Hackensack Newtown and-so-forth might mean General of the American Army. But Washington sent the officer away. It was known that Howe's authority extended only to granting pardons, and to this Washington replied that since no offence had been committed no pardon was required. 16. Lord Howe and his brother at once began hostilities. On the 22d of August, the British, to the number of ten thousand, landed on Long Island. The Americans, about eight thousand strong, were posted in the vicinity of Brooklyn. On the morning of the 27th of August, Grant's division of the British army proceeded as far as Greenwood Cemetery, where he was met by General Stirling with fifteen hundred men; and the battle at once began. In this part of the field there was no decisive aten Island MILES Ferry New York Harbor Stirli Utrecht Landing Brunswick Kallabout ay Brooklyn Bedford Sullivan Heister Flatbush "Clinton's Gravesend Heights Jamaica Road Flatland BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND, 1776. result. General Heister, in command of the British centre, advanced beyond Flatbush, and engaged the main body of the Americans, under General Sullivan. Here the Hessians gained little or no ground until Sullivan was suddenly alarmed by the noise of battle on his left and rear. 17. General Putnam had neglected to guard the passes on the left of the American army. During the night General Clinton had occupied the heights above the Jamaica road, and now his division came down by way of Bedford. Sullivan found himself surrounded and cut off. The men fought bravely, and many broke through the lines of the British. The rest were scattered, killed, or taken prisoners. 18. Cornwallis, attempting to cut off Stirling's retreat, was repulsed. Most of Stirling's men reached the American lines at Brooklyn. Generals Stirling, Sullivan, and Woodhull were taken prisoners. Nearly a thousand patriots were killed or missing. It seemed an easy thing for Clinton and Howe to capture all the rest. 19. Washington, perceiving that he could not hold his position, resolved to withdraw to New York. The enterprise was extremely hazardous. At eight o'clock on the evening of the 29th, the embarkation of the army began. All night with muffled oars the boatmen rowed silently back and forth. At daylight on the following morning, the movement was discovered by the British. They rushed into the American entrenchments, and found nothing but a few worthless guns. Tappan Tappan Bay Ft.Independence, 20. The defeat on Long Island was very disastrous to the American cause. Many of the troops returned to their homes. Only by constant exertion did Washington keep his army from disbanding. The British fleet anchored within cannon-shot of New York. Washington retired to the Heights of Harlem. On the 15th of September, the British landed three miles above New York. Thence they extended lemo their lines across the island and took possession of the city. MILES 2 D Tarrytown Dobb's Heights of ==06,29 Washingtons Oct.28 hite Plains Oct.28 Ameri alentines Oct.25 to 28 to Oct. 18 to 21 New Rochelle tchinson LONG Ft.Washington Pell's Pt. 21. On the following day, there was a skirmish between the advance parties of the two armies. back with a loss of a hundred men. Howe embarked his forces, passed into landed in the vicinity of Westchester. upon the American flank and cut off communications with the Eastern States. Washington detected the movement, and faced the British east of Harlem River. On the 28th a battle was brought on at White Plains. Howe began the engagement with a cannonade, which was answered with spirit. The Americans were driven from one position, but entrenched themselves in another. Night came on; and Washington withdrew to the heights of North Castle. Howe remained for a few days at White Plains, and then returned to New York. 22. Washington now crossed to the west bank of the Hudson and took post at Fort Lee. Four thousand men were left at North Castle under General Lee. Fort Washington, on Manhattan Island, was defended by three thousand men under Colonel Magaw. The skillful construction of this fort had attracted the attention of Washington, and led to an acquaintance with the engineer, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, then a stripling but twenty years of age. 23. On the 16th of November, Fort Washington was captured by the British. The garrison were made prisoners of war and crowded into the jails of New York. Two days after the surrender, Fort Lee was taken by Lord Cornwallis. Washington with his army, now reduced to three thousand men, retreated to Newark; but Cornwallis and Knyphausen came hard after the fugitives. The patriots continued their flight to Princeton, and finally to Trenton on the Delaware. Nothing but the skill of Washington saved the remnant of his forces from destruction. 24. On the 8th of December, Washington crossed the Delaware. Cornwallis, having no boats, was obliged to wait for the freezing of the river. The British army was stationed in the towns and villages east of the Delaware. Trenton was held by two thousand Hessians under Colonel Rahl. It was seen that as soon as the river should be frozen the British would march into Philadelphia. Congress accordingly adjourned to Baltimore. 25. On the same day that Washington crossed the Delaware, the islands of Rhode Island and Conanicut were taken by Admiral Parker's fleet; and the American squadron under Commander Hopkins was blockaded in Blackstone River. During his retreat across New Jersey, Washington sent despatches to General Lée, at North Castle, to join the main army as soon as possible. That officer marched with his command as far as Morristown, and then took up his quarters at Basking Ridge. On the 13th of December, a squad of British cavalry captured Lee and hurried him off to New York. General Sullivan took command of Lee's division, and hastened to join Washington. The entire American force now amounted to a little more than six thousand. 26. The tide of misfortune turned at last. Washington saw in the disposition of the British forces an opportunity to strike a blow for his country. The leaders of the enemy were off their guard. The Hessians on the east side of the river were spread out from Trenton to Burlington. Washington conceived the design of crossing the Delaware and striking the detachment at Trenton before a concentration of the enemy's forces could be effected. The American army was arranged in three divisions. The first, under General Cadwallader, was to cross the river at Bris Pennington Ferry Washe tol. General Ewing was to pass over a Sullivan's RDec Trenton Bristo MILES Sandtown Burlington 8 Miry Run Licks Bordentown BATTLES OF TRENTON AND 16 27. The Delaware was filled with floating ice. Ewing and Cadwallader were both baffled in their efforts to cross the river. Washington, having succeeded in getting over, divided his army into two columns and pressed forward. At eight o'clock in the morning the Americans came rushing into the village from both directions. The Hessians sprang from their quarters and attempted to form in line. Colonel Rahl was mortally wounded. Nearly a thousand of the Hessians threw down their arms and begged for quarter. Before nightfall Washington, with his army and the whole body of captives, was safe on the other side of the Delaware. 28. The battle of Trenton roused the nation from despondency. The militia flocked to the general's standard; and fourteen hundred soldiers, whose term of enlistment now expired, reëntered the service. Robert Morris, the great financier of the Revolution, came forward with his fortune to the support of his country. 29. Three days after his victory, Washington again crossed the Delaware. Here all the American detachments in the vicinity were ordered to assemble. To General Heath, stationed at Peekskill, Washington sent orders to move into New Jersey. The British fell back from their outposts and concentrated at Princeton. Cornwallis resumed command in person. So closed the year. Ten days previously, Howe only waited for the freezing of the Delaware before taking up his quarters in Philadelphia. Now it was a question whether he would be able to hold a single town in New Jersey. RECAPITULATION. The king answers the colonies.-Howe succeeds Gage.-Siege of Boston.-The British evacuate the city.-The Americans enter.-Public rejoicings.-Washington goes to New York.-Clinton threatens the city.-Cornwallis and Parker proceed against Charleston.-Rising of the Carolinians.-The attack on Moultrie. -Distresses of the army.-Great Britain hires the Hessians.-And makes new levies.-The question of independence.-Lee's resolutions.-A committee is appointed.--The Declaration of Independence adopted.-Its leading principles.— Howe returns.-Attempts to open negotiations.-The British advance on Long Island. The battle.-Washington saves the army.-Discouragement of the people. The British take New York.-Movements of the two armies.-Battle of White Plains.-Notice of Hamilton.-The capture of Fort Washington.-Fort Lee is taken.-The Americans retreat across New Jersey.-British successes in Rhode Island.-Lee's capture.-Washington recruits his army.-Recrosses the Delaware.-Defeats the British at Trenton.-Effect of the battle.-Alarm of the British.-Robert Morris to the rescue.-The situation. ΟΝ CHAPTER XXXVIII. OPERATIONS OF "77. the 1st of January, 1777, Washington's army at Trenton numbered about five thousand men. On the next day, Cornwallis approached with greatly superior forces. During the afternoon, there was severe skirmishing along the roads east of Trenton. Washington took up a new position south of Assanpink Creek. The British, attempting to force a passage, were driven back; and Cornwallis deferred the main attack till the morrow. 2. During the night, Washington called a council of war, and it was determined to leave the camp, pass the British left flank, and |