gain subsistence by the bayonet. Their officers reasoned with them, and used every argument that could interes their passions or their pride. They at first answered— Our sufferings are too great-we want present relief;' but military feelings were, in the end, triumphant; after much expostulation, they returned to the encampment. "It is natural to suppose that the British commander would not lose so favourable an opportunity of severing the discontented from their companions, and attracting them to his own standard. He circulated a printed paper in the American camp; tending to heighten the disorders by exaggeration, and create desertion by promises of bounty and caresses. But, so great was the firmness of the soldiery, and so strong their attachment to their country, that on the arrival of only a scanty supply of meat, for their immediate subsistence, military duty was cheerfully performed, and the rolls were seldom dishonoured by desertion. "The necessities of the American army grew so pressing, that Washington was constrained to call on the magistrates of the adjacent counties for specified quantities of provisions, to be supplied in a given number of days; and was compelled even to send out detachments, to collect subsistence at the point of the bayonet. Even this expedient at length failed; the country in the vicinity of the army being soon exhausted. His situation was painfully embarrassing. The army looked to him for provisions; the inhabitants for protection. To supply the one, and not offend the other, seemed impossible. To preserve order and subordination, in an army of republicans, even when well fed, regularly paid, and comfortably clothed, is not an easy task; but to retain them in service, and subject them to the rules of discipline, when wanting, not only the comforts, but often the necessaries of life, requires such address and abili ties, as are rarely found in human nature. These were. however, combined in Washington. He not only kept his army in the field, but opposed those difficulties with so much discretion, as to command the approbation of both soldiers and people. To obviate these evils, congress sent a comm.ttee of its own members to the encampment of the main army. They confirmed the representations previously made, of the distresses and the disorders arising from commissarial mismanagement, which every where prevailed. In particular, they stated that the main army was unpaid for five months; that it seldom had more than six days' provision in advance; and was on dif ferent occasions, for several successive days, without meat; that the horses were destitute of forage; that the medical department had no sugar, tea, chocolate, wine, or spirituous liquors of any kind; that every department was without money, and without credit; and that the patience of the soldiers, worn down by the pressure of complicated sufferings, was on the point of being exhausted. "Misfortunes, from every quarter, were, at this time, pouring in upon the United States. But they seemed to rise in the midst of their distresses, and gain strength from the pressure of calamities. When congress could obtain neither money nor credit for the subsistence of their army, the inhabitants of Philadelphia gave three hundred thousand dollars, to procure a supply of necessary provisions for the suffering troops; and the ladies of that city, at the same time, contributed largely to their immediate relief. Their example was generally followed. The patriotic flame which blazed forth in the beginning of the war, was rekindled. The different states were ardently excited; and it was arranged, that the regular army should be raised to thirty-five thousand effective men." 81. Capture of Andre, and Treason of Arnold. In the year 1780, a plot fraught with much danger to the American cause was happily discovered. This plot originated with Arnold, a general in the American army, who by his extravagance and overbearing behaviour had brought upon himself a reprimand from the Ameri can congress. Of a temper too impetuous to bear reproof, Arnold, bent on revenge, entered into a negotiation through Major John Andre, adjutant general in the British army, to deliver up to the enemy the important post of West Point, of which Arnold had the com mand. Andre proceeded in disguise to West Point, drew a plan of the fortress, concerted with Arnold, and agreed upon the manner and time of attack. Having obtained a passport, and assumed the name of Anderson, Andre set out on his return to New York by land. He passed the outposts of the American army without suspicion. Supposing himself now out of danger, he pressed forward, elated with the prospect of the speedy execution of a plot, which was to give the finishing blow to liberty in America. When Andre had arrived within about thirty miles of New York, and as he was entering a village called Tarrytown, three militia men, who happened that way, JOHN PAULDING, DAVID WILLIAMS, and ISAAC VAN WART, seized the bridle of his horse, and accosted him with, "Where are you bound?" Andre, supposing that they were of the British, did not immediately show his passport, but waving their question, asked them, "where they belonged to?" they replied "to below," (referring to the course of the river, and implying that they were of the British party.) "And so do I," said Andre, (confirmed in his mistake by this stratagem,) and at the same time informed them that he was a British officer on urgent business, and must not be detained. "You belong to our enemies," exclaimed the militia men, "and we arrest you." Andre, struck with astonishment, presented his passport; but this, after what had passed, only rendered his case the more suspicious. He then offered them a purse of gold, his horse and watch, besides a large reward from the British government, if they would but liberate him. But these soldiers, though poor and obscure, were not to be bribed. They searched him, and found concealed in his boot, papers which evidenced his guilt, and they immediately conducted him to Colone. Jameson, their commanding officer. Andre was tried by a board of general officers of the American army, and executed as a spy, at Tappan, New York, October 2. He was a young officer, high minded, brave, accomplished, and humane. He suffered with fortitude, and his fate excited the universal sympa hy of all parties." 82. Battle at King's Mountain. "It had been the policy of the British, since the general submission of the inhabitants of South Carolina, to increase the royal force by embodying the people of the country as British militia. In the district of Ninety Major Andre had many friends in the American army, and even Washington would have spared him, had duty to his country permitted. Every possible effort was made by Sir Henry Clinton in his favour; but it was deemed important that the decision of the board of war should be carried into execution. When Major Andre was apprised of the sentence of death, he made a last appeal in a letter to Washington, that he might be shot rather than die on a gibbet. The letter of Andre roused the sympathies of Washington, and had he only been concerned, the prisoner would have been pardoned and released. But the interests of his country were at stake, and the sternness of justice demanded that private feelings should be sacrificed. Upon consulting his officers on the propriety of listening to Major Andre's request, to receive the death of a soldier, (to be shot,) it was deemed necessary to deny it, and to make him an example. As a reward to Paulding, Williams, and Van Wart, for their virtuous and patriotic conduct, congress voted to each of them an annuity of $200, and a silver medal, on one side of which was a shield with this inscription-"fidelity," and on the other, the following motto "vincit amor patriæ,' -the love of country conquers. Arnold, the miserable wretch, whose machinations led to the melancholy fate Andre experienced, escaped to New York, where, as the price of his dishonour, he received the commission of brigadier general, and the sum of ten thousand pounds sterling! This last boon was the grand secret of Arnold's fall from virtue, his vanity and extravagance had led him into expenses which it was neither in the power nor will of congress to support. He had in volved himself in debt, from which he saw no hope of extricatin himself; and his honour was therefore bartered for British gold.Goodrich's Hist. U. S. six, Major Ferguson, a partisan of distinguished merit, |