field experienced the fame fate with the Connecticut farms; the whole village, excepting four houses, was reduced to ashes.

of

This conflagration clofed the enterprize. The strength Greene's fituation, the difficulties of the approach, an ignorance, probably, of the ftate of his immediate force (which, at that time, amounted only to about a thousand men), and, perhaps, the bold defence made at the bridge, all concurred, in preventing the British officers from attempting the pafs at Short Hills. It is likewife probable, that the day was confidered as being too far advanced, to admit of their profiting properly of any advantage which they might obtain; and that it was deemed too great a hazard, to involve the army during the night in the faftneffes of a dangerous country; and furrounded on every fide by enemies, whose force, pofition, and distance, were all equally unknown. The troops were befides without cover or neceflaries; and the keeping of a communication open with Elizabeth Town, might have been not lefs impracticable than dangerous.

Under fome or all of thefe impreffions, the royal army made a fecond retreat from Springfield, and returned on that evening to Elizabeth Town; they being purfued with great fpirit, and redoubled animofity, by the country militia, who were highly enraged at the conflagration which they had juft beheld; but a strong and well conducted rear-guard, rendered their efforts in a great meafure ineffective. The royal forces patted over on the fame night to Staten Island; while Washington

continued to be amused for fome days longer, with the appearances of an expedition up the North River, which probably had not been at all intended.

Thus ended the fhort campaign in the Jerfies. These ineffective attempts, by a force which would once have been deemed capable of sweeping the whole continent before it, fufficiently manifefted, that the practical habits of fervice and danger, without any thing near abfolute perfection in difcipline, will place all troops nearly upon an equality. It was now evident, that the British forces had an enemy little less respectable in the field than themselves to encounter; and that any difference which yet remained in their fa-vour would be daily leffened. In a word, it was now obvious, that all that fuperiority in arms, which produced fuch effects at the beginning of the conteft, was, in a great measure, at an end; and that the events of the war muft in the future depend upon fortune, and upon the abilities of the refpective commanders.

Such were the unwelcome truths, which if not now first discovered, were at least now fully established. Washington fhewed no fmall degree of exultation in his public orders, upon the great improve · ment in difcipline of the troops and militia, with the happy effects which it had produced, and the greater which he ftill hoped. But he did not augur greater benefits from the perfection or courage of the troops, than from that unequalled ardour, which, he said, at prefent animated all orders of the people.

The matter of fact was, that

the

the lofs of Charles-Town produced a directly contrary effect to that which might have been naturally expected. For inftead of depreffing and finking the minds of the people, to feek for fecurity by any means, and to fue for peace upon any terms, the lofs being now come home to every man's feelings, and the danger to his door, they were at once awakened to a vigour of exertion, fcarcely to be expected in their circumstances; and which had hardly appeared in the fame degree, fince the firft, or at moft, the fecond year of the contest. For in the intermediate time, the first heat of paffion being over, men who were not actively concerned, were fond of recurring to their wonted eafe, and foon refumed their usual habits of life; and the din of war being faintly heard at a distance, they were contented to contribute to its fupport by opening their purfes, without much tormenting their minds in the contemplation of an odious fubject. And as the bitterness of contention was allayed, and the traces of paft grievance or injury faded on the memory, fo the fpirit of enterprize had proportionally flackened; particularly in thofe colonies where it was not kept alive by immediate hoftility.

Many concurring caufes and circumftances ferved to increase and fupport that spirit which now appeared among the Americans. The very lofs of Charles-Town became a ground of hope, and an incitement to vigour, from the wide feparation which it had caufed of the British forces, and the confequent incapacity of their divided armies to fupport each

other.

But the expectation of a ftrong naval and military force from France, by the aid of which, they hoped to retaliate on New York for the lofs of CharlesTown, and even to clear the continent entirely of the British forces, could not but have had a much greater effect.

In the mean time, their principal leaders, as well as the Congrefs, omitted no means to encourage and to profit of the rifing fpirit, and to cherish in the people the moft fanguine hopes. Letters were written by a committee of that body, which were ftrengthened and enforced by thofe from the commander in chief, General Reed, and fome other popular commanders, to the different executive governments, to the people at large, and to particular colonies, ftimulating them by every motive to the fpeedy furnishing their respective quotas. The difgrace of appearing contemptible in the eyes of their great ally, and the mischief and ruin which muft be the confequence, of their being incapable to benefit of his intentions in their favour, were ftrongly urged. And the people were paffionately called upon, not to fuffer the curfe of another campaign to reft upon America! The eyes of all Europe were upon them; and their future independence, fortune, and happiness, as they faid, depended upon their prefent exertion.

These remonftrances produced a confiderable effect upon the different governments, and feemed to operate no lefs upon individuals. Many arts were ufed to keep up the fpirit. Large fubfcriptions were made by private

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perfons

perfons for giving energy to the public fervice. The ladies in Philadelphia firft fet the example to their own fex, and were diftinguifhed by the fums, which they gave themselves, and procured from their male acquaintance, to be applied as gratuities in particular inftances, and as a general augmentation to the pay of the private foldiers of the army. The example was foon followed, in their own, and in other provinces.

It could fcarcely be expected, in the midft of all the confufion and danger of an uncommonly deAructive war, raging no lefs in the bowels, than in the extremities of a country, that arts, or learning, thofe happy concomitants of eafe and fecurity, should at all be thought of, or almoft remembered. It is to the honour of the Americans, that it was under this preffure of circumftances, and amidst all the anxiety of the prefent feafon, that the council and affembly of Maffachusetts Bay, fitting at Boston, in the beginning of the month of May, established, by a public law, a new and learned fociety, to be entitled, "The Ame "rican Academy of Arts and "Sciences." The act, after enumerating several particular objects of their pursuit, adds, " and, in "fine, to cultivate every art and "fcience, which might tend to "advance the intereft, honour,

attended a commencement for the conferring of degrees in the univerfity of that city. In the public charge delivered by the provoft upon that occafion to the ftudents, he gave the reins to a warm imagination, and wandered far in the paths of fpeculation; painting the rifing glories of America in arts and letters, as well as in commerce and arms.

Notwithstanding the apparent penury and misfortune of the times, a bank was instituted, during the prefent fummer, in Philadelphia; and the fcheme was fo well fupported by the principal men of the province, that the allotted capital, of 300,000l. Penfylvania currency, to be paid in hard money, was fubfcribed in a few days. The public fervice was, however, the principal, if not the only object of this bank. They were to receive the congress money, that is to fay, the amount of the taxes, and the fupplies remitted by the other colonies; and they were, on the other hand, to answer the public demands, and particularly to furnish the supplies for the army, in the most prompt and efficacious manner; and for the procuring of fufficient refources of cath, they were enabled to pass notes, and to borrow money at 6 per cent. intereft. To turn, however, this bank to any confiderable advantage, a much greater ftability in government, and a much greater care in their finances, is undoubtedly neceffary.

-Previous to the arrival of the French fuccours, the Marquis de la Fayette, who had been fo much diftinguished by the early part which he took in the American caufe, long before his court had

thrown

thrown by the mask, or even, perhaps, determined on the part which he has fince taken, returned from France. His early engagement, and great zeal and activity in the American fervice, in which he held an high rank, caufed him to be received with diftinction by Washington, and on his going to Philadelphia, he conveyed a letter, full of the most flattering encomiums, from that commander to the Congrefs. The refult was, a public complimentary refolution of welcome from that body, highly applauding his zeal, and no lefs acknowledging his eminent fervices.

To the further enJuly 11th. couragement of the Americans, M. de Ternay at length arrived at Rhode Island from France, with a fquadron of feven fail of the line, five frigates, and two armed veffels. His own ship, Le Duc de Bourgogne, carried 84 guns, and 1200 men; two others were feventy-fours; and four, carried 64 guns each. He likewife convoyed a fleet of tranfports, with five old French regiments, and a battalion of artillery, amounting in the whole to about 6,000 men, under the conduct of lieutenant-general the Count de Rochambeau.

The French auxiliaries were received by Major Gen. Heath; who, for the fecurity both of the troops and fquadron, against any attempts from New York, put them in poffeffion of the numerous forts and batteries of that ifland; which, with the diligence and induftry peculiar to their country in that refpect, they foon put in a high state of defence. In a few days after their arrival, they were

attended by a committee, from the general affembly of that ftate, with an addrefs of congratulation. to the Count de Rochambeau, in which they expreffed the most grateful fenfe of the generous and magnanimous aid afforded to the United States, by their illuftrious friend and ally, the French monarch; and faid they looked forward, with warm hope and expectation, to the end of a campaign, which, through that aid, might prove the happy means of rettoring the public tranquillity. They concluded, with an affurance of every exertion in the power of the ftate, for the fupply of the French-forces with all manner of refreshments and neceffaries, and for rendering the fervice as happy and agreeable, as it was honour able, to all ranks of the army.

Rochambeau declared in his anfwer, that he only brought over the vanguard of a much greater force which was deftined for their aid; and that he was ordered by the king, his mafter, to affure them, that his whole power fhould be exerted for their fupport. The French troops, he faid, were under the ftricteft difcipline; and, acting under the orders of General Washington, would live with the Americans as brethren. He returned their compliments by an affurance, that, as brethren, not only his own life, but the lives of all thofe under his command, were entirely devoted to their service.

In the mean time Washington, in order to cement the union between both nations, and to prevent those jealoufies which were too much to be apprehended on both fides, iffued a requifition, in public orders, to the American

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officers,

officers, foliciting, and ftrongly recommending to them, the wearing of black and white cockades (the ground being of the first colour, and the relief of the other), as a compliment to, and a fymbol of friendship and affection for their generous and magnanimous allies. It was, indeed, highly grievous, not only to native Englishmen, but to thofe Americans, who, though equally determined upon liberty and independence with the moft violent, yet ftill looked wifhfully forward, to the renewal of ancient amity, and friendly connections, though upon equal terms, with the mother country, to perceive, not only the influence which France was gaining in the counfels of America, but the progiefs likewife which she was continually making, in the opinion, and, it is to be feared, in the affections of the people.

Admiral Arbuthnot had only four fail of the line at New York: fo that inftead of being able to cope with the French fquadron, he was under an expectation of being himself attacked in that harbour. This ftate of things was, however, foon July 13 changed, by the arrival of Admiral Graves, with fix fail of the line, from England. The British commanders, having now a decided fuperiority of force, loft no time, after the newly arrived fhips had repaired or fupplied the confequences of the voyage, in proceeding to Rhode Island, intending, after taking a near view of the fituation of the enemy, to act as circumstances might invite or admit, whether with refpect to a direct attack, or to the government of their future operations.

་

They foon difcovered, that the French were in fuch force, and had already put the fortifications in fuch condition, that an attack by fea was impracticable. In the mean time, Sir Henry Clinton meditated a joint attack by fea and land; a measure, which it would seem, that the admiral did not approve of; or at least, that he did not heartily concur in. After fome delay, occafioned by his not being furnished in time with tranfports, the general, at length, embarked 6000 of his beft troops, with which he proceeded as far as Huntingdon Bay in Long Island. Some unfortunate difagreement began at this time to appear, and continued long after to prevail, between the commanders in chief by fea and land. Their difpatches teemed with ambiguity and jealoufy, which became more glaring by time. Diflike was rather more than hesitated; and blame, on one fide at least, was more than once implied, if not directly laid. In fine, it foon became evident, that they were little difpofed to mutual confidence, or concert; and that the ftrained correfpondence between them, was rather the irksome result of neceffity, than. the fpontaneous effect of choice or inclination. Under thefe untoward circumftances, the troops were re-landed at WhiteStone.

In the mean time, Washington, who was ftrictly attentive to all' that was paffing, hoping to profit of Sir Henry Clinton's abfence with fo great a body of the troops, by fome rapid motions, fuddenly croffed the North River, at the head of 12,000 men, and marched directly towards King's Bridge,