1777. and other foreign bottoms. He ftated the impracticabili- CHAP. years Befides the powerful fupport of lord Chatham himself, 'the motion was feconded with great eloquence and ability; most of the powerful fpeakers on the fide of oppofition in the houfe of lords, having entered warmly and deeply into the debate. On the other fide, the lords in administration oppofed it principally upon the fuppofition or affertion, that independency was the primary object with the Americans, and that their prefent oppofition was merely the effect of a premeditated design of several ftanding. In fuch a difpofition and determination on their fide, all conceffion on ours would be not only fruitlefs, but ridiculous, degrading, and highly encouraging to their rebellious defigns. That fuch an inftance of meannefs, and acknowledgment of weakness, would equally draw upon us the contempt of our friends, and excite into action the design or malice of our enemies. They denied any danger from France, and that the affiftance given to the Americans proceeded from the court or minifters. The fupplies of arms and military ftores which the Americans received, and the numbers of French officers which ferved in their armies, were attributed to the fpirit of enterprise in foldiers, and of avarice in merchants. They said, the motion held out nothing new, and was no more than a repetition of what had been proposed by the noble earl himself, as well as by two noble dukes, at different times in that houfe. The queftion being at length put, lord Chatham's motion was rejected by 99 to 28; and this, with the money bills, vote of credit, and speech in the usual style from the throne, put an end to the session. [33] CHAPTER XVI. America Refugees enlifted-Magazines deftroyed General Woofter killed-Provincials invade Long-Ifland neral Burgoyne's expedition from Canada. feated- feated at Brandy wine and Germantown-Progress of general Burgoyne Fort Edward abandoned -Cruel -Colonels -Ge ties of the Indians-Fort Stanwix befieged- WE XVI. 1777. lifted in the E must now take a view of the transactions in CHAP. America, where last year we found the colonists X depreffed with misfortunes and defeat; though, by the conduct and fkill of their general, the royal army had been prevented from pursuing their victory, or even from American retaining the conquefts they had made. As the British refugees engeneral (Howe) now perceived, that the army he com- royal army. manded, however powerful in the field, was far from being fufficient to effect the conqueft of fuch an extensive and difficult country, he refolved to ftrengthen it by every poffible method. For this purpose, he collected as many of the refugees as could be perfuaded to enlift into a body, which by degrees were augmented to several thousands. Over thefe he appointed officers, chofen from among thofe gentlemen, who, for their attachment to the royal caufe, had been obliged to abandon their properties, or who lived VOL. V. CHAP. under his protection in New-York iflands; governor XVI. Tryon being chofen commander in chief. Thefe new forces were ftationed in New-York and the adjacent ;; islands, in order to give a free fcope of operation to the grand army, and allow it to exert its whole ftrength for the purpofe to which it was originally destined; while the vast number of large rivers, which everywhere interfected the country, laid it open to the naval power to which the Americans had nothing to oppofe, and by which they were, of confequence, exceedingly diftreffed. magazines With all thefe advantages, however, it was yet found impoffible to effect any great or permanent conqueft.The caufes formerly mentioned ftill continued to operate, and to militate effectually against the royal army, and, indeed, to appearance, muft have been too powerful for any number of men which Britain could be fuppofed able to bring into the field. The utmost that now could be done, therefore, was to carry on a kind of predatory war; and this, however it might diftrefs particular places, or amufe the people of Britain with ideas of conqueft, could never contribute any thing effectual to the fubjugation of the country. The late fucceffes of general Washington, together American with the great natural ftrength of the country, had endeftroyed. Couraged the Americans to erect mills, and establish their principal magazines in a mountainous diftrict, called the Manor of Courtland; to which a place, otherwife of no importance, called Peek's Kill, about fifty miles up the North River, ferved as a kind of port, by which it both received provifions and difpenfed fupplies. Against this place, general Howe directed his first operations for the year 1777; being well apprifed, that any attempt on the Manor of Courtland itfelf, muft neceffarily be rendered abortive, from the great ftrength and inland fituation of the country; but the port, being within reach of the naval power, promised an eafy conquest. On this March 23. service, colonel Bird was fent, March 23d, with a detach ment of 500 men, under the conduct of a frigate of war, and fome other armed veffels. The enemy, fuppofing themfelves unable to refift, set fire to the ftores, and the conflagration was completed by the British foldiers, who immediately returned, after deftroying fome fmall craft laden with provifions. The ftores deftroyed at Peek's Kill being found greatly inferior in magnitude and importance to what the ge neral had been led to expect, another expedition was un dertaken against a place called Danbury, on the borders of XVI, 1777. Connecticut, and contiguous to Courtland Manor, where CHAP. it was faid immense ftores had been collected. In this fervice, a body of 2000 men were employed, who were conveyed by fea to a place called Norwalk, about twenty. miles to the fouthward of Danbury; and, as the country was in no state of defence, nor under any apprehenfion of the defign, the troops arrived at Danbury the following day. Perceiving, however, that the country was rifing to intercept their return, and, at any rate, being destitute of carriages to carry off the ftores, they inftantly proceeded to deftroy them; in the execution of which the town itself was unavoidably confumed. On their return, they were harraffed by the militia under the generals Arnold, Woofter, and Sullivan, who used their utmost endeavours to retard their march, until a greater force could be affembled to effect the defign of cutting off their retreat. Woofter hung upon the rear of the detachment, while Ar nold, by crofling the country, gained their front, in order to difpute their paffage through a place called Ridgefield; nor could the excellent order and formidable appearance of the British forces, who had large covering parties, well furnished with field-pieces on their flanks and rear, nor the tumultuary manner in which the American militia,' not very numerous, had affembled, prevent them from taking advantage of every fituation in order to interrupt the progrefs of the king's army. General Woofter great dan ger, In one of these fkirmishes, general Wooster, an old experienced officer, was killed, at an age approaching to feventy, and in the active exertion of a valour favouring killed, and more of rashness than the temperance and discretion to Arnold in be expected at fuch a time of life. General Arnold next opposed them in the village of Ridgefield, but the force he poffeffed was by no means fufficient to cope with fo formidable a power. He difplayed, however, his usual intrepidity. His horse being shot under him within a few yards of the foremost ranks of the British troops, a foldier ran up to stab him with his bayonet; but Arnold, difengaging himself with great agility, fuddenly drew a pistol, and thot his enemy dead as he approached. Next day, the Americans having procured fome reinforcements with cannon, the British army was exceedingly harraffed; every advantageous poft was feized and difputed, whilft hovering parties on the flanks and rear, continually endeavoured to disturb the order of the march, and to profit by every difficulty of ground. At laft, after having expended all their ammunition, faid to have amounted to 60 rounds a man, they reached an hill called Campo, |