Washington, still sanguine in his expectation of being soon formidably re-enforced from the army under Gates, frowned upon every suggestion of evacuation. He established a small camp in New Jersey under Brigadier Varnum, contiguous to Fort Mercer, for the purpose of affording daily relief to the garrison of Mud Island, whose commandant received orders to defend it to the last extremity. 10th. 11th. Novem. 12th. Novem. 13th. The enemy, from his ships below, and from his batter- Novem. ies on Province Island, and the heights above Schuylkill, continued to press his attack with renewed vigor and increased effect. In the course of the fierce contest, Lieutenant-Colonel Smith received a contusion from the shattered walls of Novem. the fort, which, obliging him to retire, the command devolved on his second, Lieutenant-Colonel Simms, who continued to sustain the defence with unyielding firmness, until he was relieved by Colonel Russell, of Massachusetts, who preserved the undaunted resistance uniforinly exhibited. Russell and his officers, being unacquainted with the condition of the works, and some movement indicating a determination to storm the fort being discovered, Lieutenant-Colonel Simms proposed to the retiring garrison to remain until the next day. This proposition was generously assented to; and the united force repaired to their post, determined to defend, at every hazard, our dilapidated works. In the course of the night a floating battery was descried falling down the river, the precursor, as was supposed, of the long-expected assault. But whatever may have been the enemy's design, it proved abortive; as only that single battery reached us, which was soon silenced by our guns, and abandoned by its crew. 14th. Russell was succeeded by Major Thayer, of the Rhode Novem. Island line, an officer singularly qualified for the arduous condition in which he was placed. Resistance could not slacken, under such a leader. Entering with ardor into the wishes of his general, he labored with diligence, during the night, to repair the destruction of the day; he revived the hopes of his brave soldiers, by encouraging them to count on ultimate success; and retrieved their impaired strength, by presenting to their view the rich harvest of reward and glory sure to follow in the train of victory. The terrible conflict became more and more desperate. Not the tremendous fire from Province Island and the heights of Schuylkill; not the thunder from the hostile fleet, nor the probable sudden cooperation of the army down the river, could damp the keen and soaring courage of Thayer. Cool and discriminating amidst surrounding dangers, he held safe the great stake committed to his skill and valor. A new assailant now presented itself. Between Province and Mud Islands water and time had worked a ship channel, on high tide, through a mere gut, which had never been observed by those on whose examination and information the defenses in the river and on the island had been planned and executed. A succession of high tides for several preceding days, it is supposed, had at this period added considerably to the width and depth of this channel. However this may be, it is certain that this pass was first shown by the enemy, prepared to apply the advantage it bestowed. An East Indiaman, cut down to its depth of water, was, by the skill and perseverance common to British seamen, readily brought to the desired station, close to the fort. Thayer saw himself gone, unless the commodore could crush this unexpected and decisive operation. He lost not a moment in reporting his changed condition, and claiming immediate relief. Hazelwood felt with the same heart the altered and menaced state to which Fort Mifflin was reduced; but all his efforts to repel this new enemy were ineffectual. Nothing now remained for the valiant Thayer but to abandon the Novem. high-prized station. He retired in the second night of his 15th. command, admired by the brave garrison who had experienced the value of his able predecessors, and honored by the commander-in-chief, though compelled to a measure fatal to his wisely-projected and well-supported system. Notwithstanding the loss of Fort Mifflin, Washington was very unwilling to abandon Fort Mercer, knowing that the Northern reenforcement must soon arrive; to accelerate whose progress, he had some time before dispatched Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton. He consequently determined to counteract Lord Cornwallis's operations, who, after Donop's repulse, had been detached across the Delaware with a respectable force, and was now moving upon Fort Mercer. To this end, Major-General Greene, by his order, entered New Jersey with a considerable detachment, to be strengthened by the first division of the troops expected from the North. Disappointed in the promised aid,* and very inferior to his enemy in number, who * Glover's brigade, the van of the Northern re-enforcement, did not, as was expected, reach Major-General Greene; whereas Lord Cornwallis united to his corps a re-enforcement lately arrived in the river from New York. had been re-enforced in his march by troops just arrived from New York, Greene could not act offensively: the fort of Red Novem. Bank was consequently evacuated; and the two generals rejoined without delay their respective leaders. 18th. Washington soon after Sir William Howe retired from Germantown, had advanced, as before mentioned, to White Marsh, within reach of the enemy; a strong position, rendered stronger by the application of art and labor wherever requisite. On the return of Lord Cornwallis from New Jersey, the British general resolved to bring the American army to battle; with which view he moved from Philadelphia on the 4th of December, and took post on Chestnut Hill, distant three miles from White Marsh. Here he passed two days, making many demonstrations of a general assault. On the third he changed his ground and encamped in front of our left, the most vulnerable part of Washington's position, as it might have been turned by pursuing the old York road; which measure would infallibly have produced battle or have forced retreat. Here the British general renewed his demonstrations of assault; and Lord Cornwallis engaged the light troops on our left flank, who were driven in after a sharp rencontre, in which Major Morris, of New Jersey, was mortally wounded. This officer's distinguished merit had pointed him out to the commander-in-chief as peculiarly calculated for the rifle regiment, made up with a view to the most perilous and severe service, and which had, under its celebrated colonel (Morgan), eminently maintained its renown in the late trying scenes of the memorable campaign in the North; in all of which Morris bore a conspicuous part. His loss was deeply felt, and universally regretted, being admired for his exemplary courage, and beloved for his kindness and benevolence. This skirmish concluded the manifestations of battle exhibited by Howe. He returned to Philadelphia, unequivocally acknowledging by his retreat, that his adversary had at length attained a size which forbade the risk of battle on ground chosen by himself.* Truth, spoken in terms so imperative, would have conveyed to the British minister salutary admonition, had his mind been open to its reception. This was the period for the restoration of the blessings of peace; and the loss of one army, with the late un * Washington, on receiving intelligence of Howe's retreat, said, "Better would it have been for Sir William Howe to have fought without victory, than thus to declare his inability." equivocal declaration* of the British commander-in-chief, ought to have led to the acknowledgment of our independence, and to the renewal of amity, with preferential commercial intercourse; thus saving the useless waste of blood and treasure which followed, stopping the increase of irritation which twenty years of peace have not eradicated, and preventing the alliance soon after effected, between their ancient enemy and these States-the prolific parent of great and growing ills to Great Britain and to America. CHAPTER VIII. Washington goes into winter quarters at Valley Forge.-Inoculates his army.-Sir Wm. Howe recalled.-Sir Henry Clinton in command.-Conduct of Sir Wm. Howe.-His check at Bunker's Hill. Howe's abandonment of the field, and the rigor of the season, induced the American general to prepare for winter quarters. Comparing the various plans suggested by his own comprehensive mind, and by the assisting care of those around him, he adopted a novel experiment, the issue of which gave increase of fame to his already highly-honored name. He determined to hold his main force in one compact body, and to place some light troops, horse and foot, with corps of militia, in his front, contiguous to the enemy, for the double purpose of defending the farmer from the outrages of marauders, and of securing to himself quick information of any material movement in the enemy's camp. He selected for his winter position Valley Forge, which lies on the western side of the Schuylkill, convenient to the rich country of Lancaster and Reading, and in the first step of the ascent of hills which reach to the North Mountain or Blue Ridge. It possessed every advantage which strength of ground or salubrity of climate could bestow. Here, by the hands of his soldiers, he erected a town of huts, which afforded a comfortable shelter from the inclemency of the season, and strengthened his position by all the help of art and industry. This work, of his selection, soon evinced its preference to the common mode of cantonment in contiguous towns and villages. *There are two sorts of victory, that, generally understood, when two armies meet and fight, and one yields to the other; or, when the object of contest is given up without battle, by voluntary relinquishment, as was now the case, rather than risk battle. Close under the eye of the officer, and far from the scenes of delight, the hardy character of the troops did not degenerate by effeminate indulgences, but was rather confirmed by unremitting attention to the acquirement of military knowledge, and the manly exercises proper for a camp. Intent upon bringing his army to a thorough knowledge of the most approved system of tactics, the American general adopted the means most likely to produce this essential effect, watching and encouraging with care and indulgence his beloved troops in their progress, always tenderly mindful of the preservation of their health; as on their fidelity, skill, and courage his oppressed country rested for relief and safety. He not only enforced rigid attention to all those regulations and usages generally adopted to keep off disease, but determined to risk the critical and effectual measure of extinguishing the small-pox in his army; whose pestilential rage had already too often thinned its ranks, and defeated the most important enterprises. Preparations to accomplish this wise resolution having been made with all possible secrecy, the period of the winter most opposed to military operations was selected for its introduction in succession to the several divisions of the army; and what is really surprising, nearly one-half of the troops had gone through the disease before the enemy became apprised of its commencement. While Washington was engaged, without cessation, to perfect his army in the art of war, and to place it out of the reach of that contagious malady so fatal to man, Sir William was indulging, with his brave troops, in all the sweets of luxury and pleasure to be drawn from the wealthy and populous city of Philadelphia; nor did he once attempt to disturb that repose, now so essential to the American general. Thus passed the winter; and the approaching spring brought with it the recall of the commander of the British army, who was succeeded by Sir Henry Clinton, heretofore his second.* It is impossible to pass over this period of the American war without giving vent to some of those reflections which it necessarily excites. Sir William Howe was considered one of the best soldiers in England, when charged with the important trust of subduing the revolted colonies. Never did a British general, in any period * After Sir William Howe returned home, a parliamentary inquiry was made into his conduct upon a motion of his brother, Admiral Lord Howe, which was in a little while dropped. It plainly appears, from the documents exhibited, that Sir William Howe's plans were cordially adopted by the minister, and that he was as cordially supported by government in whatever he desired.-See parliamentary debates for 1779. |