English set sail, having lost about two hundred men; the Americans lost not half so many.

Congress, who at Washington's instance had elected Arnold a major-general, voted him "a horse caparisoned, as a token of their approbation of his gallant conduct.” To Wooster they

voted a monument.

Return Meigs of Connecticut, learning through General Parsons that the British were lading transports at Sag Harbor, on the east side of the great bay of Long Island, crossed the sound from Sachem's Head on the twenty-third of May, with two hundred continentals, in whale-boats. From the north beach of the island they carried their beats on their backs over the sandy point, embarked again on the bay, and landed after midnight within four miles of Sag Harbor. To that place they advanced before daybreak in silence and order, burned one vessel of six or eight guns, and ten loaded transports, destroyed the stores that lay at the wharf, killed five or six of the British, and captured all the rest but four. On their return, they reached Guilford with ninety prisoners at two in the afternoon, having traversed by land and water ninety miles in twenty-five hours. Congress voted Meigs a sword, and Washington promoted Sergeant Ginnings for merit in the expedition.

In May, Howe received letters written after the news of the disasters at Trenton and Princeton reached England. Germain, whom grievous disappointment made more and more vengeful, expressed extreme mortification that the brilliancy of Howe's successes had been tarnished, adding: "They who insolently refuse to accept the mercy of their sovereign cannot expect clemency; I fear you and Lord Howe must adopt such modes of carrying on the war that the rebels, through a lively experience of losses and sufferings, may be brought as soon as possible to a proper sense of their duty." The secretary added the king's opinion, that in conjunction with the fleet “a warm diversion" should be made "upon the coasts of the Massachusetts bay and New Hampshire," and their ports be occupied or "destroyed." The admiral would not hearken to the hint to burn Boston and other seaside towns of New England; and the general made answer that "it was not consistent with other

operations." Notwithstanding Germain's minute directions, addressed through him to the Indian agent, on the employment of savages against the frontiers of the southern states, he never urged "the red children of the great king" to deeds of blood.

On the twenty-eighth of May, Washington removed his quarters from Morristown to the heights of Middlebrook. Of his army, which was composed of no more than seven thousand five hundred men, he retained about six thousand in his well-chosen mountain camp, of which the front was protected by the Raritan, then too deep to be forded, and the right, where the ground was not good, by two strong redoubts; the left was by nature difficult of access. Here, at a distance of about nine miles from Brunswick, he kept watch of his enemy. General Howe put on the appearance of opening the campaign. Two more British regiments were ordered from Rhode Island; horses, tents, stores, reinforcements, arrived from England; and, by the twelfth of June, seventeen thousand men, with boats and pontoons for crossing the Delaware, were assembled at Brunswick. The veteran officers, alike German and British, agreed that they had never seen such a body of men.

It was Howe's purpose by a swift march to cut off the division under Sullivan, which was stationed at Princeton; but the troops ordered for that service arrived five hours too late. Sullivan had retired to the Delaware, and was not pursued. Howe next occupied a fine country for a battle-field, near the American encampment. During this period Washington's army at night slept on their arms; in the morning they were arrayed for battle; but Howe dared not venture an attack, and only threw up fortifications which he was soon to abandon.

Men in and round congress fretted at Washington's caution. One American general officer wrote: "We must fight or forfeit our honor;" Samuel Adams was "not over-well pleased with what was called the Fabian war in America." To reproaches Washington answered: "As I have one great object in view, I shall steadily pursue the means which in my judgment lead to the accomplishment of it;" and he continued to baffle and soon tired out an enemy of much more than twice his numbers. On the evening of the twentieth, the

army at Middlebrook learned that the whole British force in New Jersey was returning to Amboy, and the surrounding country as far as Brunswick rung with their shouts and salvos.

On the morning of the twenty-second, the Anspach and Hessian yagers, who formed the rear of Heister's division, were much cut up by a body of about three hundred men. When more than half the column of Cornwallis had passed Piscataway, his patrols on the left were fiercely set upon by Morgan's riflemen and driven back upon the column; and, though Howe put himself at the head of the two nearest regi, ments to meet the attack, for a half-hour they continued the fight within the distance of forty yards, and did not retire till he ordered up heavy artillery and scoured the woods with grape.

Having taken the advice of his general officers, Washington on the twenty-fourth came down with the main body of his army as far as Quibbletown, and advanced Lord Stirling's division with some other troops to Matouchin, with orders in no event to bring on a general engagement. Stirling, who was a brave man, but no tactician, saw fit to await an attack. His position was turned and his party put to flight, leaving two small cannon. The British lost about seventy men; the Americans, including prisoners, full twice that number. Washington returned to the heights of Middlebrook. On the thirtieth, Howe evacuated New Jersey, never again to step on its soil. A great American victory would not have given a deadlier blow to British supremacy. Jerseymen who had accepted British protection fled to Staten Island.

In Philadelphia, congress celebrated the first anniversary of independence with a feeling of security. The bells rung all day and all the evening; ships, row-galleys, and boats showed the new flag of the thirteen United States: thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; for the union thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation. At one o'clock the ships in the stream were manned. At three the members of congress and officers of the government of Pennsylvania dined together. "Our country" was on the lips of every one; "the heroes who have fallen" were commemorated; the Hessian band, captured at Trenton, played excellently well. After

ward there were military parades, and at night bonfires, fireworks, and a general illumination.

Six days later a most daring adventure succeeded. Prescott, the commander of the British forces on Rhode Island, had his quarters at a farm-house about four miles from Newport, on the west side of the island, a mile from any troops, with no patrols along the shore, and no protection but a sentry and the guard-ship in the bay. Informed of this rashness, William Barton, a native of Warren, then a lieutenant-colonel in the Rhode Island militia, on the night following the ninth of July embarked in whale-boats at Warwick neck a party of forty volunteers, steered between the islands of Patience and Prudence, and landed at Redwood creek. Coming up across fields, they surrounded Prescott's house, burst open the doors, took him and Lieutenant Barrington out of their beds, hurried them to the water without giving them time to put on their clothes, and, while men from the several camps were searching for their tracks on the shore, they passed under the stern of the guard-ship which lay against Hope Island, regained Warwick, and forwarded their captives to the American headquarters in Providence. In rank Prescott was the equal of Lee, and they were promptly exchanged.

VOL. V.-12

CHAPTER XII.

THE ADVANCE OF BURGOYNE FROM CANADA.

MAY-AUGUST 1777.

"THIS campaign will end the war," was the opinion given by Riedesel; and through Lord Suffolk he solicited the continued favor of the British king, who was in his eyes "the adoration of all the universe." Flushed with expectations of glory, Carleton employed the unusually mild winter in preparations. On the last day of April he gave audience to the deputies of the Six Nations, and accepted their services with. thanks and gifts. Other large bodies of Indians were engaged, under leaders of their own approval. "Wretched colonies!" said Riedesel, "if these wild souls are indulged in war."

To secure the Mohawks to the British side, Joseph Brant urged them to abandon their old abode for lands more remote from American settlements. To counteract his authority, Gates, near the end of May, thus spoke to a council of warriors of the Six Nations:

"The United States are now one people; suffer not any evil spirit to lead you into war. Brothers of the Mohawks, you will be no more a people from the time you quit your ancient habitations; if there is any wretch so bad as to think of prevailing upon you to leave the sweet stream so beloved by your forefathers, he is your bitterest enemy. Before many moons pass away, the pride of England will be laid low; then how happy will it make you to reflect that you have preserved the neutrality so earnestly recommended to you from the beginning of the war! Brothers of the Six Nations, the Americans well know your great fame and power as warriors; the only reason