CHAP. II. the action having been principally sustained by 1777. militia, suddenly collected, and suddenly dispersed, the accounts given of their loss may not be accurate.

In the magazines destroyed at Danbury were military and hospital stores to a considerable amount, which were greatly needed by the army; but the loss most severely felt was, upwards of one thousand tents, which had been provided for the campaign now about to open. The materials of which this important article is made, was so very scarce in the United States, as not to be attainable on any terms in sufficient quantity to replace those which were lost on this occasion. Yet it may well be doubted whether much was gained by the expedition. The destruction of the houses at Danbury and Ridgefield, served to increase the public irritation; the opposition experienced in a country totally unprepared for their reception, of whose militia a considerable part had been detached to the aid of a neighbouring state; and the celerity with which a body of two thousand men found it necessary to re-embark on board their ships, after having penetrated only twenty miles into the country; gave strong and public evidence of the difficulty which would attend an attempt to hold any part of the main land of New England. One object of the expedition is understood to have been to countenance the friends of the former government in that part of

the state adjoining New York, and to give CHAP. II. them a safe opportunity of assembling round 1777. the royal standard. So far as this hope was entertained, it was completely disappointed. No recruits were obtained, and such as might have been inclined to favour their cause, instead of deriving confidence from the expedition, were rather discouraged from declaring themselves openly, by the precipitate manner in which this strong detachment had been compelled to retreat. In a letter to governor Trumbull on this subject, general Washington after expressing his regret for the loss which had been sustained, very justly remarked, "that from these events, we derive the consolation of knowing that the sentiments of the people are still powerfully directed to liberty; and that no impression of the enemy, be it ever so sudden and unexpected, will pass with impunity."

This enterprise was, not long afterwards, successfully retaliated. The The enemy had been for some time employed in collecting forage and provisions on the eastern end of Long island. This country was supposed to be so completely secured by their armed vessels which perpetually traversed the sound, that the protection of the stores, deposited at a small post called Sagg harbour, for transportation to New York, was confided to a schooner with twelve guns, and a company of infantry.

CHAP. II.

of colonel Meiggs to Sagg harbour

General Parsons, who commanded a few of

1777. the Connecticut recruits at New Haven, a place of rendezvous from whence they were to be marched to Peck's-Kill, conceiving it to be very practicable to elude the cruizers of the enemy and to surprise this small party, and some other posts not very remote from it, intrusted the execution of his plan to lieutenant colonel Meiggs, a very gallant officer, who had accompanied Arnold in his memorable march to Quebec, and had been taken prisoner in the unsuccessful attempt made on that place by Expedition Montgomery. He embarked with about two hundred and thirty men, on board thirteen whale-boats, and proceeded along the coast to Guilford, from whence he was to cross the sound. Here he was detained for some time by high winds, and a rough sea; but on the 23d of May, about one o'clock in the afternoon, he re-embarked one hundred and seventy of his detachment, and proceeded under convoy of two armed sloops, across the sound, to the north division of the island, near Southhold. The east end of Long island is deeply intersected by a bay, on the north side of which had been a small foraging party, against which the expedition was in part directed, but they had marched to New York two days before. Here, however, information was received, that the stores had not yet been removed from Sagg harbour, which lies in the northern division of the

May.

island, and that the small guard still remained CHAP. II. for their defence. The boats were immediately 1777. conveyed across the land, a distance of about fifteen miles, into the bay, where the troops reembarked, and, crossing the bay, landed about four miles from Sagg harbour, at two o'clock in the morning, which place they completely surprised and carried with charged bayonets. At May 24. the same time a division of the detachment secured the armed schooner, and the vessels with the forage which had been collected for the supply of the army at New York. These were set on fire, and entirely consumed. Six of the enemy were killed, and ninety of them taken prisoners. A very few escaped under cover of the night.

Having thus completely effected the object of his expedition, without the loss of a single man, colonel Meiggs returned to Guilford with his prisoners; "having," as was stated in the letter of general Parsons, giving an account of the enterprise, "moved with such uncommon celerity, as to have transported his men, by land and water, ninety miles in twenty-five hours." As a mark of their approbation of his conduct, congress directed a sword to be presented to him, and passed a resolution expressive of the high sense entertained of his merit, and of the prudence, activity, and valour, displayed by himself and his party, in this expe dition.

VOL. III.

CHAP. II. The solicitude of the state governments to 1777. retain within their respective limits, and for

partial objects, a part of the force raised for the general defence, was not the only interference with the plan formed by the commander in chief for the conduct of the ensuing campaign.

Congress feeling a particular apprehension April 10. for Philadelphia, resolved, "that a camp be immediately formed on the western side of the Delaware, to which the continental troops in Philadelphia, and on their march from the southward and westward, should be ordered to repair with all expedition.

"That it be recommended to the supreme executive council of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to put not less than three thousand of the militia of that state in readiness to march to the camp before mentioned, on the shortest notice."

These resolutions, however, were accompanied with an order, "that general Washington be immediately informed by express of the resolves agreed on; and that he be informed that congress mean not by forming a camp on the west of Delaware, to delay the continental troops, or to prevent their joining the army under his command, as fast as he shall think proper to order them."

The judgment of the commander in chief was completely made up respecting the disposition of his army when it should first take the