ertions towards the opening of the Delaware to his fleet, on whose propinquity depended the safety of his army.

The possession of Philadelphia, however anxiously desired, and highly rated by the British ministry, did not produce any of those advantageous results, so confidently expected: nor indeed could the discriminating statesman have justly calculated upon extensive benefit from the achievement. The American nation is spread over a vast region; the great body of whose population live upon their farms, pursuing exclusively the occupations of agriculture. The loss of a town, though the first, is not felt by a people thus situated, as it is in Europe, where whole countries resemble a continued village; and where the commercial and manufacturing interests have spread and ramified themselves to a considerable extent. However the loss of Philadelphia may have advanced the hopes of the British nation and government, it was slightly regarded by the states and congress. This body of virtuous sages had discerned, by deep examination of the resources of the United States, that the nation's safety was not endangered by such fleeting occurrences; they placed, under God, their confidence in the fidelity of their fellow citizens, in the courage of their armies, in the purity and wisdom of their general in chief, and in the fiscal ability of the nation ;* on all of which they had a right to count with certainty, dreadfully as the last failed from the imbecilty of the govern

ment.

Experience too had not withheld its chastening admonition.† New York had before fallen, after having been held too long, from the influence which, in a free country, the public wish will ever possess, even over the stern soldier. By obedience to the impulse flowing from this cause, the main body of the American army had been risked improvidently in the bold attempt to hold that city; and with much difficulty and much loss, did the commander in chief extricate his army, from the perils in which it had been consequently involved.

Washington, following sir William Howe with a view to place himself in a strong position at a convenient distance, ready to seize the first fit opportunity to measure swords with his antagonist, en

The congress was composed of deputies from the several states, and resembled more a diplomatic corps executing the will of the sovereign, than the sovereign commanding the execution of its will. It cannot excite surprise to the reflecting reader, that our finances, under such auspices, soon sunk.

+ It is natural for the inhabitants of the same country to feel for the losses and injuries of any portion of their countrymen from the operations of a cum. mon enemy. This influence is accompanied by a disposition to criminate him who may be intrusted with the direction of the means of protection, sharpened by an indisposition to retribute those who lose by not receiving that protection however strongly called for by equity. To save New York, our second, if not first town, was the wish of all; and Washington, sharing in this feeling with his fellow citizens, seems to have indulged his inclination too far upon this occasion. After various marches and manœuvres, and some loss, the erroneous plan was concluded by the fall of Fort Washington, with a numerous garrison, whose aid in the field could ill be spared.

camped on the western side of Skippack creek, about sixteen miles from Germantown.

Both generals now turned their attention to the river impediments: the one, to open a passage for his fleet, which, after disembarking the army, had returned to sea, destined for the Delaware; the other, to impede, as long as was practicable, this much desired junction. The American general had neglected no means within his power to stop the advance of the fleet, by preparing to maintain the defence of the various obstructions fixed in the channel of the river. With this view, two fortresses had been erected: one on Mud Island, denominated Fort Mifflin, after general Mifflin, since governor of Pennsylvania; and the other at Billingsport, on a point of land, opposite to the lower line of chevaux-de-frise, of which three rows, formed of the heaviest timber, strengthened and pointed with iron, had been sunk across the channel. Billingsport was abandoned on the approach of a detachment, under colonel Stirling, sent to dislodge the American garrison; and a high bluff on the same side of the river, opposite to Mud Island, called Red Bank, was fortified, which with Fort Mifflin protected the two upper lines of chevaux-de-frise. Above, and near to these, was stationed our maritime force, consisting of row galleys, floating batteries, fire ships, and rafts. The fortification of Red Bank con sisted of an intrenchment and redoubt, called Fort Mercer, in com memoration of brigadier general Mercer, of Virginia, who died of his wounds received at the battle of Princeton, nobly sustaining his beloved commander, in consummating the masterly movement made by him from his position in front of lord Cornwallis at Trenton; by which single stroke, was liberated nearly the whole state of New Jersey.

Officers were selected to command at these particular posts, high in the confidence of the commander in chief; and the naval force was committed to commodore Hazelwood.

Great were the exertions of sir William Howe to restore the Davigation; and equally great were the efforts of Washington to hold it occluded. Aware that the necessary operations to reduce the forts, Mercer and Mifflin, would call for considerable detach. ments from the British army, the American general continued in his position at Skippack Creek, within reach of his enemy, still encamped in the village of Germantown, patiently watching for the opportune moment, to strike his meditated blow.

Cautious as Washington undoubtedly was, his caution was exceeded by his spirit of enterprise. He resembled Marcellus rather than Fabius, notwithstanding his rigid adherence to the Fabian policy during our war. Ardent, and impetuous by nature, he had, nevertheless, subjected his passions to his reason; and could with facility, by his habitual self-control, repress his inclinations whenever his judgment forbade their indulgence; the whole tenor of his military life evinces uniform and complete self-command. Province Island, close to the Pennsylvania shore, and contiguous to Mud Island, had been possessed by general Howe, with a view

to hasten the fall of Fort Mifflin. This service, with other accompanying claims on Iris force, compelled him to draw rather improvidently from his main body, already weakened by his occupation of Philadelphia, with a considerable detachment under lord Cornwallis.

Understanding the condition of his foe, Washington decamped on the evening of the third of October, and, moving with secrecy and circumspection, attacked the enemy in his camp at Germantown, early in the morning of the fourth. The commencement was favourable; but, by the failure of punctual co-operation, and the brave stand of colonel Musgrave with six companies of the fortieth regiment at Chew's house on the discomfiture of the British van, the flattering dawn was soon and sadly changed.

Washington was compelled to retire; which he effected with ease, the enemy showing no disposition to risk serious pursuit. Our loss was considerable, and unhappily augmented by the captivity of the ninth Virginia regiment and its brave colonel, Matthews, who had, with a part of the sixth, led by colonel Towles, victoriously pierced into the midst of the British army, where, gallantly contending unsupported, he was compelled to surrender.

e;

Here, as at Brandywine, some of our corps greatly distinguished themselves. Major general Sullivan's division made up chiefly of the Maryland line, did honour to its general, and its state especially the brigade commanded by Conway, who led into battle on the right. Such partial efforts, however honourable to the particular troops, never can terminate in victory: this precious fruit is only to be plucked by the co-operating skill and courage of the whole body. The loss of the British in killed and wounded was nearly equal to that sustained by us, which did not exceed six hundred.*

The sudden change which we experienced was attributed to the delay of the left column's entrance into action,t to the fog of the morning which was uncommonly dense, and to the halt at Chew's house. These certainly were the ostensible causes of the defeat; and some of them lightly contributed to our disaster. A critical examination of the operations of that day, however, will lead all impartial inquirers to one conclusion: namely, that although the fog withheld from us the important advantage, resulting to assailing troops, from a clear view of the enemy's incipient measures to repel the assault; and although the halt at Chew's house had cooled the ardour, which, at the beginning, success had infused into our soldiers; yet these incidents could not have produced the disastrous change in the fortune of the day.

Besides the ninth regiment, but few prisoners were taken. The whole amounted to 400, which, added to our killed and wounded, gave a total of 1000.

The left column was under the order of major general Greene. Some attempts at that time were made to censure that officer; but they were too feeble to attract notice, when levelled at a general whose uniform conduct had already placed him high in the confidence of his chief and of the army.

But this turn must be ascribed to deeper causes: to the yet imperfect discipline of the American army; to the broken spirit of the troops, who, from day to day, and from month to month, had been subjected to the most trying and strength-wasting privations, through the improvidence, or inability of government; to the inex perience of the tribe of generals; and to the complication of the plan of assault: a complication said to have been unavoidable.

The halt at Chew's house was taken after some deliberation, as the writer well recollects; being for that day in the suite of the commander in chief, with a troop of dragoons charged with duty near his person.

Many junior officers, at the head of whom where colonel Pickerjng and lieutenant colonel Hamilton, urged with zeal the propriety of passing the house. Brigadier Knox opposed the measure with earnestness, denouncing the idea of leaving an armed force in the rear; and, being always high in the general's confidence, his opinjon prevailed. A flag of truce was instantly despatched to summon the British colonel, while appropriate bodies of troops were prepared to compel his submission. As had been suggested, the summons was disregarded by Musgrave, who persevered in his judicious defence; and captain Smith, of the first Virginia regiment, deputy adjutant general, bearing the flag, fell with it waving in his hands. Thirsting after military fame, and devoted to his country, he obeyed with joy the perilous order; advanced through the deadly fire pouring from the house, presuming that the sanctity of his flag would at length be respected; vain expectation! he fell before his admiring comrades, a victim to this generous presumption.

Unfortunatet as was the issue of the battle at Germantown, it manifested the unsubdued, though broken spirit, of the American army; and taught the enemy to expect renewal of combat, whenever adequacy of force or fitness of opportunity should authorize repetition of battle: it gave, too, animation to the country at large, exciting in congress, and in the people, invigorated zeal in the great cause in which they were engaged.

CHAPTER VI.

BOTH armies having resumed their former positions, the respec

tive leaders, with renovated vigour, directed their views to the cardinal point, of all their movements, and all their conflicts.

* Colonel Musgrave and the fortieth regiment received the cordial thanks of sir William Howe, and were held up to the army as an example for imitation. Nor was the applause, which was lavishly bestowed upon Musgrave, restricted to America. It resounded in Great Britain; and the successful colonel received a letter from the British monarch, expressing his sense of his meritorihis conduct.

+ Congress voted their thanks to the general and army, expressing without reserve their approbation of the plan of battle, and of the courage exhibited on the occasion.

Howe felt and understood the late bold attempt of his adversary `; and, withdrawing from his position in Germantown, concentrated his force in the vicinity of Philadelphia, strengthening his camp by field works, which in effect increased his disposable force.

He soon became convinced that the dislodgement of the American garrisons from the forts, Mifflin and Mercer, was an indispensa ble prerequisite to the opening of the passage of the river, where the admiral and fleet had arrived from the Chesapeake, prepared to co-operate in removing those obstructions; and immediate measures were taken towards the accomplishment of this object.

A detachment of Hessians, led by colonel count Donop, crossed the Delaware from Philadelphia, and took the route for Fort MerA few miles only in its van, was a reinforcement for the post of Mud Island, sent by Washington, under lieutenant colonel Simins, of the sixth Virginia regiment:*

cer.

Simms continued to precede Donop, and reached the fort at Red Bank, the evening before the enemy appeared. No doubt existed but that Donop would make his assault the next day Simms entreated colonel Greene, of the Rhode Island line, commandant in Fort Mercer, to avail himself of the accidental aid under his command. To this proposal Greene readily assented; and a disposition was accordingly made of the united force, to receive the assailant. Matured reflection, in the course of the night, induced colonel Greene to renounce the welcome and seasonable aid before accepted. He considered that the detachment under lieutenant colonel Simms was destined for Mud Island, a place of the highest importance; and which, for ought he knew, might be attacked by the fleet and army at the moment of the intended assault upon himself. He revolved in his mind the weighty responsibility he should assume, by changing the disposition of the commander in chief, increased tenfold should an attack be made upon Fort Mifflin, destitute of the aid sent to contribute to its defence.

These soldier-like reflections determined this gallant officer to rely solely upon his inferior force, which he directed to resume its original disposition, assigning his entire corps to that part of the works heretofore contracted to fit his strength; nor could the persevering solicitations of lieutenant Colonel Simms, seconded by the anxious wishes of his troops, shake the fixed resolve of Greene.

* Lieutenant colonel Simms, after passing the Delaware below Bristol, arriv ed, with the detachment under his command, at Moore's Town, eight miles from Cooper's ferry, opposite Philadelphia, about ten o'clock at night. He was informed that a detachment of the enemy were crossing at that ferry; the safety of his detachment required that he should ascertain whether the enemy were actually crossing the Delaware or not; and he immediately, with a small escort of dragoons, proceeded with great circumspection to the ferry, and found that the information he had received was not true; nor could he discover any movement of troops in the city. A party of militia were posted at the ferry, whom lieutenant colonel Simms found asleep; being roused and informed of their danger from such negligence, they providentially escaped certain destruction; for before the dawn of day, the van of Donop's corps had landed with hope of striking thein.