CHAPTER XI.

REVOLUTION CONTINUED.-CAPTURE OF NEW-YORK.

GENERAL HOwe arrived with his fleet and armament, at Sandy-Hook, from Halifax, on the 25th of June, and Lord Howe, (his brother,) arrived with a fleet and armament from England, by the way of Halifax, and joined the general, on the 12th of July. Lord Howe brought out a commission from the British government, which clothed himself and General Howe, with full powers, as commissioners, to treat with the United Colonies collectively, or » separately, or with individuals; to grant pardons, &c. Lord Howe, upon his first arrival at the Hook, dispatched a flag to Amboy, with a circular letter, announcing his commission, and the readiness of the commissioners to receive proposals of reconciliation, &c.

General Washington, who had retired with his army from Boston to New-York, to co-operate with General Lee, in the defence of that city, ordered this circular to be transmitted to Congress.

Lord Howe addressed a letter at the same time, by a flag, to George Washington, Esq. which the general returned, as not being properly directed. Congress supported this dignified measure, by the following resolution

-“That no letter, or message be received on any occasion whatever from the enemy, by the commander in chief, or others, the commanders of the American army; but such as shall be directed to them, in the characters they respectively sustain."

General Howe next forwarded a letter by Colonel Patterson, adjutant-general of the British army, directed to "George Washington," &c. Although Colonel Patterson executed his commission with great address, and in the most respectful terms, assured his excellency," that

General Howe did not mean to derogate from his rank, or the respect due to him; but that he held his character in the highest estimation, and hoped his excellency would enter cordially into the correspondence.

Colonel Patterson was as politely received; but the letter was returned. Colonel Patterson then opened the business in a conversation, in which he disclosed the commission of Lord, and General Howe, and assured his 'excellency of their anxious solicitude to effect a reconciliation, if possible. To which General Washington replied" that he had no powers to treat upon this subject. That, as from his statement, it appeared, that the powers of the commissioners extended only to the granting of pardons, it could be of no use, because the Americans were defending only what they considered as their indubitable rights, and therefore having committed no fault, they wanted no pardon." Colonel Patterson expressed his regret that the negociation should have failed; took leave 'of his excellency, and withdrew.

*

General Washington meditated an attack upon General Howe, at Staten Island, before the whole force should have arrived from Europe; but the attempt was deferred on account of tempestuous weather, and in the mean time the whole force of General Howe arrived, excepting the last divisions of the Germans, amounting to about 24,000 men. This was one of the best appointed armaments, in proportion to its number, that Great-Britain had ever fitted out, and from which the British government entertained the highest expectations.

It was doubtless well known in England, that the colonies had entered into the war with great zeal, and spirit; but at the same time that they were destitute of all the other resources, essential to successful war; and when we take into consideration the fluctuating state of the American armies, in consequence of short enlistments, their want of

military stores, and also of money on which they might rely with confidence, well might the British government have high expectations from such an armament, conducted by two such able commanders, as Lord, and General Howe.

General Washington had under his command, at this time, about seventeen thousand men, three or four thousand of whom were sick, and the remainder were stationed in New-York, upon Long-Island, Governor's-Island, and Paulus Hook. Some of these posts were ten or fifteen miles distant from each other, and separated by waters, navigable by the fleet of the enemy, and the whole exposed to an immediate attack by a superior force.

The following extract of a letter from Colonel Joseph Reed, Adjutant-General of the American army, to a member of Congress, will give a more forcible idea of the perilous situation of the army.

"With an army of force before, and a secret one behind, we stand on a point of land, with 6000 old troops, (if a year's service of about half can entitle them to that name,) and about 1500 new levies of this province; many disaffected, and more doubtful. In this situation we are; every man in the army, from the general to the private, (acquainted with our true situation,) is exceedingly discouraged. Had I known the true posture of affairs, no consideration would have tempted me to take an active part in this scene; and this sentiment is universal.”

Thus posted, under such circumstances, and in the presence of such a force, the American commander in chief attempted to cover New-York, by risking a battle on Long-Island.

Soon after this, the army was reinforced by detachments of militia from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New-York, which augmented the force to 27,000 men, one fourth of whom were sick with diseases common to raw troops, who for the want of tents, are exposed to the open air by night, and by day.

Thus balanced, the armies watched each other's motions, and awaited the issue of a battle.

Impressed with the importance of the awful crisis, General Washington issued the following orders.

"The time is now near at hand, which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen, or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses, and farms are to be pillaged, and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness, from which no human efforts can deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, upon the courage, and conduct of this army. Our cruel, and unrelenting enemy leave us only the choice of a brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have therefore to resolve to conquer or to die. Our own, our country's honor, call, upon us for a vigorous, a manly exertion; and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us then rely on the goodness of our cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is, to animate, and encourage us to great, and noble actions. The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessing, and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny meditated against them. Let us therefore animate, and encourage each other, and shew the whole world that a freeman, contending for liberty, on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth."

2

A general recommendation of great firmness, and coolness, to both officers and soldiers, in time of action, - together with assurances of particular notice, and rewards to all distinguished acts of merit, closed these memorable orders.

When the whole force of the enemy had arrived, the general in chief supported these orders, by others equally impressive and forcible, in which he attempted to inspire the army with the same spirit of patriotism and confidence that glowed in his own breast.

It had now become well understood that the point of defence for New-York must be Long-Island; and here Gen. Sullivan was stationed, in the command of Gen. Green, who had retired through extreme indisposition.

Early in the morning of the 22d of July, the enemy shewed a disposition to land on Long-Island, and consequently Gen. Sullivan was strongly reinforced; but the enemy made good his landing, under cover of his ships, at Utrecht and Gravesend, on the south-west point of the island, at the Narrows, (so called). Col. Hand, of the Pennsylvania line, retired to the high grounds, to cover the pass leading to the village of Flatbush.

Lieutenant General Clinton, who command this division of the British army, detached Lord Cornwallis to seize the pass of Flatbush, if unoccupied; but not to hazard an engagement. His lordship advanced; but finding the pass in possession of the Americans, he took up his position in the village.

When General Washington found that the enemy had effected his landing on Long-Island, he issued the following orders.

"The enemy have now landed on Long-Island, the hour is fast approaching, in which the honour and success of this army, and the safety of our bleeding country de