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CONDUCT OF WASHINGTON.

Washington retired for winter quarters at the close of this campaign, the sufferings of his army were very great. He had chosen this position on account o its being sufficiently near Philadelphia to check the foraging parties of the enemy, and for its security from any sudden and desultory attack. The army was lodged in huts formed of logs with the interstices filled with mud. The winter was severe, and many of the men were without shoes and nearly destitute of clothing; and their line of march from White Marsh to Valley Forge might have been traced by the blood from the bare and mangled feet of the soldiers. The miseries of famine were added to their other sufferings, and in these circumstances, though a few deserted to the enemy, yet the rest bore their lot with cheerfulness, and devoted themselves nobly to the sacred cause of independence.

While the army lay at Valley Forge, a plot was formed to remove General Washington from the chief command; in which several members of congress and a few military officers were concerned. Gates was to succeed him. He, however, disclaimed all connection with the faction; which fortunately for America did not succeed.

In the midst of the difficulties and dangers with which he was surrounded, Washington was serene and undismayed, pursuing the line of his duty with steady perseverance and unshaken fortitude. Instead of manifesting irritable feelings under the malignant attacks made on his character, he behaved with magnanimity; and earnestly applied to congress and the legislative bodies of the several states, for reinforcements to his army, in order that he might be prepared to act with vigour in the ensuing campaign. Congress was slow in making the necessary arrangements; and the state legislatures were backward in furnishing their respective contingents of money and men for the service. At length, however, Washington succeeded in having an efficient commissary-general appointed; the other departments of the army were put on a more desirable footing; and vigorous measures were pursued to prepare for the ensuing campaign.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

CAMPAIGN OF 1778.

THE terms of capitulation at Saratoga, called the "Convention of Saratoga," had provided for the embarkation of the British troops at Boston. The unscrupulous manner in which the British had violated the law of nations with respect to prisoners and surrenders, gave congress good reason to believe that this convention would not be faithfully observed on the part of their enemies; but that, if the troops were delivered up instead of being sent to England, they would be ordered to the middle states, and united with the forces of General Howe. Pretexts for non-compliance with the convention were sought and found by congress, and after a good deal of discussion and correspondence, the troops were detained as prisoners.

Hitherto the American commissioners at Paris had been unable to obtain from France any recognition of American independence. But the capture of Burgoyne's army decided the hesitating councils of that country; and, on the 6th of February, 1778, his most Christian Majesty acknowledged and guaranteed the independence of the United States, and entered into a treaty of commerce and alliance with the new republic. The notification of this act to the British ministers was considered by them equivalent to a declaration of war against Great Britain.

This new danger, together with the intelligence of the defeat and surrender of Burgoyne, appears to have brought the British cabinet, in some measure, to their senses. They now brought into parliament propositions offering the Americans all that they had demanded before the beginning of the contest; and hastily resolved to send over commissioners to bring back the colonies to their allegiance, at any expense of concession and humiliation.

When the conciliatory propositions of Lord North were brought forward in parliament, his speech on the occasion was a singular compound of humiliation and gasconade. He went into a long history of the contest, but gave a very lame account of the causes of failure. The celebrated Charles James Fox replied to him in a speech abounding with cut

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CONCILIATORY OFFERS OF ENGLAND.

ting sarcasms. He approved of Lord North's propositions, the substance of which Mr. Burke had brought forward three years before, but could not refrain from making some severe animadversions on the policy of the premier, all whose arguments, he asserted, might be collected into one point, his excuses all reduced to one apology-his total ignorance. 'He hoped,' exclaimed the indignant orator, 'he hoped, and was disappointed; he expected a great deal, and found little to answer his expectations. He thought the Americans would have submitted to his laws, and they resisted them. He thought they would have submitted to his armies, and they were beaten by inferior numbers. He made conciliatory propositions, and he thought they would succeed, but they were rejected. He appointed commissioners to make peace, and he thought they had powers; but he found they could not make peace, and nobody believed they had any powers. He had said many such things, as he had thought fit in his conciliatory propositions; he thought it a proper method of quieting the Americans upon the affair of taxation. If any person should give himself the trouble of reading that proposition, he would find not one word of it correspondent to the representation made of it by its framer. The short account of it was, that the noble lord in the proposition assured the colonies, that when parliament had taxed them as much as they thought proper, they would tax them no more.' In conclusion, however, Mr. Fox said, 'that he would vote for the present proposition, because it was much more clear and satisfactory, for necessity had caused him to speak plain.'

The conciliatory bills were passed, and when sent to Lord Howe in New York, and by him submitted to congress, they had not received intelligence of the signature of their treaty of alliance with France. That body, however, did not hesitate a moment as to the line of conduct they were to pursue. They were no more easily to be managed by the fawning, than they had been by the blustering of the British government. They peremptorily rejected Lord North's proposals as insidious and unsatisfactory.

Meantime a proposition had been brought forward by the Duke of Richmond in the British house of Lords for acknowledging the independence of the United States. Lord Chatham understanding what was intended, regardless of his age and infirmities, had attended in his place in the house for the express purpose of opposing the measure. 'My Lords,' ex

DEATH OF THE EARL OF CHATHAM.

213

claimed the venerable orator, 'I rejoice that the grave has not closed upon me, and that I am still alive to lift my voice against the dismemberment of this ancient and most noble monarchy.' He then proceeded in the most energetic manner to urge his auditors to prompt and vigorous efforts against their new enemy, the house of Bourbon; and concluded by calling upon them, if they must fall, to fall like men. The Duke of Richmond having replied to this speech, Lord Chatham attempted to rise for the purpose of rebutting his grace's arguments, and proposing his own plan for ending the American war, which is understood to have been the establishment with the colonies, upon the most liberal terms, of a kind of federal union under one common monarch. But the powers of nature in him were exhausted: he fainted under the effort to speak his sentiments, and being conveyed to his country seat in Kent, he expired on the 11th of May.

The firmness with which congress rejected Lord North's propositions augured ill for the success of the British commissioners, Lord Carlisle, Mr. Eden, and Governor Johnstone, who arrived at New York on the 9th of June, 1778, and immediately attempted to open a negotiation with congress. Their overtures were officially answered by the president, Mr. Laurens, in a letter in which he apprised them that the American government were determined to maintain their independence, but were willing to treat for peace with his Britannic majesty, on condition of his withdrawing his fleets and armies from the country.

Thus foiled in their attempt at open negotiation, the commissioners had recourse to secret intrigues. Governor Johnstone, from his long residence in America, was personally acquainted with many of the leading members of congress, to whom he addressed letters, vaguely intimating the great rewards and honours which would await those who should assist in putting an end to the present troubles. He is said to have offered Joseph Reed, a general in the army and a member of congress, ten thousand pounds sterling and any office within the colonies in his majesty's gift, if he would endeavour to re-unite the colonies to the mother country. 'I am not worth purchasing,' replied this incorruptible patriot, but such as I am, the king of Great Britain is not rich enough to buy me.'

All the clandestine overtures of the governor were rejected

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RETREAT OF BARREN HILL.

with contempt, and congress being apprised of them, declared them direct attempts at corruption, and refused all intercourse with him. The pacificators then published a manifesto threatening the union with a war of devastation. Congress then notified the gentlemen, that the bearers of copies of this manifesto were not entitled to the protection of a flag; and at the same time displayed their contempt of its threats by giving it a very extensive circulation through the country in the newspapers. The commissioners remained a short

time at New York, and then sailed for Britain.

General Howe spent the spring of 1778, nearly in a state of inaction, confining his operations to the sending out of foraging and predatory parties, which did some mischief to the country, and but little service to the royal cause.

In May, the Marquis de la Fayette, with upwards of 2,000 chosen men and six pieces of artillery, was ordered to the east of the Schuylkill, and took post on Barren Hill, seven or eight miles in front of the army at Valley Forge. General Howe got notice of his position, and sent out General Grant, with 5,000 of his best troops to surprise him. Owing to the desertion of their post by some militia on the look-out, he was near accomplishing his object, but La Fayette eluded the snare, and by able manœuvring returned to the camp without loss. The retreat of Barren Hill has always been regarded as a most splendid achievement, and received the highest commendations of Washington.

Soon afterwards General Howe received orders from the British ministry to evacuate Philadelphia without delay. These orders were sent under the apprehension, that if a French fleet should block up his squadron in the Delaware, whilst Washington inclosed him on the land side, he would share the fate of Burgoyne. On the 18th of June, therefore, the British troops quitted Philadelphia, and crossed over into New Jersey, whither they were speedily followed by Washington, who, keeping a strict watch on their movements, harassed them on their march, which was encumbered with baggage.

On his arrival at Princeton, Washington, hearing that General Clinton, with a large division of the British forces, had quitted the direct road to Staten Island, the place of rendezvous appointed for General Howe's army, and was marching for Sandy Hook, sent a detachment in pursuit of him, and followed with his whole army to support it; and as Clinton halted at Monmouth and made preparations to meet the