CHAP. IV. sary that the utmost vigilance should have 1777. been used to prevent the breaking and separating of the different brigades from each other, and to preserve the smaller parts entire, a duty of great importance, the performance of which was rendered extremely difficult by the numerous enclosures to be passed, and the thickness of the fog.

Major general Stephen who commanded the right of the left wing, was cashiered for misconduct on the retreat and for intoxication. No inquiries appear to have been made into the conduct of other general officers.

Congress expressed in very decided terms their approbation both of the plan of this enterprise and the courage with which it was executed; for which their thanks were given to the general, and the army.

Immediately after the battle of Brandywine, the state of Jersey, had been requested to furnish the army with re-enforcements of its militia; and general Putnam had been ordered to detach fifteen hundred continental troops to cover the Jerseys and an equal number to join the army. The militia of Connecticut were relied on to maintain the very important posts up the North river, which, in consequence of these heavy drafts were left but weakly defended.

These troops were detained some time in Jersey for the defence of that state, which was threatened from New York.

18,5

1777.

Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded in New CHAP. IV. York, hearing that general Howe had landed at the head of the Chesapeak, readily conjectured that an alarm from the troops under his direction might be useful both to Howe and Sept. 12. Burgoyne, by arresting for a time those aids which might be furnished to Washington, or Gates, from the north of the Delaware. With this view, he entered the Jerseys with about three thousand men, in two divisions, commanded the one by general Vaughan, and the other by general Campbell. They crossed at Elizabethtown-point, and at fort Lee, and united not far from the new bridge above Hackensack. They encountered very little opposition, and collected on their way a considerable quantity of fresh provisions. About the 15th, the continental troops from Peck's-Kill under general M'Dougal approached them, and general Dickenson, with very great exertions, was assembling the Jersey militia. On receiving intelligence of the force collecting to oppose him, sir Henry Clinton returned to New York and Staten island, with the cattle he had collected, having lost in this excursion only eight men killed and twice as many wounded.

After it was ascertained that Clinton had evacuated Jersey, general M'Dougal continued his march towards the Delaware, and the utmost exertions were made, both by governor Livingston and general Dickenson, to collect a strong

CHAP. IV. body of militia for the purpose of aiding the 1777. army in Pennsylvania. The success of these

exertions, however, by no means equalled the
wishes of those who made them. The militia,
accustomed to judge for themselves, were of
opinion that there was danger of a second inva-
sion from New York, and that their services
were more essentially necessary on their eastern
frontier, than to the westward. They assem-
bled therefore slowly and reluctantly. About
five or six hundred crossed the Delaware at
Philadelphia about the time the enemy had
crossed the Schuylkill, and were employed in
the removal of stores.
As the British army
approached Philadelphia, they were directed
to avoid it by moving up the Frankford road;
but the commanding officer having, without
apprehension of danger, separated himself from
his corps, was taken by a small party of the
British light horse employed in scouring the
country; on which the regiment dispersed, and
made its way by different roads, back again to
Jersey.

With much labour general Dickenson had collected two other corps amounting to nine hundred men, with whom he was about to cross the Delaware when intelligence was received of the arrival at New York of a re-enforcement from Europe. It was deemed by the government of that state indispensable to its safety, that he should remain for its defence. He

1

1777.

returned therefore from Trenton towards Eli- CHAP. IV. zabethtown, and the militia designed to serve in Pennsylvania, were directed to march under general Forman. About six hundred of them reached the army a few days before the battle of Germantown. Immediately after that action they were permitted to return, their impatience to do which was greatly increased by hearing that the enemy were re-enforced in New York.

The object which now principally engaged the attention of both armies was the forts on the Delaware. It was apparent that without obtaining them, general Howe would be compelled to evacuate Philadelphia, and thus abandon the great object of the campaign. His whole force would of consequence be exerted to possess them. General Washington was equally anxious to preserve them, but could not spare from his army a force entirely adequate to their defence.

The loss of the Delaware frigate, and Billingsport, greatly discouraged the seamen with whom the gallies and floating batteries were manned, and whose services were indispensable to the protection of the obstructions in the river. Believing all to be lost, an opinion increased by the intelligence received from their connexions in Philadelphia, the most alarming defection prevailed among them, and several officers as well as sailors, went over to the enemy. This desponding temper was a

CHAP. IV. good deal checked by the affair at Germantown, 1777. and by throwing a garrison of continental troops into the fort at Red Bank called fort Mercer, the defence of which had heretofore been trusted to militia, but in which colonel Greene of Rhode island, with his regiment was now placed. This fort commanded the channel between the Jersey shore and Mud island, and the American vessels lay securely under its guns, from whence they could sally out on the enemy whenever the occasion should require it. The fort at Red Bank required an additional number of men for its defence, and the militia of Jersey were relied on to furnish them. It was also important to form a body of men which should overawe and harass the rear of any detachment which might be employed in the investment of the place, and this corps too could only be supplied by New Jersey.

The present garrisons of Mud island, and Red Bank, though not sufficiently numerous, being composed of troops on whom great dependence could be placed, it was supposed that, through the aid of the obstructions in the river, and the co-operation of the marine force, they might be defended for some time against the utmost efforts of the enemy. To give to the exertions of the vessels the effect expected from them, and of which they were capable, it was necessary to supply the places of the seamen who had deserted, and for this purpose, immediate drafts were directed to be made from the con