Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

The

Kemp's landing, Gofport, Tanner's Creek, and other 1779. places in that quarter; nor were the frigates and armed veffels lefs active or fuccefsful in their fervice. Within the fortnight that the fleet and army continued upon the coast, the loss of the Americans was prodigious. Above 130 veffels of all forts, including fome privateers and ships of force, were destroyed or taken by them; 17 prizes were brought away, befide 3000 hogfheads of tobacco, which fell into their poffeffion at Portsmouth. Except the houfe of a widow and the church, they burnt every house in Suffolk; and all the principal houfes of gentlemen in their route fhared the fame fate. Virginia affembly refolved, " that the governor be required to remonftrate to the British commander against fuch a cruel and unprecedented manner of waging war, not authorized by any civilized nation:" but a fufficient military force to back it was wanting. The fleet and army, with their prizes and booty, arrived fafe at New York before the expiration of the month. The troops 30. were joined to others going up the North river to attack the posts of Stoney-point and Verplank, where the Americans had begun to conftruct ftrong works, for keeping the lower communication open between the eastern and fouthern states. Gen. Vaughan landed with the greater part on the east fide; while the remainder, accompanied by Sir H. Clinton, advanced further up, landed on the weft fide, and took poffeffion of Stoney-point without oppofition. Directly oppofite, the Americans had completely finished a strong fort, which was defended by four pieces of artillery, and a garrifon of about 70 men. But it was commanded by Stoney-point; to the fummit of whofe rocks cannon and mortars were

1779. dragged up during the night. By five in the morning, a battery was opened, which poured a storm of fire over on the fort; while Vaughan with his divifion, making a long circuit through the hills, arrived, and closely invested it by land. The garrifon finding themselves totally overpowered, furrendered prisoners of war. Sir H. Clinton moving his main body up the North River, occafioned the American army's moving from their encampment at Middle Brook toward Weft-point, for which they were in no small apprehenfion, the garrison being few, and the fort not completed. Sir H. Clinton gave immediate direction for perfecting the works of both posts, and particularly for putting Stoney-point in the strongest state of defence: for their better support, and with a view to further operations, he encamped his army at Phillipfburgh, about half way down the river to New York ifland. By the loss of these posts, the Jerfey people were obliged to make a circuit of about 90 miles through the mountains, to communicate with ୨୦ the ftates eaft of Hudfon's river.

We must here fufpend our account of the operations under the direction of Sir Henry, and attend to very different expeditions,

One was ordered to be fet on foot by lieut. governor Hamilton of Detroit, who was to be joined in the spring of this year by 200 Indians from Mechilimainoi, and 500 Cherokees and Chickasaws, and other nations: these were to penetrate up the Ohio to Fort Pitt, fweeping Kentucky on their way, having light brafs cannon for the purpofe. He was to be joined by all the Indians that could be procured; and had no doubt of forcing all Weft Augufta. Deftruction from every quarte.

seemed to hover over the Virginia back fettlers. Col. 1779Clarke hearing that Hamilton (who had taken poft at St. Vincent on the 15th of last December, and had fortified the fame to be ready for, and favor the expedition) had weakened himself by sending away his Indians against the frontiers, formed the desperate refolution of attacking him, as the only probable expedient for faving the Feb. country. After many difficulties he arrived unexpect- 23. edly to the enemy, and made an affault. The town immediately furrendered, and affifted in the fiege of the fort. The next day Hamilton in the evening, agreed to furrender the garrifon prifoners of war, in all 79, with confiderable ftores. Clarke had marched across the country with only 130 men, being all he could raife. He was 16 days on his route, through the inclemency. of the season, drowned lands, &c. While engaged with Hamilton, an Indian party, who had been to war, returned, knowing nothing of him and his men; Clarke fent a number to give them battle, took nine of them, and released two prifoners. Hearing of a convoy of provifions and goods on their way from Detroit, he detached a party of 60 men in armed boats, which met them before they got intelligence of their danger 40 leagues up the river, and made a prize of the whole, taking 40 prisoners, and about 10,000l. worth of goods and provifions. By Clarke's attacking Hamilton, the intended expedition of the enemy was ruined. The colonel, on his return, tranfmitted to the Virginia council, letters and papers relating to lieut. gov. Hamilton, Philip Dejain, juftice of peace for Detroit, and William Lamothe, capt. of volunteers, whom he had made prifoners of war in the Illinois country.

[ocr errors]

1779 The board proceeded to confider them; and found,
June
16. that Hamilton had incited the Indians to perpetrate their
accustomed cruelties on the citizens of the United States

had at the time of his captivity, fent confiderable de-
tachments of Indians against the frontiers, and had
actually appointed a great council of them to meet
him, and concert the operations of the prefent campaign
and that he gave fstanding rewards for scalps. It also
appeared to them, that Dejain was, on all occasions, the
willing and cordial inftrument of Hamilton; and that
Lamothe was a captain of the volunteer fcalping parties
of Indians and whites. They therefore refolved to ad-
vise the governor, that they should be put in irons, con-
fined in the dungeon of the public jail, debarred the
ufe of
pen, ink and paper, and excluded all converse,
except with their keeper, being confidered as fit fubjects
on which to begin the work of retaliation. The gover-
nor gave orders accordingly.

April Colonel Goofe Van Schaick marched from Fort
19.
Schuyler toward Onondaga on Lake Ontario, which he
destroyed with a large quantity of grain, cattle, horfes,
arms and ammunition, except fuch as he could conve-
niently bring off. Twelve Indians, moftly warriors, were
killed, and 34 made prifoners, the reft fled to the woods.
This expedition was performed in about five days and
a half, (the diftance going and returning 180 miles)
and without the lofs of a fingle man.

The British generals were divided upon the fubject, whether or no to carry on a predatory war against the Americans. They fent home, and fubmitted it to the ministry, who determined in favor of wafte and rapine. After which, Mr. Arthur Lee forwarded to gov. Trum

bull and to the committee for foreign affairs, letters 1779dated Paris, April 6, 1779, mentioning" I have received intelligence, that it is juft determined in the Britifh cabinet, to fend over immediate orders to New York for an expedition through the Sound up Connecticut river. The enemy are to land at Weathersfield, and proceed by land to New Haven bay, where they are to embark, after having plundered, burnt and deftroyed all in their way." A member of the committee wrote to his correfpondent, on the 16th of July, " Arthur Lee had intelligence, on the 6th of April, of the defign upon Fairfield, but contrary winds and captures of his originals, have prevented our getting feasonable warning." Sir H. Clinton having received the ministerial inftructions, proceeded in conformity to the fpirit of them, only varying circumstances fo far as that required. Sir George Collier, with the neceffary fhips of war and tranfports, and gov. Tryon at the head of 2600 land forces, feconded by gen. Garth, were appointed to the predatory expedition. While in the Sound, the commanders joined in an addrefs to the inhabitants of Connecticut, which they figned on the 4th of July. In that they invited and urged them to return to their duty and allegiance; and promifed all, remaining peaceably in their ufual place of refidence, protection in perfon and property, excepting the civil and military officers of the government; but threatened those who flighted the warning. The addrefs was merely farcical, for inftead of leaving them to confult each other upon the invitation, as they ftated it, they employed force before the people had time to confult each other after the invita tion was received,

« ZurückWeiter »