on the difmiffion and immediate recal of the Governor. The States replied by their envoy at London. They complained of the menacing tone of the memorial, as too highly ftrained, and beyond that which ought to take place between two fovereign and independent powers, united for many years by the ties of good harmony and mutual friendhip; they, however, difavowed the conduct of their Governor, and acquainted his Majefty with their having ordered M.Van Graaf home to render an account of his conduct. It does not, however, appear that he was fufpended.} In America, the army under Sir William Howe was unable to take the field early in the fummer, for want of the neceffary camp equipage, which did not arrive until the latter end of May. In the mean time a detachment of 500 men, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bird, was fent up the North river, to deftroy a very large magazine which the Americans had collected at Peek's Kill, 50 miles from York Ifland. Vaft ftores of rum, molaffes, flour and provifions of all kinds, with fome military ftores, were deftroyed *. A month after, MajorGeneral Tryon, Governor of New York, at the head of 1800 men, penetrated into the Province of Connecticut, and destroyed two large magazines depofited at Danbury and Ridgefield, which confifted of provifions and military ftores. In deftroying the magazines the towns were also reduced to afhes. The American General Woofter was killed in a skirmish on the return of the party. These fucceffes, previous to the opening of the campaign, made a figure in a Gazette, and ferved to keep up the fpirits of the nation; but they do not appear to have had any visible effect on the operations of the American army during the year. They certainly tended to impoverish the new States, by rendering it neceffary to collect fresh ftores, but these the country was able to furnish, and the credit of Congrefs, in fome way or other, to procure. The Americans were not backward in retaliating thefe loffes a body of troops under Colonel Meigs, who had ferved with confiderable reputation in the expedition against Quebec, embarked in whale-boats at Connecticut, and proceeded to the Eaft-fide of Long Island, to a place called Sag-harbour, where a quantity of forage, grain and other neceffaries was collected for the use of the army. A company of foot, and an armed schooner, defended the post, but were foon compelled to fubmit. A number of small veffels which lay in the harbour were burnt, every thing on fhore was deftroyed, and ninety prifoners carried off. Another detachment, from Providence, under Colonel Briton, made an incurfion into Rhode Island, and carried off, by furprize, General Prefcot, who commanded there; that officer had been before a prifoner to the Americans on the taking of St. John's on Lake Champlain. The American General Lee had been, captured the year before by a fimilar exploit performed by Colonel Harcourt, at the head of a few dragoons. In confequence of our having regained poffeffion of the Lakes, a defign was formed of making an irruption from Canada into the Northern Colonies, and by ftretching forward to Albany, (a town fituated 150 miles up Hudfon's river, and which in the laft war had been the head quarters for the forces,) to fecure the entire navigation of that river, which separates the northern from the middle and fouthern Colonies. A very confiderable army, compofed of British and German troops, with the most ample ap May 23, 17776 pointments, pointments, and a fine train of artillery, was deftined to execute this important plan; and Lieutenant General Burgoyne, who had distinguished himself for his bravery, spirit and fuccefs, during the last war, in repelling the attacks of the Spaniards upon the kingdom of Portugal, was appointed to the command. To ftrike terror into the Ame ricans, and with a view to haften their return to obedience, a body of favages had been engaged by a profusion of prefents, to act as allies of the King of Great Britain against his Colonies. Sir Guy Carleton now quitted the government of Canada, being fucceeded in his command by General Haldimand, a native of Sweden. This expedition was in great forwardness when Sir William Howe's army took the field, The first and principal object for the fouthern army was the reduction of. Philadelphia; but the fecretary for the Colonies had recommended to the Commander in Chief, to make a warm diverfion on the coafts of Maffachufet's Bay and New Hampshire, in order to weaken the American force in the back fettlements: but though a requifition of 15,000 men had been made to reinforce the army, only 2900 were fent; notwithstanding which deficiency, the official difpatches exprefled the fulleft expectations that every measure which had been planned would be effected, The force which had been fufficient to take poffeffion of New York, Rhode Island, and other strong holds of the enemy, after the neceflary divifions were made for prefery, ing the variety of posts which had been gained, could not be equally fuitable to the making of new conquefts, the * It appeared by papers laid before the Houfe of Commons, that the expence of retaining these Indians, amounted to 150,000l. and not more than feven or eight hundred were faid to have been in the field at any one time. number number of troops for the field being thereby neceffarily decreafed. The General and Admiral reprefented this to the minifter, and that the diverfion to the northward must be confequently laid afide. Sir Guy Carleton, who was then in Quebec, was informed, that General Howe would probably be in Pennsylvania, at the time when the northern army would be ready to enter the Province of New York. That little affiftance was to be expected from him to facilitate its approach, as a want of sufficient ftrength in his own army would probably not admit of his detaching a corps to act up Hudfon's River in the beginning of the campaign. Washington, who was now appointed to the diftinguished rank of dictator, commanded an army much fuperior to that in the last campaign; the Provincial officers were much improved, and feveral French officers had arrived, together with fifty pieces of brafs cannon t. The Americans occupied a very strong and advantageous camp in the Jerfeys, which the British General endeavoured by ftratagem to induce their General to quit, in hopes of bringing on a general engagement, well knowing that with fuch an enemy in force, and hanging upon his rear, it would be impoffible for him to penetrate through the Jerfeys, and pafs his army acrofs the Delaware, where the enemy The Marquis Fayette, nephew to M. de Noailles, the French Am baffador at the court of London, who had refided with his uncle for fome time, and who lived in the most unreserved intimacy with many of the confidential fervants of the crown, having obtained very important information concerning the plan of operations for the campaign, particularly respecting the northern army, fuddenly withdrew to France, and without communicating his intentions to any of his relations, or obtaining leave of abfence from his court, which, as an officer in the French King's service was requifite, he embarked on board a veffel bound to America, to serve in the army commanded by Washington. had had a corps ready to difpute the paffage. But the caution of that Commander was not to be circumvented; fo that Howe, after having made a feint of retiring from the American lines, which drew after it no decifive confequence, was obliged to relinquish his attempt, and with great delay and danger to adopt a new and diftant plan of operation, by embarking his army in tranfports, and proceeding to the fcene of action by fea. Waiting for the arrival of Sir Henry Clinton from Europe, who was to command at New York, and to hear from General Burgoyne, retarded the failing of the fleet until the 23d of July. The main army which embarked confifted of 14,000 men; 8500 were left at New York, exclufive of the fick and recovering ; and 3000 defended Rhode Island. The fleet arrived at the mouth of the Delaware on the 30th, and if a landing could have been effected on the fouthern coast near Wilmington, the fervice would have received a most effential benefit; but a number of floating batteries, fire-fhips and fire-rafts, had been collected by the enemy, which would have endangered the deftruction of the fleet in the night. There were only eight or nine pilots on board, and no boats capable of withstanding the row-boats and gallies. Thefe circumftances rendered an attempt to land extremely hazardous. The country too was very marshy, and the roads formed upon narrow causeways, interfected by creeks t. These difficulties and dangers determined the land and naval commander to proceed two degrees farther to the fouthward, to Chesapeak Bay; but in this course they were greatly impeded by contrary winds, the wind blowing generally from fome point of the fouthward in that * Evidence of Sir Andrew Snape Hammond before the Houfe of Commons. † Sir William Howe's narrative. feafon |