leaving their artillery, ftores, tents, and every thing 1776. behind. The British troops afterwards overrun the greater part of both the Jerfeys without oppofition, the provincials every where flying before them; and at length extended their winter cantonments from New Brunswick to the Delaware. If they had any means of paffing that river upon their first arrival in its neighbourhood, there feems little doubt, confidering the confternation and difmay which then prevailed among the provincials, that they might eafily have become mafters of the city of Philadelphia; but the former, very prudently, either destroyed the boats, or removed them out of the way.

During thefe fucceffes in the Jerfeys, General Rhode Clinton, with two brigades of British, and two of Inland Heffian troops, with a fquadron of fhips of war taken. under, the command of Sir Peter Parker, were fent to make an attempt upon Rhode Island. In this enterprize they fucceeded beyond expectation. The Dec. 8th provincials having abandoned the Ifland at their approach, they took poffeffion of it without the lofs of a man; at the fame time that they blocked up Hopkin's fquadron which was in the harbour of Providence, on the adjoining Continent. The fquadron and troops continued here during the winter, where they had better quarters than any other of the King's forces. Hitherto the Royal army had fucceeded in every object fince their landing at Staten-liland. The Provincial army, befides the lofs by fword, by captivity, and by desertion, began to dwindle to very fmall numbers, from the nature of their military engagement. They were only enlifted for a year; and the Colonists, who were but little ufed to any reftraint, very ill brooked, even fo long an abfence from their families. At the expiration of the term, but few were prevailed upon to continue in fervice. Every thing feemed to promise a decifive event in favour of the royal arms, and a fubmiffion of fome of the principal colonies was hourly expected.

Preparation in Canada

for the

arma

ment on Lake

CHAP. XIII.

Retrofpective view of American affairs in the year 1776. Preparation in Canada for the armament on Lake Champlain. State of the American force. Engagement near the ifle Valicour. Arnold retires; purfuit; overtaken; burns his vessels. Crown point deftroyed and abandoned. General Carleton lands there with the army. Motives for not attacking Ticonderoga. General Carleton returns with the army to Canada. Situation . of affairs to the fouthward. General Lee taken. Perfeverance of the Congrefs. Meafures for renewing their armies. Lands allotted for ferving during the war. Money borrowed. Addrefs to the people. Petitions from the inhabitants of New York, and from thefe of Queen's county in Long island, to the Commilioners. Critical State of Philadelphia. Congress retire to Baltimore. Divifions in Penfylvania. Defertions. Surprize at Trenton. Lord Cornwallis returns to the Ferfeys. Prevented from attacking the enemy at Trenton by impediments of fituation. General Washington quits his camp, and attacks Colonel Marhood, near Princetonun. Lord Cornwallis returns from the Delaware to Brunswick. Americans over-run the Jerfeys. British and Auxiliary forces keep pofession of Brunfwick and Amboy, during the remainder of the winter.

war.

Indian

Articles of confederation and perpetual union between the thirteen revolted Colonies.

TH

1776. HE efforts to remove thofe obftacles that had reftrained the progrefs of the British arms on the fide of Canada, in this fummer (1776,) were equal to the importance of the objects in view, and the greatnefs of the difficulties which were to be furmounted. The weight and execution of the naval equipment, fell of courfe upon the officers and men of that department, whose ability, zeal, and Champ- perfeverance in the performance, can never be too much applauded. The task was indeed arduous. A fieet of above thirty fighting veffels, of different kinds and fizes, all furnifhed with cannon, was to be little lefs than created; for though a few of the largest were reconstructions, the advantage derived from thence depended more upon the ufe of materials, which the country did not afford, than upon any faving as to time, or leffening of labour. When

lain.

to this is added, the tranfporting over land, and 1776. afterwards dragging up the rapids of St. Therefe and St. John's, thirty long boats, a number of flat boats of confiderable burthen, a gondola, weighing 30 tons, with above 400 battoes, the whole prefented a complexity of labour and difficulty, which feemed fufficient to appal even the fpirit of British feamen. However it must be allowed that the labour did not fall folely on them. The foldiers had their part; and what is to be lamented, the peafants and farmers of Canada were taken from their ploughs, and compelled by power to bear a fhare in toils, from whence they could derive no honour or advantage.

Though the equipment was completed in about three months, the nature of the fervice, as well as the eagerness of the commanders and army, required, if it had been poffible, a ftill greater difpatch. The winter was faft approaching, two inland feas to be paffed, the unknown force of the enemy on each to be fubdued, and the ftrong pofts of Crown Point and Ticonderoga defended and fupported by an army, to be encountered fword in hand. To add to thefe impediments, the communication between the Lakes Champlain and George, did not admit the paffage of thofe veffels of force, which, after being fuccefsful on the one, might be equally wanted on the other. And if all thofe difficulties were furmounted, and Lake George paffed, there ftill remained a long and dangerous march through intricate forefts, extenfive morafies, and an uncleared country, fill in a fiate of nature, before they could reach Albany, which was the first poft to the fouthward that could afford them reft and accommodation.

The spirit of the commanders role in proportion to the difficulties which were to be encountered. The objects in view were great, the glory to be ac

CHAP. XIII. 1776. quired tempting, and the defire of the attainment feemed to leffen or remove obftacles, which to a cold or lukewarm fpeculation would have appeared infuperable. If the Lakes could be recovered, and Albany poffeffed, before the feverity of the winter fet in, the northern army would hold a principal share in the honour of bringing the war to a fpeedy conclufion. It was conceived that they could then pour deftruction at will, into the heart either of the middle or the northern colonies, each of which would be expofed to them in its moft tender and defencelefs part. Whilft the poffeffion of Hudfon's river would eftablish and fecure their communica tion with General Howe, it would equally fever and disconnect the fouthern and northern provinces, leaving thereby the latter to fink under the joint weight of both armies, or to accept of fuch terms as they could obtain, without the participation of the others. Nor could General Washington attempt to hold any poft in New York or the Jerfeys, with fuch a fuperiority of force as already oppreffed him in front, and General Carleton's army at his back. The fucceffes. of their fellows on the fide of New York, increased the impatience, and excited the jealoufy of his army, every one apprehending that the war would be brought to an end, before he could have an opportunity of fharing in the honour of that happy event.

While all this ardour, and the most unremitting induftry, it was not until the month of October, that the fleet was in a condition to feek the enemy on Lake Champlain. The force was very confiderable with respect to the place and fervice, extraordinary in regard to the little time fpent in its formation, and fuch as, a very few ages ago, would have been deemed formidable even upon the European feas. The fhip Inflexible, which may be confidered as Admiral, had been re-constructed at St. John's, from whence the failed in 28 days after laying her keel,

and

and mounted 18 twelve pounders. One fchooner 1776. mounted 14, and another 12, fix pounders. A flat bottomed radeau carried fix 24, and fix 12 pounders, befides howitzers; and a gondola, 7 nine pounders. Twenty fmaller veffels, under the denomination of gun-boats, carried brafs field pieces from 9 to 24 pounders, or were armed with howitzers. Some long boats were furnished in the fame manner. About an equal number of large boats acted as tenders. Thofe we have taken notice of, were all intended for, or appertaining to battle; we omit the vaft number deftined for the tranfportation of the army, with its ftores, artillery, baggage and provifions.

The armament was conducted by Captain Pringle, and the fleet navigated by above 700 prime feamen, of whom 200 were volunteers from the tranf ports, who after having rivaled thofe belonging to the fhips of war in all the toil of preparation, now boldly and freely partook with them in the danger of the expedition. The guns were ferved by detachınents of men and officers belonging to the corps of artillery. In a word, no equipment of the fort was ever better appointed, or more amply furnished with every kind of provifion necessary for the intended fervice.

The enemy's force was in no degree equal, either with refpect to the goodness of the vessels, the number of guns, furniture of war, or weight of metal. Senfible, though they were, of the neceffity of preferving the dominion of the Lakes, and aided in that defign by the original force in their hands, with a great advantage in point of time for its increase, their intentions in that refpect were counteracted by many effential, and fome irremediable deficiences. They wanted timber, artillery, ship-builders, and all the materials neceffary for fuch an equipment. Carpenters, and all others concerned in the bufinefs of