rocks and trees up a steep and rugged mountain. The third division had to encounter a heavy fire previously to their landing, and then to ascend a woody promontory of very uneven surface; but though the post was obstinately defended, it was carried by Colonel Stirling, who made two hundred prisoners. The last division, under the gal lant Lord Percy, having surmounted incredible obstacles, carried the advanced works of the Americans. The British general, after these decisive advantages, again summoned Colonel Magaw to surrender. The force of the assailants was too great to be resisted; the fort was too small to contain all the men; and the ammunition was nearly exhausted. The garrison therefore, consisting of about two thousand men, surrendered prisoners of war.*

Soon after the reduction of Fort Washington, Lord Cornwallis with a large force, conjectured to amount to about six thousand men, erossed over North River to attack Fort Lee, on the opposite Jersey shore. On the intelligence of their approach, the first determina tion was to meet and fight them; but it was soon discovered, that the conflict would be too unequal, and the garrison was saved by an immediate evacuation, under the able guidance of General Greene.

The acquisition of these two forts, and the diminution of the American army by the departure of those soldiers, whose time of service had expired, encouraged the British to pursue the remaining continental force, with the prospect of annihilating it. General Washington, who had taken post at Newark, on the south side of Passaic, finding himself unable to make any real opposition, withdrew from that place as the enemy crossed the Passaic, and retreated to Brunswick on the Raritan; and Lord Cornwallis on the same day entered Newark. The retreat was still continued from Brunswick to Princeton; from Princeton to Trenton; and from Trenton to the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware. "The pursuit was urged with so much rapidity, that the rear of the army, pulling down bridges, was often within sight, and shot off the van of the other, building them up."t

About the same time, General Clinton was sent with a body of troops to take possession of Rhode Island, and succeeded. In addition to all these losses and defeats, the American army suffered by desertion, and more by sickness, which was epidemic, and very mortal.

The northern army at Ticonderoga was in a disagreeable situa tion, particularly after the battle on Lake Champlain, in which the American force, consisting of a few light vessels, under the com mand of General Arnold and Waterbury, was totally dispersed.

*The garrison was stated by Gen. Washington at about 2000; but the number of pris oners was stated by General Howe at 2600, exclusive of officers. Mr. Marshall accounts for this difference by supposing that General Washington comprised the regulars only. The loss of the British, according to Mr. Stedman, was about 800 men ; American torians have stated it considerably higher.

↑ Holmes' American Ammals, p. 859-65:

But General Carleton, instead of pursuing his victory, landed at Crown Point, reconnoitred our posts at Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, and returned to winter quarters in Canada.

The American army might now be said to be no more. All that now remained of an army, which at the opening of the campaign amounted to at least twenty-five thousand men, did not now exceed three thousand. The term of their engagements being expired, they returned in large bodies, to their families and friends; the few, who, from personal attachment, local circumstances, or superior perseverance and bravery, continued with the Generals Washington and Lee, were too inconsiderable to appear formidable in the view of a powerful and victorious enemy.

"At this critical moment, the bold resolution was formed of re crossing into Jersey, and attacking the enemy at Trenton.

Washington divided his troops into three parts, which were to assemble on the banks of the Delaware on the night of the twentyfifth of December. One of these divisions, led by General Irvine, was directed to cross the Delaware at the Trenton Ferry, and secure the bridge below the town, so as to prevent the escape of any part of the enemy by that road. Another division, led by General Cadwal lader, was to cross over at Bristol, and carry the post at Burlington. The third, which was the principal division, and consisted of about two thousand four hundred continental troops, commanded by Gen eral Washington in person, was to cross at M'Konkey's Ferry, about nine miles above Trenton, and to march against the enemy posted at that town. The night, fixed on for the enterprise, was severely cold. A storm of snow, mingled with hail and rain, fell in great quantities; and so much ice was made in the river, that the artillery could not be got over until three o'clock; and before the troops could take up their line of march, it was nearly four. The general, who had hoped to throw them all over by twelve o'clock, now despaired of surprising the town; but, knowing that he could not repass the river without being discovered and harassed, he de termined, at all events, to push forward. He accordingly formed his detachment into two divisions, one of which was to march by the ' lower or river road, the other, by the upper or Pennington road. As the distance to Trenton by these two roads was nearly the same, the general, supposing that his two divisions would arrive at the place of destination about the same time, ordered each of them, immediately on forcing the outguards, to push directly into the town, that they might charge the enemy before they had time to form. The upper division, accompanied by the general himself, arrived at the enemy's advanced post exactly at eight o'clock, and immediately drove in the outguards. In three minutes a firing from the division, that had taken the river road, gave notice to the general of its arrival. Colonel Rhalle, a very gallant Hessian officer, who commanded in Trenton, soon formed his main body, to meet the assailants; but at the commencement of the action he received a mortal wound. His

troops, at once confused and hard pressed, and having already lost their artillery, attempted to file off by a road on their right, leading to Princeton; but General Washington, perceiving their intention, threw a body of troops in their front, which intercepted and assailed them. Finding themselves surrounded, they laid down their arms. About twenty of the enemy were killed; and nine hundred and nine, including officers, surrendered themselves prisoners of war. The number of prisoners was soon increased to about one thousand, by the additional capture of those, who had concealed themselves in houses. Six field pieces, and a thousand stand of small arms, were also taken. Of the Americans, two privates only were killed; two were frozen to death; one officer and three or four privates were wounded. General Irvine being prevented by the ice from crossing the Delaware, the lower road toward Bordentown remained open; and about five hundred of the enemy, stationed in the lower end of Trenton, crossing over the bridge in the commencement of the action, marched down the river to Bordentown. General Cadwallader was prevented by the same cause from attacking the post at Burlington. This well judged and successful enterprise revived the depressed spirits of the colonists, and produced an immediate and happy effect in recruiting the American army."*

On the 13th of December, General Lee through an imprudent carelessness, which ill became a man in his important station, was captured by a party of British light horse, commanded by Colonel Harcourt. This unfortunate circumstance gave a severe shock to the remaining hopes of the little army, and rendered their situation truly distressing.

The vile and inhuman treatment which General Lee and his fellow prisoners received from the British, is related by Dr. Thacher, in his military journal, in the most affecting manner, and from the doctor's character for faithfulness in investigation, we presume may be relied on as correct. We quote a part of his narrative.

"The present unfortunate situation of General Lee, who is in close confinement in the provost prison, in New-York, affords a topic for general conversation both in and out of the army. A correspondence between General Washington and General Howe has taken place relative to the subject, from which it appears that General Lee receives the most rigid and ungenerous treatment, under the absurd pretence that he is a deserter from the British service, when it is well known that he resigned his commission long before he received an appointment in our army. As we have not in our possession any British officers of equal rank, General Washington has proposed to make an exchange of six Hessian field officers for General Lee, that being considered as the usual proportion for the disparity of rank. This proposal being rejected, his excellency next required of General Howe that General Lee should receive from his hands treatment

*Holmes' American Annals, vol. ii. p. 365.

suitable to his rank, and such as the custom of all armies has prescribed for prisoners of war. If this should be refused, General Howe was assured, that the unpleasant expedient of retaliation should be immediately adopted. This unhappy affair soon arrested the attention of congress, and they resolved "that General Washington inform General Howe, that should the proffered exchange of General Lee not be accepted, and the ill treatment of him be continued, the principle of retaliation shall occasion five of the Hessian field officers, together with Lieutenant Colonel A. Campbell, or any other officers that are or may be in our possession, equivalent in number or quality, to be detained in order that the same treatment which General Lee shall receive may be exactly inflicted on their prisoners." The result of this unfortunate business is, that the threatened retaliation has been resorted to on our part, and that Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, and five Hessian field officers are committed to prison, and subjected to the same rigorous treatment which has been ascertained is inflicted on the person of General Lee. Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, being on parole near Boston, is confined in the jail at Concord. In a letter to General Howe, which has been published, after acknowledging the liberal and generous attention which he had previously received, he describes his present condition as being most horrid, and in his view altogether unjustifiable. It remains therefore with General Howe to afford to Colonel Campbell all the relief which he desires, and extend to him all the comforts and privileges which his rank demands, by first relaxing his severity, and complying with the rules of war, as respects General Lee; it being the determination of our government to place the British prisoners in precisely the same circumstances with our prisoners in their custody. Another subject excites the interest and the inexpressible indignation of every American. I allude to the abominable conduct of the British commanders towards our unfortunate officers and soldiers, who, by the fortune of war, have fallen into their hands. The following is a brief summary of the systematic method adopted and practised for the destruction of prisoners, as taken from the New-London Gazette, from General Washington's letter of complaint to General Howe, and from the verbal statement of the officers and soldiers who have returned from New-York by exchange. They were crowded into the holds of prison ships where they were almost suffocated for want of air, and into churches, and open sugar houses, &c. without covering or a spark of fire. Their allowance of provisions and water for three days, was insufficient for one, and in some instances, they were for four days entirely destitute of food. The pork and bread, for they had no other sustenance, and even the water allowed them, were of the worst possible quality, and totally unfit for human beings. A minute detail of their dreadful sufferings would only serve to harrow up the feelings of surviving friends; as a gross outrage against the principles of humanity, suffice it to say, that in consequence of the most barbarous treatment, dica

within a few weeks, not less than fifteen hundred American soldiers brave young men, the pride and shield of our country. After death had released the sufferers, their bodies were dragged out of the prisons and piled up without doors, till enough were collected for a cart load, when they were carted out and tumbled into a ditch, and slightly covered with earth. Besides the above diabolical treatment, the prisoners were continually insulted and tantalized by the British officers, and malicious tories, cursing and swearing at them as rebels, saying, "this is the just punishment of your rebellion; nay, you are treated too well for rebels, you have not received half you deserve, and half you shall receive; but if you will enlist in his majesty's service, you shall have victuals and clothing enough." Thus these callous hearted Englishmen meanly endeavoured to augment the royal army by the enlistment of American prisoners, or to diminish the number of their opposers; but such was the integrity and patriotism of these men, that hundreds submitted to deat rather than become rebels to their own native country. In one instance, four of our wounded officers, of respectable rank, were put into a common dirt cart and conveyed through the streets of New-York as objects of derision, reviled as rebels, and treated with the utmost contempt. But, it may be inquired, if I mean to describe the British commanders as transformed into demons?"

On the twenty-seventh of February, a party of royalists was defeated at Moore's Creek Bridge, in North Carolina, by the provincials under Brigadier General Moore.

Fort Cumberland, at the head of the Bay of Fundy, in Nova Scotia, was attacked on the twentieth of November by the Americans; but they were repulsed.

The following is an authentic copy of the instructions given by congress to the American Plenipotentiaries sent to the several courts of Europe.

"In Congress, December 30, 1776. Resolved,-That commissioners be sent to the courts of Vienna, France, Spain, Prussia, and the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

That the several commissioners of the United States be instructed to assure the respective courts, that notwithstanding the artful and insidious endeavours of the court of Great Britain to represent the congress and inhabitants of these states to the European powers, as having a disposition again to submit to the sovereignty of Great Britain, it is their determination, at all events, to maintain their independence.

That the commissioners be respectively directed to use every means in their power, to procure the assistance of the emperor of Germany, and of their most Christian, Catholic, and Prussian Majesties, for preventing Russian, German, and other foreign troops, from being sent to North America for hostile purposes against the United States, and for obtaining a recal of those already sent.

That his most Christian Majesty be induced, if possible, to assist