strand at Sandy Hook, with the remainder of their clothes. After they had breakfasted, he had his wagon geared up, and sent them several miles on their road, for fear some of the tories in the neighbourhood might send word to the enemy at the light house, (which was not above four or five miles distant from his farm house,) when they all arrived safe at Philadelphia.

Admiral Lord Howe had scarcely left the Delaware Bay with the British fleet, and the transports with the prisoners on board, when Count D'Estaign, the French admiral, with a much superior force, appeared off the coast of Virginia, and in a few days after came to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. The French admiral's object was to have surprised the British fleet at Philadelphia. Had not his voyage been greatly prolonged in consequence of head winds, and bad weather, he could hardly have failed in accomplishing his object; for had the French admiral arrived about ten days earlier, the enemy's fleet would have been taken. So that in consequence of General Washington being re-enforced with some thousands of French troops, from on board Count D'Estaign's fleet, he would. very likely have taken or destroyed a great part of Sir Henry Clinton's army before it reached New York. But the God of nations saw that the time had not yet come to put a final end to the war; as his servant Peter observes, "One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." After this the French admiral sailed for New York, and on the 11th of July, 1778, commenced the blockade of the British fleet in that harbour. But the British being soon re-enforced, the French Admiral raised the blockade.

Sir Henry Clinton, after his flight from Philadelphia, on the 18th. of June, 1778, experienced no very great predilection to return to Pennsylvania, in order to spend his royal master's money, and

sacrifice the lives of his army in that state. Sir Henry turned his military genius to the South, especially through the states of Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia; so that in order to give the greater success to his royal master's cause in that section of the revolted colonies, he gave the command of the South to Lord Cornwallis. Through the years 1779 and 1780, the seat of the war lay mostly in Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia. During this period of the war, there were many hard-fought battles, on both sides, by the British and Americans. But we return to the consecutive progress of the war, after the surrender of Burgoyne's army on the plains of Saratoga, on the 17th of October, 1777. Very little had been done in the North, or Middle States, either to increase the fame, or advance the glory of the arduous struggle in laying the corner stone of the civil and religious freedom of the colonies.

Burgoyne's expedition was commenced under the highest hopes, which were still more inflated by the most flattering circumstances of the final success that would attend its early operations. It terminated on the plains of Saratoga most gloriously in favour of the American arms, and at the same time produced the most inexpressible mortification and disappointment to the British government, in consequence of the loss of an army of ten thousand veteran and experienced troops, under an able and enterprising commander, well equipped and amply provided, with all necessary munitions of war; while at the same time this renowned officer of the royal army was only opposed by one of the rebel generals with a much inferior force of new continental regulars, and some militia of the surrounding country, which, for the time being, inspired the mind of the British sovereign with the highest expectation of the full success of the royal arms, against the infant struggle of the Americans for their just rights: which they were led conscientiously to believe, the Supreme Ruler of mankind was shortly about, in his overruling and all-wise providence, to bless them with as a people; and finally through them as an encouraging example to all nations, in the fear of the Most High, to look for a time when a benign and gracious Providence, should kindly grant both civil and religious liberty, to be the inalienable privilege of the human family from the rising to the setting sun. But to return to our little history of the revolutionary war. The government of this most puissant maritime nation viewed itself as fully justified in indulging the expectation, that such an army, commanded by such a leader, would most assuredly march through a country mostly destitute of fortresses, and in every other military point of view very feebly defended: at the same time indulging the pleasing hope that the British arms under the generalship of Burgoyne would finally triumph over Washington and his few ships of war with their thirteen stars, and striped bunting at their mast-heads, and the end of the rebellion would soon be accomplished, without the least difficulty. This result was most confidently expected by all the decided friends of monarchy in the British empire. They hoped that the revolted colonies of North America would soon be coerced into humble submission at the

A FEW REFLECTIONS ON GEN. BURGOYNE'S CHARACTER.

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feet of the prince on the British throne. But, alas! this formidable array of military prowess, with all the hopes depending on the same, were annihilated in a few months, by a dark cloud which the overruling providence of the God of nations spread over the British army; which also entirely obscured the military sun of Burgoyne's glory, and caused all his fame to set in darkness for ever. How often is it the case that the greatest, and apparently the wisest of men perish, neglecting the caution of holy writ: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches." How appositely may this be applied to Burgoyne's case, as well as thousands of others in this probationary world.

On the 17th of October, 1777, the remains of General Burgoyne's army, amounting to nearly six thousand men, surrendered to General Gates. This was one of the most important events of the war, and at the same time it gave the first serious shock to the assumption of British power over the colonies in North America. It was not so much the capture or destruction of ten thousand of the royal army, that gave such importance to this victory, as this loss to the British army might very easily be supplied by that powerful empire; but it was the civil and moral influence which this victory gave on the side of justice, in behalf of this ardent struggle for the heaven-born rights of all the nations of the earth; and seems most intimately associated with the promise of the Supreme Being to Father Abraham: "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." We most confidently believe that the doctrine of civil and religious liberty that rose on a dark and enslaved world, in the days of George Washington, shall, by the promise and providence of the same just and righteous Being, in the latter days, fill the whole earth with his glory; and although, when compared to the nations and governments of the rest of the earth, as our great Teacher, in one of his allegories, or parables, justly observes, it was like a grain of mustard seed, which he remarks is the smallest of all seeds, yet as in the land of ancient Israel, where it grows to such magnitude, that the fowls and birds of different colour and plumage can lodge in the branches thereof: just so, in a moral sense, shall this little seed be the germinating cause of the final emancipation of all the nations of the earth that sprung up on the American soil in the days of George Washington, under the special protection of the Supreme Being; which shall finally extend its branches over our enslaved world, until birds and fowls of every wing and colour shall be able to lodge under its shade, or rest on its branches. Or by dropping the figure, all the families of the earth of every tribe, colour and language, shall finally enjoy those blessings that our beloved father Washington, and the rest of our fathers, fought, and many of them bled for, in the war of the revolution, that commenced in 1775, and ended in 1783.

This victory over Burgoyne greatly revived the drooping crest of the young republic, and at the same time inspired them with fresh confidence in the moral justice of their cause in the sight of Heaven;

and also in the sight of some of the nations of the European world. But this single victory had at the same time a special influence abroad, and was scarcely less important in Europe than in America; as it decided the policy of the French court to espouse the cause of the colonies of North America, which the court of France could not be induced to do by all the strong arguments made use of by Dr. Franklin before them. But when, in the language of holy writ, the King of France and his court saw that the Americans were not only talkers about liberty, but doers of the work of freedom, it finally induced his most Christian Majesty, with his court, to openly acknowledge the claims of the colonies to the national right of an independent republic: and that the yankees (as their enemies were pleased to call them,) possessed sufficient firmness and ability to maintain their character as an infant republic, which they had assumed before the world. The King, and court of France not only openly acknowledged the independence of the United States of North America, but agreed also to become a party in the war, so that immediately after the conclusion of a treaty with the American commissioners, they were presented to his most Christian Majesty. Doctor Benjamin Franklin was accredited as minister plenipotentiary of the United States to the court of France. The news of the treaty with France filled the friends of liberty with joy, and at the same time nerved the arm of the warrior. As La Fayette was the first who received the news, he also assumed the pleasure of being the bearer of so interesting intelligence to the commander in chief, who immediately gave orders for the army to be assembled in brigades, and the treaty with France to be publicly read to the troops, and also, that prayers and thanksgivings be offered up to the Supreme Being before the army, who "turneth the hearts of the kings of the earth as the rivers in the south." This solemn ceremony was followed by a general discharge of cannon through the camp, and was accompanied with every other demonstration of joy. At a given signal, the whole army cried out, "Long live the king of France." Soon after this, in 1778, General La Fayette proceeded, by the advice of the commander in chief, to the city of Albany, on the North River, in the State of New York, where a force was ordered, and confidently expected to have been collected by congress; (so that the defalcation of the enterprise neither rested on the commander in chief, nor yet on General La Fayette,) but when General La Fayette arrived at Albany, he found neither troops, provisions, nor any other of the necessary munitions of war had been collected at that place, to carry into execution the contemplated enterprise against Canada. The plan of operation, as fixed by congress, was to proceed from Albany with a suitable force, pass the lakes on the ice, and seize on Montreal and St. John's. So that through the law of imperious necessity, the war at that time against Canada was abandoned.

But notwithstanding the failure of the enterprise against Canada, still the alliance with France produced a most favourable impulse: so that the expected co-operation of the French nation in the behalf

of the young republic, restored, in a great measure, the patriotism of those who were only lukewarm in the cause of the independence of the colonies, and a general state of activity was excited in the recruiting service, which was displayed more or less throughout the thirteen United States; while at the same time the zeal of many individuals led to the most honourable exertions to provide both ways. and means for the clothing and provisioning the army. A large fund was raised in Philadelphia by subscription, in order to encourage the recruiting service; and also to reward such as might distinguish themselves by their exertions to fill up the ranks of the republican army, by enlisting men during the war: and a society was formed, and a subscription set on foot in Philadelphia, which produced nearly two hundred thousand pounds sterling. The ladies of the city greatly exerted themselves on this national occasion, and were not far behind the gentlemen of Philadelphia, in their zeal and patriotism for the cause of their country's deliverance from arbitrary bondage. But not only so, the ladies of Philadelphia formed a number of small contributing societies for raising money, (not to consume it on the corrupt passions of our fallen nature,) but for the defence of their country against an enemy, who, in order to stimulate a foreign and mercenary soldiery to acts of the greatest violence against the chastity of human nature, gave to their troops the flowing banners of bounty and beauty. But all their dark and hellish schemes were in vain. The bright Spartan example of the ladies of old times was more or less followed by females throughout the United States. Those of the different towns in the state of Pennsylvania alone, soon forwarded a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, towards sustaining and supporting the army, and let it be recorded to the zeal and patriotism, and moral and civic virtues of the American ladies in the days that tried men's souls, not merely to obtain an office under government, but in order to obtain personal liberty for themselves and their country. So that many of the females of the revolutionary war contributed their jewels and other valuable superfluities, in order to supply the wants and add to the comfort of the newly raised troops, who were going to fight for their protection and the liberties of their country.

The reader will be so kind as to indulge us for a moment, in order to notice the zeal which St. Paul says is always, in a good cause, highly commendable, both in the sight of the Supreme Being, angels, and men, namely, with respect to the Marquis La Fayette. In a resolution of congress, on his return to the United States from France, on the 16th of May, 1780, it was

"Resolved, that Congress do consider the return to the United States of the Marquis La Fayette, to resume his command in the army, as a fresh proof of the distinguished zeal and unshaken attachment, which have justly recommended him to the public confidence and applause, and that they receive with pleasure a tender of farther services from so gallant and meritorious an officer."

The military operations of America had been of little moment