of the colonists, and could not thefore be exchanged. And the congrefs was highly irritated at its being reported that he was to be treated as a deferter, having been a half-pay officer in the British fervice at the commencement of the war. In confequence of this they iffued a proclamation, threatening to retaliate on the prifoners in their poffeffion whatever puniment fhould be inflicted on any of thofe taken by the British, and efpecially that their condu& fhould be regulated by the treatment of general Lee.

In the mean time they proceeded with the most indefatigable diligence to recruit their army, which, for the enfuing campaign was defigned to confift of 88 battalions; of which each province was to contribute its quota; and 20 dollars were offered as a bounty to each foldier, befides an emolument of lands at the end of the war. In this allotment it was ftipulated, that each foldier fhould have 100 acres; an enfign 150;, a lieutenant 200; a captain 300; a major 400; a lieutenant colonel 450; and a colonel 500. No lands were promised to thofe who enlifted only for three years. To defray the expence, congrefs borrowed five millions of dollars at five per cent; for payment of which the United States became furety.

This fpirited exertion of Congress determined the Americans to exert to the utmost in order to reinforce general Washington's army. They foon received farther encouragement. however, by an exploit of that general against the Heffans. As the Royal army extended in the different cantonments for a great way, general Washington, perceiving the imminent danger to which the Philadelphians was expofed, refolved to make fome attempt on those divifions of the enemy which lay neareft that city. Thefe happened to be the Heffians, who lay in three divifions, the laft only 20 miles diftant from Philadelphia. On the 25th of December, having collected as confiderable a force as he could, he fet out with an intent to furprife that body who lay at Trenton. His army was divided into three bodies; one of which he ordered to cross the Delaware at Trenton Ferry; the fecond at Bordentown, a good diftance below at where the fecond divifion of Heffians was placed: while he himfelf, with the third, directing his coure to a ferry fome niles above Trenton, intended to have paffed it at midnight, and attack the Heffans at break of day. But by reafon of various impediments, it was eight in the morning before he could reach the place of his deflination. The enemy, however, did not perceive his approach till they were fuddenly attacked. Colonel Ralle, who commanded tbem, did all that could be expected from a brave and experienced officer: but every thing was in fuch confufion, that no efforts of valor or fkill could now retrieve matters. The Colonel himself was mortally wounded, his troops were entirely broken, their artillery feized, and about 1000 taken prifoners.

This action though feemingly of no very decifive nature, was fufficient at that time to turn the fortune of war in favour of America. Ittended greatly to leffen the fear which the provincials had of the Heftans, at the fam e time that it equally abated the confidence which the British had till now put in them. Reinforcements came into General Washington's army from all quarters; fo that he was foon in a condition to leave Philadelphia, and rake up his quarters at Trenton. Emboldened by his fuccefs, he determined to make an attempt on a divifion of the British forces ftationed at Maidenhead, a town fituated half way between Trenton and Princetown. This confifted of three regiments under the command of Colonel Mawhood. The troops were furprised on their march; but though they were feparately surrounded and attacked by a force fo vakly fuperior, they charged the enemy fo-refolute

No. 23.

ly with their bayonets, that they effected a retreat. These attempts of the Americans, hower, with the hoftile difpofition of the people, thowed the impollibility of maintaining posts fo far advanced in the enemy's country; fo that it was refolved to retreat towards Brunfwick, in order to prevent it, with the troops and magazines contained, from falling into the hands of the provincials.

Thus ended the campaign of 1776, with fcarce any real advantage other than the acquifition of the city of New-York, and of a few fortreffes in its neighbourhood; where however the troops were conftrained to act with as much circumfpection as if they had been befieged by a victorious army, inBead of being themfelves the conquerors.

The army at New-York began in 1777 to exercife a kind of predatory war, by fending out parties to deftroy magazines, make incurfions, and take or dellroy fuch forts as lay on the banks of rivers, to which their great command of fhipping gave them accefs. In this they were generally fuccefsful : the provincial magazines at Peek's Hill were deftroyed, the town of Danbury in Connecticut burnt, and that of Ridgefield iu the fame province was taken poffellion of. In returning from the laft expedition, however, the British were greatly harraffed by the Americans; but they made good their retreat in spite of all oppofition, with a trifling lofs. On this occafion, however, the Americans loft general Woofter, who was killed, but on the other hand they deftroyed the flores at Sagg-Harbour, and made prifoners of all who defended the place.

As this method of making war, however, could anfwer but little purpose, it was refolved to make an attempt on Philadelphia. At firfl it was thought that this could not be done through the Jerfey's; but general Washington had received fuch large reinforcements, that it was found to be impracticable. Many flratagems were used to draw him from his fituation, but without fuccefs; fo that it was found neceffary to make the attempt by fea. While the preparations neceffary for this expedition were going forward, the Americans found means to make amends for the capture of general Lee by that of general Prefcot, who was feized in his quarters with his aid de camp, in much the fame manner as general Lee had been.

The month of July had far advanced before the preparations for the expedition againit Philadelphia were completed; and it was the 23d before the fleet was able to fail from Sandy Hook. The force employed in this expedition confifted of 36 battalions of British and Heffians, a regiment of light horfe, and a body of loyalifts raised at New-York. After a week's failing they arrived at the mouth of the Delaware; but there they received certain intelligence, that the navigation of the river was fo effectually obftructed, that no poffibility of forcing a paffage remained. Upon this it was refolved to proceed further fouthward to Chefapeak Bay in Maryland, from whence the diflance to Philadelphia was not very great, and where the provincial army would find less advantage from the nature of the country than in the Jerfeys. The navigation from Delaware to Chefapeak took up the best part of the month of August, and that up the bay itfelf was extremely difficult and tedious. At lall, having failed up the river Elk, as far as was practicable, the troops were landed without oppofition, and fet forward on their intended expedition. On the news of their arrival in Chesapeak, general Wafington left the Jerfeys, and baftened to the relief of Philadelphia; and in the beginning of September met the royal army at Brandy-wine Creek about midday, between the head of the E and Philadelphia. Iere he adhered to VOL. IV.

M

his former method of skirmishing the royal army on its march; but as this proved infufficient to flop its progress, he retired to that fide of the Creek next to Philadelphia, with an intent to difpute the paffage. This brought on a general engagement on the 11th September, in which the Americans were worfted; and it was only through the approach of night that they were faved from being entirely deftroyed. On this occafion the provincials loft about 1000 in killed and wounded, befides 400 taken prifoners.

The lofs of this battle proved alfo the lofs of Philadelphia, ard general Washington retired towards Lancafter, an inland town, at a confiderable dillance from that place.

Whilft general Howe now perceiving that the Americans would not venture another battle even for the fake of their capital, took peaceable poffeffion of it on the 26th of September. His firfl care was then to cut off, by means of frong batteries, the communication between the upper and lower parts of the river; which was executed notwithflanding the oppofition of fome American armed velfels; one of which, carrying thirty-fix guns, was taken. His next talk was to open a communication with it by fea; and this was a work of no fmall difficulty. A vaft number of batteries and forts had been erected, and immenfe machines formed like chevaux de frieze, from whence they took their name, funk in the river to prevent its navigation. General Washington, however, took the advantage of the royal army being divided, to attack the camp of the principal divifion of it, that lay at German-town in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, but in this he met with little or no fuccefs.

Thus upon the whole the campaign of 1777 in Pennfylvania concluded fuccessfully on the part of the British. In the north, however, matters wore a different afpect. The expedition in this quarter had been projected by the British miniftry as the moft effectual method that could be taken to crufh the colonies at once. The four provinces of New England originally begun the confederacy against Britain, and were flill confidered as the moft active in the continuation of it; and it was thought, that any impreffion made upon them would contribute in an effectual manner to the reduction of the reft. For this purpofe, an army of four thousand chofen British troops and three thoufand Germans were put under the command of General Burgoyne; General Carleton was directed to ufe his intereft with the Indians to perfuade them to join in this expedition; and the province of Quebec was to furnifh large parties to join in the fame.

On the twenty-firft of June 177, the army encamped on the weflern fide of the Lake Champlain; where being joined by a confiderable body of Indians, General Burgoyne illned a proclamation, in which the force of Britain and that which he commanded was fet forth in very oftentatious terms, and the campaign opened with the fiege of Ticonderoga. The place was very ftrong, and garrifoned by fix thoufand men under General Sinclair; nevertheless, the works were fo extenfive, that even this number was not fufficient to defend them properly. The confequence was, that the Americans at laft loft two hundred boats, one hundred and thirty pieces of cannon with all their provifions and baggage.

General Burgoyne was, however, from feveral difafters which his army had experienced in different fkirmishes obliged to fufpend his operations for fome time, and wait at Sherefoorough for the arrival of his tent, provifions, &c. but employed this interval in making roads through the country, and in clearing a paffage for his troops to proceed against the enemy This was attended with incredible toil; but all obftacles were furmounted by

the patience and refolution of the army. In fhort, after undergoing the utmost difficulty, he arrived with his army before Fort Edward about the end of July. Here General Schuyler had been for fome time endeavouring to recruit the fhattered American forces, in which he was confiderably fuccefsful.

General Burgoyne in the mean time, notwithstanding all the difficulties he had fuftained, found that he must fill encounter more. The roads he had made with so much labour and pains were deftroyed either by the wetness of the feafon or by the enemy; fo that the provifions he had brought from Fort Gerge could not arrive at his camp without the most prodigious toil. To remedy this want of provifions it was propofed to reduce the provincial magazines at Bennington. For this purpose, Colonel Baum, a German officer of great bravery, was chofen with a body of five hundred men. The place was about twenty miles from Hudfon's River; and to fupport Colonel Baum's party, the whole army marched up the river's bank, and encamped almoft oppofite to Saratoga, with the river betwixt it and that place. An advanced party was pofled at Batten Kill, between the camp and Bennington, in order to fupport Colonel Baum. In their way the British feized a large fupply of cattle and provifions, which were immediately fent to the camp; but the badnefs of the roads retarded their march fo much, that intelligence of their defign was fent to Bennington. Understanding now that the American force was greatly fuperior to his own, the Colonel acquainted the General, who immediately dispatched Colonel Breyman with a party to his affiflance; but through the fame caufes that had retarded the march of Colonel Baum, this affiftance could not arrive in time. General Starke, in the mean time, who commanded at Bennington, determined to attack the two parties feparately; and for this purpose advanced against Colonel Baum, whom he furrounded on all fides and attacked with the utmoft violence. The troops defended themfelves with great valour, but were to a man either killed or taken. Colonel Breyman, after a defperate engagement, had the good luck to effect a retreat through the darknefs of the night, which he otherwife could not have done, as his men had expended all their ammunition being forty rounds to each.

General Burgoyne, thus difappointed in his attempt on Bennington, applied himself with indefatigible diligence to procure provifions from Fort George; and having at length amaffed a fufficient quantity to laft for a month, he threw a bridge of boats over the river Hudfon, which he croffed about the middle of September, encamping on the bills and plains near Saratoga. As foon as he approached the provincial army, at this time encamped at Stillwater under General Gates, he determined to make an attack; for which purpofe he put himself at the head of the central divifion of his army, having General Frafer and Colonel Breyman on the right, with Generals Reidefel and Philips on the left. In this pofition he advanced towards the enemy on the 19th of September. But the Americans did not wait to be attacked; on the contrary, they attacked the central divifion with the utmost violence; and it was not until General Philips with the artillery came up that they could be repulfed. On this occafion, though the British troops loff only 330 in killed and wounded, and their opponents no fewer than 1500, the former were very much alarmed at the obftinate refolution fhewn by the Americans. This did not, however, prevent them from advancing towards the enemy, and polling themselves the next day within cannon fhot of their lines. But their allies the Indians began to defert in great numbers; and at

the fame time the general was in the higheft degree mortified by having no intelligence of any affiftance from Sir Henry Clinton, as had been flipulated. He now received a letter from him, by which he was informed that Sir Henry, intended to make a diverfion on the North River in his favour. This afforded but little comfort: however he returned an answer by feveral trusty perfons, whom he dispatched different ways, flating his prefent diftreffed fituation, and mentioning that the provifions and other neceffaries he had, could only enable him to hold out to the 12th of October.

Burgoyn's army, in the mean time continued to labour under the greatest diflreffes; fo that in the beginning of October he had been obliged to diminifh the foldiers allowance. On the 7th of that month he determined to move towards the enemy. For this purpose he fent a body of 1500 men to reconnoitre their left wing; intending, if puffible, to break through it in order to effect a retreat. The detachment, however, had not proceeded far when a dreadful attack was made upon the left wing of the British army, which was with great difficulty preferved from being entirely broken by a rei forcement brought up by general Frafer, who was killed in the attack. After the troops had with the most defperate efforts regained their camp, it was most furiously affaulted by General Arnold; who, notwithflanding all oppofition, would have forced the entrenchments, had he not received a dangerous wound, which obliged him to retire. Thus the attack failed on the left, but on the right the camp of the German reserve was forced, CoJonel Breyman killed, and his countrymen defeated with great slaughter and the lofs of all their artillery and baggage.

This was by far the heaviest lofs the British army had fuftained fince the action at Bunker's Hill. The lift of killed and wounded amounted to near 1200, exclufive of the Germans; but the greatest misfortune was, that the enemy had now an opening on the right and rear of the British forces, fo that the army was threatened with entire deftruction. This obliged Gen. Burgoyne once more to shift his position, that the enemy might also be obliged to alter theirs. This was accomplished on the night of the 7th, without any lofs, and all the next day he continued to offer the enemy battle; but they were now too well affured of obtaining a complete victory, by cutting off all fupplies from the British, to rifk a pitched battle. Wherefore they advanced on the right fide, in order to enclofe him entirely; which obliged the General to direct a retreat towards Saratoga.

In the mean time, the boats which conveyed provifions down Hudfon's river were exposed to the continual fire of the Americans, who took many of them: fo that it became neceffary to convey the provifions over land. In this extreme danger, it was refolved to march by night to Fort Edward, forcing the paffages at the fords either above or below the place; and in order to effect this the more eafily, it was refolved that the foldiers fhould carry their provifions on their backs, leaving behind their baggage and every other incumbrance. But before this could be executed, intelligence was received that the enemy had raised frong entrenchments oppofite to these fords, well provided with cannon, and that they had likewife taken poffeffron of the rifing ground between Fort George and Fort Edward, which in like manner was provided with cannon.

All this time the American army was increafing by the continual arrival of militia and volunteers from all parts. Their parties extended all along the oppofite bank of Hudfon's river, and fome had even paffed it in order to obferve the last movement of the British army. On this occafion Bur