XXXII. CHAP. baggage; but a Tory carried information of the enterprise, and Wayne himself was surprised, and after the loss 1777. of three hundred men forced to retreat. Sept. 20. Sept. 22. When it seemed certain that the city must fall into the hands of the British, the military stores were removed, and a contribution levied upon the inhabitants for blankets, clothes, shoes, and other necessaries for the army during the approaching winter. It was a time of great danger, and Congress again clothed Washington with absolute power, first for sixty days, and soon after for double that period. This done, that body adjourned, first to Lancaster, and then in a few days to York, beyond the Susquehanna. Howe, by a night march, was enabled to pass the Schuylkill; he then pushed on a detachment which took possession of Philadelphia, while the main body of his army halted at Germantown, Though the city was in the hands of the enemy, the Americans still held possession of the forts on the lower Delaware, With much exertion, Admiral Howe had brought the fleet round from the Chesapeake, and anchored it below the forts. Fort Mifflin was situated on a low mud island, at the confluence of the Schuylkill and the Delaware. Directly opposite, at Red Bank, on the Jersey shore, was Fort Mercer. These were furnished with heavy cannon. Heavy timbers framed together, with beams projecting, and armed with iron spikes, were sunk in the river by means of weights; in addition to these obstructions, were floating batteries above. Washington having learned, from intercepted letters, that a detachment had left Germantown to aid the feet in an attack on these forts, resolved to surprise the remainder. After a night's march of fourteen miles, he entered Germantown at sunrise. A dense fog concealed BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. 425 XXXII the outskirts of the town, and he was unable to learn the CHAP precise position of the enemy, or that of his own troops. The British, taken by surprise and thrown into confusion, 1777. gave way on all sides. The Americans, instead of pursuing their advantage, lingered to attack a strong stone house, in which a few of the enemy had taken refuge, when an unaccountable panic seized them: the complete Oet. victory within their grasp was lost. The enemy now rallied and attacked in their turn; but the Americans retreated without loss, and carried off all their cannon and their wounded. Washington, in writing to Congress, says: "Every account confirms the opinion I at first entertained, that our troops retreated at the instant when victory was declaring herself in our favor." And such is the testimony of many officers in their letters to their friends. The effect of the bold attack upon Germantown was soon perceptible, in the spirit of the Americans. One writes: "Though we gave away a complete victory, we have learnt this valuable truth, that we are able to beat them by vigorous exertions, and that we are far superior in point of swiftness; we are in high spirits." Again we find expressions of confidence of a different character. An officer writes: "For my own part, I am so fully convinced of the justice of the cause in which we are contending, and that Providence, in its own good time, will succeed and bless it, that were I to see twelve of the United States overrun by our cruel invaders, I should still believe the thirteenth would not only save itself, but also work out the deliverance of the others." Howe immediately withdrew his troops from Germantown. He must either obtain possession of the forts, that his fleet might come up, or evacuate the city for want of provisions. The Americans, on the other hand, resolved to defend the forts to the last extremity. Howe sent Count Donop, with twelve hundred picked men, grena 4. XXXII. Oct. 22. CHAP. diers, to make an assault on Fort Mercer, while the menof-war should open on Fort Mifflin and the floating bat1777. teries. The outworks of Fort Mercer were not fully completed, when Count Donop suddenly appeared. Colonel Christopher Greene ordered the men-four hundred Rhode Island Continentals-to keep out of sight as much as possible. To deceive the enemy, he made a short stand at the outer works, and then retreated rapidly to the inner redoubt. The enemy advanced in two columns; the Americans received them with a brisk fire, and then retreated in haste. The Hessians thought the day their own, and with shouts of triumph rushed to storm the inner redoubt. They were met by an overwhelming discharge of grape-shot and musketry, and completely repulsed, with the loss of four hundred men; the Americans lost but eight slain and twenty-nine wounded. After the battle, as an American officer was passing among the slain, a voice called out: "Whoever you are, draw me hence." It was Count Donop. A few days afterward, when he felt his end approaching, he lamented his condition. "I die," said he, "the victim of my ambition, and of the avarice of my sovereign." Nov. 16. Fort Mifflin was commanded by Colonel Samuel Smith, of Maryland. In their attack upon it, the British lost two men-of-war-one of which was blown up, the other burned. Meantime the enemy received reinforcements from New York, and were able to take possession of another island, on which they erected batteries, and opened an incessant fire upon Fort Mifflin. After a most undaunted defence, both forts were abandoned, and the enemy left to remove the obstructions in the river at their leisure. On the twenty-ninth, Washington retired to White Marsh, fourteen miles from Philadelphia. Before going into winter-quarters, Howe thought to surprise his camp. A Quaker lady, Mrs. Darrah, overheard some British WINTER QUARTERS AT VALLEY FORGE. 427 XXXII. officers speaking of the intended expedition; she imme- CHAP. diately gave Washington information of what was going on. Preparations were made to give the British a warm reception. A company was sent to harass them on their night-march. Finding themselves discovered, they hesitated to press on. The next day, Howe labored to draw Dec. Washington into the plain, where British discipline might be successful. When he saw the effort was useless, he retired to Philadelphia. Congress now summoned the militia to repair to the main army. A few days after Howe's withdrawal from Germantown, Washington also retired to winter-quarters at Valley Forge, a rugged hollow on the Schuylkill, about twenty miles from Philadelphia. He could thus protect the Congress at York, as well as his stores at Reading. We now turn to relate events-most important in their influence-which, during the last few months, had transpired in the North. 5. CHAPTER XXXIII. THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION-CONTINUED. The Invasion from Canada.-Appointment of General Gates.-Burgoyne's Advance.-Jenny McCrea.-St. Leger besieges Fort Stanwix.-The . Attempt to relieve it.--St. Leger retreats.-Battle of Bennington.— Change of Prospects.-Battle of Behmus's Heights.-Ticonderoga be sieged. Burgoyne surrenders his Army at Saratoga.-The Prisoners.Capture of Forts on the Hudson.-Schuyler. CHAP. THE unlooked for loss of Ticonderoga, with the disasters XXXIII. that so rapidly followed, startled the people of the north1777. ern States more than any event of the war. So little did Congress appreciate the difficulties under which Schuyler and his officers labored, that they attributed these misfortunes to their incapacity. John Adams, then President of the Board of War, gave expression to this feeling when he wrote: "We shall never be able to defend a post till we shoot a general." In the excitement of the moment, Congress ordered all the northern generals to be recalled, and an inquiry instituted into their conduct. The northern army would thus be without officers; but, on a representation to this effect, Washington obtained a suspension of the injudicious order. Clamors against Schuyler were renewed with greater violence than ever. In truth, many members of Congress were influenced by an unreasonable prejudice, which had been excited in New England against him. When Washington, whose confidence in Schuyler was unshaken, declined to make any |