without one active or useful friend, without intelligence, and without communication with any part of the country.

On the 26th of June, about fix miles from Williamsburgh, Lieutenantcolonel Simcoe, and 350 of the queen's rangers, with 80 mounted yagers, were attacked by a much fuperior body of the Americans; but whom they repulfed with great gallantry and with equal fuccefs, making four officers and 20 private men prifoners. The lofs of the Americans in this action is faid to have been upwards of 120, and that of the British troops not more than forty.

On the 6th of July an action happened near the Green Springs in Virginia, between a reconnoitring party of the Americans under General Wayne, amounting to about 800, and a large part of the British army under Lord Cornwallis; in which the Americans had 127 killed and wounded, and the lofs af the royal troops is fuppofed to have been confiderably greater. It was an action in which no fmall degree of military fkill and courage was exhibited by the Americans. In a variety of fkirmishes, the Marquis La Fayette very much diffinguished himself, and difplayed the utmoft ardour in the American caufe.

In South Carolina, an action happened on the 9th of September near the Eata Springs, between a large body of British troops under the command of Lieutenant-colonel Stuart and a much fuperior body of Ameri"cans, faid to amount to more than 4000, under the command of General Greene. It was an obftinate engagement, and lafted near two hours; but the Americans were defeated, and two of their fix pounders fell into the hands of the English. The lofs, however, of the royal troops was very confiderable; amounting to more than 400 killed and wounded, and upwards of 200 milling.

In the course of the fame month, General Arnold was fent on an expedition againft New-London, in Connecticut, where he deftroyed a great part of the fhipping, and an immenfe quantity of naval flores, European manufactures, and Eaft and Weft India commodities. The town itself was alfo burnt. A fort, of which it was thought neceffary to gain poffeffion in this expedition, was not taken without confiderable lofs. This was fort Grifwold; which was defended by the Americans with great gallantry, and the affault was made by the English with equal bravery. The British troops entered the works with fixed bayonet, and were oppofed with great vigour by the garrifon with long fpears. After a moft obftinate defence of near forty minutes, the affailants gained poffeffion of the fort, in which 85 Americans were found dead, and 60 wounded, most of them mortally. Of the British troops Major Montgomery was killed by a fpear in entering the American works; and 192 men were alfo killed and wounded in this expedition.

Notwithstanding the fignal advantages that Lords Cornwallis had obtained over the Americans, his fituation in Virginia began by degrees to be very critical and the rather because he did not receive thofe reinforcements and fupplies from Sir Henry Clinton, of which he had formed expectations, and which he conceived to be neceffary to the fuccefs of his operations. Indeed the commander in chief was prevented from fending thofe reinforcements to Lord Cornwallis which he otherwife might have done, by his fears refpe&ting New-York, against which he entertained great apprehenfions that General Washington intended to make a very formidable attack. To confirm him the more in this opinion, General Washington appears to have taken

much pains, and to have employed great fineffe, in order to lead him, to entertain this imagination. Letters, expreffive of this intention, fell into the hands of Sir Henry, which were manifeftly written with a defign that they fhould be intercepted, and only with a view to amuse and deceive the British general. The project was fuccefsful; and by a variety of judicious milita ry manoeuvres, in which he completely out-generaled the British commander, he increased his apprehenfions about New-York, and prevented him from fending proper affiftance to Lord Cornwallis. Having for a confiderable tiine kept Sir Henry Clinton in perpetual alarm in New-York, though with an army much inferior to the garrifon of that city, General Washington fuddenly quitted his camp at White Plains, crofled the Delaware, and marched towards Virginia, apparently with a defign to attack Lord Cornwallis. Sir Henry Clinton then received information, that the Count de Graffe, with a large French fleet, was expected every moment in the Chefapeak, In order to co-operate with General Wafnington. He immediately endeavoured, both by land and water, to communicate this information to Lord Cornwallis, and alfo fent him affurances, that he would either reinforce him by every poffible means in his power, or make the best diverfion he could in his favour. In the mean time, Lord Cornwallis had taken poffeffion of the pots of York-town and Glouster in Virginia, where he fortified himself in the belt manner he was able.

On the 28th of Auguft, Sir Samuel Hood, with a fquadron from the Weft Indies, joined the fquadron under the command of Admiral Graves before New-York. It was then neceffary, on account of the fituation of Lord Cornwallis, that they fhould immediately proceed to the Chefapeak; but fome time appears to have been needlefsly loft, though Admiral Hood was extremely anxious that no delay might be made. They arrived, however, in the Chesapeak, on the 5th of September, with 19 fhips of the line; where they found the Count de Graffe, who had anchored in that bay on the 30th of Auguft with 24 fhips of the line. The French admiral had previcufly landed a large body of troops, which had been brought from Rhodefland, and who immediately marched to join the American army under General Washington. The British and French fleets came to an action on the fame day in which the former arrived in the Chefapeak. On board the British fleet 90 were killed and 246 wounded: fome of the fhips were greatly damaged in the engagement; and the Terrible, a 74 gun fhip, commanded by Capt. James Ferguson, was fo much Bhattered, that it was afterwards found neceffary to fet fire to it. That this action had not been favourable to the English, was manifeft from the event: the feets continued in fight of each other for five days fucceffively, and fometimes were very near; but at length the French fleet all anchored within the Cape, fo as to block up the paffage. Admiral Graves, who was the commander in chief, then called a council of war, in which it was refolved that the fleet fhould proceed to New-York, that the fhips might be there put into the best state for the fervice; and thus were the French left maflers of the Chesapeak.

Before the news of this action had reached New-York. a council of war was held there, in which it was refolved, that 5000 men fhould be embarked on board the king's fhips, in order to proceed to the affiftance of Lord Cornwallis. But when it was known that the French were abfolute malters of the navigation of the Chesapeak, it was thought expedient to fend off that reinforcement immediately. In another council of war, it was refolved, that as Lord Cornwallis had provisions to laft him till the end of October, it was

advisable to wait for more favourable accounts from Admiral Graves, or for -the arrival of Admiral Digby, who was expected with three fhips of the line. It was not known then at New-York, that Admiral Graves had determined to return with the whole fleet to that port.

In the mean time, the most effectual measures were adopted by General Washington for furounding the British army under Lord Cornwallis. A large body of French troops under the command of Count de Rochambeau, with a very confiderable train of artillery, affifted in the enterprife. The Americans amounted to near 8000 continentals and 5000 militia. General Washington was invested with the authority of commander in chief of thefe combined forces of America and France. On the 29th of September, the investment of York-town was complete, and the British army quite -blocked up.

After the return of Admiral Graves to New-York, a council of war was held, confifting of flag and general officers; in which it was refolved, that a large body of troops fhould be embarked on board the king's fhips as foon as they were refitted, and that the exertions of both fleet and army fhould be made in order to form a junction with Lord Cornwallis. Sir Henry Clinton himfelf embarked on board the fleet, with upwards of 7000 troops, on the 18th; they arrived off Cape Charles, at the entrance of the Chesapeak, on the 24th, where they received intelligence that Lord Cornwallis had been obliged to capitulate five days before.

It was on the 19th of October that Lord Cornwallis furrendered himself and his whole army, by capitalation, prifoners to the combined armies of America and France, under the command of General Washington. He made a defence fuitable to the character he had before acquired, for courage and military fkill; but was compelled to fubmit to untoward circumftances and fuperior numbers. It was agreed by the articles of capitulation, that the British troops were to be prifoners to the United States of America, and the feamen to the French king, to whofe officers also the British veffels found at York-Town and Gloufter were to be delivered up. The British prifoners amounted to more than 6000; but many of them, at the time of furrender, were incapable of duty. A confiderable number of cannon, and a large quantity of military flores, fell into the hands of the Americans on this occafion.

As no rational expectation now remained of a fubjugation, the military operations that fucceeded in America were of little confequence. Some inconfiderable actions and fkirmishes did indeed take place after that event; in which the refugees chiefly diffinguifhed themselves, and difcovered an inveterate animofity againft the Americans. On the fifth of May 1782, Sir Guy Carleton arrived at New-York, being appointed to the command of the British troops in America in the room of Sir Henry Clinton. Twe days after his arrival, he wrote a letter to General Waflington, acquainting him, that Admiral Digby was joined with himself in a commilhon to treat of peace with the people of America, tranfmitting to him, at the fame time, fome papers tending to manifeft the pacific difpofition of the government and people of Britain towards thofe of America. He also defired a paffport for Mr. Morgan, who was appointed to tranfmit a fimilar letter of compliment to the congrefs. General Washington declined signing any paffport till he had taken the opinion of congrefs upon that meafuce and by them he was directed to refufe any paffport for fuch a purpose. However, another letter was fent to General Washington, dared the fecond of Augußl, No. 23.

figned by Sir Guy Carleton and rear-amiral Digby, in which they informed him that they were acquainted by authority that negociations for a general peace had already cominenced at Paris; that Mr. Grenville was invefled with full powers to treat with all the parties at war; and was then at Paris in the execution of his commiffion. They farther informed him, that his Majefly, in order to remove all obftacles to that peace which he had fo ardently wished to restore, had commanded his minifters to direct Mr. Grenville, that the independency of the thirteen provinces fhould be propofed by him, in the first inflance, inflead of making it the condition of a general treaty. But fome jealoufies were entertained by the Americans, that it was the defign of the British court either to difunite them, or to bring them to treat of a peace feparately from their ally the king of France: they therefore refolved, that any man or body of men, who fhould prefume to make any feparate or partial convention of agreement with the king of Great Britain, or with any commiflioner or commiffioners under the crown of Great Britain, ought to be confidered and treated as open and avowed enemies to the United States of America; and alfo that thole flates could not with propriety hold any conference or treaty with any commiffioners on the part of Great Britain, unless they fhould, as a preliminary thereto, either withdraw their fleets and armies, or elfe, in pofitive and exprefs terms, acknowledge the independence of the faid ftates. They likewife refolved, that any propofitions which might be made by the court of Great Britain, in any manner tending to violate the treaty fubfifting between them and the king of France, ought to be treated with every mark of indignity and contempt.

In the month of June, the town of Savannah and the whole province of Georgia were evacuated by the king's troops; as was alfo Charieftown, South Carolina, about the clofe of the year. In the mean time, the negociations for peace being continued, provifional articles of peace were fined at Paris on the thirtieth of November by the commiffioner of his Britannic Majefty and the American commiffioners, in which his majesty acknowledged the united colonies of New Hampshire, Maffachufetts Bay, Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York New Jerfey, Pennfyl vania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Caralina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be free foreign and independent flates." On the fourth of July 1776; they had been acknowledged fuch by the French king on the thirtieth of January 1778, when he concluded with them a treaty of amity and commerce; Holland had acknowledged them as fuch April nineteen 1782; Sweden acknowledged them as fuch February fifth 1783: Denmark the twenty-fifth of February, Spain in March, and Rufa in Jaly, the fame year.

According to the report of the committee appointed for that purpose, the Foreign Debt of the United States incurred by the war, amounted to 7,885,085 dollars, and the Domeftic Debt to 33.114.299, total 42,000, 375 dollars. But the coft to Great Britain is moderately, computed at 613,707,818 dollars.

Such was the end of the contest between Great Britain and America: A con eft in which the latter attained to an independent rank among the nations, that may be productive of more important confequences that can yet be foreseen.

According to the former conflitution of the United States, commonly called the Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, each state contrafted a reciprocal treaty of alliance and friendship for their common defer ce, for the VOL. IV.

Q

maintenance of their liberties, and for their general and mutual advantage; obliging themselves to aflift each other against all violence that might threaten all, or any of them, and to repel in common all the attacks that might be levelled against all, or any one of them, on account of religion, fovereignty, commerce, or under any other pretext whatever. Each of the colonies referved to themfelves alone the exclufive right of regulating their internaf government, and of framing laws in all matters not included in the articles of confederation.-But for the more convenient management of the generaf interefl of the United States, it was determined, that delegates fhould be annually appointed in fuch a manner as the legillature of each flare fhould direct, to meet in congrefs on the firft Monday of November every year, with a power referved to each flate to recal its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to fend others in their flead for the remainder of the year. No flate was to be reprefented in congrefs by lefs than two, nor more than seven members; and no perfon was capable of being a delegate for more than three years, in any term of fix years, nor of holding any office under the United States, in congrefs affembled. Each ftate had one vote. Every flat, had to abide by the dete rmitations of the United States in congrefs affembled on all quellions which were fubmitted to them by the confederation. The articles of confederation were to be inviolably obferved by every late, and the union to be perpetual; nor was any alteration, at any time hereafter, to be made in any of them, unless fuch alteration be agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and beaf terwards confirmed by the legiflature of every ftate.

Thefe articles were framed, however, during the rage of war, when a principle of common fafety fupplied the place of a coercive government : But upon the return of peace, they were found in any inflances to be defective. There was a large debt to be difcharged, and the individual flates alone poffeffed the means of doing it, the powers of congrefs extending only to requifitions on the fates for their respective quotas. To provide 'funds commenfurate with the demands on the public treafury, congrefs towards the clofe of the war, propofed that the fates fhould inveft them with the rights to levy an impoft of five per cent ad valorem, on all merchandize imported into the United States from foreign countries, until the public. . debt fhould be discharged.

This plan however met with confiderable oppofition, and as the states o New York and Rhode Island could not be prevailed on to accede to it, it was, of courfe never carried into effect. It was the neglect of several of the Siates to furnifh their refpective quotas agreeably to to the requifitions of Congrefs, which rendered it neceffary for that body to have recourse to this application; but fo inattentive were they to this demand, that the greater part either wholly neglected, or but partially complied with their requifitions. Hence the general government became exceedingly embarraffed. They were often fo deftitute of money as to be incapable of paying their miniflers abroad, or their civil miniflers at home. Much lefs were they able to discharge any part of the public debt: but the want of power to raise a revenue was not the only defect in the former general government. The old congrels had no power to regulate commerce; they could raife troops and build a navy: but they could levy no taxes to defray the expence of them. They could pafs revolutions; but had not the power of carrying them into effect. They had not the power of putting the militia on an uniform footing throughout the United States, or of calling thens forth to