they had raised a chain of redoubts from Somerset to Brunswick. What may have determined them to change their plan, is hard to tell. Whether alarmed at the animation among the people, disappointed in the movements they may have expected us to make, thence concluding their design impracticable; or, whether they may have an operation in view in some other quarter, the event, must show." The retreat of the British army was, as usual, attended with every species of wanton cruelty and enormity. They burned almost every farm house on the road, defaced and otherwise injured the churches and other publick buildings, and lost no opportunity of maltreating the inhabitants. They remained but a day or two at Brunswick, leaving it on the 22d for Amboy, to which place they had previously sent their baggage. The anticipation of this movement induced General Washington to make preparation for annoying them as much as possible on their march. For this purpose he detached General Greene with three brigades to fall upon their rear, while he kept at a convenient distance with the main army to render assistance if necessary. Wayne's brigade, and Morgans's regiment of light infantry were at Brunswick by sunrise; and a detachment from the latter attacked and drove in the Hessian pickets. The enemy perceiving their approach, crossed the bridge and threw themselves into redoubts on the east side of the river; but upon being briskly pursued by the Americans, they hastily retired along the Amboy road without making a stand. Morgan's régiment kept up a galling fire during the pursuit which did considerable execution. Why Sir William thought proper to retreat before a handful of men, prepared

as he was to maintain his position, is one of the many incidents in his military career which render his conduct wholly inexplicable.

Upon Howe's retreat to Amboy, Washington advanced his whole army as far as Quibbletown, while Howe with a view to deceive him ordered all his heavy baggage and a part of his troops to cross over to Staten Island. But there was scarcely time allowed for the deception to have its effect on Washington, for returning with the troops to Amboy on the same evening, the British General on the morning of the 25th, advanced with his whole army, as if determined to bring on a general engagement. General Washington, however, upon the supposition that Sir William's chief objects were to cut off his parties and gain possession of the passes in the mountains on his left, hastened to move his army from the low ground which they occupied, to the heights in face of the enemy. The subsequent movements of the enemy proved the correctness of Washington's judgment. Howe continued to advance until he fell in with a part of Lord Sterling's division, which his Lordship's bravery had well nigh given into his hands; for instead of retreating as common prudence and caution would have dictated, he entered into action with Howe's advance and continued to fight until the column under Cornwallis was almost upon him. He escaped however with a trifling loss. Howe continued the pursuit to Westfield, where he remained until the next day, and on the 27th returned to Amboy. On the 30th the whole army crossed over to Staten Island, thus leaving Washington in quiet possession of the Jerseys. These skirmishes were attended with but little loss to either party, if we except the injury

done to the houses and other property of individuals. The quarters which the royal troops had occupied in Brunswick were left in wretched condition, and their steps were every where marked by devastation.

While these things were passing in Jersey, General Schuyler bad made his peace with Congress by a satisfactory letter of explanation, and was appointed to the command of the northern department, including Albany, Ticonderoga, Fort Stanwix and their dependencies. By this strange and unexpected measure, General Gates was superseded in his command, without the show of a single reason for the charge, except that General Schuyler was supposed to have more influence among the dissatisfied citizens of the state of New York. That his appointment might have less the appearance of a desire to supersede General Gates, and be more acceptable to Congress, an unsuccessful attempt was previously made to obtain an order for the abandonment of Ticonderoga and the western frontier. This was however softened down into a resolve that General Gates should be empowered to abandon the fortification at pleasure;" under the expectation, no doubt, that he would retire from it of his own accord, and leave the command vacant. Only eleven of the thirteen States voted on this question, out of which six were decidedly opposed to the measure, but the other five, it seems, outweighed them in numbers. This is a curious fact, and may serve to show how sures of Congress depended on the opinions of the confederation. Only two months had elapsed since the same body had appointed Major General Gates to supersede General Schuyler, and with as little appearance of reason, unless we are to consider them as 4

VOL. II.

little the mea

influenced by feelings of animosity excited by the independent stand which the latter took in the case of his friend Doctor Stringer. Major General Schuyler was the older officer of the two, and perhaps on the strict principles of military rank was best entitled to it; but when once removed, there should at least have been some grounds of complaint against his successor, to make his reappointment equitable. To these frequent removals of officers from commands, without the slightest allegation of neglect of duty, is to be attributed much of that jealously, and wrangling, which afterwards so disgraced the American army.

General Schuyler arrived at Albany, and resumed the command of the Northern army, on the 3d of June, and on the 5th, ordered Major General St. Clair to repair to Ticonderoga and take the command of that fortress. From an idea which prevailed not only in Congress, but with General Gates, that the enemy's forces in Canada would be removed to New-York, for the purpose of co-operating with Sir William Howe, Ticonderoga and the western lines dependent on it, had been left almost without the means of defence. When General St. Clair reached the scene of his command, he found his effective force little more than two thousand, and of these a large number were in want of clothing, arms, bayonets, and accoutrements; the store of provisions was sufficient for but little more than a month; the enemy were in command of the Lake; and the Indians in their service were scattered in vast hordes along the whole frontier. In truth, as General St. Clair stated in his letter to Congress, no army was ever in a more critical situation; for the lowest calculation which had been made of the number of men requisite for the de

fence of this portion of the country amounted to ten thousand. General Gates had supposed, indeed, that eleven thousand seven hundred continentals would be necessary, besides the militia.

On the 17th of June, General Schuyler himself visited Ticonderoga, and on the 20th held a council of his general officers, who merely attested the fact of the inadequacy of their means of defence, and came to the conclusion, that in the event of its being necessary to give up either of the two posts then garrisoned, Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, it would be most advisable to abandon the former. They added a resolution "that immediate application be made to his excellency General Washington, for a reinforcement to be sent on, with all possible expedition." It was a council, in fact, which might as well not have been called, since they neither stated any thing that was not before acknowledged, nor suggested any thing which could be considered as a remedy for the difficulties of their situation.

Lieutenant General Burgoyne, who it will be recollected had made so many empty boasts in parliament, of his fitness to command against the Americans, had been some time before appointed to supersede Sir Guy Carleton in the command of the Canada troops. This change was probably made on account of the apparent unwillingness of General Carleton to go so far in his employment of the Indians, as the Ministry desired and directed-or he had perhaps shown himself more humane to the prisoners whose fortune it was to fall into his hands, than suited the policy which they thought it necessary to pursue. Whatever may have been the reasons of the English Cabinet, it is certain that the change could not have