1775

[The first year of the Revolution.]

The principal operations of the war during this year took place in the northern States. As the province of Massachusetts had been foremost in opposition, the British government sent their forces to Boston, the capital, and held it in possession during the year. Soon after the battles of Lexington and Bunker's Hill, Gen. Washington, who was appointed commander in chief of the American forces, arrived at Cambridge, and took the command of the army in July. The army investing Boston amounted to about 15,000 men. They were mostly destitute of good arms, ammunition, clothing, and experienced officers. Washington's first and most difficult task was to organize and discipline the troops. Owing to his uncommon exertions and influence, he succeeded in bringing high-minded freemen to know their respective places, and to have the mechanism as well as the movements of a regular army.

In the autumn of this year, a body of troops under the command of Gen. Montgomery, besieged and took the garrison at St. John's, which commanded the entrance into Canada. Gen. Montgomery pursued his success, and took Montreal. At Quebec being joined by Gen. Arnold, who had marched a body of men through the wilderness to his assistance, Montgomery made an assault on Quebec, on the last day of the year. In this attack he was killed, his troops defeated, and the American army was finally compelled to evacuate Canada.

During this year nearly all the old governments of the colonies were dissolved; and the royal governors, and the crown officers adhering to British measures, were obliged to leave the country, or suspend their functions. From that time temporary conventions were held, for the purpose of administering the laws, and making regulations to meet the public exigences. In

some of the colonies, however, the British adherents (who were called tories) were numerous and powerful, which weakened the opposition to the British arms.

1776.

This year was opened by the burning of the large and flourishing town of Norfolk in Virginia, by order of Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of that province.

The British King entered into treaties with some of the German States for about 17,000 men who were to be sent to America this year, to assist in subduing the colonies. These troops were generally called Hessians, from the circumstance of many of them being raised in Hesse Cassel in Germany. Gen. Washington who still continued before Boston, in the opening of the spring planted his batteries so judiciously before that town, that the British General Howe, on the 17th of March abandoned the place, and Gen. Washington marched into the place in triumph.

During the summer a squadron of ships commanded by Sir Peter Parker, and a body of troops under Generals Clinton and Cornwallis, attempted to take Charleston, the capital of South Carolina. The fort on Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, was attacked with great fury by the ships of the squadron, but the British were repulsed with great loss, and the expedition was abandoned.

On the 4th of July, Congress published the Declara tion of Independence. Soon after the declaration, Gen. Howe with a powerful force arrived near New-York; and landed the troops on Staten Island. Gen. Washington at this time was in New-York with about 13,000 men, who were encamped either in the city, or the neighbouring fortifications. The operations of the British began by attacking the Americans on Long Island. The Americans were defeated with severe loss, and Gen. Washington probably saved the remainder of his troops by ordering them to retreat in the night after the battle.

In September, New-York was abandoned by the Americans, and taken by the British, and in November, fort Washington on York Island was taken, and more than 2,000 men made prisoners: about the same time Gen. Clinton took possession of Rhode Island.

The American army being greatly diminished by the loss of men taken prisoners, and the departure of large bodies of others whose term of enlistment had expired, General Washington was obliged with the remnant of his army which had been reduced from 25,000, to scarcely 3,000, to retreat towards Philadelphia, pursued by their victorious enemies. This was the most gloomy period of the Revolution. Washington saw the necessity of striking some successful blow, to reanimate the expiring hopes of his countrymen. The battles of Trenton and Princeton revived the hopes of America, and confounded their enemies. Congress also made great exertions to rouse the spirits of the people, and sent agents to solicit the friendship and aid of foreign

powers.

1777.

The plan of the British Ministry during this year was to separate the northern from the southern States, by sending an army under Gen. Burgoyne from Canada, to penetrate into the northern States, and endeavour to effect a communication with the British at New-York. If this plan had been successful, it would probably have had a fatal effect on the American cause. But the defeat of Burgoyne at Bennington and Saratoga, and the surrender of his army at the latter place, produced important results in favour of the Americans. At the South the British were more successful. Gen. Howe embarked his forces at New-York, sailed up the Chesapeake, landed at the head of Elk river, and began his march to Philadelphia. Gen. Washington endeavoured to stop his progress, and a battle was fought near Brandywine Creek, but the Americans were overpowered by superior numbers and discipline, and Gen. Howe took

possession of Philadelphia. The American Congress now retired to Yorktown in Virginia.

1778.

The beginning of this year was distinguished by a Treaty of Alliance with France, whereby the Americans obtained a powerful ally. When the British Ministry were informed that this treaty was in agitation, they despatched commissioners to America to attempt a reconciliation.-But the Americans had now gone too far to accept their offers. The British evacuated Philadelphia in June and marched for New-York; on their march they were annoyed by the Americans, and at Monmouth an action took place, in which, had Gen. Lee obeyed his orders, a signal victory would have been obtained.

In July, Count D'Estaing arrived at Newport, R. I. with a French fleet for the assistance of the Americans. In August, Gen. Sullivan, with a large body of troops, attempted to take possession of Rhode Island, but did not succeed. In December, Savannah, the then capital of Georgia, was taken by the British under the command or Col. Campbell. About this time an insurrec tion of the Royalists in North Carolina, was crushed by the spirited exertions of the Militia. During this year a more regular discipline was introduced into the American army by Baron Steuben, a German officer.

1779.

The campaign of 1779 was distinguished for nothing decisive on the part of the Americans or British. "The British seemed to have aimed at little more than to distress, plunder, and consume-it having been, early in the year, adopted as a principle upon which to proceed, to render the Colonies of as little avail as possible to their new connexions." In accordance with these views, an expedition was sent from New-York to Virginia for the purpose of distressing the Americans.

They landed at Portsmouth, and destroyed the shipping and valuable stores in that vicinity. After enriching themselves with various kinds of booty, and burning several places, they returned to New-York. Soon after this expedition, a similar one, under the command of Governor Tryon, was sent against Connecticut. NewHaven and East-Haven were plundered; Fairfield, Norwalk, and Green's Farms, were wantonly burned. About this time Stony Point was taken by Gen. Wayne. In October, Gen. Lincoln (who commanded the southern American army) and Count D'Estaing made an assault on Savannah, but they were repulsed with considerable loss. During the summer, Gen. Sullivan was sent against the Six Nations, and laid waste their country; -these Indians had been induced by the British to take up arms against the Americans. Forty villages were consumed, and 100,000 bushels of corn were destroyed.

1780.

On the opening of the campaign of this year, the British troops left Rhode Island, and Sir Henry Clinton finding it more easy to make an impression on the Southern States, which were less populous than the Northern, determined to make them the seat of war. Clinton, with Lord Cornwallis, undertook an expedition against Charleston, South Carolina, where Gen. Lincoln commanded. This place, after a close siege of about six weeks, surrendered to the British commander; and Gen. Lincoln, and the whole garrison, were made prisoners on the 12th of May.

Gen. Gates was now appointed to the command of the southern American army. In August, Lord Cornwallis (who was left in the command of the British forces at the South) attacked Gen. Gates, and entirely routed his army. He afterwards marched through the southern States, and supposed them entirely subdued. During the summer, the British troops made frequent incursions into New-Jersey, ravaging and plundering th ountry. This year was also distinguished for the