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Gen. Gates had arrived at Fishkill about the middle of May, and was now ready to co-operate with Gen. Washington if required; Gen. Washington considered the pass through the Highlands, as an object of the first importance, and directed draughts of the neighbouring militia to be marched to the support of Gen. Gates, to guard that pass. Gen. Gates, at the same time moved forward his army to White Plains, to give an alarm in New-York, and thus make a diversion on that side; which was highly approved.

On the 21st, Gen. Washington moved on to Kingston, and there learning that Sir Henry Clinton had moved toward Monmouth, he resolved to attack his rear, and force him to an action; accordingly his excellency detached Brigadier Gen. Wayne, with 1000 chosen troops, to reinforce Gen. Maxwell's advance guard, and selected the Marquis La Fayette, to advance, and take command of the whole, (Gen. Lee having declined the command).

On the night of the 25th, Gen. Washington moved forward his army from Kingston, and arrived at Cranbury, early the next morning, where they were detained by storms through the 26th, and of course the marquis was ordered to check his pursuit, and file off to the left, towards Englishtown, which he accomplished on the 27th. This movement of the American commander led the British general to anticipate his views, and change his order of march, and post the grenadiers, light-infantry, and chasseurs, as his rear guard; and at the same time he disposed of his baggage so as to be covered by the advance column, under the command of Gen. Kniphausen this, when collected, made a procession of about 12 miles in extent. This led Gen. Washington to augment his advance guard.

Gen. Lee began to feel the mortification which he had brought upon himself, by refusing the command of the advance guard, and now solicited the appointment, to which Gen. Washington objected; but detached Gen. Lee, with two brigades to join the marquis, which gave him the command of course. Gen. Washington moved forward at the same time, to support the whole. The right of the enemy was harassed by Gen. Morgan's corps, and the left by Gen. Dickinson's Jersey militia; but the main army under Sir Henry, were strongly encamped near Monmouth meeting-house, on the 27th. Gen. Washington saw the favourable moment that now offered of bringing Sir Henry to immediate action, before he should have gained the heights of Middletown, (twelve miles in advance,) and accordingly ordered Gen. Lee to be in readiness to commence the attack, upon the shortest notice.

On the morning of the 28th, at break of day, Gen. Kniphausen moved forward the advance column of the British army, and at 8 o'clock Sir Henry followed with the main body, the flower of the army being posted in the rear.

Gen. Washington wrote Gen. Lee at one in the morning, with general directions for commencing the attack, and he made his dispositions accordingly, with the troops attached to the command of Gen. Dickinson, and Col. Morgan; also the troops under the command of Gen, Granger, consisting of the brigades of Gens. Scott and Varnum, and at day light these troops were all in motion. From 5 to 7 o'clock they all had commenced their march for Monmouth; Gen. Washington put his whole army in motion at the same time, having learnt from Gen. Dickinson that the front of the enemy had commenced their march. Gen. Washington at the same time, sent orders to Gen. Lee to advance and commence the attack, "unless there should be powerful reasons to the contrary," and assured him that the army were

advancing, without their packs, to support him. The limits of this work will not permit me to give the particulars of this memorable action in detail, suffice it to say, the doubtful movements of Gen. Lee deranged the plans of the general in chief, caused the failure of the action, and defeated the operations of the day: they caused also a court martial upon Gen. Lee, which deprived him of his command. The American troops lay on their arms through the night, impatient for the attack the next morning, but the British general took the alarmn, withdrew his troops in the night, and thus made his escape, to the inexpressible disappointment of Gen. Washington.

Sir Henry Clinton retired by forced marches to SandyHook, where he was met by the fleet under Lord Howe, on the 5th of July, and from thence embarked his army for New-York.

Sir Henry Clinton lost, in the affair at Monmouth, from 4 to 500 men, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, together with Lt. Col. Moncton, a brave officer, whose death was greatly lamented.

Gen. Washington lost about half of that number, together with Lt. Col. Bonner, and Maj. Dickinson, two brave officers, whose loss was severely felt by the American army.

The extreme heat of the weather, rendered a pursuit by forced marches, through a deep sandy country, impracticable; Gen. Washington therefore detached a strong party of light troops to watch the motions of the enemy, and drew off his main army to the North River.

On the 8th of July Count De Estaing entered the capes of the Delaware, with the Toulon fleet, after a passage of 87 days; Lord Howe had been gone only ten days, and Sir Henry Clinton had evacuated Philadelphia only one month before, and was now embarking his army at SandyHook for New-York.

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This special providence needs no comment.

The French fleet was about double the force of the English, both in number of ships, and weight of metal.

Count De Estaing landed Mr. Gerard, French minister to the United States, who was most cordially and respectfully received by Congress, and on the 9th set sail for Sandy-Hook, where he arrived on the 11th, and blockaded the English squadron in the harbour.

Count De Estaing made all possible efforts to attack the English fleet in the harbour, but found it impracticable to cross the bar with his heavy ships, and on the 22d he set sail for Newport, agreeable to advice from Gen. Washington, to co-operate with Gens. Greene and Sullivan, in destroying the British fleet and army at Rhod e-Island.

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Admiral Byron's fleet arrived at Sandy Hook a few days after the departure of the French fleet, in a very broken, sickly, dismasted, distressed situation; the provision ships from Cork arrived also, and entered the harbour of NewYork in safety, to the inexpressible joy of the British army, who were in great want of supplies.

Count de Estaing arrived off Point Judith on the 29th of July, and such was the joy upon the occasion, that it diffused the fire, spirit, and zeal of 1775 and 6, throughout New-England. Volunteers by thousands flocked to the American standard, at Providence and Tiverton, to serve against Newport, under the command of General Greene, who had been detached by General Washington for that service.

General Washington detached the Marquis Lay Fayette, with 2000 men, to co-operate in the reduction of RhodeIsland, who joined General Sullivan at this time, whose force now consisted of about 10,000 men.

Sir Robert Pigot, who commanded at Newport, had been reinforced with five battalions, which rendered his force

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about 6000 strong. Thus balanced, the parties commenced their operations.

The Count De Estaing entered the harbour of Newport with his fleet on the 8th of August, without opposition from the enemy's fleet; this General Pigot had ordered to be destroyed on the 5th, (consisting of four frigates, with several smaller vessels,) to prevent their falling into the hands of the French.

On the 9th, at eight in the morning, General Sullivan began to cross over with his army, from Tiverton, upon learning that the enemy had abandoned their works upon the north end of the island. At two in the afternoon, Lord Howe appeared off Point Judith, with a fleet of 25 sail, where he anchored for the night.

On the 10th, Count De Estaing, eager to meet the British fleet, took advantage of the wind, and put to sea. The two fleets manoeuvered through the day without com-> ing to action. On the 11th a violent gale sprang up, which continued through the 12th and 13th, and parted the fleets, dismasted the French admiral's ship, and destroyed her rudder, and greatly damaged several others. On the 14th the gale abated, and close, and severe actions commenced between several single ships of the two fleets, in which both were much damaged; but nothing decisive took place. The count now having collected six of his fleet, covered his disabled ships; and thus secured his fleet, and stood in for Newport, and came to anchor. General Greene and the Marquis La Fayette went on board the admiral's ship, and pressed him to enter the harbour again, and complete the enterprise; but the fleet was so shattered with the storm, and the officers, generally, were so averse, that the count concluded to sail for Boston.

The troops under General Sullivan, gained the north end of the island, and advanced down upon the enemy's lines, ready to co-operate with the French fleet, and commence

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