marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them, from time to time, of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connexions and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends. We, therefore, the representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in GENERAL CONGRESS assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPEND ENT STATES; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion between them and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour. The foregoing declaration was, by order of Congress engrossed and signed by the following members : New-Hampshire. Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton. Massachusetts-Bay. Samuel Adams, John Adams Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry. Stephen Hopkins, Connecticut. Roger Sherman, JOHN HANCOCK. New-York. Richard Stockton, "The Declaration of Independence once published to the world with such solemnity, gave a new character to the contest, not only in the Colonies, but in Europe, Before this decisive step, the American people were regarded by many able and good men, as well as sound politicians, on both sides of the Atlantic, rather as children struggling for doubtful privileges with a parent, than as men contending with men for their natural and indisputable rights. But this deliberate appeal to the nations of the earth, to posterity, and to the God of battles, gave a new political character, an immediate dignity and manhood, to their cause. It was no longer the unholy struggle of subjects against their monarch; of children against their parent; of rash and turbulent men who never measure nor weigh the consequence of their deeds: it was no longer a contest for mere matters of opinion, but for a national existence, for life or death. It became, under the awful sanction of that assembly, the temperate and determined stand of men who have entrenched themselves within the certain and thoroughly-understood limits of their rights; of men who had counted the cost dispassionately, and measured the event without shrinking; of men who felt, deliberated and acted, as the representatives of a whole people, conscious of their infirmities and their responsibility; knowing the might of their adversaries, and the weakness of their friends, but determined to do their duty to their children, and leave them their inheritance undisturbed and unimpaired. Or if that might not be, and the liberties of Englishmen were no longer the protection of their wives, or the birth-right of their children,—to leave them as widows and orphans to the charity of Heaven. The Declaration of Independence was, of itself, a victory,―a victory over the passions, prejudices and fears of a multitude. It drew the line forever, between the friends and the foes of America. It *The name of Thomas M'Kean should be in this list, as he was one of the original signers of this instrument. [See his letter to President Adams, June 1817, in the Freeman's Journal.] left no neutrals. He, who was not for independence, unconditional independence, was an enemy. The effect produced upon the pub lic mind by the boldness and unanimity manifested on this occasion, by the delegates of the several Colonies, operated on the general confidence of the people as much as a similar declaration would have done, had it been adopted and signed by the whole population of the states. In the public exultation at the time, the murmurs of disapprobation were unheard; and the opposition to be expected from the discontented and factious, who were always a formidable minority, and in the very bosom of the country, was entirely over looked." "The plan, as matured for the campaign of 1776, by the British ministry, embraced three extensive objects. The first, was to re lieve Quebec, and drive out the Americans from Canada. The second was to make a powerful movement upon some of the southern colonies; the execution of which was entrusted to Sir Henry Clinton and Sir Peter Parker; and the third, and most important of all, was to take possession of New-York with a force sufficiently powerful to hold Hudson River; form a line of communication with the royal army in Canada; embarrass or intercept the intercourse between the eastern and middle Colonies, and overrun the surround ing country. This expedition was committed to Sir William Howe."* "It had early occurred to General Washington, that the central situation of New-York, with the numerous advantages attending the possession of that city, would render its reduction an object of the first importance to the British. Under this impression, before the enemy evacuated Boston he had detached General Lee from Cam bridge, to put Long Island and New-York into a posture of defence. Soon after the evacuation, he followed, and fixed his head quarters in New-York, where the greater part of the troops rendezvoused A part of the residue was left in Massachusetts; and about two of three thousand were ordered to Canada. At the opening of the campaign, congress instituted a flying camp to consist of an intermediate corps, between regular soldiers and militia; and called for ten thousand men from the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, to be in constant service to the first day of the ensuing December; and for thirteen thousand eight hundred of the common militia from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-York, and New-Jersey. The command of the British force, destined to operate against New-York, was given to Admiral Lord Howe, and his brother Si William; who, in addition to their military powers, were appointed commissioners for restoring peace to the colonies. General Howe after waiting two months at Halifax for his brother and the expected reinforcements from England, sailed with the force which he had * Allen's American Revolution, vol. i. p. 352, 353, 362. previously commanded in Boston; and, directing his course toward New-York, arrived in the latter end of June off Sandy-Hook. Admiral Lord Howe, with part of the reinforcement from England, arrived at Halifax soon after his brother's departure; and, without dropping anchor, followed and joined him near Staten-Island. These two royal commissioners, before they commenced military operations, attempted to effect a reunion between the colonies and GreatBritain; but both the substance and the form of their communications for that purpose were too exceptionable, to be for a moment seriously regarded. The British forces waited so long to receive accession from Halifax, South-Carolina, Florida, the West-Indies, and Europe, that the month of August was far advanced before they were in a condition to open the campaign. Their commanders, having resolved to make their first attempt on Long-Island, landed their troops, estimated at about twenty-four thousand men, at Gravesend Bay, to the right of the Narrows. The Americans, to the amount of fifteen thousand, under Major-General Sullivan,* were posted on a peninsula between Mill Creek, a little above Red Hook, and an elbow of East River, called Whaaleboght Bay. Here they had erected strong fortifica tions, which were separated froza New-York by East River, at the distance of a mile. A line of intrenchment from the Mill Creek enclosed a large space of ground, on which stood the American camp, near the village of Brooklyn. This line was secured by abbatis, and flanked by strong redoubts. The armies were separated by a range of hills, covered with a thick wood, which intersect the country from west to east, terminating on the east near Jamaica. Through these hills there were three roads; one near the Narrows, a second on the Flatbush road, and a third on the Bedford road; and these were the only passes from the south side of the hills to the American lines, excepting a road, which led to Jamaica round the easterly end of the hills. General Putnam, agreeably to the instructions of General Washington, had detached a considerable part of his men to occupy the woody hills and passes; but in the performance of this service there appears to have been a deficiency either of skill or of vigilance. When the whole British army was landed, the Hessians, under General Heister, composed the centre at Flatbush; Major-General Grant commanded the left wing, which extended to the coast; and the principal army, under the command of Gen. Clinton, Earl Percy, and Lord Cornwallis, turned short to the right, and approached the opposite coast at Flatland. The position of the Americans having been reconnoitred, Sir William Howe, from the intelligence given The part of the army, stationed on Long-Island, was originally commanded by Major-General Greene; but he, being taken extremely ill, was succeeded by MajorGeneral Sullivan. This officer commanded all the troops without the lines; and Major-General Putnam took command at Brooklyn, the camp at that place being reinforced with six regiments. him, determined to attempt to turn their left flank. The right wing of his army, consisting of a strong advanced corps, commanded by General Clinton and supported by the brigades under Lord Percy, began at nine o'clock at night on the twenty-sixth of August to move from Flatland; and, passing through the New Lots, arrived on the road, that crosses the hills from Bedford to Jamaica. Having taken a patrol, they seized the pass, without alarming the Americans. At half after eight in the morning, the British troops, having passed the heights and reached Bedford, began an attack on the left of the American army. In the centre, General De Heister, soon after day light, had begun to cannonade the troops, which occupied the direct road to Brooklyn, and which were commanded by General Sullivan in person. As soon as the firing toward Bedford was heard, De Heister advanced and attacked the centre of the Americans, who, after a warm engagement, were routed and driven into the woods. The firing towards Bedford giving them the alarming notice, that the British had turned their left flank, and were getting completely into their rear; they endeavoured to escape to the camp. The sudden rout of this party enabled De Heister to detach a part of his force against those, who were engaged near Bedford. There also the Americans were broken and driven into the woods; and the front of the British column, led by General Clinton, continuing to move forward, intercepted and engaged those whom De Heister had rout ed, and drove them back into the woods. There they again met the Hessians, who drove them back on the British. Thus alternately chased and intercepted, some forced their way through the enemy to the lines of Brooklyn; several saved themselves in the coverts of the woods; but a great part of the detachment was killed or taken. The left column, led by General Grant, advancing from the Narrows along the coast, to divert the attention of the Americans from the principal attack on the right, had about midnight fallen in with Lord Stirling's advanced guard, stationed at a strong pass, compelled them to relinquish it. As they were slowly retiring, they were met on the summit of the hills about break of day by Lord Stirfing, who had been directed, with the two nearest regiments, to meet the British on the road leading from the Narrows. Lord Stirling having posted his men advantageously, a furious cannonade commenced on both sides, which continued several hours. The firing toward Brooklyn, where the fugitives were pursued by the British, giving notice to Lord Stirling, that the enemy had gained his rear; he instantly gave orders to retreat across a creek, near the Yellow Mills. The more effectually to secure the retreat of the main body of the detachment, he determined to attack in person a British corps under Lord Cornwallis, stationed at a house somewhat above the place where he proposed crossing the creek. With about four hundred men, drawn out of Smallwood's regiment for that purpose, made a very spirited attack, and brought up this small corps several times to the charge, with confident expectation of dislodging Lord he and |