ill-will which fubfifted between the people of Maffachufet's Bay and the French, particularly among the lower ranks, fo as to produce affrays and fkirmishes between the townfmen and the failors, which the magiftrates and officers, with all their exertions, were hardly able to fupprefs. Sullivan being now abandoned by the fleet, retreated from Rhode-Ifland, which Sir Henry Clinton in perfon, with four thousand men, had proceeded by fea to relieve.

The operations of the army at New-York, during the campaign of 1778, were carried on by detachments. MajorGeneral Grey destroyed in Plymouth county, eight large veffels, fix armed veffels, and feventy floops and schooners of inferior fize, with all the magazines and ftores in those parts; and from a fmall but fertile ifland called Martha's, or Martin's Vineyard, carried off the amazing quantity of ten thousand sheep and three hundred oxen for the fupply of the army at New-York, a contribution which he had exacted from the inhabitants. The fame officer soon after furprized a regiment of American light horfe, called Baylor's regiment, at New Tapan, near the North River, almost the whole of which was put to the fword. An expedition to Egg-harbour on the Jerfey-coaft proved likewife fucceffful, in deftroying fome privateers, and furprising three troops of light infantry in the night, most of whom were flain.

Thefe inftances of merciless rancour in British foldiers, were however greatly outdone by the favages, in their incurfions into the Back Settlements, in which expeditions they were guided by the American refugees, who had taken fhelter among them, and whofe refentments against their countrymen disposed them to join in any deliberate acts of cruelty. The infant fettlement of Wyoming, which

had

t

had been peopled by the over-flowings of population in Connecticut, was doomed to become a dreadful example of the exterminating fpirit which may feize even human breafts. The fine river Sufquehanna ran through this diftrict, which, though it dated its first establishment subfequent to the conclufion of the late war, poffeffed fuch uncommon advantages in foil and climate, that it became extremely populous; whilft the productions of the earth increased in proportion to the number of its inhabitants. A thousand men from this country ferved in the American army, fo that the fettlement was left in a very weak state of defence; which being reported to Col. Butler, who had been employed as an agent among the northern favages, and who had fometimes acted as their leader, he immediately led a body of about fifteen hundred men, partly Indians, and the reft difguifed like fuch, against this hitherto happy region, which was protected from attacks by four forts: The first of these was voluntarily furrendered, being occupied by those who are called Tories: the fecond was taken by ftorm, and the men who were found in it were murdered, with many aggravations of malicious cruelty, but the women and children were fpared. Under pretence of holding a parley, Butler drew the principal officer, with a great part of his force, from the third fort, into an ambufcade, where they were cut to pieces, only the commander and about feventy of his men efcaping. The invader then invested the fort, thus rendered incapable of any effectual defence, and to appal the spirits of the miserable wretches within it, he fent them two hundred gory fcalps of their murdered relations and comrades. When the befieged begged to know what terms he would grant them on furrendering, he replied, "the hatchet." Despair caufed the place to be defended a fhort time longer, but it was at length furrendered at difcretion. The conquerors, now grown

weary of manual butcheries, after having felecled fome few from the general facrifice, fhut up the reft, without regard to fex or age, and fetting fire to the building, enjoyed the diabolical paftime which fuch a fpectacle afforded; whilft their ears were gratified with the piercing cries of the tormented and expiring victims. Another fort still remained unattacked, but which was furrendered without any refiftance being offered. It was however fatally proved, that the relentless nature of these blood-hounds could neither be humanized by fubmiffion, nor fatiated by flaughter. Some provincial militia, who were found in the fort, were put to death on the spot, but with lingering and laboured cruelty: the reft, of each fex and of all ages, were fhut up in the houfes, which were immediately fet on fire, and the inhabitants and their dwellings perifhed together. The families of fuch as were denominated Tories, were, in general, faved from this maffacre, though in many inftances the rage for carnage was indifcriminating. No fooner were the inhabitants extirpated, than the country was laid waste, and the cattle that escaped with life, were fuffered to live only to endure a keen fenfe of mifery, by their tongues being cut out, or their bodies maimed in fome irremediable mannerThe facts here ftated are taken from the account of this expedition which was published by Congrefs. None other has appeared, nor has the authenticity of this account been controverted.

A party of Americans, eager to revenge such a scene of defolation as the world has been a ftranger to for more than a century, not long after, penetrated with uncommon perfeverance, and in contempt of every danger, into the receffes from whence these fiends had iffued. All the caution with which they approached, could not prevent an alarm being Ipread, fo that the inhabitants, both Indians and Refugees,

escaped;

efcaped; but their houfes, and every thing which they poffelfed, were deftroyed and laid waste.

A Colonel Clerke, about the fame time, proceeded from Virginia into the country of the Illinois, a nation of Indians dwelling near the Upper Miffiffippi, among whom the French are fettled in great numbers. His principal object was to feize the French Governor, M. de Rocheblave, who had been very active in ftirring up the Indians to attack the back fettlements, and who paid them a price for fcalps. Although twelve hundred miles were to be paffed in order to arrive at Kaskaskias, the place of his refidence, yet the purpose was fully accomplished. The place was completely furprized, the Governor was feized upon, and sent prisoner to Virginia all his papers were likewife fecured. In this expedition the Indians were every where flain without mercy, but the French inhabitants obtained fecurity in their lives and property, by taking an oath of allegiance to the new States.

Whilft these horrid fcenes were tranfacting in the Back Settlements, the Sieur Gerrard arrived at Philadelphia, invefted with a public character from the court of France to the American States, The Congrefs having now returned to their original place of affembly, received this Minifter in due form, in that very city from whence the British Commiffioners had been compelled to withdraw a few weeks before. Thefe Commiffioners, now despairing of rendering any service to their country by their embassy, issued a long manifefto from New-York, addreffed to the people at large of the Thirteen Colonies; in which they reprefented the conduct of Congress, as deftructive of the true interests

* October 3, 1778.

of

of America: they charged that body with having affumed powers which their conftituents had not delegated to them, and with deluding and deceiving the people. They then pronounced their farewel to America, by faying, "that the country having profeffed the unnatural defign not only of estranging herself from Great-Britain, but of mortgaging herself and her refources to France, the question is, how far Great Britain may, by every means in her power, deftroy or render useless, a connection contrived for her ruin, and for the aggrandifement of France. Under fuch circumftances, the laws of felf-prefervation must direct her conduct, and if the British Colonies are to become an acceffion to France, thofe laws will direct her to render that acceffion of as little avail as poffible to her enemy."

One of the firft confequences of hoftilities being commenced by the French on the coaft of America, was, the difpoffeffing them of their fisheries on the Banks of Newfoundland, which the peace of Paris had granted to them, rather as a matter of favour, to be held at the good pleasure of Great Britain, than as a tenure to be maintained by force of arms. Admiral Montague, therefore, who at this time commanded on the Newfoundland ftation, fent Commodore Evans with a fufficient force, to feize upon the small islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. The Governor and inhabitants, amounting, with the garrifon and feamen, to near two thousand men, capitulated, and were conveyed to France, upon which the islands were reduced to their former ftate of defolation.

As foon as an approaching war with France was rumoured in England, a committee of the West India merchants * Sept. 15, 1778.

waited