages of America, was evinced no where more remarkably, than in the burnings and maffacres that marked the

footsteps of the British troops, as they from CHAP. XVI. time to time ravaged the ftate of New Jersey.

In their late excurfion, they had trod their deleterious path through a part of the country called the Connecticut Farms. It is needless to particularize many inftances of their wanton rage, and unprovoked devastation, in and near Elizabethtown. The places dedicated to public worship did not escape their fury: these were destroyed more from licentious folly, than any religious frenzy or bigotry, to which their nation had at times been liable. Yet through the barbarous tranfactions of this fummer, nothing excited more general refentment and compaffion, than the murder of the amiable and virtuous wife of a Prefbyterian clergyman, attended with too many circumftances of grief on the one fide, and barbarism on the other, to pass over in filence.

This lady was fitting in her own house, with her little domeftic circle around her, and her infant in her arms; unapprehenfive of danger, shrouded by the consciousness of her own innocence and virtue; when a British barbarian pointed his mufquet into the window of her room, and instantly shot her through the lungs. A hole was dug, the body thrown in, and the house of this excellent lady fet on fire, and confumed with all the property it contained.

1780.

CHAP. XVI,

1780.

Mr. Caldwell, her affectionate husband, was abfent nothing had ever been alleged against his character, even by his enemies, but his zeal for the rights, and his attachment to his native country. For this he had been perfecuted, and for this he was robbed of all that he held dear in life, by the bloody hands of men, in whose benevolence and politeness he had had much confidence, until the fated day, when this miftaken opinion led him to leave his beloved family, fearless of danger, and certain of their fecurity, from their innocence, virtue, and unoffending amiability.

66

Mr. Caldwell afterwards published the proofs of this cruel affair, attefted on oath before magiftrates, by fundry perfons who were in the houfe with Mrs. Caldwell, and faw her fall back and expire, immediately after the report of the gun. "This was," as obferved by Mr. Caldwell, a violation of every tender feeling; "without provocation, deliberately committed “in open day; nor was it ever frowned on by "the commander." The catastrophe of this unhappy family was completed within two years, by the murder of Mr. Caldwell himself, by some ruffian hands.

His confcious integrity of heart had never fuffered him to apprehend any perfonal danger : and the melancholy that pervaded all, on the tragical death of his lady, who was distinguished

1780.

for the excellence and refpectability of her char- CHAP. XVI. acter, wrought up the refentment of that part of the country to fo high a pitch, that the most timid were aroufed to deeds of defperate heroifm. They were ready to fwear, like Hannibal against the Romans, and to bind their fons to the oath of everlasting enmity to the name of Britain.

But we shall fee too many circumstances of fimilar barbarity and ferocious cruelty, to leave curiofity ungratified, or to fuffer the tear of pity to dry on the fympathetic cheek, as we follow the route of the British army. Agitation and anxiety pervaded the eastern ftates, while rapine and flaughter were spread over the middle colonies. Hope was fufpended in every mind; and expectation feemed to hang on the confequences of the ftrong effort made to fubdue the fouthern provinces.

The present year was replete with the most active and important fcenes, both in Europe and America. We leave the latter to wait the operation of events, and turn our eyes towards Great Britain, whofe fituation was not lefs perplexed and embarrassed, than that of the United States. The fources of concern which pervaded the patriotic part of the nation, were innumerable. A remarkable combination of powers against the British nation was unufually alarming. Spain had now declared war, and acted