Tietoja tästä kirjasta
Oma kirjastoni
Kirjat Google Playssa
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES. July, 1776.
Effects of the declaration of independence, 31 The hope of the new
nation, 31 Declaration of Maryland, 32 Independence in Philadel-
phia, 32 In New Jersey, 32 Convention of New York, 33 — Con-
dition of the state, 33 - New York adopts independence, 34 - Indepen-
Statue of the king thrown down in
dence proclaimed to the army, 34
New York, 35- Progress of the war in Virginia, 35 — Dunmore driven
from land, 35 Flight of the Virginia refugees, 36 Independence pro-
claimed in Virginia, 36 In Rhode Island, 36 In Massachusetts, 36
In South Carolina, 36— Independence the act of the people, 37 - Its
aspect on the nations of Europe, 37 Character of Lord Howe, 37
His confidence of the restoration of peace, 38
Staten Island, 38 His declaration, 38 His
with Washington, 39 — He meets with a
ters, 39 His letters to individuals, 39
Condition of America, 40 Greene despondent, 40 Decision of
Samuel Adams, 40 - Of Robert Morris, 41 Of congress, 41 — Of
Washington, 41-Lord Howe to Franklin, 42 - Franklin's answer, 42
Retaining a trade no ground for a war, 43 - Disappointment of Lord
Howe, 44.
Lord Howe arrives at
attempts at intercourse
rebuff, 39 - His circular let-
Reed on the overture, 40
CHAPTER II.
CONFEDERATION; SIGNING THE DECLARATION. July
1776.
August 2,
An exchange of prisoners proposed by Washington, 45- Agreed to by Howe, 46 Confederation, 46 Draught of Dickinson, 46 Dickinson's despondency, 47 - Confederation opposed by separatism, 47- The sev-
-
eral states impatient of power, 47 - Effects of contests with the crown,
48 No central power of taxation, 48 — The states jealous of the power
in a confederacy as in the crown, 49 — Franklin's plan contrasted with
Dickinson's, 49 — No executive, no judiciary, 50 — South Carolina still
jealous, 50 — Cavils of Edward Rutledge, 51-Rule for the apportion-
ment of supplies, 51 Chase moves to count only white inhabitants, 51
Debate on the question, 52 - Chase's amendment rejected, 52 - The
vote geographical, 52 - Delaware insists on a vote for each colony, 53—
Opinions of Franklin, Witherspoon, John Adams, 53 — Of Rush, Hop-
kins, 54 — Jefferson's compromise proposed by Sherman, 55 — The claim
of Virginia, 56 — Why confederation was delayed, 56 Congress tired
of the subject, 57 The war and government, 57 — Connecticut sends
regiments of light-horse, 57 Their discharge, 58- Conflict amongst
the officers in the army, 58 Gates claims coördinate power with Wash-
Signing the declaration,
ington, 58-Public spirit of Washington, 59
59 - Independence the work of the people, 60.
CHAPTER III.
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN EUROPE. July-October,
The maritime powers dread England, 61 - Opinion of Vergennes, 61
Arrival of Silas Deane, 62 He confides in Edward Bancroft, 62
France opens its ports to American commerce, 63 - Interview of Deane
with Vergennes, 63 Two hundred field-pieces promised, 63 Beau-
marchais offers credit, 64 Treachery of Edward Bancroft, 64 The
king of France and his cabinet, 64 Vergennes on England as the nat-
ural enemy of France, 64 And of Spain, 65 - Danger from England to
France and Spain, 65 Advantages of a war with England, 66 - Rela-
tions between France and America, 67 Probable neutrality of other
European powers, 67- Position of the king of France, 68 Danger from
a preference of peace, 68 — Effect of this advice on Louis the Sixteenth,
69 - Partisans of America, 69- Marquis de Lafayette, 70 Volunteers
and adventurers, 70 Views of Spain, 71 Spanish harbors open to
American privateers, 71- Spain opposed to American independence, 71
- Parties in England, 71 — The government majority, 71 The reflec-
tive judgment of England, 72 Power to tax the colonies given up, 72
Power of parliament over charters not abdicated, 73- United States not
to be conquered, 73- Advice of Tucker, 74 — Of Hume, 74 — Opinion
of Gibbon, 74 — Of Germain, 74 The English despise France as a
naval power, 74— Subserviency of an English politician, 75- Anxiety of
George the Third, 75.
CHAPTER IV.
BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND. August, 1776.
The city of New York to be defended, 76- Opinion of Jay, 76
Outposts of New York, 77 Condition of the American army, 77
Opinion of John Adams, 77- Relations of congress to Gates and Wash-
ington, 78 Council of war inefficient, 79 Governor of Connecticut,
79 Rising of Connecticut, 80- Inhabitants of New York, 80- Gen-
eral orders, 80 - Fort Washington on the Hudson, 81 Defences of New
York city, 81- The lines in Brooklyn, 82— Howe receives reënforce-
ments, 82-Lord Howe's proposal, 82-Illness of Greene, 83 - British
land on Long Island, 83 Consternation in New York, 84- Advance of
the British, 84 - American skirmishers, 84 - Putnam on Long Island, 85
Number of the British on Long Island, 85 — The American force, 86
Their stations, 86 — Plan of attack by Howe, 87 — Putnam's orders,
88 Position of Stirling, 88 Putnam's incapacity, 89 The British
squadron attempts to move, 89 The British gain the Jamaica pass, 90
- The battle of skirmishes, 90—The Hessians move up the ridge, 91
Their success, 91 Sullivan taken prisoner, 92 - Lord Howe sends
aid, 92 - Heroic conduct of Stirling and his party, 93 Stirling sur-
renders, 94 Howe refuses to assault the lines, 94 - Loss of the British,
95 - Loss of the Americans, 95 Causes of the result, 95 - Character
of the victory, 96.
CHAPTER V.
THE RETREAT FROM LONG ISLAND. August 27-30, 1776.
Condition of the American army, 97 — Its confidence in Washington,
98 His steady attention, 98-Number of his troops, 98 Their suf-
ferings, 98 — Character of General Howe, 99 — Delancey and Woodhull,
100 Approaches of the British army, 101 Necessity of a retreat,
101 - Measures for a retreat, 101 A council of war, 102 — Skilful
measures, 103 — Blunder of Mifflin, 104 Remedied by Washington, 104
-The sea-fog, 104 - The British enter the American works, 104 The
retreat successful, 105 - Erroneous account of the retreat, 105
errors corrected, 106 The retreat Washington's own measure, 107.
The
CHAPTER VI.
THE PROGRESS OF THE HOWES. August 30 — September 15, 1776.
Conduct of General
Sullivan Lord Howe's volunteer go-between, 108
Howe, 109 — Washington represents to congress the condition of his army,
109
The city of New York must be abandoned, 110 - Sullivan's recep-
tion in congress, 110— He mistakes Lord Howe's offers, 111 - Congress
wishes New York city defended, 111 The debate on Lord Howe's mes-
sage, 112.
Resolve in answer to Lord Howe, 112 Committee appointed
to meet Lord Howe, 112 - Difference of opinion between congress and
Washington on holding New York, 113 - His council side with congress,
113. Lee expected, 113 · Washington adheres to his opinion that New
York must be evacuated, 114 His plea to congress, 114 — He explains
why New York city cannot be held, 115 Congress yields, 115 — Inter-
view between Lord Howe and the committee of congress, 116 Lord Howe
disavows Sullivan, 117 Franklin's proposal, 117 - Report of the com-
mittee, 117 — Opinion of the governor of Connecticut, 117 — General
Howe prepares to land in New York, 118 - Washington fired upon, 118
Washington removes his stores and artillery, 119 - Landing of the
British on New York island, 119 Flight of the Americans, 119
ington's example of courage, 120 - Escape of Putnam's division, 120
Patriotic conduct of Mary Lindley, 121-Results of the day, 121
Washington's conduct on the day, 122 - Character of Gordon as an his-
torian, 123 -- Accounts of Ramsay, Heath, and Graydon, 124.
CHAPTER VII.
THE EMBARRASSMENTS OF AMERICA. September 15
Wash-
30, 1776.
Talbot and the fire-brig, 125 — Skirmishes near Manhattanville, 126
Effect of the skirmish, 127 - Death of Knowlton and Leitch, 128
Strength of the American position, 128 - Declaration of the Howes as
commanders, 128 Great fire in New York city, 129 Nathan Hale,
his death and character, 130- Death of Henly, 131 — Arrival of the
prisoners from Quebec, 131 - Merits of Morgan, 131 - Confederation
delayed, 131 - Plan of a treaty with France, 132 The fisheries, 132–
Commissioners to France, 133 - Franklin and Deane, 133 — Jefferson
declines, 133 — Arthur Lee appointed, 133 — The American navy, 134
American privateers, 134 — Army regulations adopted, 135 Condition
of the army, 135 - Measures of congress, 136 — Washington on the use of
militia, 137-Need of a permanent army, 137 His expostulations neg-
lected by congress, 138 - Washington's trust in the people, 138.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE COURSE OF OPINION IN ENGLAND. September 28 — November,
Spirit of England, 140 -
Germain compliments the Howes, 140
Fox supports the Americans, 141 - Rockingham party keeps aloof, 141
The declaration of independence unites England, 141
Speech of Cav-
endish, 142 — Of Johnstone, 142 Of Wilkes, 142 - Of Lord North,
142- Of Barre, 142 — Of Germain, 143 Of Fox, 143 · Fox for in-
dependence, 144 - Fox applauded by Gibbon and Burke, 144 — Unsat-
isfactory letters from Howe, 144 — His exorbitant demands, 145 — Ger-
main shirks blame, 145 — Proposal of Cavendish, 145 - Perplexity of
Lord North, 145- Speech of Fox, 146 Of Wedderburn, 146 - Se-
cession of Burke, 146 — Fox disapproves secession, 146 - Character of
Fox, 146
His licentiousness, 147- His love of poetry, 147 - His dis-
like of science, 147 His manner, 148 — Character of his speeches, 148
His skill in attack, 149 Fox not a great man, 149 - His failure as
an historian, 149 — His want of fixed principles, 150.
CHAPTER IX.
THE BORDER WAR IN THE NORTH AND IN THE SOUTH. July —
November, 1776.
Carleton blamed for keeping back the Indians, 151 - Promises of Ham-
ilton, 151 Mercilessness of Germain, 152 Carleton's plan of cam-
paign, 152 — Ship-building on Lake Champlain by the Americans, 152
British preparations for a fleet, 153— Arnold near Valcour island, 154
Blockaded by British ships, 154 Arnold's audacity, 154 - Defeat of
his squadron, 155 He runs the blockade, 155 - His pursuit, 156
Carleton's treatment of his prisoners, 156 Carleton lands at Crown
Point, 157 His tardiness, 157 His retreat, 157 — Wayne at Ticon-
deroga, 157 Demands of Lee, 158 Lee proposes to attack East Flor-
ida, 158 His march, 158 He wastes his troops, 159 Goes to the
north, 159-- Indian war in the mountains, 159 Fidelity of eastern
Tennessee, 160 Cherokees move to war, 160 — Neutrality of the
Creeks, 161 The Cherokees receive checks, 161 War on the borders
of South Carolina, 162 Williamson leads a party against them, 162 —
Successes east of the mountains, 162 — And on the Little Tennessee, 162
Junction with Rutherford on the Hiwassee valley, 163 — Instructions
from Germain, 163- The Cherokees beg for mercy, 163 The district
Washington, 164.
CHAPTER X.
Washington on the heights of Harlem, 165 — His lines of defence, 16
Mount Washington, 166 Country beyond Mount Washington, 166
Greene at Fort Lee, 167 Washington safe on this side of New York island, 167 Establishment of new governments, 167 Lee expected,