Univr
[HE ] IBRARY
[HE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
GIFT OF
THE HONNOLD LIBRARY
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION.
REVERE'S RIDE." Page 21
HEROES
OF OUR
REVOLUTION
B
T. Wi^
HALL
ILLUSTRATED BY
W. B. GILBERT
And Others
NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
COPYRIGHT, 1900, BY
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
TO
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Causes of ' the Revolution Our Debt to the Christian
Church The- Sons of Liberty The Boston Massacre
Sam Adams' Regiment The Boston Tea Party Patrick
Henry i
CHAPTER II.
The Boston Port Bill General Gage The First Continental
Congress "The Minute-men" Joseph Warren Paul
Revere Lexington and Concord 17
CHAPTER III.
The Country Rises John Stark and Israel Putnam The
Battle of Bunker Hill Death of Warren Washington
Appointed Commander-in-Chief His Subordinate Gen-
erals The Siege of Boston 28
CHAPTER IV.
Benedict Arnold His Troubles with Allen Invasion of
Canada Terrible March Through the Wilderness. 50
CHAPTER V.
Schuyler and Montgomery Montgomery's Capture of St.
John's The Storming of Quebec 61
V
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VI.
Preparations for the Defence of New York Lee and
Meultrie The little of Fort Moultrie 74
CHAPTER VII.
The Battle of Long Island 87
CHAPTER VIII.
The Retreat from New York Arrival of Lee The Battle
of White Plains Defences of the Highlands of the Hud-
son Preparations for the Defence of New Jersey 97
CHAPTER IX.
The Capture of Fort Washington Washington's Brilliant
Retreat Through the Jerseys The Schemes and Capture
of Lee The Storming of Fort Washington 112
CHAPTER X.
The Battles of Trenton and Princeton 1 24
CHAPTER XI.
Arnold's Battle on Lake Champlain European Volunteers
Promotions Arnold's Disappointment Tryon at Dan-
bury Meigs at Sag Harbor 141
CHAPTER XII.
Howe Leaves the Jerseys Murder of Miss McCrea Siege
of Fort Stanwix Battle of Oriskany Battle of Benning-
ton 1 53
CHAPTER XIII.
The Two Battles of Bemis Heights Surrender of Bur-
goyne First Battle of Bemis Heights 166
CONTENTS. vii
CHAPTER XIV.
Capture of General Prescott The Movements of General
Howe Battle of the Brandywine 177
CHAPTER XV.
Surprise and Defeat of Wayne Howe Takes Philadelphia
The Battle of Germantown 191
CHAPTER XVI.
Successful Defence of Forts Mercer and Mifflin Capture of
Forts Montgomery and Clinton The Conway Cabal
Capture of Forts Mercer and Mifflin Gates at the head of
the Board of War 202
CHAPTER XVII.
Exposure of the Conway Cabal Consternation of Gates
Steuben at Valley Forge Downfall of Conway The sign-
ing of the Treaty with France Howe Superseded by
Clinton The Mischianza 214
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Evacuation of Philadelphia The Battle of Monmouth
Clinton's Retreat to New York Court-Martial of General
Lee 224
CHAPTER XIX.
Tardy Arrival of the French Fleet Expedition Against New-
port The Fleets Dispersed by a Storm Sullivan's Dis-
appointment and Retreat The Wyoming Valley Mas-
sacre Murder and pillage by the British 235
CHAPTER XX.
The British in Florida and Georgia Storming of Stony
Point Sullivan's Expedition Against the Wyoming Valley
Murderers Further Marauds Siege and Surrender of
Charleston Marauds of Tarleton and Ferguson 243
viii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXI.
Arnold's Difficulties His Marriage Investigated by a Com-
mittee of Congress Court-Martialed His Treasonable
Correspondence with Clinton Arnold and Andre Cap-
ture of Andre and Flight of Arnold Execution of Andre
Story of Nathan Hale 252
CHAPTER XXII.
Knyphausen's Invasion of New Jersey The Murder of
Mrs. Caldwell Knyphausen's Second Attempt Gates
Appointed to Command the Southern Army Sumterand
Marion The Battle of Camden 263
CHAPTER XXIII.
Cornwallis' Advance into North Carolina The Battle of
King's Mountain Sumter vs. Tarleton The Battle of the
Cowpens 275
CHAPTER XXIV.
Greene Takes Command and Commences his Famous Re-
treat The Crossing of the Catawba, the Yadkin and the
Dan Rivers Cornwallis Abandons Pursuit He Retires
to Hillsborough and is Followed by Greene Battle of
Guilford Court House The Victor Retreats Greene
Moves into South Carolina 287
CHAPTER XXV.
The Situation in Virginia Greene Moves upon the British
The Battle of Eutaw Springs Cornwallis Joins Arnold
Lafayette Follows Cornwallis Washington's Change
of Plans Cornwallis Moves to Yorktown He is Bottled
up there 297
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Siege of Yorktown Storming of the Redoubts Sur-
render of Cornwallis End of the Revolution 306
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Naval Heroes of our Revolution 313
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
CHAPTER I.
CAUSES OF THE REVOLUTION OUR DEBT TO
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH THE SONS OF LIB-
ERTY THE BOSTON MASSACRE SAM ADAMS'
REGIMENT THE BOSTON TEA PARTY PAT-
RICK HENRY.
IF I should ask you, Boy, to tell me what were
the causes of the American Revolution, you would
promptly answer The Stamp Act, Taxation With-
out Representation, and The Quartering of Eng-
lish Troops upon the Colonists. Your 'answer
would be correct. These were the immediate
causes. As a matter of fact, however, there were
other, deeper and more important causes, and
these were as old as the colonies themselves.
Religious freedom, the very thing that drove
many of the English and French colonists to the
new land, was in danger as soon as England began
to tighten her hold on the colonies. This she did
as soon as the colonists had planted themselves
securely and become a prosperous, money-making
2 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
community, firmly established and rapidly devel-
oping. Until then she paid little or no attention
to the colonies, and the colonies were equally glad
to pay as little attention to the government of
England. Like loyal citizens they helped the
kings of England in their wars, and fought French
and Indians time and again for the mother coun-
try. In one of these expeditions they even suc-
ceeded in capturing Louisburg in Canada, which
was then held by the French. Now this was no
trifling achievement. This city was fortified at
great expense in the same manner that European
cities were fortified under the system of Vauban,
a famous military engineer. Being newly fortified
the work was done very scientifically and the city
was known as the Gibraltar of America. Indeed
the French were as much surprised at its capture
as the English would be to-day to hear of the
capture .of Gibraltar. Now while the colonists
were helped by the English ships in this under-
taking, they really effected the capture of the city
themselves. The ships prevented the French
ships from bringing reinforcements to the belea-
guered town, but the colonists, consisting mostly
of backwoodsmen and sailors, did the actual fight-
ing against the fortifications.
These backwoodsmen and sailors already knew
ho\> fight at sea and against Indians as well as,
if not _ tter than, any other men, and when they
captured this great fortified town they were very
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 3
much elated. They suddenly perceived that they
could fight against regular soldiers with success,
and even take the most scientifically fortified
cities. Perhaps they got too good an opinion of
their ability. At any rate they began to feel quite
independent and masterful, and the king became
alarmed. He gave Louisburg back to the French
in order that it might be a menace to the colonists
and hold them in check. This was a nice fatherly
way of providing for his subjects in America, was
it not ? He laid them open to attack from the
French and Indians, because he was afraid of their
growing importance and strength. To this extent
also he prevented them from developing, which
they had been doing in a wonderful way, wresting
New York from the Dutch, and the southern col-
onies and what was then the great unknown West
from the Spanish and French.
So the king gave orders to the governors of
his colonies, as our States were then called, to be
more severe with their people, and he began to
insist that they collect taxes to be paid to England
to help carry on her wars. He made little or no
attempt to interfere with religion, but the colonists
feared that he might in time, and it is safe to
say that he would have done so if he ever acquired
sufficient power over his American colonies, for
there was a great diversity of religions in Amer-
ica even at that time, and the English n^'on had
an established church.
4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Now this matter of religious freedom, the right
to worship God in the manner dilated by one's
conscience, was a matter of vast importance to
these American colonists. It was dearer to them
than life itself. Boston in fact, is situated upon
land that was once the property of a hermit, one
William Blackstone, who lived alone with his
books in order that he might be free in his religion.
It is hard to realise such a state of affairs in our
day when everyone recognises the right of another
to believe what his conscience tells him to believe
and to worship God as he pleases, in our day,
when the whole world is aroused to such a state
of sympathy with the misfortunes of one poor
Hebrew soldier, Captain Dreyfus of the French
army, that the French are fearing that they have
lost all their friends and allies by persecuting the
man. There have been times when good Chris-
tians would have rejoiced at the persecutions of a
man whether he was innocent or guilty, merely
because he was a Hebrew. But those times, for-
tunately, have passed.
So the desire for religious freedom, you see, was
the first step towards social equality and personal
freedom. This is one of the many things for
which we have to thank the Christian church.
And as the personal and political freedom, and
equality of men is due in this measure to the
Christian church, so the freedom of women, which
in your day will extend to their right to vote and
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 5
hold any description of political office, is due to
the freedom of men. What mighty blessings have
come from the deep religious conscience of those
old colonists ! And they are more than you think,
Boy, in a practical way. None but men and
women of such stern, intrepid character could
have settled permanently in a country so bleak
and in many ways uninviting as the Eastern shores
of America. The ground had to be freed from
countless rocks, the forest from murderous Indians
and the forests cleared away before the beautiful
farms of the East were possible. It is a very
fortunate thing that our country was discovered
from the East and not from the West therefore.
If We had been discovered from the West the first
colonists would have landed in a Paradise, almost
certainly in a land of wonderful plenty. Their
life would have been one of comparative ease, and
they would never have bred a race of men strong
enough or even inclined to develop the rugged
East, which is now the richest and greatest portion
of the country.
There was still another cause which is generally
overlooked, for this suspicion and growing hatred
of the colonies for the mother country. As far
back as 1740 an attempt was made by an English
naval officer, Commodore Knowles, to impress
American seamen into the naval service of Eng-
land. One winter day in Boston he swooped
down on the wharves and carried away to his ships,
6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
not only skilled American seamen, but also ship
carpenters and boys. There was an immediate
riot. The town was ablaze with indignation, and
excitement ran high. The Revolution might have
started then and there had it not been for the
English Governor Shirley, who became frightened
and made the Commodore return the men to their
homes. It is strange to think that the cause of
the war of 1812 with England came near bringing
on the Revolution a generation before the proper
time. For you will remember that these English-
men, who want to impress us with their friendli-
ness now, wanted to impress our citizens for serv-
ice on their warships when we were a weak, young
nation.
You will see therefore that matters were gradu-
ally drawing to a climax, coming to a focus as we
say. The English government was becoming
alarmed at the growing strength of the colonies.
The colonists were commencing to fear for their
religious and personal freedom. The English
government was beginning to tax the colonies.
The colonists were beginning to perceive the in-
justice of taxing them except for their own bene-
fit, and of taxing them for the support of the gen-
eral government of England, in which they had
no representation. The English government was
becoming weak and poor from constant wars.
The colonists were commencing to appreciate
their strength from their success in the French and
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 7
Indian wars. The whirlwind was gathering force,
was commencing to revolve and when it finally
burst upon England it revolved things so com-
pletely that we call the war it produced our
American Revolution.
In autumn of 1760 George the Third ascended
the throne of England. His ambitious mother
coached him in the following words : " Be King,
George ; be King.*' He answered that he would
be King indeed and like most kings began to
look about immediately for more money for his
empty treasury. To get it he and his parliament
proceeded to tax the colonies. He was the first j.
English monarch since King John to attempt to
tax subjects of his except by their own representa-
tives. We can laugh at the poor fool to-day.
But that piece of his idiocy was a tragedy then.
To-day, on account of the late war with Spain,
and our present war in the Philippines, we pay a
tax on business papers, legal documents and many
other things. We do it cheerfully, as we are taxed
by our own representatives in Congress and by our
own consent. But in 1763 Lord Bute proposed
that the American colonists should pay such a tax
for the benefit of King George the Third and his
empty coffers. In 1765 such an act was passed,
and the trouble began. The people were dis-
mayed. It meant not only expense to them, but
a blow at their liberties. Benjamin Franklin was
in England at the time. He wrote to America,
8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
" The Sun of Liberty is set ; the Americans must
light the lamps of industry and economy." In
America, " No taxation without representation "
became the watchword of the people. Bands of
men determined to preserve the rights of the col-
onists were formed in New York, Boston, and
many other of the principal cities and towns.
They called themselves " Sons of Liberty " and
declared that they would prevent the enforcement
of the Stamp Act. To-day we call them the
" Fathers of Liberty." These men were all heroes
of our Revolution, as was Franklin, though the
latter and perhaps some of the former did not take
part in the actual conflict.
The people rose as one man. A general con-
gress was called to meet in New York. There
was a prompt riot in Boston, which the king then
considered the most impudent and unruly city in
his colonies. There the Sons of Liberty marched
through the town shouting " Liberty, property,
and no stamps." They frightened Lieutenant-
Governor (afterwards Governor) Hutchinson, a
Tory (that is, an adherent of the English govern-
ment) nearly out of his wits, and hung effigies of
Lord Bute on the trees. The Sons of Liberty
committed no violence, but an unruly rabble that
followed them plundered the government store-
houses and wrecked Hutchinson's house. These
acts were condemned by the Sons of Liberty, but
they did not abate their opposition to the Stamp
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 9
Act. On the contrary, they destroyed the stamp
paper sent over by England, and the New York
congress petitioned the king and parliament. As
no one would use the stamps business was brought
to a standstill, even in the courts and customs
houses. Eventually, in 1766, parliament repealed
the Stamp Act.
Right here, Boy, it is only fair to the English
to say that there were in England at this time
prominent men, who recognised the rights of the
colonists and who did all in their power to influ-
ence the king and parliament to observe these
rights. Such men were Conway, Pitt, Burke and
Barr. Again in our civil war, when the great
mass of the English people wanted to side with
the South and help break our country in two, there
were men who successfully opposed the move-
ment. The leader of these men was the celebrated
John Bright, who, by the way, did not believe in
war at all, but who did believe it was necessary to
free the slaves.
Foolish King George was not through with the
colonies, however. Two years after the repeal of
the Stamp Act he sent troops to Boston. The
people indignantly refused to furnish them with a
barracks and they were camped, therefore, on
Boston Common, and quartered in Faneuil Hall
and the Town House. In the harbour the Eng-
lish kept a fleet of eight men-of-war. The Royal
Officers now thought they were able to take care
io HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
of the Sons of Liberty without trouble. But
nothing is more apt to bring about a disturbance
of the peace than the constant association of nat-
ural enemies, and the people soon began to con-
sider the red-coated British soldiers as such.
There were a number of encounters between the
people and the "lobster-backs" as the people called
the soldiers, because of their red coats. The most
important of these occurred on March 5, 1770,
This was called the Boston Massacre. Some
young men quarrelled with a sentry who challenged
them as they were going home. A crowd gath-
ered. Soldiers ran to the aid of the sentry, headed
by a Captain Preston. Some of the soldiers fired.
Three citizens were killed and eight wounded.
The drums brought the two regiments of soldiers
and the excited people of the town to the scene.
More trouble appeared to be inevitable. But Gov-
ernor Hutchinson appeared on the balcony of the
Town House and promised that a full investiga-
tion should be made and Captain Preston gave
himself up for trial. The next day a great meet-
ing was held in Faneuil Hall, and the people sent
a committee to Hutchinson demanding the with-
drawal of the troops from the town.
Sam Adams, who is called the " Father of the
Revolution," was at the head of the committee.
He was a prominent Boston lawyer and a leader
among the colonists. He was a young man when
Knowles made his attempt to impress the Boston
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY." Page 13
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION n
sailors, and you may be sure that such an event
made a deep impression on his mind. He wrote
many articles for the newspapers, taking the side
of the colonists, and even wrote a petition to the
king, to which the latter paid no attention. By
his advice the patriots throughout all the colonies
agree " to eat nothing, drink nothing, wear noth-
ing " that came from Great Britain. This was to
prevent the British from collecting taxes on
certain articles which were imported from the
mother country, for parliament and foolish George
III. had again attempted to tax the Americans.
At this suggestion women gave up wearing hand-
some dresses made from imported cloths and put
spanning wheels in their drawing-rooms, with
which they proceeded to produce the necessary
stuffs to clothe the colonists. Homespun became
the fashionable wearing apparel and all gave up
drinking tea.
It was Samuel Adams who appeared before
Governor Hutchinson and demanded that the two
regiments of British troops be withdrawn from
Boston. Governor Hutchinson tried to satisfy
him with one, but Sam was as firm as a rock, and
the mortified Governor, burning with rage, was
compelled to assent. After that those two regi-
ments of British troops were called " Sam Adams'
Regiments." What a scene that must have been
when Sam Adams clothed in plain homespun
stood before the Governor and his twenty-four
12 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
councillors and a number of British officers, the
former resplendent in powdered wigs, gold-laced
hats and scarlet waistcoats, and the latter in their
brilliant uniforms, and made them do what he
demanded in the name of the people ! He, too,
was one of the Heroes of the Revolution.
On account of all this the English parliament
made a concession to the " patriots," as they were
now beginning to be called and to call themselves.
It took off the tax on everything but tea. But
the Americans were fighting the principle, and
while a solitary article was taxed they felt that
they must resist. The merchants, therefore, re-
fused to import tea, and the patriots and their
wives and daughters still declined to drink it.
They made tea of raspberry leaves, of thyme,
and other shrubs, and drank that instead. In con-
sequence of this the merchants of England found
themselves with a great deal of tea on their hands
which they could not sell. These merchants were
as short-sighted as the king and his advisers.
They thought if they lowered the price of the tea
Americans could be induced to buy it. So they
lowered the price three pence a pound, which was
very considerable reduction, loaded it on board
ships and sent it across the Atlantic. The king
was highly pleased at this act. When friends
warned Lord North that an attempt to force tea
upon the colonies would make trouble, the latter,
who was the leader of the ministry, replied :
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 13
" The king will have it so. He means to try the
question with the Americans." On their side the
Americans were quite ready to have it tried. The
Boston committee of correspondence (such com-
mittees had been formed in all the colonies to keep
each other advised so that they might act in con-
cert) wrote the other committees that the tea would
not be permitted to land, and the other commit-
tees replied that they would act in the same way.
The tea arrived in Boston in November, 1773,
three shiploads of it. No one would buy it ex-
cept Tory merchants who wanted it for Tory
customers. The people, however, would not per-
mit this. The people demanded that the tea be
taken back to England. The ship captains could
not take it back without a permit from the Cus-
tom House, and the Customs Officers refused to
grant the permits. They were king's officers, and
it was their intention to seize the cargoes of tea
if they were not landed within a certain time,
which they had a right, by law, to do. They
could then turn it over to the Tory merchants.
The date on which this could be done was the
1 7th of December. It was necessary that the
patriots should do something before that time.
Accordingly, on the night of the i6th, a great
number of Boston men disguised, some as Indians
and others in all kinds of outlandish costumes,
went on board the ships and threw the tea into
the harbour. You may be sure that there was a
i 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
merry Christmas in Boston that year for those
people dressed in homespun.
It will be seen that most of the events of im-
portance at this time occurred in or near Boston.
This was not because the other colonies did not
feel and act in the same way that Massachusetts
did. But Boston was the most rebellious port,
and the king thought that by stamping out the
trouble there he would teach a lesson to all.
Boston was not the only port where tea was sent
by the British merchants. But at the others the
people compelled the ships to sail back. New
York City was also burdened with the king's
troops like Boston, but the people refused to sup-
port them. In Virginia, as early as the Stamp
Act, the eloquent Patrick Henry made a memo-
rable speech in which he exclaimed : " Caesar had
his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and
George the Third " Here a number of mem-
bers of the legislature in which he was speaking
cried, " Treason ! Treason ! " Henry waited a mo-
ment for silence and then continued " may
profit by their example. If that be treason make
the most of it."
Your mother has told you, Boy, that tea would
make you nervous. Well, you may be sure that
tea was making a great many people nervous in
these old days. The three pence a pound in re-
duction was sufficient to pay the tax, so as a mat-
ter of economy the tax did not affect the colonists
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 15
at all. In addition the East India Company was
willing to pay the tax itself. This company had
seventeen million pounds of tea in its warehouses
which it could not sell, and the company was
threatened with ruin. Now George III. owned a
great many shares in the company and the failure
of the company would impoverish him, whereas
if he could make the colonists buy the tea he
would not only get the profit on his shares, but
the tax also. That is the reason tea was picked^
out by him as the sole article to be taxed.
" There must be one tax," declared the king,
" to keep up the right." So the throwing of the
tea into the harbour was a blow at the king's own
pocket-book as well as at what he considered his
royal prerogative to tax the people. To explain
still further the fury of the people at this tax on
tea, it must be explained that the people of Eng-
land themselves did not have to pay any tax on
tea. Indeed, the colonies were taxed unjustifi-
ably in many ways. England cared nothing for
her colonies except for what money she could
wring from them, and what men she could obtain
to aid her in her wars. The colonists were for-
bidden to carry on manufactures except in a very
small way, and were compelled to buy their man-
ufactured goods of England. They might take
iron ore from a mine, but they had to send it to
England to be manufactured, at the same time
paying a tax for exporting it. When it was man-
1 6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
ufactured they bought it back and had to pay a
tax for importing it. Nor were they permitted
by England to carry on trade with any other
country but England in most articles. All the
furs caught by their hunters, and the fish caught
by their fishermen, had to be sent to England.
So with all the pitch, tar, turpentine, and ship
timbers from their immense forests. In Maine
every tree of more than twenty-four inches in
diameter at a foot above the ground, could be cut
down only for a mast for one of the king's ships.
The colonies could not even sell freely to each
other. To King George the colonies were much
like the goose that laid the golden eggs. Like
many another man he proceeded to kill that valu-
able goose.
CHAPTER II.
THE BOSTON PORT BILL GENERAL GAGE -
THE FIRST CONTINENTAL CONGRESS THE
" MINUTE-MEN "JOSEPH WARREN PAUL RE-
VERE LEXINGTON AND CONCORD
YOU can easily imagine, Boy, that the king was
not in a very good humour when he heard of the
Boston Tea Party. He made preparations at once
to punish Boston and the Boston people. He had
Lord North pass a bill in parliament ordering that
after the i8th of June, 1774, no person should load
or unload any ship until the town apologised and
paid for the tea which had been destroyed. He
recalled Governor Hutchinson to England and
sent General Gage from New York to be military
governor and enforce the Port Bill. Even Eng-
lish vessels had to land their goods at Salem or
Marblehead. This was a severe blow to the pros-
perity of Boston, and of the entire colony. The
wharves lay idle, the warehouses empty, merchants
and traders had to stop business, which threw a
great number of employees out of work. In ad-
dition to this provisions grew scarce. They could
not be obtained from the other colonies, as all
freight was carried in those days by water.
2 I 7
i8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
General Gage had another penalty to inflict
upon the town also. He was ordered to carry out
the Regulation Acts. These were orders of par-
liament which quartered more troops upon the
town, forbade the holding of town meetings with-
out the consent of the governor, save once a year,
and vested all the power of government in the
governor and officers appointed by the king or
governor. The people now had something to
struggle for more important than freedom from
taxation. They were now denied rights that
belonged to every Englishman.
They got around the provision forbidding them
to hold but one town meeting a year by adjourn-
ing that one meeting from time to time and thus
making it last a year. Then they got together
the people of the entire colony, or rather their
representatives, and adopted some declarations
called the "Suffolk Resolves." These declared
that the people would obey a Continental Con-
gress, and the people of Massachusetts invited the
people of the other colonies to send delegates to
a Continental Congress, to be held in Philadelphia.
All the colonies sent delegates except Georgia.
The Congress met in September, 1774. An ad-
dress setting forth their grievances was sent to the
king by this congress of the colonies, and the del-
egates made an agreement to refuse to carry on
any trade with Great Britain until their wrongs
should be righted. The other colonies sympathised
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 19
with the people of Boston in more practical
ways and sent them provisions whenever it was
possible.
All this alarmed General Gage, and he deter-
mined to seize all the powder belonging to Massa-
chusetts. Some he captured, together with two
field-pieces that were in Cambridge. He failed to
get some powder that was stored in Salem, how-
ever.
The colonists, on their side, foresaw war and
began to prepare for it. Companies of militia
were formed in every town and began to drill,
under the instruction of veterans of the French
and Indian wars. Alarm companies, called
" Minute-men " for the reason that they were to
be ready at a " minute's notice," held themselves
ready to fight at any hour of the day or night.
These were especially to guard the powder, arms
and food that was being collected for what we may
now call the American army, which was being
formed in this hap-hazard but enthusiastic way.
During the winter of 1774-1775 a good sttpply
of food and powder for the use of the men who
were to be food for powder, was collected at Wor-
cester and Concord. General Gage determined to
destroy these stores. He sent two officers as
scouts to study the best roads to Worcester and
Concord. These scouts reported that at Concord
the Americans had fourteen pieces of cannon and
two mortars, besides stores of flour, fish, salt, rice,
20 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
and a magazine of powder and cartridges. The
cartridges to which they referred were probably
sacks of powder for the cannon, as cartridges for
muskets were unknown at the time. The brass
cartridges with which you are familiar to-day were
not used until comparatively recently.
You will remember, Boy, that the Boston Mas-
sacre occurred on March 5th. Now the people of
Boston held a meeting on every March 5th after
that to keep the event in mind. The favourite
orator in Boston at this time was Joseph Warren,
one of the most brilliant men in Massachusetts,
who was afterwards killed at Bunker Hill. Now,
on March 5, 1775, it was a dangerous proceeding
to make a Boston Massacre oration. General Gage
occupied the town with troops, and it was under-
stood that there would be an attempt to keep
Warren from speaking. A number of officers of
the king's army actually did attend the meeting in
Old South Church, but Warren made his speech
nevertheless, and Sam Adams and John Hancock,
\vho afterwards was the first man to sign the Dec-
laration of Independence, sat on the platform.
The officers tried to interrupt Warren in his
speech and one of them held some bullets up in
his hand to intimate that they were what the people
might expect if they opposed the king any longer.
But neither Warren nor the people were fright-
ened.
Things began to get warm for the more prom-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 21
inent of the patriots, however, and Sam Adams
and Hancock were obliged to leave Boston and
take refuge in Lexington. All knew that General
Gage meant to capture the cannon and stores in
Concord, also. A number of mechanics, therefore,
organised to watch the doings of the British and
give information by messenger to the people
of Lexington and Concord. One of these men was
Paul Revere, a copper-plate engraver, who had
been a lieutenant of artillery in the provincial
army during the French and Indian wars.
On the 1 8th of April the soldiers were seen
moving from the Common to the river. Word
was sent to Warren, and he asked Paul Revere to
warn the people of Lexington, and tell Hancock
and Adams of their danger. Revere had promised
the Charlestown people that he would hang a
signal from the Old North Church when the sol-
diers moved. One lantern would mean that they
had passed out over the Neck (Boston Neck, not
Charlestown Neck), and two would mean that they
were crossing the river in boats. He hung out
the two lanterns, then hurried to his own boat, and
made direct for Charlestown. There he got a horse
and rode out over Charlestown Neck, toward Lex-
ington and Concord, alarming the people as he
went. The British horsemen were patrolling the
road, but by taking a roundabout way he escaped
them and got safely to Lexington. Hancock
wanted to stay and fight with the farmers, but
22 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Adams, was wiser, and knew that Hancock and
himself were more necessary for other work.
"We belong to the cabinet," he said, quietly, and
by his persuasions and the entreaties of Dorothy
Quincy, who was to be married to Hancock, and
who was in the house with Hancock's aunt, in-
duced John to go to Woburn, where they would
be safe. In the meantime Revere and two com-
panions set out for Concord. Revere was cap-
tured on the way, but one of the messengers suc-
ceeded in getting to Concord. Thus the whole
country round was alarmed. Captain Parker had
command of the Americans at Lexington. He
assembled his men, but when he learned that the
British were still far away, he told his men to go
and rest until called together again. They had
loaded their guns, and for the sake of safety (just
as we take a cartridge out of a gun to-day, when
it is not to be used) Captain Parker's militia fired
a volley. This volley was heard by the British
officers who had captured Paul Revere, and they
took his horse and let him go.
While Revere was dashing over Charlestown
Neck, Gage's troops (about nine hundred gren-
adiers and light infantry) began marching from
their landing place toward Lexington. They
marched in silence and supposed themselves un-
noticed. Suddenly they heard the firing of guns
and the pealing of church bells. Their secret
was out. Colonel Smith, who commanded the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 23
British, immediately sent back to Boston for rein-
forcements and sent Major Pitcairn, with a small
body of men, on rapidly to Lexington. Pitcairn
soon began meeting American scouts, who had
been sent foward to watch for the approach of
the British. He captured all of these save one
Thaddeus Bowman, who eluded the soldiers and
galloped back to Lexington to give the alarm that
the British were near. Captain Parker had the
drums sounded and gathered his men together.
After his command had loaded their muskets
with powder and ball, he delivered to them one
of those characteristic short, sharp speeches, so
common with Americans.
" Don't fire," said he, " unless fired upon ; but
if they mean to have a war, let it begin here."
It began right there.
Pitcairn waited for Colonel Smith to catch up
with him. Then the entire body advanced
against Captain Parker and his handful of men.
"Ye villains, ye rebels, disperse," cried Pitcairn.
A shot was fired by the British and followed by
others. The Americans returned the fire. Then,
being frightfully outnumbered, they slowly re-
treated, still firing. Eight of them had been killed
and ten wounded. But two Englishmen were
wounded. The British gave three cheers and
passed on to Concord, greatly elated.
It was seven o'clock on a beautiful spring morn-
ing when the British entered Concord. It was
24 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
a great day, this April 19, 1775, Boy. The
greatest movement in the history of the world for
the freedom of mankind began on this spring day
in the pretty town of Concord. The fruit trees
were in bloom and the fields were already green
with the growing grain. They looked more like a
playground for children than a scene for a battle.
And you know how happy and peaceful all people
feel on an early spring morning. But the men of
Concord were very tired this morning. They had
been working all night removing and concealing
stores. They got most of them out of harm's way.
But the British found about sixty barrels of
flour, which they split open, some wooden spoons
and trenches and three cannon. They burned the
wooden articles and knocked the trunnions off the
cannon. (The trunnion of a cannon is the short
cylindrical projection on either side which rests
on the carriage.) They also found about five
hundred pounds of cannon balls, which they
threw into the Concord millpond, and into
various wells. Then the British divided. Part of
them remained to hold the bridge which crossed
the Concord River, while another moved on to the
house of Colonel Barrett, where they expected to
find more supplies and part remained in Con-
cord. At Colonel Barrett's they found some
wheels for gun carriages, and were in the act of
burning them when they heard firing at the bridge.
They promptly hurried back. The Americans
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 25
had formed on a hill and were attacking the
bridge. The two parties united and retreated
to the centre of the town, where they joined the
third party.
About noon the British set off on their return to
Boston. They had accomplished all they could,
but it was not nearly as much as they had
hoped to accomplish. By this time the whole
country was alarmed, and the country people
had flocked from near and far. The roadsides,
along which the British marched, were lined
with minute-men and militia, who crouched behind
the famous stone walls of New England or dodged
from tree to tree like Indians and kept up an
incessant fire upon the British troops. The march
soon became a retreat, and the English commander
tried to protect his main body by sending out
flankers on either side, just as we do in war in these
days. But the flankers fought in vain. Every min-
ute more patriots arrived and their fire grew hotter
and hotter. The British all the while were be-
coming more and more fatigued. The retreat soon
became a rout and the rout almost a panic. At
Lexington the panic became an actual fact. The
regular troops, the pride of England, broke into a
run. Their officers had to throw themselves in
front and threaten death to the disobedient in
order to restore any semblance of order. They
were on the point of complete exhaustion when
they were met by the reinforcements Colonel Smith
2 6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
had wisely asked for when he heard the pealing
of the bells and the firing of the guns the night be-
fore. These reinforcements proved to be an entire
brigade of British troops under the command of
Lord Percy. They formed a hollow square, and the
tired and beaten troops of Colonel Smith rushed
within it and flung themselves on the ground
to regain their breath.
Now even Lord Percy became alarmed, and he
cut the rest very short. The retreat was again
taken up under much the same circumstances as
before. The people of Charleston heard the sounds
of the approaching guns. Messengers warned
them of the cruelties of the British, who in a spirit
of revenge were burning houses along the road and
murdering the helpless inmates. Terrorised, the
people of Charlestown fled out over the Neck into
the country. Pell-mell into the town ran the
British in great confusion hunting for refuge
from the awfu^ storm of bullets the Americans
were sending after them. They asked for shelter,
and the select men of Charlestown agreed to
prevent further pursuit provided the British
would not harm the town. Percy willingly
agreed and the pursuit was ended. The Ameri-
cans set a guard on Charlestown Neck, and the
next day the British crossed back to Boston.
In the meantime the news of the battle was
being carried far and wide, and the roads leading
to Boston were crowded with troops hastening to
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 27
join the patriot forces. The battle of Lexington had
opened the war of the Revolution. The farmers left
their ploughshares, the mechanics their tools all
grasped their guns and flocked to Cambridge. All
night and all day they tramped the roads converg-
ing towards Boston.
At Lexington the British made their first attack
on the patriots. At the Concord Bridge the
patriots made their first attack upon the British
regulars with the terrible effect eventually that
we have seen.
There is a monument upon the battle-field of
Concord, upon which are carved four lines from
a poem written by Ralph Waldo Emerson :
" By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world."
CHAPTER III
THE COUNTRY RISES JOHN STARK AND ISRAEL
PUTNAM THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL
DEATH OF WARREN WASHINGTON APPOINT-
ED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF HIS SUBORDINATE
GENERALS THE SIEGE OF BOSTON
THE news of the battles of Lexington and Con-
cord went to the limits of the colonies as fast
as strong men and good horses could carry it.
Everywhere there was a call to arms. Throughout
Massachusetts and her neighbouring colonies,
wherever men were within reaching distance,
they flocked to the scene of the immediate trouble
as fast as they could travel.
Colonel John Stark, a New Hampshire veteran
of the French and Indian wars, was in his saddle
and headed for Boston within ten minutes after
hearing of the fights of April I9th. Israel Put-
nam left his home without stopping to change
his farmer's clothes and rode a hundred miles to
Cambridge in twenty-four hours. Putnam was a
man of wonderful daring and great impetuosity,
who for ten years had been a soldier of renown
in fighting against French, Indians and Spanish.
He was one of what we will have to call the giant
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 29
heroes of the Revolution. Immediately upon
his arrival at Cambridge he was put in command
by common consent. He declared for war to the
last extremity and was commissioned brigadier-
general by the assembly of Connecticut at once.
Patriots poured in from every quarter and soon
there were ten thousand of them surrounding
the British forces in Boston. Although they were
simply undisciplined farmers, General Gage did
not dare venture out of Boston to attack them.
He remembered very keenly the results of that
disastrous expedition he had sent to Lexington
and Concord. In fact he was for a time .in a
precarious situation. But on the 25th of May
Generals Howe, Clinton and Burgoyne arrived
from England with reinforcements. The British
now numbered five thousand, but they had no
doubt that they were far more than equal to the
ten thousand untrained patriots, who knew noth-
ing of military evolutions and whose usefulness
in war consisted only of the ability to shoot
straight.
"We'll soon find elbow room," said General
Burgoyne, complacently. They did and that was
about all they found.
General Gage was equally confident. He even
offered to pardon all rebels who would return
to their loyalty with the exception of Samuel
Adams and John Hancock. But the Americans
were not seeking pardon. The English decided
3 o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
to fortify the hills of Charlestown. Their plans
were promptly conveyed to the Americans, and
Putnam and Colonel Prescott (an old soldier) were
anxious to steal a march on the British and fortify
those hills themselves. Warren thought this
enterprise foolhardy and did not agree to it. He
was overruled, however; and on the night of the
i6th of June twelve hundred men under the
leadership of Prescott started to build a redoubt
(which is a small fortification) on Bunker Hill.
Breed's Hill, which was still nearer Charlestown,
seemed to be a better point to fortify, however,
and they went on to it. During the night as
they worked they could hear the British sentries
on the ships and the sentries around Boston
calling off the hours of the night. Each sen-
tinel's post, Boy, has a number and commencing
with No. i each calls off the hour. All save No.
I add " All's well " to the call. No. I does not
say this until the call has gone all around and he
hears it from the last sentry, when he announces
" All's well." This shows that the sentinels are
all at their posts, all awake and that, literally, all
is well on their posts. At the break of day the
sentinel on the British man-of-war Lively dis-
covered the works that were being erected and
gave the alarm. The ship immediately com-
menced to cannonade the redoubt. The guns
woke the British officers, and when they saw the
redoubt they could hardly believe their eyes. It
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 31
commanded Boston and the British commanders
saw that a battle was inevitable as soon as the
Americans put their cannon in it. An immedi-
ate assault was decided on. This was called :
THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL.
A British battery on Copp's Hill now opened
fire on the low, grim-looking redoubt of the
Americans and soon other ships and the remain-
ing batteries of the British joined in making a
perfect rain of iron upon the redoubt. The twelve
hundred men, however, went silently on digging
their fortifications. Everyone knew that the first
actual battle of the war was now to take place.
Crowds lined the shore and the roofs of the houses
in Boston were black with people looking on.
The fire was too hot for the Americans to com-
plete their breastworks as far as they deemed it
necessary, so they took advantage of a rail fence
that ran down to the river (the Mystic), piled
another rail fence o'n top of it and filled the spaces
between with hay. It was just completed when
John Stark came up with some New Hampshire
and Connecticut troops, and he took his stand
behind this rude protection. At two o'clock War-
ren arrived. He had not approved of the plan,
but he had promised to help defend the works.
Warren feared to risk the effect a possible defeat
would have on the country. Putnam and Prescott
took the contrary view and thought only of the
32 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
effect a glorious battle would have on the people.
When Warren arrived Putnam offered to serve
under Warren's orders, but Warren insisted that
Putnam keep the command. Such was the spirit
of our heroes of the Revolution. How different
it was from the struggle of ambitious men to
obtain high command for their own personal
glory in the late war with Spain !
About three o'clock the British line advanced
to the attack. Putnam rode along the American
lines and ordered his men to hold their fire until
the redcoats were within eight yards of the
redoubt, and then to fire low, not higher than the
waist-bands of the British. On came the red-
coats in two dense columns, one commanded by
Howe and the other by his subordinate Pigot.
Their flags were flying and their drums were
beating and they were a magnificent sight to the
onlookers in Boston and Charlestown. Their bay-
onets flashed in the sunlight and they seemed
to have no fear of ill-success: Every now and
then they halted in their march to deliver a few
volleys at the redoubt. In the redoubt, how-
ever, all was silence. Those undisciplined farmers
were obeying orders like veterans one of the
remarkable traits of American volunteers even to
this day. At last the redcoats reached the eight-
rod dead line that Putnam had established.
" Fire " rang out the sonorous command in the
redoubt, and a sheet of flame leaped out in an-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 33
swer to it. The ranks of the British fell in rows,
but those in rear pressed on. Rank after rank fell
like the first, and at length, astounded and panic-
stricken they wavered, broke and fled to the foot
of the hill.
The patriots were wild with joy. Their cheers
were echoed from all sides and they thought their
battle was completed. But such was not the case.
At the foot of the hill the British officers could
be seen rallying their men and forming them for
another charge. Putnam, observing this, mounted
his horse and galloped back over the Neck for re-
inforcements. But the Neck was under too terri-
ble a fire to be faced by anyone but a dare devil
like Putnam, and he could not urge any more
troops forward. So he hastened back to the re-
doubt.
When he arrived the British columns were again
on the march up the hill. Charlestown had now
been set on fire by the British in the hope that
the smoke would settle upon the redoubt and
blind the eyes of the sure -shooting patriots. But
a favourable breeze carried the smoke seaward. It
but added, therefore, to the awfulness and solem-
nity of the scene. The second assault of the
British was but a repetition of the first. Indeed
they suffered even more than they did in the first
charge, and some of the soldiers, after running
back to the foot of the hill, continued on to the
boats and tried to make their way back to Boston.
2
34 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Their officers prevented them, however, and they
were soon reinforced by troops under Clinton,
who had been sent across for that purpose.
Again they advanced to the charge. The
British had been reinforced, while the Americans
had failed to get the help which Putnam went
after. This time the British came clear on to the
breastwork, and the two armies fought over it.
But the ammunition of the Americans had given
out and they were without bayonets. In this ex-
tremity they fought with their clubbed muskets
until they were slowly driven from the field.
Stark behind his rail fence held his ground long
enough to cover the retreat of the rest and saved
the army from capture; Putnam rode among the
men wild with anger and mortification, and tried
to get them to rally on Bunker Hill. But his
efforts were in vain. Warren, too, did his utmost
to stop the retreat, and standing between the
American lines and the British, pointed to the
mottoes on their flags and begged the troops to
stand. While he was in this exposed position a
British officer who knew him snatched a musket
from one of his soldiers, aimed at Warren and
killed him. The Americans retired to Winter and
Prospect Hills, and night closed the conflict. Two
thousand men were left dead and dying on the
battle-field, of whom nearly fifteen hundred were
English. Although the battle-field remained in
the hands of the British, the battle was practi-
2
S
h
<
CC
u
X
h
vj
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 35
cally a victory for the Americans, and was soon
recognised to be such by the British themselves.
The news spread over the country like wild-fire,
and had precisely the effect that Putnam and
Prescott had predicted and struggled for. The
patriots were greatly cheered, though all wept
over the fall of Warren, who was one of those un-
fortunate heroes who die too soon to learn of the
glory they have won. His wife had died before
him, but his orphaned children lived to know the
gratitude of the whole people.
In the meantime the Second Continental Con-
gress met at Philadelphia. On the motion of
John Adams, of Massachusetts, George Washing-
ton, of Virginia, was appointed Commander-in-
Chicf of all the American forces.
It is hardly necessary to tell an American boy
much about George Washington. They all know
that he was a man of tremendous will power,
strong passions and an equally strong physique.
In fact he was a giant. He was born in West-
moreland County, Virginia, on February 22, 1732,
and was now forty-three years of age.
It is a strange thing, is it not, Boy, that the
shortest month in the year contains the birthdays
of our two most illustrious men, Washington and
Lincoln ? But we could afford to give the whole
twenty-eight days of February up to holiday sport
if each one was the birthday of an American like
them. Both of them were of great height and
36 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
both were fitted exactly to the needs of the peo-
ple in their two greatest emergencies. In every
other way they were different, however. Wash-
ington was a descendant of very aristocratic fam-
ilies, while Lincoln's people were obscure. Wash-
ington was of handsome appearance and of very
elegant manners, while Lincoln was ungainly and
rather rough. Washington held himself rather
above people engaged in mere trade, while Lincoln
was not only a tradesman at one time in his life,
but had been practically a common labouring man.
Again, Washington was a natural-born soldier,
while Lincoln was far from that. Lincoln needed
a complement in the nature of a great soldier like
Grant, while Washington was all in all himself.
Lincoln was probably never under actual fire,
though he was a volunteer in the Black Hawk
war. Yet Lincoln was killed by the first shot that
was, in all probability, ever fired at him. On the
contrary Washington went through several wars,
often exposing himself recklessly, and was never
hit. Even the Indians, who made Washington a
mark and tried to kill him at any cost, eventually
gave up in despair, concluding that he bore a
charmed life and was especially protected by the
Great Spirit. Washington was extremely fastid-
ious in his dress, while Lincoln was careless in
that matter.
It would seem, however, that both of these
great men had been especially trained for the great
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 37
part they were to play in their country's history.
Especially was this so of Washington. Long be-
fore the war of the Revolution was thought of,
Washington had earned a reputation as a soldier
of great ability, and his fame as such had even
gone abroad to other lands. After his first battle
in the French and Indian Wars he wrote the
famous words " I have heard the bullets whistle
and believe me, there is music in the sound."
This sounded like bombast to the people of Eng-
land, and when they heard that Washington was
appointed Commander-in-Chief of what they called
" the rebel army " they laughed at him. They
did not appreciate the fact that he was a natural-
born soldier, and they did not know the great
value of his services at Braddock's memorable de-
feat, when he saved the routed army from utter
annihilation. Nor did they realise that from In-
dian warfare he had learned a mode of fighting
which they did not understand at all.
At that time European armies fought in dense
masses after the manner of the soldiers of Marl-
borough and Frederick the Great. Indeed the
art of war was not very well developed in many
ways at the time. The muskets of the period
were not very deadly at a distance, and troops
often, if not always, fought hand to hand. Two
armies would draw up facing each other and simply
fight it out until one side or the other gave way.
Frederick the Great invented a system of massing
3 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
a greater number on one end of his line than the
enemy had, and would break down a flank by
sheer superiority of numbers. The flank once
broken, he would turn and roll his opponent's
army back on itself until it became panic-stricken
and fled. Even Napoleon would not be able to
understand the science of war as it is to-day. In
his time there was no such accurate firing as there
is to-day. Men blazed away at each other indis-
criminately, and the shots fell where they would.
Our own General Jackson, at the battle of New
Orleans, gave the world its first lesson in the use
of actual trained marksmen. His riflemen slaugh-
tered the regiments of Pakenham, who fought in
dense masses. Yet these troops of Pakenham had
fought under him in the army with which Welling-
ton beat Napoleon's best Marshals, and eventually
Napoleon himself.
The patriots of the Revolution were probably
quite the equal of the British soldiers as marks-
men, but they were wholly without discipline and
so lacking in military training that it was impos-
sible for them to make a simple change of front
on the field of battle. In addition they were now
too self-confident. The battle of Bunker Hill
made them think for a time that it would be easy
enough to whip the British under anything like
equal conditions, and as a consequence they did
not see the need of the severe discipline neces-
sary to an army.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 39
On this account it was well that a -man of the
foresight, patience and endurance of Washington,
was put in supreme command. He started for
Cambridge on the 2ist of June, 1775. He had
gone but part of the way when he met a courier,
who brought tidings of the battle on the I7th.
When told how the militia had behaved he was
greatly pleased, and exclaimed : " The liberties of
the country are safe." Even he did not then re-
alise the gigantic task he had to perform. He
reached Cambridge on the second of July, and on
the 3d took command under the great elm near
the Common in Cambridge. So, you see, Boy, if
Washington had taken command of the army we
would celebrate the event on the same day that
we do the Declaration of Independence.
Washington found a motley assemblage of men
when he looked over his army of volunteers.
Coming from different parts of the country they
were, of course, dressed very differently from each
other. Some wore the blue coats with yellow
trimmings of the Continentals ; some had even the
red uniforms in which they had fought for the
English, in the wars with the French. The Vir-
ginians were dressed in the garb of backwoods-
men, and the fishermen and sailors of the New
England colonies wore their typical round jacket.
Some even wore homespun or brown jeans. There
was great rivalry between these men from different
sections, just as there had always beeu rivalries
40 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
among the colonies, and a few fist fights resulted.
But as a rule they realised that for the first time
they were united in a common cause, and all soon
became comrades in the best sense of the word.
Washington found their camps very rude affairs,
indeed. Most of the tents were hastily con-
structed out of sails, and there were not nearly
enough of these. Most of the troops lived in
rude huts made out of stone, brick, planks any-
thing they could get. There was little military
discipline and less attempt at military instruction.
The officers knew as little about the art of war or
even ordinary drilling, which is the A BC of the
art of war, as the men. The, only troops who
were an exception to this rule were those of Rhode
Island, headed by Nathaniel Greene. These had
good tents, were properly equipped and main-
tained a correct camp discipline. As Washing-
ton's first duty was to teach just such discipline,
and bring order out of the chaos he saw around
him, Greene's troops became an object lesson for
the rest of the army.
Besides appointing Washington Commander-
in-Chief, the Continental Congress had appointed
four major-generals and eight brigadier-generals.
You know, Boy, that the next higher office than
colonel is brigadier-general. The brigadier com-
mands a brigade, which is composed of two or
more regiments. When two or more brigades are
united they form a division, and are commanded
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 41
by a major-general. When two or more divisions
are united they form an army corps. This corps,
also, is usually commanded by a major-general.
When two or more army corps are united they
form an "army," which is usually designated by
some geographical distinction, such as the " army
of the Tennessee " or the " army of the Potomac."
This army may be commanded by a major-general,
a lieutenant-general, or by the plain general and
the plain rank of " general " is the highest in the
army. Since the Revolution the President of our
country is always the Commander-in-Chief both
of the army and navy. Now, as he has a great
many things to do, he usually turns over the com-
mand of the army to his Secretary of War. The
latter, as a rule, is chosen for political rather than
military reasons, and as a result the heads of the
war and navy departments are more apt to be
lawyers than soldiers. Nothing could be worse
than an arrangement of this kind, and it is to be
hoped that when the boys of your age become
grown men and voters, you will make some change
in the arrangement of affairs. Even at the present
day a lawyer is at the head of the war department.
He knows nothing whatever of military affairs,
and yet the country is at war in the Philippines.
It reminds one, Boy, of the opera Pinafore, where
one of the principals became ruler " of the
Queen's navee " because for years he had polished
up the handle (" so carefullee ") of the ttg front
42 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
door that gave entrance to the office of the law-
yers for whom he worked. Once in our short his-
tory a man was appointed Secretary of the Navy,
who had never been on a ship in his life. On his
first visit to a man-of-war he saw that it was not
solid like the toy boats he used to cut out of a
shingle when he was a boy, and he exclaimed in
astonishment, "My, it's hollow," to the great
amusement of the naval officers who surrounded
him.
But to return to Washington and his patriots :
the officers appointed major-generals were
Israel Putnam, Artemas Ward, Charles Lee and
Philip Schuyler. The brigadier-generals were
Seth Pomeroy, Richard Montgomery, William
Heath, Joseph Spencer, David Wooster, John
Thomas, John Sullivan and Nathaniel Greene. In
their respective grades they ranked in the order
named. Washington himself was a major-general
as well as commander-in-chief. Of these General
Ward resigned in less than a year, though he
commanded the right wing of Washington's army
during the siege of Boston. He was a lawyer and
a man of incorruptible integrity, but not a soldier
of any great attainments. General Heath served
during the entire war, but did not get into the
thick of the conflict. He was a man of ability,
however. He had a command under Washing,
ton during the latter's famous retreat through
New j^ork, and commanded the troops in New
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 43
York while Washington was in the New Jersey
campaigns. Later he took command of Boston
and had charge of the prisoners captured when
Burgoyne surrendered and was again put in
command of the Highlands when Washington
was besieging Cornwallis. General Thomas was
a veteran of the French and Indian wars. He
served during the siege of Boston, and after-
wards accompanied Montgomery's expedition to
Canada. On the death of Montgomery he
succeeded to the command, but could not get on
with General Arnold and the latter left him.
He was eventually obliged to retreat from Canada.
On the retreat he was taken with the smallpox
and died. General Wooster also took part in the
invasion of Canada. After the failure of the
expedition he took command of the militia of
Connecticut and died heroically at the head of
his men when the traitor Arnold attacked
Danbury. Some of the other brigadier-generals
rose to high position during the war, and of them
I will tell you later. Of these Greene is the most
conspicuous example. He was the lowest rank-
ing brigadier-general but eventually became the
greatest general of the war, save only Washington.
Had the latter been killed during the war Greene
would probably have taken his place at the head
of the army.
In addition to these generals Horatio Gates
was made Adjutant to the army with the rank of
44 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
brigadier-general. Of him also there is much yet
to be said. Of course there were many more
major-generals and brigadier-generals appointed
from time to time during the war.
The worst disappointment Washington received
when he took command at Cambridge was the
discovery of the fact that the army was very short
of powder. He had been told that there were
three hundred barrels of it on hand. He found
that there were actually but thirty. Many of his
cannon, too, were useless. Under such circum-
stances Washington could not take the offensive
against the British in Boston. People wondered
why he did not drive them out, but Washington
would not tell the reason. He did not propose
to let the British learn the secret, for if they had
known it they would have attacked him and
driven him away. In fact the British generals
were afterwards severely criticised for not doing
this. The months passed by in the meantime,
and the people became impatient. It is always
the way in war. The stay-at-homes lose control
of their nerves and patience and hysterically cry
for an immediate victory. Such was the case in
our civil war. The people of the North demanded
action so strenuously that General McDowell was
at length obliged to yield to them and fought the
first battle of Bull Run when he was unprepared
to do so. Even then he was beaten by the ac.
cHental arrival of Confederate reinforcements.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 45
This made him a victim of circumstances and he
deserves the greatest sympathy. He was one of
the most brilliant generals in the North, but the
loss of this battle made the people lose confidence
in him. The authorities say that he planned the
battle as well as Napoleon could have planned it,
and he had turned the enemy's left wing and was
on the [Joint of driving them from the field when
the reinforcements falling upon his undisciplined
men from the rear threw them into a panic. There
was a similar feeling when the war with Spain
occurred, and but for it our troops would have
gone to Cuba better supplied. When you are a
man, Boy, if the country is unfortunate enough to
get into a war, use your influence with the people
against this foolish impatience which has always
handicapped our generals.
Washington was the kind of man who could
not be disturbed by the clamours of the people,
however, and he waited until he was ready.
Fortune favoured him. Ethan Allen captured the
fort at Ticonderoga and with it large supplies of
cannon, mortars, howitzers, lead and flints, as well
as powder. This was quite a feat, you may be
sure. Allen, at the head of two hundred and
thirty men, surprised the fort, drove the sentry
away after his gun had failed to explode, and
running to the room where the British com-
mander was sleeping demanded the immediate
surrender of the fort "In the name of the great
46 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Jehovah and the Continental Congress." This
made Allen at once a prominent man, but while
with the army of Montgomery in the invasion of
Canada he carelessly permitted himself to be
captured. He was shipped to England a prisoner
in irons, and was not exchanged until 1778. He
was then appointed a brigadier-general, but per-
formed no active military service after his pro-
motion.
His capture of military supplies, however, was a
windfall. Washington immediately sent Henry
Knox to bring the much-needed stores to Cam-
bridge. Knox had a hard time getting means of
transportation, but eventually he made strong
sleds (it being winter time) and with eighty yoke
of oxen succeeded after many difficulties in get-
ting them to Cambridge in February of 1776. In
the meantime Washington occupied his army by
throwing up fortifications around Boston. When
they were completed he had a line of defences
nearly nine miles in length, which stretched from
the Mystic River to Dorchester Neck. This com-
pletely shut up the British in Boston, though they
could escape by sea at any time. Unfortunately
the colonies did not at that time have any navy.
The British had a hard time of it in Boston,
however. Food was scarce and fuel scarcer. Pork
and beans was their staple dish. They had little
or no fresh meat. General Gage's wife was an
American and Putnam sent her fresh meat for
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 47
her own table several times. This may seem a
queer thing to do considering the circumstances.
But in some way or other Washington always
heard promptly of all of General Gage's plans,
and it has been supposed that the wife of the
English general was the source of his information.
Early in the winter, however, General Gage was
recalled to England, and General Howe was
placed in command. He was considered a more
aggressive commander than Gage, but did nothing
except wait for an attack from Washington.
When Knox arrived with the cannon, the latter
immediately mounted the guns in the batteries he
had erected and fired some shots into Boston to
alarm the British. Then he began fortifying
points still nearer to Boston. On the 5th of
March he fortified Dorchester Heights. It was
the anniversary of the Boston Massacre which
made the Americans work with a redoubled will.
In one night they threw up intrenchments as they
had previously at Bunker Hill, and at daybreak
the astonished English beheld two forts looking
down upon them.
" The rebels have done more in one night than
my whole army would have accomplished in a
month," exclaimed Howe. The British bom-
barded the works, but did not succeed in driving
the Americans, who were still at work, away.
Washington expected that the British would
attack the works as soon as they saw them, and
48 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
was prepared for a battle. If the British did
attack them it was planned 'that Putnam was to
cross the Charles River and take Boston while part
of the British were away making this attack. But
the British were slow. Howe decided to make a
night attack. But a furious storm arose, the surf
ran high and the boats could not make a landing.
The storm continued through the following day,
and by the time it had ceased the American
works were too strong to be taken by assault.
The British now began to think seriously of
getting away from Boston. There was no telling
what this energetic American general might do
next, and it would not do to have the king's fine
army captured. They did not care to be disturbed
while leaving, either, for that might result in great
loss to them ; so they had the Tories of the town
send a letter to Washington stating that if he
permitted the British troops to leave in peace
they would spare Boston, but if he attacked them
while they were embarking on their vessels they
would set the town on fire. Washington did not
reply but he ordered the firing to cease in his
batteries and waited for the British to move out.
He was well content to capture the town and
drive the British away.
Howe did not move out, however, so Washing-
ton gave him a huge prod by erecting a fortifica-
tion on another hill called Nook's Hill, from
which his cannon could rake the streets of the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 49
city. This was on the i6th of March, and then
the English began to make haste about moving.
On the i /th they boarded their boats, accompanied
by many Tories with their families. When they
retreated from Charlestown they abandoned the
redoubt they had captured on Breed's Hill, leav-
ing dummies made of straw to represent their
sentinels. The patriots discovered the trick
shortly and immediately took the redoubt and
followed on into Boston. Here the streets were
strewn with " crow's feet " to bother the pursuers.
These crow's feet are iron prongs. To-day every
farmer has a better thing than any number of
" crow's feet " in his barbed wire fences. These
are the worst things ever invented to bother an
army while marching. They were invented by
Americans and were first used for military pur-
poses against the Americans in the war with Spain.
The British sailed first to Halifax and then to
New York, and Washington took full possession
of Boston, which was not thereafter disturbed
during the war.
No one could now sing the praises of Washing-
ton too highly. The whole country was filled with
joy at his success, and Congress presented him with
a large gold medal in recognition of his services.
A few months later, on the 4th of July, the
Declaration of Independence was signed and
given to the world. Thereafter the colonies
began to call themselves States.
4
CHAPTER IV
BENEDICT ARNOLD HIS TROUBLES WITH
ALLEN INVASION OF CANADA TERRIBLE
' MARCH THROUGH THE WILDERNESS
DURING the siege of Boston other events were
happening. One of these was the capture of Ti-
conderoga by Ethan Allen, where, Boy, you will
remember a number of cannon and general mili-
tary stores fell into the hands of the Americans.
Now it will be interesting to you to watch how
men come into prominence in this war which
had just begun, notice their character and the in-
fluence their personality had upon events of the
war.
This man Ethan Allen was a strong, headlong
man to whom fear was utterly unknown. He was
heart and soul with the American cause, and was
well suited to what we call to-day " guerilla" war-
fare. He could make a dashing exploit with a few
men, but he was without the military training or
the naturally scientific mind to handle a large
body. War is not a mere matter of fighting. It is a
science. Allen was a good fighter at the head of a
few men. But even in guerilla warfare he was, as
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 51
you have been told, too rash, and was captured
through the fault of his own rashness. His fail-
ings were well understood, and that is probably
the reason why he did not take much of a part in
the war after his exchange had been effected.
But side by side with Allen when -he entered
the fort at Ticonderoga was another man who was
one of the most remarkable characters the Revolu-
tion brought forth. We can hardly call him a
Hero of the Revolution, however, though he,
too, was an utter stranger to fear, had the qual-
ities of a general which Allen lacked, and fought
and bled for America. The name of this man ?
Well, in the chapel of the military academy at
West Point, there are a number of shields com-
memorating the names of the generals of the Revo-
lution. On one of these shields the name is
chipped out. The name thus erased as a solemn
warning to the young men who are being trained
to be officers of the United States army is
" Benedict Arnold." And that was the name of
the man who entered the gates of the fort at
Ticonderoga side by side with Ethan Allen. You
guessed the name, of course, because he was t the
only traitor to the American cause during the Rev-
olution. American boys are brought up to hate
his memory, and well they should be. He not
only went over to the British for money and an of-
fice in their army, but he tried to betray some of
our forts into their hands. Nevertheless the man
52 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
is to be pitied more than hated at this late day.
He had been treated badly by the Continental
Congress. He had deserved much from the peo-
ple, and he saw others gather the laurels that
rightfully belonged to him.
But he was by no means the only sufferer in
that and in many other ways. There was a course
open to him both honourable, proper and sensible.
He could have resigned his commission and re-
tired to private life. Many other of our revolu-
tionary generals either resigned or were on the
point of doing so several times. One of the most
methodical, General Schuyler, was time and again
on the point of resigning. One of the most he-
roic and at the same time most modest, General
Montgomery, put his resignation in the hands of
his subordinate officers during his invasion of
Canada, and took it back only at their urgent re-
quest. One of the most resolute, able and daring,
General Stark, who won one battle of importance
while in command of the Americans who fought
it, and was the immediate cause of one of Wash-
ington's most glorious victories, actually did re-
sign for exactly the cause that angered Arnold.
In our civil war no less a personage than General
Grant almost made up his mind to resign under a
somewhat similar provocation. Arnold, however,
was too inflammable. When there was fighting
it seemed to be a physical demand of his najure.
He craved excitement much as did General Lee,
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 53
who was one of the high ranking major-generals
of whom I shall tell you more presently.
Fate, with its strange perversity, put these two
men, Allen and Arnold, side by side at the open
gate of Fort Ticonderoga, the first clean-cut vic-
tory of the war. Fate put Arnold constantly in
similar positions later in the war. To his credit
it can be said that he seemed to have a great re-
spect for Washington, and, had he been kept con-
stantly with the main army under Washington's
immediate eye, he might have come through
the war with sufficient honour to satisfy even his
ambition.
Arnold had been an adventurous man from
youth, and at the breaking out of the war was
captain of a company of Guards at New Haven.
The news of the fighting at Boston brought the
townspeople together on the public green, and
among them he was the most conspicuous. He
gathered together sixty volunteers, took the am-
munition belonging to the town from the select-
men by a show of force and marched at once to
Cambridge. From the Massachusetts Committee
of Safety he obtained the commission of Colo-
nel with power to raise four hundred men and
make an expedition against Ticonderoga. He
started at once for Western Massachusetts to raise
men ; but on arriving at Stockbridge learned to
his intense disappointment that another expedi-
tion was ahead of him. This was the expedition
54 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
headed by Ethan Allen who had been sent out
with the same purpose by the Connecticut
people. He stopped but long enough to appoint
officers to recruit for him and then posted on with
but a servant after Allen. He caught up with the
latter when they were within a forced march (about
twenty-five miles) of Ticonderoga. Here he pro-
duced his commission and demanded command.
There was trouble at once. Arnold was in the right
to a certain extent, but he waived his claim event-
ually and suffered Allen to command while he
went along as a volunteer.
When the fort was taken he again claimed
command, but the Connecticut Committee de-
clared Allen to be commander-in-chief of the gar-
rison rather an important name for so small a
position, was it not ? But the colonies were but
just beginning to learn the necessity for a more cen-
tralised form of government, and there was trouble
on account of such conflict of authority for many
years after the commencement of the Revolution.
Arnold appealed to the legislature of Massachu-
setts, but before hearing from them headed a
single company of about fifty men, who had been
enlisted under his authority, and moved against
another British outpost on the Sorel River called
St. John's, sailing down Lake Champlain on a
schooner. This he captured, getting there just
ahead of the arrival of Allen, whom he met on the
way back.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 55
The Massachusetts legislature, hearing some
untrue reports about Arnold, sent a committee to
inquire into his conduct. When they found him
he was at Crown Point, which had fallen into
American hands with Ticonderoga, busily prepar-
ing to defend it against an expected attack from
Canada. He was furious when he learned of the
mission of the committee, and more so when he
learned that he was to be put under the command
of a Colonel Hinman. So he resigned his com-
mand, discharged his men who sided with him,
and started post haste for Cambridge. The fact
was that he had done nothing but what his war-
rant and commission entitled him to do. He was
a creditor to the Massachusetts Committee to the
extent of five hundred dollars (one hundred
pounds), which in those days was a much larger
sum, comparatively, than it is to-day ; and, what
was worse, he ranked Colonel Hinman, and de-
clined to serve under a subordinate officer. No
doubt, as early as this, the seeds of his eventual
treason were sown by this unfortunate act of the
Massachusetts legislature. It does seem, indeed,
as though the man could not obtain justice from
the countrymen he was so anxious to serve.
To you, to-day, Boy, Canada seems like an-
other country ; and from what you read in the
papers and study in " current events " at school,
it seems to be more English than England itself.
In those days it was a province like the rest of the
56 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
colonies, but it was far less English than they
were. It had been captured from the French but
some years before, and was garrisoned in many
places by English troops. The people loved the
English even less than our own people did, but
Canada had been the scene of warfare too long
for the Canadians to relish another struggle unless
they received substantial aid from the Americans.
It was thought moderately certain that they would
rebel, however, if their English oppressors were
driven out ; and the Continental Congress con-
cluded to send an expedition against Canada. Be-
sides gaining help from the Canadians, a successful
expedition ot this sort would protect the Americans
from any English expedition that might easily be
started from Canada, and also protect their fron-
tier towns from ravages by the Tories of Northern
New York, and the Indian allies of the English,
for it was already discovered that the heartless
English government meant to make use of sav-
ages in their warfare against their own blood.
Generals Schuyler and Montgomery were already
planning an expedition by way of Lake Cham-
plain and Washington now conceived the
idea of sending another through the north
woods of Maine against Quebec. Even to-day
the northern portion of Maine is a wilderness.
Imagine, then, what it must have been in those
days. Such an expedition would have the effect
of a tremendous surprise on the English at Que-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 57
bee, and the city would probably be taken with
ease, but the difficulty of getting through those
woods seemed almost beyond the possibility of
being surmounted.
Washington was not the man to abandon an
idea because it seemed difficult. He wanted only
a man who would overcome obstacles. Arnold
was just such a man. Washington knew that
nothing short of death could stop him. More-
over, Washington had a very good opinion of
Arnold's abilities, and considered that he had
been dealt with unfairly. To Arnold, therefore,
went the command. He was given a command
of eleven hundred men, including a battery of
artillery and a company of Virginia riflemen, under
the celebrated Morgan.
Arnold was to sail from Newburyport to the
Kennebec, ascend the latter, and strike across to
the Dead River, following up the Dead to its
source. From this point he was to- cross the
watershed to the sources of the Chaudiere, which
flows in an opposite direction and enters the St.
Lawrence, near Quebec. In those days the quick-
est and easiest means of travel were by water ;
and if you will look at the map in your geography
you will see that Washington had picked out,
what seems at a glance, to be an easy route.
But those rivers ran through a dense uninhabited
forest, they were filled with rapids and falls and
winter was approaching.
5 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Washington expected that Arnold would finish
his journey before actual winter set in, but the
difficulties of the task were greater than he
imagined. It was not until the I3th of Novem-
ber, in this same wonderful year of 1775, that
Arnold was able to transport his troops across the
St. Lawrence. Even then he got only five hun-
dred over, for immediate attack. Not the whole
of the remainder had to remain on the south shore,
however, for he had been deserted during the
march by Colonel Enos and his command. He
had, however, already accomplished, perhaps, the
most wonderful march recorded in history. He
had taken an invading army through two hun-
dred miles of wilderness, carrying with him his
artillery and stores, with no other means of trans-
portation than birch-bark canoes, and the backs
of his men. Even the canoes had to be carried
at times. Provisions gave out, the faithful dogs
that accompanied the men had to be killed and
eaten, and, in the last extremity, the troops even
boiled their moose-hide moccasins for such nour-
ishment as could be extracted from them. Yet,
in spite of all, this indomitable traitor, this man
who never gave up anything but his country, suc-
ceeded.
It seems unfair that after accomplishing so
much Arnold should eventually fail. Nor would
he have failed but for just such a piece of treach-
ery as he was later guilty of himself. He had
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 59
despatched letters to Generals Schuyler and
Montgomery (having learned that they were
nearing Montreal) by two Indians. These Indians
played him false and took the letters to Caramhe,
Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Canada,
who immediately had all boats on the south shore
of the St. Lawrence removed, and drew in rein-
forcements from Nova Scotia. Arnold had to
procure boats. A storm set in after he had
obtained them. In the meantime Quebec was
reinforced, also, by a force under a Scotch veteran
named Maclean, and a frigate and sloop of war
undertook to prevent the crossing. In spite of
all, Arnold got over with his five hundred men,
scaled the precipice, and stood on the Heights of
Abraham, where Wolfe and Montcalm had fought
for the possession of the same city years before.
Had Arnold made an immediate assault in the
early morning he might have taken the city.
Quebec was a walled town, but the gate of St.
John's was open, the guard boats not having as
yet alarmed the city. His subordinate officers
were not in favour of so rash a proceeding, however.
So Arnold made the mistake of demanding the
surrender of the place, making at the same time
as imposing a show of his force as he could. He
counted, also, on the support of the French in-
habitants of Quebec. But the latter abjectly
promised to aid the lieutenant-governor, and he
was also supported by the sturdy Maclean. He
60 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
would not surrender. Neither would he come
out from his entrenchments and fight a pitched
battle, as Arnold hoped, though he meditated
doing so after he had been again reinforced by
the sailors and marines from the ships. So after
several days of waiting before the walls, Arnold,
hearing of Montgomery's capture of Montreal,
sent to the latter for assistance and drew back
about twenty miles to await his arrival. On the
march to the new camp, Arnold passed a boat
going towards Quebec bearing Carleton, the
Governor, who was fleeing from Montgomery.
This boat had put in at the very point Arnold
had chosen for a camping ground. Had he been
there a day earlier he would probably have cap-
tured Carleton, and by doing so might have com-
pelled the latter to surrender the city. At any
rate it would have left a much weaker man in
command to eventually thwart the combined
forces of Montgomery and Arnold. Twice,
therefore, had Fate played Arnold a cruel trick.
After such superhuman effort he seems to have
deserved much. We are warranted in wondering,
Boy. if the Almighty, who rules our destinies, was
not preventing Arnold from gaining too much
renown in the early part of the war of the infant
United States of America for independence. Had
Arnold been able to betray a greater command to
the British in later years it is doubtful whether
our independence would have been achieved.
CHAPTER V
SCHUYLER AND MONTGOMERY MONTGOMERY'S
CAPTURE OF ST. JOHN'S THE STORMING OF
QUEBEC
WE must now go back to the summer of 1775
once more, and consider the other invasion of
Canada.
This was the original project of both Ethan
Allen and Arnold to move against Montreal by
way of Lake Champlain. It was carried out,
however, by entirely different men, and I shall
therefore have to tell you about some other
Revolutionary Heroes.
Throughout New York there were many Tories.
The colony was conquered from the Dutch, and
the English settlers were of more recent arrival
than in the New England colonies, and depended
more upon the home government to support them
against the original settlers. Indeed, had it not
been for three eminent New York men whose
names are familiar to-day, it is doubtful if New
York would have followed the other colonies into
the war for independence. These men were
Schuyler, Clinton and Woodhull, of whom the
61
62 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
two first named were the chief supporters of the
new cause, one representing the Dutch settlers
and the other the Americans. The city of New
York, itself, was filled with Tories, and'there were
many in the upper part of the colony ; and these
latter, in alliance with Canadians and Indians,
threatened the people of New Hampshire and
New England generally.
Philip Schuyler was a member of the second
Continental Congress, and was one of the four orig-
inal major-generals appointed by that body. So he
became the natural commander of the patriots in
New York. This gave him control of the forts
captured by Allen and Arnold and, logically, of
the expedition against Montreal. He was a man
of fine education, a civil and military engineer,
and had, like the others, military experience in the
training school of the patriots, the French and
Indian wars.
He was ordered to invade Canada in Septem-
ber, but fell sick and had to turn the. command of
the expedition over to General Montgomery. He
then transferred his headquarters to Albany and
held the Tories and Indians in check, protected
the line of communications of Montgomery's
army and forwarded supplies to it.
Richard Montgomery was a native of Ireland,
and had been an officer in the English army.
After serving in the French and Indian wars with
the regular English army (and thus obtaining a
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 63
knowledge of the country he was later to operate
in), he conducted himself with great gallantry in
an English expedition against the French and
Spanish West Indies. He afterwards resigned
his commission in the English army, and, emigrat-
ing to America in 1772, became a farmer in
Rhinebeck. He was a handsome, quiet, dignified
man, and sided at once with the colonies in their
struggle against the crown.
Congress made him a brigadier-general. He
had no desire, he said, to abandon the quiet
scheme of life he had prescribed for himself. But,
to use his own words, " the will of an oppressed
people, compelled to choose between liberty and
slavery, must be obeyed." So he became one of
Schuyler's two brigadier-generals. The other was
Wooster.
Schuyler's army for the invasion of Canada was
to consist of about three thousand troops. While
Schuyler was making his preparations he sent
Montgomery on with one thousand men to Crown
Point. Here Montgomery learned that Governor
Carleton of Canada was making preparations to
place several armed ships on Lake Champlain,
and Montgomery pushed on to the upper end of
the lake where it emptied into the Sorel (or
Richelieu) River, to prevent Carleton from doing
so. About this time Schuyler fell sick, and the
command of the whole expedition fell upon
Montgomery. Without waiting for his entire
64 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
army to collect Montgomery pushed on down the
Sorel River to Fort St. John, which was held by a
British garrison nearly as large as the army Mont-
gomery now had with him. He made little prog-
ress, therefore. His ammunition was scanty
and his artillery ineffective. Moreover, a mutiny
broke out in his army which would have broken
it up but for Montgomery's eloquence and noble
conduct. To get ammunition Montgomery sent
a small force to capture Fort Chambly, which was
situated still further down the river and which
was but feebly garrisoned. In this way he ob-
tained one hundred and twenty barrels of powder,
and Fort St. John soon fell into his hands with
its thousand prisoners and munitions of war.
It was a very plucky fight the Americans were
making, wasn't it, Boy? They had to capture
their powder and cannon and most of their small
arms from the British in order to fight the British.
It is quite a matter of wonder how it was done.
Montgomery now heard that Arnold with his
small army was before Quebec just as Arnold had
heard that Montgomery had captured St. John's.
The country was delighted with Montgomery's
success at St. John's and Congress appointed him
a major-general.
Montgomery immediately pushed forward to
Montreal and captured it without trouble, at the
same time gaining mastery over a large part
of Canada. Here he received Arnold's message
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 65
telling of his repulse at Quebec and of the desti-
tution of Arnold's army. Montgomery at once
put himself at the head of but three hundred men
and pushed on to Arnold's relief over the frozen
ground and through the driving snow, for you
will remember that it was now November and that
means the full blast of winter in Canada. It is a
pitiful picture we have here, of Montgomery's
tall, handsome form pushing ahead through the
snow storms leading and cheering on his little
band of rescuers and going from a victory that
had made him the darling of the country to defeat
and certain death.
It was the heart of winter when he joined
Arnold, and when he did so these two men, so
equally brave and yet so entirely different, cast
about for some means to capture the city.
They did not feel that they were strong enough
to carry Quebec and they did not have a force
strong enough to make a regular siege of the
place. Their artillery consisted of only six can-
non and a howitzer ; and when they placed these
in a battery erected only forty rods from the walls
of the town they utterly failed to make any effect
upon it. There was now less hope than ever of
help from within the town, for when Carleton had
got safely into it the inhabitants who were friendly
to the colonists and who hated and feared Carle-
ton went out into the surrounding country in a
body.
5
66 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
In the meantime the men began to suffer from
the cold. They were insufficiently clad, and every
day the cold was growing more intense and the
snow deeper. To add to the distress smallpox
broke out in the American camp. When men
were attacked by it they wore little sprigs of hem-
lock in their hats. Every day the sprigs increased
in number, and the men were thrown into a panic
by the plague that had come upon them. Oh, if
Arnold had only followed his own inclination to
assault Quebec at once that first morning when he
stood with his five hundred men on the Heights
of Abraham, instead of listening to the advice of
his council of war ! In the meantime there was
another mutiny which Montgomery had to quell,
and at .length he saw clearly that he must take the
town by assault at once or retreat. Men and offi-
cers alike were for making the assault, and Mont-
gomery gave the orders to make it on the night
of the last day of that year full of importance to
America, 1775 that year which had brought such
an auspicious opening to the colonies in their
struggle for independence and which was to end
so disastrously.
THE STORMING OF QUEBEC.
Quebec was divided into two portions the up-
per and lower towns. It was expected that the
English garrison would expect an attack upon the
upper town, exposed as it was more naturally.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 67
Montgomery decided, therefore, merely to make a
feint against this part of the city. Colonel Living-
ston was to make an attack on the gate of St.
John's and set fire to it. At the same time Major
Brown was to make a feint on the bastion of
Cape Diamond at the other end of the upper town.
It was expected that these two false attacks would
draw the greater part of the garrison into the
upper town. In the meantime Arnold with three
hundred and fifty of his own men and a small
body under Captain Lamb, who had handled the
artillery during the various futile bombardments
with great skill, was to attack the lower town on
the side furthest from the river ; while Montgom-
ery with the remainder was to pass below the
bastion attacked by Brown and defiling along the
river attack the lower town from that side:
All four attacks were to be made simultaneously
at the discharge of a signal rocket. At two o'clock
on the morning of the 3ist of December the
various bodies repaired to their stations. Mis-
takes began to occur immediately. The rockets
were discharged too soon and Livingston failed to
make his attack on the gate of St. John's. Mont-
gomery descended from the heights successfully
and surprised the first of the Canadian barriers
after a march along the banks of the St. Lawrence.
He pressed on to a blockhouse beyond. The
defenders of the latter seemed to be panic-stricken
for a time, and Montgomery, thinking victory
68 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
already in his grasp, shouted : " Push on, my brave
fellows. Quebec is ours." When within forty
yards of the blockhouse, however, the battery it
contained suddenly opened fire and Montgomery
and one of his aides fell dead. The commander
of the New York troops, Captain Cheeseman, re-
ceived a canister shot through the body and fell
dead also while trying to push on. The next
ranking officer was in the rear and Colonel Camp-
bell, Montgomery's quartermaster-general, ordered
a retreat. Montgomery's column therefore aban-
doned the field, leaving its dead to fall into the
hands of the enemy. Young Aaron Burr, who
though a mere boy was an aide on Montgomery's
staff, tried to carry back the body of his dead
general, but was forced to abandon it or be cap-
tured himself. One resolute rush after the dis-
charge of that artillery and the blockhouse would
have been captured, Montgomery would have
entered the town and by aiding Arnold probably
have captured it. As it was, the retreat of Mont-
gomery's column left the whole British force free
to turn against Arnold.
Arnold's column was the forlorn hope. He had
with him Morgan and Captain Lamb with one field-
piece. Arnold headed the column in person (as
Montgomery had his) with twenty-five men. After
these came the artillery of Lamb with their single
field-piece mounted on a sled. Behind the artil-
lery came a company with scaling ladders, then
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 69
Morgan with his riflemen, and in rear of all the
main body. The field-piece was carried as they
knew they would have to take a battery on their
route. The field-piece, however, was brought to
a halt by a deep snowdrift. Nevertheless, the
first battery or barrier was taken, though Arnold
was wounded so severely that he had to be borne
from the field. Morgan took command and
pressed on. The fight at the second barrier was
obstinate. Day was just dawning, and after
severe fighting in which Captain Lamb was
wounded by the last discharge of the enemy's
cannon, the second barrier was taken. Morgan
then entered the town. But the whole force of
the British was now turned upon him and he had
to take refuge with his men in a stone house.
This they defended, firing from the windows until
they heard of the death of Montgomery and the
retreat of his column when Morgan was compelled
to surrender.
The fragments of the little army of Americans
retreated a few miles from the town and threw up
hasty intrenchments, supposing that Carleton
would pursue them with his victorious garrison.
But the latter was content with the safety of
Quebec. To his credit be it said, that though a
severe and harsh man he was struck with so much
admiration for the daring of the Americans that
he treated them with great humanity, and buried
Montgomery's body with the honour due a soldier.
7 o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Arnold, wounded and in great agony, was carried
back exposed for nearly a mile from musketry fire
from the walls which were not more than fifty
yards distance, and took command of the remnant
of the army until he could be relieved by General
Wooster, who was at Montreal. He immediately
put his shattered remnant of an army into such
shape that it was still dangerous to the security
of Quebec. He declared that he had no thought
of leaving the proud town until he entered it in
triumph. " I am in the way of my duty and I
know no fear," he wrote.
Thus ended the storming of Quebec and it is
sad to relate Arnold's expedition, for he did not
enter the city in spite of his courageous words.
He was rewarded, however, by being made a briga-
dier-general.
General Wooster did not take command of
Arnold's army in person, however. He was over
sixty years of age and hardly equal to the task.
So Arnold with great pertinacity remained before
the town all winter, blockading it with a force but
half as large as the garrison. Sickness and deser-
tions reduced this force. The Canadians who
had hailed him as a deliverer were, now that he
was beaten, afraid to further sympathise with him
and all he effected was to cut off Quebec from
some occasional supplies. In the spring, General
Wooster reinforced him and took command.
Arnold, having been again injured by the falling
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 71
of his horse, went back to Montreal. Then, in
April, General Thomas took command. The latter
determined on another assault. He planned to
turn a fire-ship loose among the ships that lay off
Quebec, and while the town was in the confusion
that he expected would result from the ensuing
conflagration he proposed to scale the walls with
a force that now amounted to about two thousand
men. But the fire-ship passed harmlessly by the
shipping and the rest of the plan was of course
abandoned. On the 6th of May, 1 776, Quebec was
reinforced and General Thomas was compelled to
retreat. This he did, first to Point Deschambault,
and then to the mouth of the Sorel River, where
he was reinforced by General Thompson. On the
second of June General Thomas died of the small-
pox and was succeeded in command of the Amer-
ican forces in Canada by General Sullivan, who had
arrived with still further reinforcements. The
people were at last awake to the danger of being
invaded in turn by the British from Canada.
Throughout New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine
and New York the people were in a state of con-
sternation. They were bitter in their criticisms of
the conduct of affairs in Canada and placed the
blame on the head of poor General Schuyler.
They accused him of not furnishing the army in
Canada with sufficient supplies or reinforcements,
and they were particularly angry at his 'enient
treatment of the Tories.
72 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Schuyler, however, was upheld by Washington,
and at the request of the latter did not resign as
he wished to.
In the meantime the English were "advancing
from Quebec under the command of Maclean, and
Sullivan sent General Thompson forward down
the St. Lawrence to meet him.
General John Sullivan was a lawyer of Durham,
New Hampshire. He with a small force captured
Fort William and Mary at Portsmouth at the
commencement of hostilities, and as I have told
you was one of the eight brigadier-generals origi-
nally appointed by the second Continental Con-
gress. He had served under Washington at
Cambridge until the British evacuated Boston
and was now taking his turn at commanding the
army of invasion. His period of command was
short and anything but brillant, though he en-
tered upon his work with the greatest confidence.
He was totally unaware that a large British army
of 1,300 men had been landed in Canada and that
the force of Maclean was but the advance of it.
General Thompson pushed blindly into a British
force vastly greater than his own at Three Rivers,
and was completely routed. Sullivan, to his cha-
grin, had to retreat himself to Crown Point, being
joined on the way by Arnold, who barely made
his escape from Montreal with the few hundred
men with whom he had been holding the city.
And at Crown Point Sullivan was superseded by
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 73
General Gates. The British under Burgoyne were
following, and thus the American invasion of
Canada ended in a British invasion of New York,
which it was fondly hoped would split the colonies
in twain.
CHAPTER VI
PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEFENCE OF NEW YORK
LEE AND MOULTRIE THE BATTLE OF FORT
MOULTRIE
You will see, Boy, that in these early days of
the Revolution, officers in the field were criticised
quite as freely as they were in the Civil War, and
in the war with Spain. Indeed in the first of our
wars officer succeeded officer with more rapidity
than in any other. This is due to the fact that
some, though patriotic, were inefficient ; and also
to the fact that each colony had its favourite sons,
in whom it had great confidence, and whom it
wanted to see promoted. To make things worse
the Continental Congress was vested with limited
powers, and it was not always wise in its actions.
Very often it tu/ned the military authority in a
colony over to the Provincial Assembly of that
colony, so that if a general happened to be acting
under the authority and directions of one colony,
and in pursuit or retreat passed into another, he
immediately came under the power of new supe-
riors. In addition, these men were serving with
little or no pay. Were they not heroes, indeed ?
74
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 75
I have told you of the importance of Canada
and Northern New York. But the city of New
York was more important still. Its harbour was
full of British ships, many of them men-of-war,
and the Governor (Tryon), who had been driven
out by the people, was on one of these ships, and
was intriguing with the Tories in the city. More-
over, the ships were a matter of constant alarm
to the inhabitants. They were in deadly fear of
being bombarded by the ships.
At the suggestion of John Adams, Washington
finally decided to do something toward defending
New York. He was doubtful of his authority,
although he had been given extraordinary powers
by Congress. Adams convinced him that he
would not be arrogating authority. So in Jan-
uary, before the fall of Boston, Washington sent
Charles Lee, one of the original major-generals, on
to New York.
Lee, like Gates and Montgomery, had been an
officer in the regular army of England. He was
fiery, headstrong, wild and adventurous. His life
reads more like a romance than a biography. He
fought in and for more countries than America
and England, and whenever there was a war in
Europe he was pretty sure to be found in it.
While a British officer in the French and Indian
wars, he was adopted into the Mohawk tribe of
Indians, who had taken a fancy to him, under the
name of " Boiling Water," which seemed to them
76 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
appropriate to him. He afterwards caused Wash-
ington a great deal of trouble ; but, it is to be said
to his credit, that he gave up his property in Eng-
land to fight for the American cause, and ran the
risk of being hung as a traitor if captured by the
English. The people looked up to him, therefore,
with great respect and admiration, and called him
the " Palladium of American Liberty." He ex-
pected to be made commander-in-chief of the
American army, but kept his chagrin to himself
when Washington was made such. No doubt he
thought that the future might bring him to the
front in the course of time. But he was able,
brave, earnest and vigorous.
Lee raised troops in Connecticut and marched
toward New York. The people of the city were
greatly alarmed and begged that he would not
enter the town, as they feared an immediate bom-
bardment from the ships if he did enter, and com-
mence to fortify the place. This did not deter
Lee. He marched into town, sent word to the
British ships that if they bombarded the town, the
first house they set on fire would be the funeral
pile of one hundred of their best Tory friends, and
proceeded to fortify Brooklyn and Hell Gate, and
to barricade the town itself. He was in the midst
of these labours when Congress appointed him to
the command of the army in Canada (that unfor-
tunate army which had, we might say, almost as
many commanders as men). Before he started
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 77
for this command, however, Congress heard that
the British intended to invade the Southern col-
onies. So they reversed their instructions and
sent Lee, first to Virginia, and then to Charleston,
S. C.
After the departure of Lee for the South, the
command devolved for a time upon Brigadier-
General Stirling (often called Lord Stirling be-
cause of his claim to a Scotch earldom, which he
never succeeded in obtaining). Stirling was a
distinguished scientist, and a brave and efficient
officer. In many ways his judgment was not con-
sidered sound, however, and he always served in
a subordinate capacity under Washington. Stir-
ling admired and loved Washington, and it was
through Stirling that the Conway cabal and Gates'
intrigue, of which I will tell you later, were dis-
covered.
When the British evacuated Boston and sailed
away, Washington supposed that they would make
direct for the port of New York. He therefore
sent detachments under Generals Heath and Sul-
livan (this, you know, was before Sullivan was sent
with reinforcements for the army in Canada) to
New York, and called on Congress to raise three
thousand more troops for the defence of New
York. To Putnam he gave the command of the
whole army in New York, and the latter completed
the defences of the town, begun by Lee, fortified
King's Bridge, and the Highlands of the Hudson.
j8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Putnam put even a firmer hand upon the Tories
in New York than Lee had, and the town was
under thorough martial law.
General Howe sailed first for Halifax, but event-
ually turned up at New York as Washington had
surmised. In the meantime, Sir Henry Clinton
was making preparations to invade the South
(where Lee had been sent to prepare for him), and
as I have told you, the British, under General
Burgoyne, were preparing to drive the Americans
out of Canada, and descend through New York.
So the British had three campaigns arranged for
this year of 1776, and no doubt King George
thought that by the end of summer he would have
downed the Rebellion, and decorated every scaf-
fold in the colonies with swinging " rebels," as the
British called us. He did not succeed, but to
quote the word of a patriot, writing at the time,
his armies did " set the continent a racing from
Boston to Carolina."
When Washington heard of the arrival of Ad-
miral Howe's ships at New York (the admiral
preceded his brother the general there), he left Bos-
ton post-haste for the former city, arriving' on the
1 3th of April and took personal command. Know-
ing that the general he had so cleverly driven out of
Boston would soon appear, the commander-in-
chief saw that the Howes would probably make
Long Island the object of their first attack, and
set General Greene at work completing the forti-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 79
*
fications of Brooklyn, and put him in command
there. In all there were about ten thousand men
available for duty on Long Island. The men
were many of them sick, and the force was in-
sufficient to meet the army of Howe. While
Washington was studying the problem how best
to employ this insufficient force, Congress pro-
ceeded to ask him if he could not spare troops
from that army to reinforce the army in Canada.
It is a matter of wonder, is it not, Boy, which
was the more perplexed man in the times of the
nation's greatest needs Washington or Lincoln ?
You see neither Congress nor Washington had
yet learned of the large army that was being sent
to Canada. Congress thought that Howe would
sail back to Canada when he found Washington
ready to meet him at New York, and make a
campaign there. Or, that at the worst he would
make a campaign against New York, and that
possibly the best way to protect New York would
be to make a vigorous offensive movement against
Canada and draw Howe away to defend it. No
one imagined that King George had soldiers to
spare to make three distinct campaigns. And, as
a matter of fact, King George had not. But he
managed it, nevertheless.
This is how he did it. Not content with waging
war against his colonies and kinsmen with the sav-
ages, he hired soldiers from the Duke of Brunswick,
the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel and the Hered-
8o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
itary Prince of Cassel. Nearly eighteen thousand
of these he had hired just as he would have hired
the use of so many animals, and the delicate-
minded masters of these animals had let them out
for so much pay for their use, and so much extra
for every one killed.
When Washington heard the first news of this
arrangement, he proceeded promptly to the Con-
gress, which was in session at Philadelphia, and
made them understand the desperate situation of
affairs. They, therefore, began to enlist men for
three years (the best step they had yet taken in
the right direction), and made preparations to
reinforce the army in New York city with four-
teen thousand men, giving Washington power to
call on neighbouring colonies for more if it should
seem necessary. King George's peculiar ideas in
raising an army, therefore, but made the Amer-
icans more determined to baffle him.
When Washington returned to New York, a
plot was hatched by Governor Tryon and his
Tories (the names seem to go together beauti-
fully, do they not ?) to assassinate Washington.
Even some of Washington's body-guard were im-
plicated in it. But the plot was discovered,
Washington's life was saved, and the conspirators
were punished, one of the body-guard being hung
in a field near the Bowery Lane in the presence
of twenty thousand spectators.
On the 29th of June, 1776, General Howe ar-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 81
rived before New York with his army. Five days
later the colonies formally declared their inde-
pendence with general rejoicing. This strength-
ened Washington's hand. He was also rejoiced
at this time to obtain the services of his old
Virginia friend and veteran soldier Hugh Mercer,
just appointed brigadier-general, whom he prompt-
ly put in command of some Pennsylvania troops
who were sent on to New Jersey to help Brigadier-
General Livingston of that colony, defend it.
Mercer had fought with Washington at Fort
Duquesne, but Livingston was without military
experience. He was a man of education and
talent, however, and had great influence with his
people. Washington had re-acquired the services
of Reed as adjutant-general when Gates obtained
a commission as major-general ; and just at this
same time General Greene observed a young
artillery officer who so impressed him by his
ability that he took him to Washington. This
was Alexander Hamilton. Washington soon
soon found use for him. Volunteers from the
country began to flock into the city, and the spirit
of the whole people was greatly improved. More-
over the arrival of the British before New York
had precipitated matters. Tories and patriots (or
Whigs, as they were often called) now took sides
openly.
On the 1 2th of July, two of the enemy's ships
passed up the Hudson, exchanging fire with the
82 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
batteries. This was the first real fighting the
people of New York had seen, and they were
thrown into great alarm. Washington, himself,
was alarmed also, for he feared thaf the forts
erected on the Hudson would be unable to cope
with them, being in an unfinished condition. To
add to his perplexity there was a conflict of
authority between Generals Schuyler and Gates,
and General Sullivan, angered that Gates had
been promoted over him, left the army gathered
by the two former at Ticonderoga on leave of
absence, hastened to Congress and offered his
resignation. He was prevailed upon to recall it
and joined Washington at New York. Congress,
also, eventually made the peculiar decision be-
tween Schuyler and Gates that the former was to
command the army while it was in New York, and
the latter while it was in Canada. This practically
put Schuyler in command. Then came a piece
of news to cheer Washington. Sir Henry Clinton
had made an attack on Charlestown and had been
repulsed.
This introduces another Hero of the Revolu-
tion. Before Lee arrived at Charlestown to take
charge of its defence from the expected attack by
Clinton, Colonel William Moultrie had been erect-
ing batteries for the defence of that port. One
of these was erected at Haddrell's Point ; the
other, a complete fort, on Sullivan's Island.
William Moultrie was born in the city which
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 83
he was now defending. He and Francis Marion,
who was now a captain under him, had fought to-
gether against the Indians. On the day that the
battle of Bunker Hill was fought Moultrie was
made a colonel and Marion a captain by the
Provincial Congress of South Carolina. The fort
he erected on Sullivan's Island, and which was
named after him, he erected of palmetto logs and
sand. To defend it Moultrie had but four hun-
dred and thirty-five men and thirty-one cannon.
When Lee arrived to take command he called the
fort a " slaughter-pen " and proposed to abandon
it. Governor Rutledge, however, would not per-
mit the fort to be abandoned. Supposing that
the main fight would be at Haddrell Point, Lee
remained there and Moultrie fought the battle,
although Lee crossed to the other fort in an open
boat during the engagement and pointed some of
the guns.
THE BATTLE OF FORT MOULTRIE.
Early in June, Clinton appeared before Charles-
ton with a fleet of fifty vessels. He landed about
two thousand troops on another island, and sin-
gularly enough, on another " Long Island " and
prepared for the attack. On the 28th all was
ready and the English fleet sailed in to reduce
Fort Moultrie, preparatory to the advance by
land. There were nine ships of war with the fleet
and they were permitted to come within point-
84 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
blank of the fort before the first gun was fired.
The defenders knew little of gunnery and they
probably did not care to engage the. ships at a
range that would require an elevation of the guns.
As it was they had been told by every one who
was supposed to know that the fort would be re-
duced by the ships in half an hour. When Moul-
trie was asked what he would do then, he replied
promptly, " We will lie behind the ruins and pre-
vent the enemy from landing."
The ships did not reply to the first volley, but
advanced until they were abreast of the fort, when
they clewed up their sails, dropped their anchors
and started in to fight with a terrible broadside.
Over a hundred cannon opened on the fort at
once. Lee watched from Haddrell's Point.
When the smoke lifted from that first awful broad-
side from the ships he expected to see the fort in
ruins. He was mistaken. The palmetto logs and
the sand made an embankment that was impene-
trable. And to his surprise there were no splinters
from the palmetto logs. They simply closed
silently over the balls, though the battlements
shook from the broadsides. But the vessels shook
also. The Americans were using their cannon as
well as though they were their accustomed rifles.
The British had a bomb vessel with them. But
the bombs it threw sunk silently into a morass in
the centre of the fort, and it soon went out of ac-
tion riddled through and through. Then Moul-
85
trie turned every gun on the largest of the English
vessels fifty-gun ships. The fire he poured in
on these was terrible and he drove every man
from their upper decks, which were slippery with
blood. On one boat, the Experiment, nearly a
hundred men were either killed or wounded in the
first hour of the action. The Commodore fared
no better.
A cannon ball knocked a coat from the top of
the parapet. The men laughed as it sailed away,
and Moultrie took out his pipe and began to smoke
in quiet joy. In the distance Charleston, like
Boston at the battle of Bunker Hill, was black
with spectators. Now Lee, more and more aston-
ished at the ability of the " slaughter-pen," as he
had called it, to hold out, came over in a boat.
He was equally astonished at the coolness of
Moultrie and his men. The idea of a few men in
such a rude structure with but thirty-five cannon
holding out against a fleet that carried two hun-
dred and sixty-six guns all told seemed almost
impossible to him. But Lee was an admirer of
brave men, and he did not now come to take from
Moultrie the credit of defending the fort. On the
contrary he commended him and returned to his
own post to send over more powder. He was
equally enthusiastic in his praises of Moultrie and
his men in his report to Washington later.
During the fight the flag-staff on the fort was
shot away, and both the people of Charleston and
86 HEROES OF OUJ3. REVOLUTION
the British on ship and on shore supposed (with
very different emotions) that the fort had sur-
rendered. But the heroic Sergeant Jasper, whose
name has become immortal for the act, jumped
on the parapet and walked under fire over to where
it had fallen, the whole length of the fort away,
picked it up, bound it to a sponge staff and planted
it on the bastion at the corner.
When the powder gave out the British thought
the defenders were weakening. But the first ter-
rible volley after a new supply arrived showed
them their error. All day long the fight kept up.
For twelve hours ships and fort struggled for the
mastery. At length, after nine o'clock at night,
the fleet drew away completely cut up. One boat,
the Acteon, had run aground, and to prevent her
from falling into the hands of the Americans the
British set her on fire. When the fire reached her
magazine she blew up with an explosion that was
heard for miles. This engagement saved South
Carolina from danger. Moultrie was made a
brigadier-general, and sent to the defence of
Savannah, which was threatened by the enemy.
Lee, after remaining some time in command at
Charleston, was ordered to Philadelphia, and later
went to the assistance of Washington in New York.
CHAPTER VII.
THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND.
THE British force before New York, and now
holding Staten Island, was no less than thirty-five
thousand men. Howe had been reinforced by the
troops under Sir Henry Clinton, who had been
driven away from Charlestown, and by further
reinforcements, from England.
Washington knew, as the summer advanced,
that the British were prepared for an attack on
Long Island, and must have often wondered why
they did not make it sooner. In the meantime,
Putnam tried to capture the two boats that had
sailed up the Hudson, by placing obstructions in
the river below them under the guns of batteries
on either shore. He then tried to set them on
fire as they rode at anchor, by fire ships, which
were being constructed in New York by Ephraim
Anderson, adjutant of a New Jersey regiment,
who had made the same sort of an attempt to set
fire to the ships during the siege of Quebec. In-
deed, it was Anderson's plan to attempt the
destruction of the whole English fleet in this
manner, though it was never carried out.
87
88 HEROES OK OWR REVOLUTION
Putnam's fire-ships failed to set fire to the Eng-
lish men-of-war, but they became alarmed when
the attempt was made, for their safety, and con-
cluded to drop down the river. Putnam was con-
fident that they were as good as captured. He
thought that his obstruction would hold them,
and his batteries smash them into surrender. He
was disappointed. The men-of-war were guided
through the only opening in the obstruction by
some never discovered traitor, and calmly sailed
away to join the fleet anchored off Staten Island.
As August drew on, it was apparent that the
British were making ready for an attack on New
York, and the city was thrown into a state of fever-
ish excitement. Many of Washington's advisers
now urged him to abandon the city. They feared
that he would be cooped up in it much as he had
cooped the British up in Boston, and be compelled
to surrender. The great Commander-in-Chief,
however, was unwilling to leave New York with-
out making the best effort he could to defend it.
He had but about seventeen thousand men to
oppose to the thirty-five thousand of the enemy,
but he expected to fight with an inferior force
throughout the war, and he might as well do it
now as at any other time.
On the night of the 2ist of August, 1776, the
British began to cross to Long Island, and by
morning twenty thousand of the enemy had
landed, or were preparing to land, at various
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 89
points. The American position stretched from
Wallabout Bay to Gowanus Cove. To protect
its rear, there was a battery at Red Hook and a
fort on Governor's Island. The line of defences
erected by General Greene consisted of intrench-
ments and redoubts. Two and a half miles in
front was a densely wooded range of hills, which
General Greene had intended to fortify. Greene,
however, had fallen sick with a fever, and the com-
mand of the forces in Brooklyn had fallen on
General Sullivan. Several thousand of the enemy
landed at Gravesend and compelled Colonel Hand,
who was stationed there to retreat to the wooded
hills. Against these lines marched Sir Henry
Clinton, the Earls of Cornwallis and Percy, and
Generals Grant and Erskine, with nine thousand
men and forty pieces of artillery. Lord Cornwal.
lis took.up a position at Flatbush with the Eng-
lish reserve, while the rest of the army stretched
across Long Island from the Narrows to the vil-
lage of Flatland. There were three passes through
the wooded hills, and Cornwallis advanced to take
the central one. Here he found Hand, and being
ordered not to attack, camped for the night at the
village of Flatbush. The intention of the British
was to force the Brooklyn lines and take Brook-
lyn Heights. The prospects of a battle again
alarmed the inhabitants of the city, and they be-
gan pouring from it. They feared, too, for some
unexplainable reason, that Washington, if forced
90 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
to retreat, intended to set fire to New York.
This, of course, he had no intention of doing.
On the 24th, Washington crossed to Brooklyn
to take a survey of the situation, but he was handi-
capped by the condition of General Greene, who
was too ill to even explain his plans. Colonel
Hand had thrown up a redoubt on the central
road, while the road from Flatbush to Bedford
was guarded by Colonels Williams and Miles.
The English were now stretched along in front of
these hills. There had been continual skirmish-
ing and fighting between the two armies, but as
yet no serious encounter. Washington now saw
that General Sullivan was unequal to the com-
mand, being so new an arrival at the scene of ac-
tion, and gave it to General Putnam. In the
meantime, the British were continually augment-
ing their force. Washington on returning to New
York sent over still further reinforcements.
The British plan of attack was to turn the left
flank of the American army, and this Clinton did
on the night of the 26th. He expected to be op-
posed, but to his surprise he was not. Attacks
were made in the early morning on the American
right and centre to aid him, and a British ship
cannonaded the battery at Red Hook.
Washington was for a time perplexed as to
whether New York was also to be attacked, or
merely the lines on Long Island. At length, he
concluded that the fighting was to be done only
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 91
on Long Island, and was ferried over in time to
see the catastrophe resulting from the enemy's
well laid plans. Sullivan, hearing the thundering
of Clinton's cannon from Colonel Hand's redoubt
near Flatbush, surmised the truth that he had been
flanked on the left. He immediately ordered a
retreat, but it was too lat^e. The British were well
around by this time, and he was driven back. As
the British were now advancing all along the line
it was but a short time before the Americans on
the heights were surrounded. They fought with
fury, and were attacked with equal fury, the Hes-
sians making a name for themselves as butchers,
which is not yet forgotten by Americans. A few
of the American army fought its way through to
the lines, but the majority, including Sullivan him-
self, were captured.
All this could be seen by Washington. He
saw his best troops cut down and captured, and
knew he had nothing but militia left to man the
works around Brooklyn. But even worse was to
follow. General Stirling, who commanded the
right of the American line on the hills, had been
deceived by the forbearance of the British in not
advancing against him, though they continued to
engage with him. Supposing himself master of
the field, therefore, and ignorant of the fate of the
left, he remained in place until the British reserve
under Cornwallis got in his rear. Then he under-
stood the desperate situation he was caught in.
92 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Washington supposed that he would surrender.
Instead, he divided his force. He ordered half to
retreat, and with -the other half boldly attacked
Cornwallis. He and his little body of men fought
desperately, but eventually were forced to sur-
render. In the meantime, Washington, looking
on, wrung his hands in agony at the carnage.
The British forces now concentrated within
a few hundred yards of the American redoubts.
They could have carried them by assault, prob-
ably, but the British commander, Howe, thought
he could attain his object and lose fewer men by
regular approaches. Consequently, he withdrew
out of the reach of the American musketry fire
and encamped for the night.
The Americans lost two thousand men in killed,
wounded and prisoners, out of about five thou-
sand actually in the engagement. The British
lost less than four hundred.
The next day (the 28th) the British began plant-
ing cannon and commenced to entrench. Rain,
however, drove the British into their tents, while
reinforcements arrived in small numbers in the
American camp. The 2Qth was noticeable for a
dense fog. Adjutant-General Reed and some
other officers rode out, however, and discovered
that the English ships were in a state of bustle
and preparation. This boded evil. The officers
galloped back, and Reed communicated the fact
to Washington. To him, as to them, a movement
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 93
of the ships could mean but one thing an at-
tempt to cut him off from New York, and the
possible, if not very probable, capture of his whole
army. Washington at once called a council of
war, and it was decided to retreat to New York
while there was yet opportunity. But even the
retreat was a dangerous "piece of business. The
sentries of the enemy were within a quarter of a
mile of the American sentries, with the boats at
hand, the crossing of so large a body of men over
a strait three-quarters of a mile wide and swept
by strong currents, must of necessity be slow ;
and, should the enemy learn of it, disastrous.
Washington himself arranged the plans. Secrecy
and celerity were required. The troops were
ordered to hold themselves in readiness to advance
(which caused them a feeling of consternation, as
their guns were rendered almost useless by the
incessant rains); and so quickly did Colonel
Hughes, the acting quartermaster-general, obey
his orders, that all the water craft within fifteen
miles was assembled at the docks by eight o'clock
in the evening, though the orders were issued
only at noon. General Mifflin, with the Penn-
sylvania troops, was to remain on guard at the
trenches with sentries posted quite as usual, until
the main body had embarked, when he was to
march quickly to tl\e docks and cross himself.
Late in the evening the movement began. The
central regiments moving to the rear as silently as
94 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
possible, and the flanks closing in as they went,
and taking their places.
Washington stationed himself at the ferry, su-
perintending everything. All went well, save that
a cannon was discharged while it was being spiked,
and one of Washington's aides, by mistake, gave
the order to Mifflin to withdraw before the proper
time. The gun, however, failed to arouse the
British camp, and Mifflin, upon being informed of
his mistake by the astonished and angry Wash-
ington, marched his men back to their posts. A
Tory woman, whose husband had been put under
guard by the Americans, sent a negro servant to
inform the British of the movement in a spirit of
revenge. He passed the American pickets suc-
cessfully ; but, fortunately, when approaching the
enemy's lines, fell into the hands of some Hessian
guards who could not understand English, and he
was locked up for the night. On such a trifling
thing as that hung the fate of the American
army.
General Howe did not make any immediate
preparations to attack New York, although he
must have known the precarious situation Wash-
ington's army was in. The fact of the matter
was, Howe was ambitious to bring the war to a
close and reunite the colonies to the mother coun-
try. He had no authority from parliament to make
terms with the Americans, but supposed that if
he could come to an agreement with them it would
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 95
be ratified by his own government. He could
make no terms with them, he knew, except such
as meant a reunion with England. But he sup-
posed the Americans thoroughly whipped by this
time, and as thoroughly cowed. New York and
Washington's army he considered his whenever
he might wish to take it.
Under these "circumstances he sent General Sul-
livan under parole with an overture to Congress,
although he would not recognise the authority of
Congress, or, indeed, the legal existence of such
a body. This put Congress in a dilemma. They
wanted to treat with Howe, because, for all they
knew, the negotiations might lead to independence
and peace. But they also insisted on their right
to represent the American people. In this dilem-
ma they appointed a committee of three, consist-
ing of John Adams, Edward Rutledge and Ben-
jamin Franklin, to confer with Howe. It was
arranged that Howe should consider this com-
mittee merely a small body of private gentlemen
of influence in the rebellious colonies, while
Congress considered them, as they were, a com-
mittee. The committee met General Howe on
Staten Island, opposite Amboy, where Mercer
was stationed with a small body of Pennsylvania
and New Jersey troops, called by Washington a
" flying camp" for the protection of New Jersey
from marauders. The committee soon discovered
that Howe had no authority to treat with them
96 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
along any lines which they were willing to con-
sider, and the conference soon broke up without
accomplishing anything. General Howe expressed
regret, when they departed, that he "would be
obliged to distress those for whom he had so
much regard." Franklin assured him that the
Americans would endeavor to lessen his pain by
" taking good care of themselves."*
CHAPTER VIII.
THE RETREAT FROM NEW YORK ARRIVAL OF
LEE THE BATTLE OF WHITE PLAINS
DEFENCES OF THE HIGHLANDS OF THE HUD-
SON PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEFENCE OF
NEW JERSEY
IN New York Washington was in a state of per-
plexity. He fully realised the importance of
holding New York if possible and the danger that
lay in the attempt. The island peninsula of
Manhattan is a particularly difficult one to de-
fend, and a more difficult place to retreat from.
Surrounded by water which was covered on three
sides with the ships of the enemy, there was but
one point where he might withdraw to the main-
land. This was King's Bridge at the northern
part of the island. As yet the British had made
no move up the Harlem River, but they soon
appeared at Hell Gate.
In the meantime the enlistments of many of his
troops were running out and they were returning
to their homes. Worse still, a good part of the
militia, disgusted, dejected and thoroughly fright-
ened, marched off to their homes. Washington
7 97
9 8
did not attempt to dissuade them. He knew it
would be almost useless, and he had no use for
troops in such a frame of mind any way. Thus
his army began to disintegrate, .until, as we shall
see, by winter, he had but a handful left.
After a council of war in which the generals
disagreed, it was finally concluded to leave Put-
nam with five thousand troops to the city itself
to man the redoubts and batteries. Heath with
nine thousand was to occupy the upper part of
the island, to oppose any attempt of the enemy to
land, while Greene was to occupy the central por-
tion along Turtle Bay and Kip's Bay. Washing-
ton located his headquarters some distance from
the city. Foreseeing the end, however, Washing-
ton began the removal of supplies from the city
and island.
On the I4th of September the British landed
several thousand troops on the islands at the
mouth of the Harlem River. The next day they
attacked the militia at Turtle Bay and Kip's Bay.
The latter fled at the first approach of the red-
coats. Their panic and flight was joined in by
two brigades Putnam had sent to aid them.
While they were fleeing and their officers trying
in vain to rally them, Washington appeared
among them. He was so indignant that he lost
all self-control, threw his hat on the ground in
rage and snapped his pistols at the flying men.
Indeed, he would have been captured by the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 99
enemy then and there had not an aide grasped
the bridle of his horse and led him away. He
soon regained command of himself, however, and
sent word in haste to Putnam to withdraw from
the city to Harlem Heights, which he saw was
the objective point of the British.
Putnam promptly obeyed, making a forced
march along the road nearest the Hudson. The
day was terribly hot, the roads dusty and his
army impeded by hosts of women and children
who fled with it. Many men fell on the road
from exhaustion and some died, but Putnam
barely made good his escape. The very heat that
caused his column so much trouble, tempted the
British to halt at the house of a Quaker, named
Murray, on Murray Hill, for refreshments.
Murray was a patriot, and his wife, knowing
that Putnam' s army was making its way but a
mile distant, saw an opportunity to aid him. She
placed cake and wine before the British officers
in such abundance that they gladly lingered until
it was too late. As it was, however, they crossed
the island in time to capture some three hun-
dred men of Putnam's army and kill about
fifteen in a short encounter.
Washington now made a fortified camp on the
upper neck of Manhattan Island. Here it is but
a mile in width and separated from the mainland
by the Harlem River. It is high and rocky and
easily defended, but not an easy place to escape
ioo HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
from if an army is surrounded there. You have
often seen it, Boy, if you have gone out to a base-
ball game on the Elevated Road in New York.
To-day it is built almost solidly with the dwell-
ings of the citizens of New York. Fort Wash-
ington is on one of these heights, and overlook-
ing the Hudson was then one of Washington's
defences for the Hudson River. Two miles
north of Fort Washington is King's Bridge,
which was Washington's road for retreat to the
mainland. A mile and a half south of the
fort, Washington stretched two lines of defences
from the Harlem to the Hudson. There were
also two advanced posts, one on the left, com-
manded by General Spencer, and the other at
McGowan's Pass, commanded by General Put-
nam. Washington now made his headquarters
at the country-seat of a Tory by the name of
Roger Morris who, singularly enough, had been
Washington's successful rival for the hand of a
young lady, Miss Mary Philipse. The owners
were of course away, but a portrait of the young
lady which is still in existence is supposed to
have been in the house, and we may wonder if
Washington ever turned from the anxieties of
war and the then failing fortunes of the American
cause to look at it and think of the days of his
early love.
There was but one skirmish of any importance
while Washington occupied this place. An ad-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 101
vanced post was taken and the defenders driven
in, after a brave resistance, by Lieutenant-colonel
Knowlton, who had distinguished himself at Bun-
ker Hill. Washington and his adjutant-general,
Reed, rode out to reconnoitre. The enemy per-
ceiving them sounded their bugles as the English
do after a fox chase. This insult stung Washing-
ton to the quick and he determined to take what
appeared to him to be but a small advance of the
enemy prisoners. So he sent a Virginia regiment
under command of Major Leitch to assist Knowl-
ton. These two tried to get in rear of the enemy,
but the latter falling back they came upon his
flanks. The enemy were reinforced, so were
Knowlton and Leitch, and a hot skirmish ensued.
The enemy were driven back and pursued some
distance. But the main body of the British were
not far away and Washington, not wishing to
bring on a general engagement, recalled the troops
while they were flushed with the novel pleasure of
chasing the enemy. Unfortunately, Knowlton was
killed and Leitch mortally wounded in the fight.
A tremendous fire raged in New York on the
2Oth, which was finally extinguished by the soldiers
of Howe's army. Howe claimed that the fire
was set at Washington's orders, which was false.
Nevertheless Howe's soldiers promptly killed a
number of patriots whom they found in the vicin-
ity of the fire, on the suspicion that they were the
incendiaries.
io2 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
An exchange of prisoners was now effected. By
this the Americans regained General Stirling, who
was captured at Long Island, and Captain Morgan,
who was captured at Quebec. The latter was pro-
moted and given command of a rifle regiment
which he was authorised to raise. This regiment
became the celebrated body known as " Morgan's
Riflemea"
It was now October of 1776. To Washington's
surprise Howe made no offensive movement save
to send three ships of war up the Hudson to
Dobb's Ferry. These ships broke through Put-
nam's barriers as easily as they would have snapped
a clothes-line. They worried Washington and
caused great excitement among the people. Other
and better barriers were hastily constructed to
prevent them from being reinforced by other ships,
and also to prevent them from returning down the
river.
These ships made more trouble for Washington
than, perhaps, Howe ever dreamed they would.
The inhabitants of the country threatened by them
called loudly for protection. All of Washing-
ton's advisers, save those interested in the lower
part of the state, wanted him to retreat immedi-
ately, not only to protect the country, but to save
his army. The others, especially Clinton, who
was deeply interested in the fate of the country
Washington was then defending, wanted him to
stay where he was and fight.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 103
At this time, while Washington was sorely
perplexed, General Lee arrived in camp from
Philadelphia. He was fresh from the victory at
Fort Moultrie, and was everywhere hailed as a
deliverer. Even Washington was overjoyed at
his arrival, and having a great respect for his
military attainments, treated his views with un-
usual consideration. In fact he made the mistake,
at once, of merely suggesting orders to Lee, rather
than absolutely giving them. We shall see how
Lee took advantage of this fact. Washington
immediately gave him command of the wing of
the army above King's Bridge. At a council of
war, too, held at King's Bridge, Lee's opinion
finally confirmed Washington in his belief that he
must retreat altogether from Manhattan Island,
much to the disgust of General George Clinton,
who was heart and soul for fighting it out then
and there. Clinton was totally unable to perceive
the meaning of the strategy to which Washing-
ton was compelled to resort from time to time,
and was disgusted at the policy of retreating. He
was for saving New York. Washington would
have retreated, in case of necessity, to the Alle-
ghany Mountains themselves. Washington, at the
express orders of Congress, left a strong garrison
in Fort Washington, however, with orders that it
should be held as long as possible.
Washington now moved his army in the direc-
tion of White Plains, as the British were already
io 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
well advanced toward his rear and left flank.
Before moving, however, he divided his army into
four divisions, and assigned Generals Lee, Heath,
Sullivan and Lincoln to command them. General
Sullivan had recently been exchanged for General
Prescott. General Lincoln was a Massachusetts
man, who had been lately appointed major-general,
and who had been, until recently, in command of
the few troops left at Boston. General Greene
was now in command of Fort Lee (the name of
which had been recently changed from Fort Con-
stitution in honour of Lee) on the Hudson, op-
posite Fort Washington, and Colonel Magaw was
in command at Fort Washington.
THE BATTLE OF WHITE PLAINS
It was the 23d of October, when Washington
stationed himself in a camp at White Plains and
fortified it. Howe (who was now General Sir
William Howe, having been recently made a
knight companion of the Bath for his success on
Long Island) waited for a few days for supplies
and reinforcements, and then pushed along the
mainland towards New Rochelle, constantly har-
assed by Colonel Glover with three regiments of
Massachusetts infantry. Howe reached New
Rochelle on the 2ist. Here he was reinforced by
some Hessians and two regiments of light dra-
goons. He had been trying continually to get in
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 105
rear of Washington's army by continual flank
movements on Washington's left. As a result,
when the two armies met at White Plains, Wash-
ington was faced east to meet him. His right
rested on a curve of the Bronx River, his left on a
lake in the hills. His whole line was on high
ground. The battle occurred on the 28th of Oc-
tober. The position Washington had taken was
but a temporary one for defence while he was
collecting his stores. Though well chosen, it was
commanded by several hills, which Lee wanted
held. The only one which Washington had time
to occupy, however, was Chatterton's Hill, on the
right of his right flank, and separated from it by
the Bronx and a marsh. To it he sent about two
thousand men under General McDougall.
The British army advanced in two columns, ac-
companied by some of the recently landed cavalry
of the British. The latter looked formidable in-
deed to the militia, which as yet had fought against
artillery and infantry only. As Washington ex-
pected, the British concluded to take Chatterton's
Hill before making a front attack upon him. For
this purpose they sent Colonel Rahl with a brigade
of Hessians to cross the Bronx further down the
stream and attack the hill on one side, while a
column under General Leslie attacked it from the
other. They preceded the attack by a furious
cannonade upon the hill, under cover of which
Leslie hastily constructed a bridge across the
106 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Bronx. While constructing the bridge they were
severely handled by two pieces of artillery sta-
tioned on the hill and commanded most ably by
Alexander Hamilton, now a captain of artillery.
When the bridge was finished Leslie's com-
mand rushed over it and charged up the hill.
Hamilton's field-pieces fired three volleys at them
as they advanced, every ball ploughing through
the column, so well were the pieces served. In
the meantime Smallwood's Marylanders fired
steady volleys at them with small arms.
Colonel Rahl charged up the south side of the
hill on McDougall's right flank. His men gave
way, but he rallied them partially behind a stone
fence. Here they stood until the British cavalry
charged upon them, when they fired one volley
and fled in absolute confusion. The left of the
line on the hill fought more steadily and twice re-
pulsed the British columns. Eventually, however,
they were forced down the hill, and retired sul-
lenly. At the foot of the hill on the north side,
at the bridge by which they had gained the hill,
they were met by General Putnam with a body of
troops to reinforce them. His arrival was too
late, however, and they retired into the camp.
The loss of both armies was about equal.
The British now commenced to fortify Chatter-
ton's Hill. In the meantime they extended their
right wing around Washington's left until their
army formed a semicircle. But they did not
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 107
make another attack, as the day was well advanced.
Washington took advantage of the delay to send
back his sick and wounded and as much of his
provisions as possible to the rear. At night the
two armies camped within cannon-shot of each
other's camp-fires. During the night Washington
threw back his right wing to a better position,
and constructed further intrenchments and re-
doubts. These further defences appeared to be
more formidable than they really were, as they
were made by pulling up cornstalks with the ends
to which the earth adhered turned towards the
enemy, and covered with earth on top. These
defences were thrown up with ease and in so short
a time that they could be built to look like great
solidly constructed works. On the 29th, there-
fore, when Howe saw them, he concluded to post-
pone his attack and send for reinforcements. In
the meantime he, too, threw up intrenchments.
Washington saw that if he remained in his present
position he would eventually be outflanked by
Howe, so, on the night of the 3ist of October, he
retreated to the rocky hills near Northcastle, some
miles in rear. Here he again set to work to for-
tify his position, but Howe realised that he could
not dislodge him from such a strong position as
he now held, and on the night of the 4th of
November he began a retrograde movement in
the direction of Dobb's Ferry.
For some time after Howe retired Washington
io8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
was in great perplexity as to what the enemy in-
tended to do next. He did not suppose Howe
would take his whole army to attack Fort Wash-
ington, yet that seemed to be the only other point
he could strike. Learning that Howe had col-
lected a number of boats on the river, he concluded
that the latter contemplated a foray through New
Jersey. Howe settled the question by investing
Fort Washington.
The fort was now garrisoned by more men than
it would hold, and as more British ships had as-
cended the river past it and Fort Lee, and the
enemy seemed to be able to get by whenever it so
pleased them, Washington could not see what use
it would be to expose the force at Fort Washing-
ton to capture. He suggested to Greene that the
garrison retire. Greene, however, was firmly con-
vinced of the necessity for holding Fort Wash-
ington. He claimed that the forts had done great
damage to the British ships that had passed, and
that the investment of the fort would keep at least
twice the number of the garrison of the enemy's
force busy and away from the main army. More-
over Colonel Magaw, in command of the fort, was
confident he could hold it against any and all
comers, until the end of December at least. Both
he and Greene insisted also that Magaw could
retreat from it at will, and take off his stores with
him. In the end Washington left matters in the
discretion of Greene, in whom he had most im-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 109
plicit confidence. Lee was at this time exceed-
ingly jealous of Greene's influence with' Washing-
ton, and advised the abandonment of the fort.
Lee was right and Greene wrong, and I will tell
you later of all that arose from this jealousy of
Lee's.
Washington now made preparations to distrib-
ute his army so that it could defend the Jerseys
as well as New York. He detached all the troops
belonging to the states west of the Hudson to the
Jerseys under the command of Putnam. Heath
and Clinton with the New York, Massachusetts
and Connecticut troops were to defend the High-
lands of the Hudson. The remaining troops were
to remain at Northcastle under the command of
General Lee. Again Washington refrained from
giving Lee positive orders, but left matters largely
in his discretion, merely making certain recom-
mendations. Among these recommendations was
that of retreating to the passes of the Highlands
should he be threatened with attack, for Washing-
ton feared that the British preparations for an
invasion of the Jerseys was but a feint to get him
to weaken his army at Northcastle.
Washington now joined Heath and made a tour
of inspection of the forts along the river in the
Highlands of the Hudson. On the I2th of Novem-
ber, Washington crossed the Hudson below Stony
Point, where the remainder of the army des-
tined for the defence of the Jerseys was com-
no HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
mencing its march. He did not proceed with
them but went on to Fort Lee, as he was anxious
about the condition of affairs at Fort Washington,
and still more convinced that it would be well to
abandon the fort. His departure left Lee and
Heath with separate commands and separate in-
structions, though Lee was the superior in rank.
Heath, though brought up on a farm, had a pas-
sion for military pursuits and had studied every
treatise on the art of war in the English language.
He considered himself well acquainted with the
theory of war from the duties of a private soldier
up. He was a man of peculiar character, scrupu-
lous in obeying the letter of his instructions, but
devoid of self-reliance and utterly opposed to any
assumption of authority whatever.
Washington remained some days at Fort Lee
discussing with Greene the advisability of evacuat-
ing Fort Washington. Indeed, he was disap-
pointed that Greene had not already concluded to
do so. But Greene was still of the opinion that
the fort should be held, and Magaw still confident
that he could hold it. Magaw mistakenly assumed
that the British could not cross the Harlem, and
that, therefore, he could retire at any time that
he wished.
Washington was still of the opinion that Howe
meant something more by his inaction than the
reduction of this fort, but the latter soon put all
doubts on the subject at rest. On the night of
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION in
the I4th he had thirty flat-bottomed boats sent
up the Hudson past the fort, thence through
Spuyten Duyvil Creek into the Harlem River, and
thus supplied himself with means to cross the
Harlem, and attack an unprotected part of the
fort. Howe now summoned the fort to surrender,
threatening to give no quarter if he was compelled
to take it by storm. Washington was on a short
visit of inspection- at Hackensack. Greene sent for
Washington hurriedly, and threw reinforcements
into an already overcrowded fort. Putnam was
with him, and even he thought the fort capable
of making a good defence.
CHAPTER IX
THE CAPTURE OF FORT WASHINGTON WASHING-
TON'S BRILLIANT RETREAT THROUGH THE
JERSEYS THE SCHEMES AND CAPTURE OF
LEE THE STORMING OF FORT WASHINGTON
EARLY on the morning of the i6th of Novem-
ber, 1776, Colonel Magaw made his dispositions
to repel attack. He had about three thousand
men. The fort was built to accommodate but
about one thousand. You must understand, Boy,
that more could have been sheltered within the
fort temporarily, but only that number could fight
to advantage in it. As a matter of fact, a fort is
constructed on mathematical principles, by which
the amount of ground enclosed by the parapets
will just about give comfortable living-room for
the precise number of men needed to defend it.
More can seek a refuge in it for a short time, but
are useless incumbrances.
So Magaw posted Colonel Cadwalader with an-
other third in the outer lines, about two miles and
a-half south of the fort. Colonel Rawlings, a
celebrated Marylander, with a battery of three
guns, was posted on a precipitous hill north of the
112
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 113
fort. Colonel Baxter, with the remainder, a bare
regiment, was posted on the wooded heights bor-
dering the Harlem River.
Against the fort Sir William Howe planned
four simultaneous attacks. Knyphausen, the
Hessian commander, was to advance in two col-
umns on the north. General Mathew was to cross
the Harlem in flat boats and land on the right of
the fort. Colonel Stirling was to attack the ex-
treme left of the intrenchments. Lord Percy was
to attack the right flank of the American intrench-
ments facing New York. So two attacks were
planned against the fort proper, and two against
the line of works facing the city.
About noon the attack began with a fierce can-
nonading. Colonel Rahl led one \livision of
Knyphausen's command, and the latter led the
other in person. We shall have to remember
Colonel Rahl, for he was destined to defeat and
death, but a few weeks later, while celebrating
Christmas. He succeeded in his difficult attack
on the fort, however, while Knyphausen was badly
handled by Rawlings. General Mathew was
severely handled by Baxter, too. But he suc-
ceeded in crossing the river and driving Baxter's
men in after the gallant American had been killed
by a British officer. This left Mathew free to
turn against Cadwalader, who was well to the
south, to cut him off from the fort.
Cadwalader, however, did the greatest fighting
ii 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
of the day. He manfully held his ground against
Percy, until he heard of Stirling's attack on his
left and rear. He even defended himself against
Stirling also for some time, but was finally com-
pelled to leave his intrenchments and make for the
fort. And he had. to fight desperately to get to the
fort, too, for he was all but surrounded.
In the same way Rawlings was eventually at-
tacked by Rahl, while he was easily holding
Knyphausen. The combined columns of Hes-
sians drove him into the fort, and now a second
demand was made to the garrison to surrender,
with the usual threat of no quarter if the British
and Hessians were obliged to take it by storm.
And that the threat was meant was plainly evi-
dent ; as th Hessians had been giving no quarter
in their previous attacks.
From the opposite side of the Hudson, Wash-
ington had been watching the engagement. He
was delighted with Cadwalader's great fighting,
but dismayed when he saw the latter give way.
When he saw the Hessians in Lord Percy's com-
mand bayoneting such of Cadwalader's men as
could not escape into the fort, though they fell on
their knees and prayed for quarter and mercy,
Washington wept like a child.
When he saw the flag go into the fort a second
time he knew, of course, that it was another de-
mand for a surrender. So he sent a message
across to Magaw, telling the latter that if he could
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 115
hold out until evening, he would try to bring the
garrison off across the rjver during the night.
This message was carried to Magaw by a very
brave man, Captain Gooch, who crossed the Hud-
son in a boat, and returning, had to dodge the
Hessians, who were now surrounding the place,
narrowly escaping death at the hands of their
bayonets. The message that Captain Gooch
brought from Magaw told Washington that all was
over ; and soon after the great commander-in-chief
suffered the humiliation of seeing the American
flag hauled down from the fort and the English
flag run up in its place.
So Lee was right and Greene was wrong the
Fort Washington and three thousand men were
lost, the Hudson was practically orjbned to the
British up to the Highlands, and the northern
part of the state was threatened by Howe and his
whole army.
Washington immediately wrote to Lee. He
really wanted to have Lee leave his encampment
at Northcastle and fortify himself in the High-
lands, thus adding to their protection and put-
ting his own army in a place of safety. But he
did not actually order Lee to make the move,
and Lee did not do so. In his reply he made a
slurring illusion to Greene as a man of inferior
judgment. But his jealousy of Greene was soon
to disappear in a greater one. Lee soon began to
plot against Washington himself, who was now
n6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
blamed for trying to hold the fort. We know,
however, that Washington held it at the urgent
request of Congress and by the advice of a council
of war of his officers, against his own better
judgment.
Short enlistments immediately began to have
their effect in the reduction of the army on the
west of the Hudson. In a very short time Wash-
ington had but about two thousand men under
his own command, and but about the same num-
ber on the east of the Hudson. This was all that
was left of the army of nearly twenty thousand
that he had at the beginning of the campaign.
This was one of Washington's gloomy periods.
But he met it with the wonderful fortitude of a
truly great <han. In fact, he had expected it, and
had fought with all his might against the silly
plan of short enlistments. He foresaw that the
war would be a long one. He wanted regular
troops, enlisted for a period of at least three years.
By the fall of Fort Washington, Fort Lee was
rendered useless, and Washington ordered it aban-
doned. The garrison narrowly escaped capture
by the English, who crossed the river six miles
north of the fort. It was a race, in fact, to the
bridge over the Hackensack River, and the Amer-
icans lost quantities of cannon and stores. They
even left their tents standing and their camp ket-
tles over the fires, such was their hurry. All this
made Washington more anxious to have Lee turn
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 117
his face to the west. He even wrote Lee to cross
to the west side of the Hudson. But Lee now
had an opportunity for his own advantage ; and
he had no intention of helping Washington out of
the difficulties that confronted him.
Now occurred one of the most extraordinary in-
cidents of the war and one of the most extraor-
dinary incidents of Washington's whole life.
Colonel Reed, Washington's adjutant-general and
bosom friend, lost confidence in him and looked
to Lee to save the army and the country. He
even went so far as to write a letter to Lee criti-
cising Washington for lack of decision, and telling
Lee that his presence alone could restore con-
fidence.
That was enough to start the ambitious Lee.
If Washington lost the confidence of the people
he, Lee, would become commander-in-chief, and
after that ? Well, who knows but in his camp at
Northcastle he began to dream of a new personage
in the world's history, King Charles I., of Amer-
ica? He began writing letters, not only to Reed,
but to his friends, among them Gates ; and in all
" an indecisive mind " was the key-note. That
unfortunate word of Reed's came near to causing
great trouble for America. But just as there is
a God of Battles, so there is a God of Human
Events ; and the eventful sufferers from the foolish
word that sprang from Reed's discouraged mind
were none other than Reed and Lee themselves.
n8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Washington now feared being caught between
the Hackensack and Passaic rivers and retreated
to the vicinity of Newark. The ships of the enemy
gave them the opportunity to use rivers to throw
a force in his rear. He was already confronted by
more than double his command in front. In spite
of himself, he had to play fox to the English
hounds. He wore the lion's skin by right, but he
was not lacking in ability to piece it out with the
fox's should the necessity arise.
He relied upon Lee to reinforce him. Lee de-
layed purposely, at the same time giving Wash-
ington the idea that he was moving. On the 24th
of November, Reed being absent from the army,
Washington opened (as he had a perfect right to
do) an official communication from Lee to Reed.
It proved to be a personal letter to Reed. To
Washington's surprise and dismay, Lee was still in
his camp at Northcastle. All he had done was to
order General Heath (over whom he had no author-
ity) to cross the Hudson. Washington wrote an
answer telling Lee plainly that it was his force that
was wanted. Then followed a daily correspond-
ence, during which Washington retreated still
further, to Brunswick. Here Washington opened
another letter from Lee to Reed. It proved to
be a personal letter, and it told Washington the
true state of affairs between Reed and Lee. An
ordinary man would have given up in despair
under such difficulties, and learning of the per-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 119
sonal treason of his supposedly best friend. But
Washington did nothing ,qf the kind. He wrote
a cold letter to Reed, enclosing the opened letter.
It broke the friendship of the two men, though
Reed begged for forgiveness. Indeed, in after
years Washington did forgive him, but it is doubt-
ful if they were ever again such bosom friends as
they had been.
Washington waited at Brunswick until the 1st
of December, hoping for reinforcements In the
meantime the enemy advanced upon him, robbing
the people as they marched of provisions, horses,
waggons and cattle. When they reached the Rari-
tan, Washington partially destroyed the bridge ;
and, while Captain Hamilton held the ford with
his field-pieces, again retreated this time to
Trenton. He, however, left two thin brigades
under Generals Stirling and Stephen at Princeton.
The people of New Jersey were now exposed to
the ravages of the enemy. They knew little of
war and its horrors and had been slow to enlist in
the cause for freedom. Many of them were rank
Tories and the others too often regarded the war
but a rebellion which was all but put down. But
the manner in which they were treated by the
British and the still worse treatment they received
at the hands of the Hessians (who recognised no
distinction between Tory and Whig) soon made
them boiling mad ; and in the end they divided
sharply, as had all the other states, eventually
120 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
coming nobly to the support of the cause. But at
this time, when Lord Howe offered a pardon to
such rebels as would return home and desist from
further treasonable acts, many of the few sup-
porters of the Revolution took advantage of the
opportunity.
Lee in the meantime had begun, reluctantly, to
move. On the 3<Dth of November he reached
Peekskill. But he did not cross the Hudson until
the 4th of December, spending the intervening
time in a quarrel with General Heath. Lee wanted
Heath to reinforce him so that he might alone
make battle with the British and free the Jerseys,
which Washington had failed to do. In the mean-
time Washington moved his heavier military stores
across the Delaware into Pennsylvania. Then
being reinforced by about fifteen hundred Penn-
sylvania troops, he took forward about the same
number to Prince'ton to reinforce Generals Stirling
and Stephen.
So you will see, Boy, that Washington was in
front of the enemy with a small force and Lee in rear
of it. Even a boy can see that the English could
turn on either part of this divided army and crush
it. No one knew this better than Lee. He should
have been on the flank of the English, and while
annoying them, at the same time moving rapidly
to join Washington. But Lee wanted an oppor-
tunity to win laurels for himself. So he moved
slowly and was far in rear of the army of Corn-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 121
vvallis, loitering and speculating on the dearth of
military genius in the American army, meaning, of
course, Washington's own inability.
Cornwallis, well aware of Lee's position, made
a forced march upon Princeton. The Americans
retreated to Trenton, and there crossed the river,
destroying all the boats after crossing. The rear-
guard was barely across when Cornwallis " came
marching down with all the pomp of war in great
expectation of getting boats and immediately pur-
suing." But Cornwallis was disappointed about
the boats and was brought to a standstill. He
gave up all thought of pursuit, therefore, and it
now being well into December, distributed his
Germans in cantonments along the Delaware on
the Jersey side ; and, with his main body went
into winter quarters, temporarily, at Brunswick.
He hoped to be able to cross the river on the ice,
later, and complete the campaign.
Lee had now (December 8th) only reached Mor-
ristown. Washington was ordering him to join.
Lee was delaying for reinforcements, which he
expected from Gates. The next day, at Chatham,
he heard that these reinforcements were at Peeks-
kill. He wrote General Heath to forward them
promptly. " I am in hopes," said he, " to recon-
quer the Jerseys." Besides the three regiments
just mentioned, four more under the immediate
command of Gates were behind them. Lee
moved his army to Vealtown, but eight miles from
122 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Morristown, leaving General Sullivan in command
and taking up quarters himself at Baskingridge,
three miles away. He was here protected by but
a small guard. On the morning of the I3th Colo-
nel Scammel, the adjutant-general, waited upon
him for orders for General Sullivan. Colonel
Wilkinson, of General Gates' staff, was also there,
seeking orders for the latter's command. Lee
was under orders from Washington to move to
Alexandria on the Delaware, where boats had been
collected for him to cross. He gave orders, how-
ever, for Sullivan to move with the army to
Pluckamin, on the road to Brunswick and Prince-
ton. There was no doubt that he meant to diso-
bey Washington and attack the British on his own
account. But the Great Jehovah, called upon by
Ethan Allen, was evidently watching American
interests with a particularly keen eye that day.
No sooner had Scammel departed than an insigni-
ficant detachment of English dragoons surrounded
the tavern, drove off Lee's guard and captured
him. They made him mount Wilkinson's horse,
bareheaded and in his slippers, and galloped off
with him to Brunswick ; where, three hours later,
the booming of cannon told the Americans of the
j.oy of the British at capturing the so-called
"American Palladium." Wilkinson (escaping)
jumped on the first horse he could find and made
for General Sullivan, who was already on the march
to Pluckamin. He told the latter of Lee's cap-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 123
ture. Sullivan, finding himself in command, im-
mediately changed the route of his march to join
Washington and sent Wilkinson back to Gates
with orders to do the same.
Lee's own carelessness had ruined his ambitious
project within a few hours after he had finally
resolved upon it.
CHAPTER X
THE BATTLES OF TRENTON AND PRINCETON
MAGNANIMOUS Washington, fully aware of
Lee's ambitions and disobedience, merely ex-
pressed to Congress his keen sense of the loss of
Lee's services to the American cause. To Con-
gress he also made an appeal for more troops, and
before adjourning they clothed him with " all
power to order and direct all things relative to the
department and to the operations of war until they
should otherwise order." This enabled him to
raise some new companies, offer bounties to those
whose enlistments were expiring for six weeks'
more 'service, and to recruit three battalions of
artillery. The local militia turned out in good
numbers, and Colonel John Cadwalader brought
a large detachment of troops from the city of
Philadelphia. In addition, General Sullivan ar-
rived on the 20th of December, with the troops
recently under the command of Lee. But they
were in a wretched condition, ill-fed, sick and des-
titute of almost everything. General Gates ar-
rived the same day with the four regiments he had
been bringing from Peekskill.
124
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 125
Washington now had quite an army at his com-
mand, compared with what it had been ; but in
ten days, at the end of the year, it would dwindle
to a bare fifteen hundred. The enlistments of
almost all of his men ran out at the end of the
year ; and, after a year of hard fighting, and rough
marching (to say nothing of almost continuous
peril) it is not to be wondered at that they should
wish to go to their homes. The wonder is that
they remained with their regiments so faithfully.
It was mid-winter. The year had been a disas-
trous one. A new army could not be assembled
until spring ; and the number that could be then
assembled would depend very much on the con-
clusions drawn by the country of the campaign
during the preceding year.
If ever a victory was needed it was needed then.
There were still ten days ten precious winter
days left of the year 1776. What could man do
in that time against a superior enemy?
A genius could prove his genius perhaps. And
that is exactly what Washington did. At dinner,
during the next few days, Colonel Wilkinson
noticed that Washington seemed " pensive and
solemn in the extreme." But under his solemn
aspect his giant mind was hard at work.
Vastly different was Howe, the British com-
mander. He was at New York indulging himself
in amusement and indolence. His troops were
carelessly scattered from Brunswick to the Del-
126 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
aware. The Hessians were in advance, along the
river and at various detached points near it. Corn-
wallis was also in New York, about to leave for
England, on a short leave of absence. All told,
Washington had about six thousand men. But
they were eager to fight while still in the army,
even though their enlistments were nearly out.
Revenge on the Hessians, who had committed
such injuries on their homes, would be sweet to
them indeed. Moreover, they had no longer such
a dread fear of the Hessians. The latter had be-
come careless and ease-taking. Their discipline
was growing lax.
At Trenton there was a brigade of three regi-
ments of Hessians. It was under the command
of Colonel Rahl, who had so distinguished himself
at Fort Washington. He was a brave but careless
man, more in love with music, especially during
the holiday period, than with duty. He, too,
liked his ease. His officers advised him to throw
up works for defence.
" Works pooh pooh ! " answered the Colonel.
" Let the rebels come. We'll give them the bay-
onet."
Washington communicated his plan of striking
the Hessians at Trenton to Gates. Gates had the
same opinion of Washington that Lee, his friend,
had. He begged to be excused ; pleaded ill-health
as a reason for not joining in the enterprise, and
went to Philadelphia. He did not go to Bristol,
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 127
as Washington requested, to adjust the small dif-
ficulties between'the regulars and volunteers, who
were watching the Hessians at Bordentown ; and,
concert with Cadwalader and Reed, a plan of oper-
ations against them. Gates believed that Wash-
ington would fail, and that the English would soon
take Philadelphia. He intended to go on to lay
a plan of his own before Congress, at Baltimore.
Washington proceeded with the scheme alone,
and, thanks to Gates' lack of confidence in him,
alone gets the credit for one of the most brilliant
manoeuvres in the history of the wars of the
American Republic.
His plan was to cross the Delaware River, him-
self, about nine miles above Trenton, and march
upon Rahl. At the same time General Ewing
was to cross about a mile below Trenton, and se-
cure possession of a bridge across the Assunpink,
a creek that flows along the southern edge of the
town, thus cutting off their retreat. And while
this attack was being made on Rahl, Putnam, with
troops from Philadelphia, where they had been
fortifying the city, and Cadwalader from Bristol,
were to cross lower down the river at Burlington,
and fall upon the lower Hessian posts under com-
mand of Count Donop.^ Christmas night was fixed
on for the undertaking. It was known that the
Hessians would celebrate the day, and it was sup-
posed that many of them would be under the
influence of liquor.
128 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Putnam was held in Philadelphia because of a
feared insurrection. He sent six hundred men to
Cadwalader's aid, however.
Washington, with two thousand men, under
Generals Greene, Sullivan, Mercer, Stephen and
Stirling, began to cross the Delaware at McKon-
key's Ferry, about sunset. As at the retreat from
Long Island, the regiment of Marblehead fisher-
men, under Colonel Glover, were invaluable. Colo-
nel Knox superintended the crossing of the ar-
tillery, his strong lungs giving orders above the
din and rumble of the artillery, being a guide for
the boats as they passed over and back.
THE BATTLE OF TRENTON
Though the crossing began at sunset it was
nearly four o'clock in the morning before the little
army took up its line of march. As there were
but two thousand men the difficulty of the under-
taking can be imagined from the length of time
occupied. This late start made it impossible to
surprise Trenton, as Washington had hoped, for
it was nine miles away. There was no turning
back, however. That would have been more dan-
gerous than going forward. The army moved
forward, therefore, in two columns, one under
Washington and Greene making for the northern
end of the town ; the other under Generals Sulli-
van and St. Clair taking the river road to the west-
ern side of Trenton.
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HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 129
Rahl had been /warned of the intended attack.
He had supposed it was to be made by one
column, and that a mere detachment under Gen-
eral Stirling. At the very time that Washington
was preparing to cross the river the evening before
(a stirring Christmas night that must have been,
Boy) there was an alarm at one of Rahl's out-
posts. The whole garrison flew to arms and
hastened in the direction of the firing, finding
upon their arrival that some six men had been
wounded by a party of Americans who had sud-
denly come out of the woods and as suddenly
departed. Rahl supposed this to be the attack
of which he had been warned. He concluded
that it was a mere flash in the pan and returned
to Trenton, where he remained blissfully at ease
and utterly unconscious of the fate that was soon
to overtake him. No one has ever been able to
determine, accurately, what party of Americans it
was that gave this alarm to Rahl and assisted so
materially in the attack on Trenton by lulling
Rahl into a sense of security.
Snow and hail began to fall as the little Ameri-
can army, Washington's forlorn hope now, began
its march. Two men were frozen to death on the
road and most of the muskets were rendered unfit
for use by the storm. But the Americans pushed
on with the determination to themselves rely on
the bayonet. Under the circumstances Sullivan,
however, did not know what to do with his
9
1 3 o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
column and their almost useless guns. So he
went to Washington for orders. The orders came
back sharp and severe. " Advance and charge,"
were the orders.
About eight o'clock in the morning Washing-
ton's column neared the city. The snow dead-
ened the noise of the march and the rumble of
the artillery. Moreover, it kept every one within
doors. Even the pickets were not alert. The
first approached was nearly captured bodily by
the advance guard (in which, by the way, there
was a young lieutenant, James Monroe, who
afterward became President of the United
States).
For once in the history of battle two attacks
were made exactly as planned, simultaneously.
As Washington's column became engaged with
the Hessian outposts they could hear Sullivan's
guns at the other end of the town.
In the town the drums now beat the alarm, and
the trumpets called the light horse and dragoons
to "boots and saddles." Some of the Hessians
tried to form in the streets, but they were too
late. Others fired from the windows of houses in
which they had been quartered. Sullivan detached
Stark to press on to the southern end of the
town. They nearly captured the light horse and
some Hessians quartered there. But the latter
took headlong flight by the bridge across the
Assunpink, which was to have been held by
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 131
General Ewing. Ewing was prevented from
crossing the Delaware by the quantity of ice in
the river.
For his part, Colonfel Rahl lost his head com-
pletely. He tried bravely to rally his astonished
and panic-stricken troops ; but he did not, him-
self, know which way to turn. He got his troops
out of the town proper into an orchard, eventu-
ally; and he might have made his escape. But
the idea of flying before the despised rebels was
little to his liking. He had been greatly enjoy-
ing his laurels lately earned at Fort Washington,
and he did not care to lose them so soon. So, in-
stead of continuing his flight, he charged back
into the town he had been so glad to escape from
a few minutes before. His rashness cost him his
life and his men their liberty. He was mortally
wounded while making his foolish bayonet charge,
and his men, refusing to obey the second in com-
mand, tried to retreat up the right bank of the
Assunpink to Princeton. Washington saw their
design and threw Colonel Hand and his Pennsyl-
vanians across their path. Then they surrendered,
the wounded Colonel Rahl, supported by some of
his sergeants, himself handing Washington his
sword. It was a glorious day for the American
cause. But it would have been a still more glori-
ous one had Ewing and Cadwalader been able to
cross the river. Either would have been able to
head off and capture the fleeing British and Hes-
1 32 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
'Sians from the lower part of the town and pre-
venting their junction with Count Donop.
For the same reason Washington was now in
a perilous position. Counf Donop had a larger
force than he possessed, and there was a strong
force at Princeton. His own men were worn out
and had to guard about a thousand prisoners. He
could not hope to hold Trenton. Before leaving
it, however, he and Greene paid a consolatory
visit to the wounded Colonel Rahl, who died and
was eventually buried there. He also sent his
prisoners into Pennsylvania, where they were
soundly reviled for hiring themselves into service
to oppress a free people. Especially were they
scolded by the old women. At length Washing-
ton had to take measures to protect them from
these insults.
Though Ewing and Cadwalader had failed to
get across the Delaware, Colonel Griffin, who had
been sent out by Putnam, succeeded. He made
a feint against Donop's force and drew the latter
after him for a considerable distance. When
Donop returned, it was only to learn of the dis-
aster at Trenton. About the same time Cad-
walader heard of it, with great exultation, as may
be imagined. He now determined to make the
attempt to cross the river again, and succeeded ;
but not until noon of the 2/th. He hardly knew
what to do, but decided at length to make a dem-
onstration against Donop, if nothing more. At
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 133
Burlington Cadwalader learned that Donop was
in full retreat. As a matter of fact, the Hessians
estimated Washington's force at from six to
sixteen thousand ; and Donop was running
away in panic from an inferior force. Then Cad-
walader pressed on, writing to Washington for or-
ders and saying : " If we can drive them from West
Jersey, the success will raise an army next spring
and establish the credit of the Continental money
to support it." And that was what Washington
had, indeed, done in less than a week. That was
the result of his planning and scheming while he
seemed so solemn to Wilkinson, the observer.
The brilliant victory had an immediate effect.
Troops began to arrive reinforcing both Washing-
ton and Cadwalader, and the Jersey militia flew to
arms to harass the enemy. Heath was ordered
from the Highlands and Washington prepared
for another stroke after allowing his men a day
or two for rest.
In the meantime the angered people, who had
been treated so badly by the Hessians, became
patriots indeed.
On the 29th Washington again advanced from
the Delaware and began the pursuit of Donop.
The latter divided his command, sending one part
to Princeton and the other to Brunswick. But
the enlistments of most of Washington's haggard
and worn command were up on the next day.
He absolutely needed them and to keep them
134 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
offered them bounties in good hard cash. To
obtain this he wrote to Robert Morris, the finan-
cier of the Revolution, asking him for anything
in the shape of coin, even if it were but a hundred
pounds. Morris, himself anxious that the victory
should be followed up, obtained the money from
a wealthy Quaker and sent it on immediately.
General Howe had been taking things easily in
New York, confident that when the Delaware
froze over he could finish the campaign. What
were his feelings when he heard of the affair of
Trenton and of the headlong flight of the Hes-
sians under Donop ! He stopped Cornwallis,
who was on the point of embarking for England,
and sent him back into the field. The British
now assembled in the vicinity of Princeton and
began to advance their large pickets towards
Trenton, which meant a counter attack with
vastly superior numbers upon Washington. This
put Washington in danger and he called to him
the commands of Cadwalader and Mifflin (who
had reinforced Cadwalader). Yet he did not wish
to retreat across the Delaware without striking a
blow on account of the effect it would have on
the inhabitants of the Jerseys.
Washington chose a position on the east side
of the Assunpink, planting his artillery where it
could cover the very bridge by which the small
body of Hessians and light horse had escaped from
Trenton, and the various fords. On the 2d of
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 135
January, 1777, in the early morning Washington
heard of the approach of Cornwallis. About
noon the British drove in the advance guard.
Near the town, on some high ground, Colonel
Hand held them for a time in check ; but, event-
ually, the whole body of Washington's army
stretched along the left bank of the Assunpink.
The advance of Cornwallis had been so stub-
bornly contested by the advance guard, some
outlying detachments and Colonel Hand, how-
ever, that it was almost sunset when Cornwallis
drew up his force before Washington's army. He
tried in vain to force the bridges and fords, but
failed. His dense columns were repeatedly driven
back by the artillery. At length, when night
fell, Cornwallis went into camp and waited for
the morrow to avenge the disaster at Trenton.
But he waited for one of those morrows that
never come. He made his boast, however, that
he would " bag his fox in the morning."
On their side of the Assunpink the Americans
lit their camp-fires, and the two armies settled
down to watch each other during the night. It
was the most gloomy night that had ever settled
upon the American army. The morning appar-
ently could bring them nothing but defeat. It
was impossible to retreat across the Delaware,
and even if such a retreat could be effected it
would but leave matters where they were when
the campaign began, with nothing to show for all
i 3 6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
of the army's hard work and hardships but a mere
thousand Hessian prisoners.
Again Washington had been scheming, how-
ever. Most of the British force was now in his
front. But a small force could have been left at
Princeton, and at Brunswick the British stores
must have been left weakly guarded. There was
a road called the Quaker road parallel to that on
which the British had advanced. Washington
made up his mind to march by this road past the
sleeping British, push on to their rear, destroy
their force at Princeton and make for Brunswick.
It was almost the scheme of a desperate man.
But it promised success even if at a grfcat
hazard.
The heavy baggage was sent back to Burling-
ton, therefore, and Washington to deceive the
enemy had his men begin to dig trenches in front
of his position. When night had well fallen
Washington drew his army out of camp and
started with all haste for Princeton. He left be-
hind a few men to continue the digging of the
trenches as noisily as possible, and others to go
the rounds of the guards, relieving sentries and
so forth. At daybreak all these were to hasten
after the army proper.
The Quakear road by which he travelled was a
roundabout way to Princeton, joining the Prince-
ton road over which Cornwallis had advanced
only about two miles from Princeton.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 137
THE BATTLE OF PRINCETON.
It was almost sunrise when Washington with
his little army reached the vicinity of Princeton.
He crossed Stony Brook about three miles from
the town and took a short cut, little exposed to
view, towards Princeton, sending Mercer along
the main road with the advance guard to destroy
bridges and intercept fugitives or check any
movement of the British in the town towards
Trenton. As Mercer advanced on the Quaker
road to capture the bridge over Stony Brook on
the main road, he was seen by Colonel Mawhood,
of the British i/th regiment, who supposed his
force was a small body of Americans fleeing
from Cornwallis. He faced about, therefore, to
intercept them. At the same time the 55th regi-
ment of the enemy was preparing to follow Maw-
hood on to join Cornwallis, while another regiment
(the 4Oth) and some dragoons were still in the
town. Mawhood could not tell the number of
the Americans, as they were largely hidden by the
woods between the two roads. He sent messen-
gers to hurry out the other regiments, to help
make the capture, however.
When Mawhood had recrossed the bridge he
came in full sight of the van of Mercer's brigade.
Both Mawhood and Mercer immediately made for
some rising ground, Mercer reaching it first. Here
the Americans formed behind a hedge fence, and
I 3 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
the fight began. Mercer was wounded at the first
fire of the British, but his men continued a de-
structive fire with their rifles, until the enemy
charged with their bayonets. As the riflemen
were not armed with such a weapon they were
obliged to retreat. Mercer, the gallant, tried,
though wounded, to rally them. A British soldier
hit him on the head with his clubbed musket, and,
as Mercer tried to parry the blow with his sword,
others bayoneted him repeatedly. He was eventu-
ally left on the field supposedly dead.
In the meantime Washington had sent a body
of Pennsylvania militia back to aid Mercer. When
Mawhood discovered their approach he ceased
his pursuit and opened on this new force with
his artillery, which brought it to a standstill. Just
then Washington arrived on the scene himself ;
and, realising the critical state of affairs, himself
rallied Mercer's demoralised troops, galloping
to them under the fire of Mawhood's artillery.
Never was Washington in more peril of his life
than at this time, when he might be truthfully
said to be fighting like a common soldier. The
militia Washington had sent to aid Mercer now
rallied, as did Mercer's troops. At the same time
the /th Virginia regiment moved forward into the
fight with cheers, and the American artillery
opened from another hill to the south.
Mawhood was now in great danger. From
being apparent captor, he found himself practi-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 139
cally surrounded. He fought with great bravery,
however, and eventually succeeded in breaking
through the American lines and making good his
escape along the main road to Trenton. After he
had crossed the bridge for the third time that
morning and was retreating, Washington had the
bridge destroyed to prevent the rear-guard of
Cornwallis' army from using it in pursuit when he
heard of the battle.
The main body had pushed on and its advance
guard had met the 55th regiment. This soon
gave way and retreated towards Brunswick. A
part of the 4Oth regiment also escaped to Bruns-
wick, the remainder taking refuge in the college
buildings, where they were eventually captured.
In the brief action of Princeton the English lost
about one hundred killed and three hundred taken
prisoners, while the American loss was but thirty
or thirty-five. The English, lost Captain Leslie,
son of the Earl of Leven, and the Americans the
brave Colonel Haslet. But, far worse, it was found
that the gallant and efficient General Mercer was
mortally wounded. He was left attended by his
aide-de-camp, Major Armstrong, at the house of
the Mr. Clark who owned the hill upon which
his men had fought. There he afterwards died.
In the meantime Washington continued the
pursuit of the British towards Brunswick. He
desired to take that place and destroy the stores
there. That would make his victory complete.
1 40 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
But he remembered that his men were tired out.
The rear-guard of Cornwallis' army was but six
miles from Princeton when the battle opened and
must even now be nearing him in pursuit. They
would undoubtedly overtake him before he could
reach Brunswick, and he would have a battle on
his hands with greatly fatigued men. To destroy
the stores at -Brunswick, therefore, meant the pos-
sible, even probable, destruction of his own army.
He was as prudent as he was wise and brave ; and
he decided, therefore, to turn off towards the
heights in the neighbourhood of Morristown.
There he would be in a wooded and mountainous
country, where he could get abundant supplies.
He would be on the flank of the British and able
to harass them whenever and wherever he wished.
He turned aside at Kingston to the left, and
marched to Pluckamin, where he halted to give
his tired men a short rest. He had broken down
all the bridges behind him and was practically safe
for a time from pursuit.
CHAPTER XI
ARNOLD'S BATTLE ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN EURO-
PEAN VOLUNTEERS PROMOTIONS ARNOLD'S
DISAPPOINTMENT TRYON AT DANBURY
MEIGS AT SAG HARBOR
IMAGINE the surprise and consternation of my
Lord Cornwallis when he awoke on the morning
of that 3d of January to find Washington and
his army gone. For a time, while he nursed his
chagrin, his officers sought vainly to learn whither
Washington had fled. At length the booming of
cannon in the direction of Princeton told his as-
tonished and mortified lordship that not only had
Washington escaped him, but had completely out-
generalled him, and was making an attack on his
rear with the evident intention of destroying his
stores at Brunswick. In haste Cornwallis faced
his army about and set off for Princeton. He
reached the bridge over Stony Brook just in time
to see the Americans complete its destruction and
hurry away after their main body. Completely
angered, Cornwallis made his men wade the breast-
high icy stream and pushed on. But Washing-
ton had turned off to Pluckamin and Cornwallis,
with a sigh of relief, found his stores at Brunswick
141
1 42 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
safe. He no longer sneered at Washington's cau-
tion. He no longer called him a " fox that he
would surely bag." Indeed it was not long before
the whole of Europe was ringing with Washing-
ton's praises, and he was now called the " Ameri-
can Fabius."
Washington called Putnam from Philadelphia,
which was no longer in danger, and set him at
work watching Cornwallis. The latter went into
cantonments for the winter, and was in some ways
in a state of siege. He was not permitted a mo-
ment's rest by the sturdy Americans. He could
not send out a foraging party without its being
attacked, and, if not captured, at least roughly
handled. Meanwhile Washington sent Heath and
Lincoln to make a demonstration against New
York to worry the enemy. The whole situation
of affairs had indeed been changed by Washing-
ton's two brilliant strokes. The end of the cam-
paign was as brilliant as the remainder was unsatis-
factory. Washington himself now went into
winter quarters at Morristown.
We must now go back to the time Washington
first entered the Jerseys and take a short glance
at matters in the northern part of New York State.
Schuyler and Gates were then defending Lake
Champlain and Crown Point and Ticonderoga
from the British under Sir Guy Carleton. Gates
fitted out a flotilla of improvised fighting boats,
consisting of a sloop, three schooners and five
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 143
gondolas for service on the lake, and gave the
command of it to Arnold. On the British side
boats were brought from England in pieces and
put together at St. John's. Carleton and his offi-
cers were afraid that the war would end before
they had a chance to distinguish themselves. He
expected to capture Crown Point and Ticonder-
oga, later Albany (which would put all northern
New York at his mercy) and, eventually co-
operate with Howe.
Three months passed before his armament was
complete, however, and with each week that
slipped by his hopes for a successful campaign in
1776 languished. In October he was ready for
action on Lake Champlain, however, with a fleet
of between twenty and thirty ships. Arnold's
fleet, if such it can be called, was increased by a
sloop, three galleys and three gondolas. He had
a very inferior array to the British fleet, however ;
and, therefore, chose a favourable spot on one side
of Valcour Island at the head of the lake. The
British fleet sailed against him on the nth of Oc-
tober, but encountering head winds, were at a
disadvantage, especially with their larger boats,
for some time, and Arnold fought fiercely through-
out the day. He was beset from the shore, too,
by Carleton's Indian allies. He was at length
obliged to withdraw, and to escape had to pass
through the British fleet. They did not get far
away, however, as they had to stop to repair and
144 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
stop leaks when but ten miles away. The next
day adverse winds separated the fleet, the boats
which were most badly damaged being left be-
hind by the others. One of these was the boat
which carried Arnold himself. In their crippled
condition these had to be abandoned a few miles
from Crown Point. They made this place by
land, escaping an Indian ambush almost by acci-
dent, and the next day, setting fire to Crown
Point, made for Ticonderoga on that portion of
the fleet which had got safely away.
In the meantime Gates had been hard at work
strengthening the defences of Ticonderoga, and
Carleton, after holding Crown Point for a time,
eventually returned to St. John's and sent his
army into winter cantonments in Canada.
Washington found his encampment at Morris-
town, where he had at first expected to remain
but a short time an excellent place to watch the
British, and an equally good place to camp. More-
over, his position was naturally a strong one, and,
should he be attacked from it, there were several
lines of retreat into a country fertile and peopled
with friends. His troops, however, suffered
greatly from the ravages of the smallpox, which
in those days seems to have been the great camp
disease. While Howe and his officers were en-
joying themselves in New York, where they were
the lions of the Tory society, Washington was
busying himself with the welfare of his men. He
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 145
prohibited gaming (which was one of Howe's main
passions) and forbade his troops from making
depredations even on the Tory inhabitants of the
Jerseys. All this had a great and good effect on
the people of the state. They were highly in-
censed against both British and Hessians, and never
lost an opportunity to take revenge on the British
for their many deeds of cruelty.
For the main part of the winter Washington
had his hands full aiding Schuyler, who feared a
winter attack on Ticonderoga, which was now
held by Wayne with but a few hundred men, try-
ing to effect an exchange of prisoners with Howe,
and endeavouring to recruit his army, which kept
constantly dwindling from the expiration of en-
listments.
Schuyler was in trouble in every quarter, largely
due to the machinations of Gates, who wished to
command the northern army in the next campaign.
Schuyler gave offence to Congress and eventually
claimed his seat in it in order to insist on a court
of inquiry. He apologised to Congress for a dis-
respectful letter, and at length a court of inquiry
met and cleared him of all charges. Schuyler was
an able, patriotic man ; but he was full of puncti-
lio, insisted on implicit obedience, order and dis-
cipline ; and was not well fitted to get along with
the rough patriots who formed the greater part of
the American army.
By this time the war of the states for indepen-
10
146 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
dence had attracted many European soldiers to
this country. Some of these were mere soldiers of
fortune, who saw an opportunity to profit by their
profession of arms. Others were actual heroes
who came to fight for the cause of liberty. Con-
gress nearly made the mistake of appointing a
Frenchman by the name of Decoudray to the
command of all the artillery on the strength of an
agreement made with our representative at the
French court. This would have caused the imme-
diate resignation of General Knox, then in com-
mand, who was one of Washington's most trusted
officers. Congress did appoint one Colonel Con-
way a brigadier-general, and of him I shall tell
you more later. It was a mistake to appoint
him ; but Washington, who suffered most from
his future doings, shared in the mistake.
There was no mistake made with Thaddeus
Kosciuszko, however. He was a Pole of ancient
family who had been disappointed in a love affair
with a lady of rank. He came to Washington
with a letter of introduction and recommendation
from Franklin. He had been educated for the
profession of arms in his own country and in
France.
" What can you do ? " Washington asked him.
"Try me," answered Kosciuszko, simply.
The reply pleased Washington, and he imme-
diately took the young Pole into his military
family as an aide-de-camp. He became a distin-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 147
guished soldier not only in our own country but
his own.
Promotions made by Congress among our own
generals gave more trouble to Washington. Stir-
ling, Lincoln, Mifflin, Stephen and St. Clair were
promoted to the rank of major-general. At this
Arnold was deeply hurt and greatly incensed.
He ranked everyone of them as a brigadier-gen-
eral, he had fought and bled in the cause, and had
been the hero of many daring exploits in the war.
He wrote Washington saying he intended to
resign and asked for a court of inquiry. Wash-
ington tried to explain to him that Congress had
made the appointments on the ground that each
state was entitled to an equal number of major-
generals, the number at the time being two. Con-
necticut already having two major-generals, Arnold
had to be left out. " I confess," Washington
wrote to Arnold, " that this is a strange mode of
reasoning ; but it may serve to show you that the
promotion which was due to your seniority was
not overlooked for want of merit in you." But
this did not satisfy Arnold. He was wounded to
the quick, and would have resigned at once but
for the personal request of Washington that he
remain in the service if " his own feelings would
permit him to."
Strangely enough Arnold had an immediate
opportunity to distinguish himself again. Fate
dealt strangely with this man. Tryon, the late
i 4 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Governor of New York, had been commissioned
by the English a major-general of provincials,
which would correspond to a major-general of
volunteers in our own army to-day. With a
mixed force of Tories and regulars, he sailed down
the coast of Connecticut, landed at the mouth of
the Saugatuck River and pushed on to Danbury,
twenty-three miles in the interior, to destroy the
large deposit of military stores held there. Gen-
erals Silliman and brave old General Wooster im-
mediately aroused the neighbouring militia, and
notified Arnold, who was at New Haven on his
way to Philadelphia to settle his accounts with
Congress.
Always ready in a time of danger, Arnold for-
got for a time his injuries and rode in haste to the
neighbourhood of Danbury. It was the 26th of
March when Tryon reached the place after march-
ing all night. Wooster and Arnold brought their
followers (whom they had gathered as they went
along) to General Silliman, who had already raised
about five hundred men ; and the three concocted
a plan to punish the British on their retreat.
Wooster, nearly seventy years old, took command
and sent Arnold with four hundred men to Ridge-
field to intercept the retreat of the enemy, while
he with a few hundred more annoyed them from
the rear. Perhaps you will think, Boy, that a rear
attack upon an army would only hasten its retreat.
In effect the opposite is the result. The attacked
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 149
army's rear-guard has to halt and fight its pursuers,
and the main body must either halt or slow down
for fear of getting separated from its rear-guard by
too great a distance.
Early on the morning of the 2/th Tryon began
his retreat to his ships. He was immediately
attacked by Wooster with great spirit, and the
fighting was hot until the British force was within
a couple of miles of Ridgefield, when Wooster
was killed. As usual when a commanding officer
of a small force is killed the troops under him
retreated in disorder. The delay of the British
by the constant fighting had given Arnold an
opportunity to throw up fortifications, however.
Thus intrenched he with his four hundred men
held the British off until his intrenchments were
flanked, when he was compelled to retreat in turn.
Arnold remaining with his own rear-guard had a
horse shot under him, and his foot becoming en-
tangled in his stirrup, was nearly captured. He
managed to get away, though, after killing one of
the enemy who attempted to make him prisoner.
Tryon's forces were now tired out and he intrenched
himself in Ridgefield for the night.
The next day Tryon set forth again. But Colo-
nel Huntingdon, of the regular Continentals,
now brought the troops which had been driven
from Danbury and the remnants of Wooster's
men to attack him in rear. Arnold, too, rein-
forced by two companies of artillery with three
i 5 o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
guns, again placed himself in Tryon's front.
This time the British were in too much difficulty
to risk a fight with Arnold's little command ; and
when they came in sight of his position turned
aside. Arnold now flung himself on the enemy's
flank, and the latter were forced to entrench
themselves on a hill for the night. They were,
however, within cannon-shot of their ships. The
latter landed a large force of sailors and marines,
and with their help Tryon, although again hard
pressed, managed to embark. In the fighting
here Colonel Lamb of the artillery was wounded
and Arnold had another horse shot under him.
This ended the affair. Tryon had succeeded in
destroying a large and valuable amount of mili-
tary stores, including seventeen hundred tents
which had been prepared for the use of Washing-
ton's army in the coming campaign. For his
achievement in harassing the enemy to the
extent he did (which deterred them from attempt-
ing to repeat the exploit), Congress now made
Arnold a major-general and presented him with a
finely caparisoned horse. But even this did not
soothe Arnold's wounded feelings. He was still
junior in rank to the five generals who had been
promoted over him.
In retaliation for this destructive expedition,
Colonel Meigs, who had accompanied Arnold to
Quebec, made an attack on Sag Harbour at the
eastern end of Long Island, where the British
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 15 r
had large stores of grain, forage and other sup-
plies, and destroyed the depot, all the ships at
the wharves and all the supplies, besides captur-
ing the company of infantry stationed there to
protect them.
Arnold was now offered the general command
of the Hudson, which he declined, and the com-
mand was given to Putnam. Schuyler was put
in full command in upper New York, which made
Gates angry, though to no purpose, although it
made his New England friends in Congress all the
more keen in his behalf and all the more bitter
towards Schuyler.
Toward the end of May, 1777, Washington
moved from his winter cantonments at Morris-
town to Middlebrook, where he was within ten
miles of the British forces at Brunswick. He
now had. bet ween seven and eight thousand men
in forty-three regiments. From this we see that
a regiment was a very small affair indeed, being
composed on the average of less than two hun-
dred men. These were divided into ten brigades
commanded by Brigadier-generals Muhlenberg,
Weedon, Woodford, Scott, Smallwood, Deborre,
Wayne, Dehaas, Conway and Maxwell. The
brigades were divided into five divisions which
were commanded by Major-generals Greene,
Stephen, Sullivan, Lincoln and Stirling. At the
end of May Lord Howe's fleet put to sea in a
manner that bewildered Washington, who could
i 5 2 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
irot tell where it intended to strike, and more
foreign hirelings arrived in New York to reinforce
the British. Sir William Howe with the army
moved out of Brunswick and fortified himself
along the bank of the Raritan opposite Wash-
ington. It began to look as though the fleet
under Lord Howe had Philadelphia, where
Arnold had been induced to command, for its
objective.
No doubt Sir William Howe wished to march
on Philadelphia also, but he dared not make the
movement and the dangerous crossing of the
Delaware with Washington's energetic army
hanging on his flank and rear. Washington knew
he would not dare to move without first striking
a blow at him, so both armies waited in their
strong positions tempting the other to attack.
Washington's patience was greater than . Howe's,
however, and the latter soon abandoned his
position.
CHAPTER XII
HOWE LEAVES THE JERSEYS MURDER OF MISS
MCCREA SIEGE OF FORT STANWIX BATTLE
OF ORISKANY BATTLE OF BENNINGTON
AFTER marching, countermarching and skir-
mishing for a time, with the hope of drawing
Washington from his strong position, Howe
finally gave up the attempt, and crossed to Staten
Island. The Jerseys were now abandoned by
the British, who the year before supposed they
had completely conquered them. There was now
a great stir in New York, and among the trans-
ports anchored there. What did this mean ?
Where was Sir William Howe going? Where
had Lord Howe gone ? Such were the questions
that perplexed Washington. On top of them
came still another perplexity. General Stirling,
who was now in command at Ticonderoga, re-
ported that a force of British with a powerful
contingent of Indian allies had appeared on Lake
Champlain. What did this mean ? Did Burgoyne
intend to break through to New York with aid
from Howe ? Such was the case, though Wash-
ington did not know it. Such was the plan
'S3
i 5 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
formed in England. By a singularly careless mis-
take, however, the English government had given
Burgoyne orders to move south to meet Howe,
but had neglected to give Howe orders to move
north to co-operate with Burgoyne. Conse-
quently the latter thought Burgoyne powerful
enough to get through without aid, and did not
co-operate with him. So Washington waited at
Morristown to learn in which direction it was
more important to march with his troops, north
against Burgoyne or south to defend Philadelphia.
In the meantime he let the Jersey militia go out
to attend to their crops. About this time Alex-
ander Hamilton became an aide on Washington's
staff.
We will now leave Washington for a while and
follow the fortunes of the Americans in northern
New York. Sir Guy Carleton remained in Can-
ada, where his services were necessary as Gov-
ernor. But General Burgoyne, with a splendidly
equipped force of about eight thousand men, was
advancing in triumph by the route Carleton had
tried the year before. In Burgoyne's army were
Generals Phillips, Fraser, Powell and Hamilton
and the Brunswicker, Major-General Riedesel.
Phillips, a man of great reputation, had command
of the artillery, which was said to be the finest
train of that arm ever given an army of the size
of Burgoyne's. They were brass pieces such as
we used ourselves even as late as the Civil War.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 1 55
As Burgoyne advanced by the old route, Colo-
nel St. Leger advanced further west to make a
demonstration on the Mohawk River. Both com-
mands had a number of Indian allies, some from
Canada, who had become debased rather than
civilised by their contact with the whites ; others
the wild tribes of western New York.
On the i6th of June Burgoyne began his march
from St. John's with a baggage train altogether
too heavy for the work he had before him, making
the same mistake in this respect that Braddock
did in an earlier war. Schuyler and St. Clair hur-
riedly added to the fortifications of Ticonderoga,
and awaited Burgoyne's appearance. To oppose
Burgoyne, General St. Clair, who was in command
of the fort, had but three thousand five hundred
men, though Washington had been informed and
believed he had more. Many of these men were
militia and all were poorly equipped. It was sup-
posed by Washington that St. Clair had a force
sufficient to hold the strong fortifications at Ticon-
deroga and its complementary, Fort Indepen-
dence. Never was man more astonished than he,
therefore, to learn, on the 7th of July, that St.
Clair had abandoned the fort.
For two weeks little was heard of St. Clair.
Matters were soon explained. St. Clair had failed
to seize a hill, which commanded his fortifications,
and had been forced to evacuate his strong posi-
tion. Not only that, but he had been pursued so
156 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
vigilantly that his army had suffered very greatly.
His loss in artillery, ammunition, provisions and
stores was immense. The English were trium-
phant, but they had rested at Skenesborough,
where they remained for several weeks. In the
meantime, the Tories began flocking to his army,
as they did also to the column under St. Leger.
Schuyler did everything possible to block Bur-
goyne's way and retard him. Every bridge was
broken down or burnt, and great trees were felled
across the roads. It was not until the end of July,
therefore, that Burgoyne reached Fort Anne.
There were other troubles for Burgoyne, too.
He was a man of high honour and disliked to make
use of the Indians against his own race. He held
them in as much check as possible, which dissat-
isfied them. They were intent on plunder and
cold-blooded murder whenever chance favoured
them. He appealed to the " wild honour" of the
red men, but an unfortunate affair soon warned
him of the nature of that " wild honour."
In one of his divisions there was a young lieu-
tenant by the name of David Jones. He was en-
gaged to a beautiful girl by the name of Jane
McCrea. Miss McCrea's family were Whigs,
while Jones was a Tory, but the attachment be-
tween the lovers did not cease on that account.
As Burgoyne advanced, Jones, now a volunteer
officer in the British army, reached his old neigh-
bourhood. Miss McCrea, being on a visit at Fort
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 157
Edward, to a Royalist family, determined to re-
main and see him in spite of the remonstrance
of her brother, who wished her to accompany him
to Albany. Eventually her brother sent her a
peremptory order to join him. She reluctantly
arranged to obey him. While making these ar-
rangements a marauding party of Indians, sent out
by Burgoyne, captured her and the friend she was
visiting. She made the mistake of offering them
a large reward to take her safely into the British
lines. The Indians quarrelled about the reward,
and one of them, to settle the matter beyond
further dispute, killed the poor cause of the
quarrel. This horrified Burgoyne, who insisted
that the murderer be given up by the Indians for
punishment. He proved to be a chief, and the
Indians declined. Jones resigned his commission
and lived the remainder of his life a broken-hearted
recluse. Burgoyne took further steps to discipline
his savages, which made them still angrier, and
they soon deserted him in large numbers. But
there was even a more serious consequence to
Burgoyne. The murder of Miss McCrea brought
down upon Burgoyne the hatred of everyone in
the land, and the militia flocked to the American
standard to oppose Burgoyne and revenge her
death. This standard, Boy, was now the stars and
stripes you worship to-day. Then it was but a
few weeks old. Congress had adopted it on the
I4th of the preceding June.
i 5 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Burgoyne now advanced to Fort Edward, which
Schuyler had been compelled to evacuate, while
the latter retreated to Saratoga or Stillwater,
where he was joined by Lincoln with reinforce-
ments.
In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had come
down from Canada by Oswego, and was now in-
vesting Fort Stanwix, with his combined com-
mand of Indians and British. This fort was situ-
ated at the head of navigation on the right bank
of the Mohawk River. It had been used in the
French and Indian wars and was originally a place
of great strength. Now it had fallen into poor
repair. It was defended by Colonel Gansevoort,
a New-Yorker of Dutch descent, with about eight
hundred Continentals. Gansevoort sent to Schuy-
ler for help, and Schuyler despatched General
Herkimer to the assistance of the garrison.
THE BATTLE OF ORISKANY.
Herkimer sent scouts into the fort on August
5th, with instructions for Gansevoort to fire three
signal guns when he was ready to co-operate.
The scouts were delayed, having to make their
way through a marsh, and it was late in the day
when he received the information that Herkimer
was near. In the meantime, Herkimer had been
waiting for the signal guns. Unfortunately he
had a brother and other relatives in the ranks of
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 159
the enemy, and was himself suspected of being a
Royalist which he by no means was. Two of his
colonels charged him with being such, however,
and with purposely delaying to give the enemy an
opportunity to prepare for him. They also called
him a coward. Stung by these reproaches, Her-
kimer at last gave the order to move forward be-
fore hearing the guns from the fort. There was
a good deal of bad feeling in the command, and
Herkimer neglected to send out a scouting party
ahead. They were almost across a causeway of
logs across a marshy ravine, with their main divi-
sion, when they were attacked from ambush by
the British and their allies. The whites attacked
them in front while the Indians fought from either
side. Herkimer's rear-guard abandoned him the
moment the fight began. But the Indians failed
to obey orders and charged after one simultaneous
volley. This gave the Americans a chance. They
were accustomed to Indian warfare, and they
dropped behind logs and trees and fought the
savages off. Early in the action, Herkimer was
wounded in the leg ; but he had himself placed
against a tree, and, smoking his pipe, continued
to direct the fight.
The British now charged with the bayonet, but
the Americans proved themselves equal to this
emergency also. They formed in circles back to
back and drove the British regulars off. Against
the Indians they fought in pairs behind trees.
160 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
One would fire and the other remain with his gun
loaded while his comrade reloaded, then he would
fire in turn. Otherwise the Indians would have
rushed up after the discharge of a gun and have
killed the soldier who fired it. At length, the
Indians having suffered severely from the Amer-
ican fire, they suddenly flew from the field loudly
crying " Oonah ! " their retreating cry. The gar-
rison of the fort now took a hand in the fight,
and the alarmed British withdrew to their camp
to defend it. Unfortunately the Americans under
Herkimer were too much demoralised to push on
to the fort. They made litters out of branches
of trees, therefore, and putting the wounded
upon them returned to Oriskany. Both parties
claimed the victory. Herkimer, himself, died
from his wounds nine days after the battle, calmly
smoking his pipe and reading his Bible to the
last. In the meantime the sortie of the garrison
had been very successful. They drove the enemy
from their camps and sacked them, seized what
they wanted, destroyed the remainder and re-
treated successfully back into the fort.
St. Leger again demanded the surrender of
the garrison, and tried to influence Ganse-
voort by fear and persuasion, without success.
Schuyler now sent Arnold with another force to
the relief of Fort Stanwix. Arnold sent a mes-
sage to Gansevoort urging to hold out and assur-
ing the latter that he " knew the strength of the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 161
enemy and how to deal with them." He did.
He sent an emissary to the British and Indian
camp in the person of a half-witted boy named
Yan Yost Cuyler, who was well known as a Tory
sympathiser. He made the latter promise to
give the information to the enemy that Arnold's
force was vastly superior to what it really was,
threatening the young man if he failed to accom-
plish the purpose of his errand, and holding his
brother as security for the performance of it.
Cuyler did his disagreeable errand well. When
asked by the Indians how many men Arnold had,
he replied, silently but eloquently, by pointing to
the leaves of a tree. That settled matters so far
as the Indians were concerned. They demanded
an immediate retreat and St. Leger was forced to
comply. The Indians had more than one bird
to kill with this demand of theirs, however. They
had plenty of opportunity to plunder St. Leger's
men as they retreated, and they did so constantly.
So the expedition against Fort Stanwix was a
very unfortunate one for the British after all.
Burgoyne now found himself in difficulty for
want of means of conveyance for his heavy bag-
gage. After leaving his boats he required other
means of transportation. Horses and waggons
were necessary, and to obtain these he sent an
expedition consisting mostly of Hessians into the
horse-raising district of Vermont, in the neigh-
bourhood of Bennington. Burgoyne had been
ii
162 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
assured that he would find the country full of
Tories and well disposed towards him. In this
he was greatly mistaken. General Lincoln had
been sent by Washington to arouse the Green
Mountain boys to go to the aid of Schuyler.
Schuyler himself, still in trouble with Con-
gress, determined to remain at his post in this
time of danger, even if relieved (though as yet
his successor had not been appointed) and do
all in his power for the defence of the country.
He now sent to Stark and made a personal appeal
to him to come with his militia to the defence of
the common country. That obstinate old hero,
however, declined to do so, just as he had previ-
ously declined Lincoln's similar request. He
had resigned his commission in the regular army
because he had not been promoted. Stark would,
however, command the militia if the enemy in-
vaded Vermont. That gave him the command of
the American forces at the battle of Bennington.
THE BATTLE OF BENNINGTON.
Lieutenant-Colonel Baum marched against Ben-
nington with about five hundred men and two pieces
of cannon. He had a mixed force of British, Cana-
dians, Hessians and Indians. He set out on the
1 3th of August, but moved too slowly to take
Bennington by surprise. Before he reached that
point, Stark had gathered together about nine
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 163
hundred militia to oppose him. Nor did Stark
wait at Bennington, but immediately pushed forth
an advance force under Captain Gregg and fol-
lowed on himself. Gregg had a sharp encounter
with Baum's advance, and Stark met him retreat-
ing, whereupon Stark drew up his force in line of
battle. All day on the I5th of August there
was a heavy fall of rain, which prevented Stark
from attacking Baum. There was continual
skirmishing, however. What was of more im-
portance Stark was reinforced by other detach-
ments of militia. Among the latter was a de-
tachment from Berkshire. They had often turned
out, at various alarms, before ; but they had
never had a chance to fight the enemy. With
them was a fighting parson by the name of Allen,
who is supposed to have been a relative of Ethan
Allen. He visited Stark that night and warned
him that if he did not give the Berkshire men a
chance to fight now they would never turn out
again.
" What," said Stark, greatly amused, " you
would not have me turn out and fight now while
it is dark and raining, would you ? "
" Not just now," answered the fighting parson,
doubtfully.
"Well," said Stark, "if the Lord should once
more give us sunshine and I don't give you
enough fighting, I'll never ask you to turn out
again."
164 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
The next day Stark made ready to attack
Baum, though he had no artillery and the latter
had taken the opportunity of the delay to erect
intrenchments. He sent three hundred of his
men under Colonel Herrick around Baum's right
flank and two hundred under Colonel Nichols
around the left. When the Tories with Baum
saw these men approaching, apparently from the
rear, they persuaded the latter that they were
Tories coming to his aid. The Indians were the
first to discover the mistake (a British expedition
at this time would not have been correct without
its accompaniment of savages). " The woods
are full of Yankees," they cried and promptly
retreated, yelling wildly. The two detachments
came into action. The moment Stark heard the
firing, he began the charge in front.
" There are the redcoats, my boys," he shouted,
pointing to Baum's intrenchments. " Before night
they are ours, or Molly Stark's a widow."
Baum fought desperately though almost sur-
rounded. For two hours the battle raged. The
American militia had never seen cannon before,
but they charged right up to their muzzles, kill-
ing the gunners as they attempted a last volley.
The Tories and Canadians ran, but Baum fought
till his last cartridge was gone, and after fighting
his dragoons ineffectually with the sword at last
surrendered. Stark had promised his men the
booty of the camp, and they promptly separated
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 165
to plunder. While they were dispersed Breyman,
who had been sent after Baum by Burgoyne with
a reinforcement, arrived on the scene. The
battle so splendidly won would now have been
lost. At this critical juncture, however, Colonel
Seth Warner brought fresh troops on the field
from Bennington, and the remainder of the army
rallied around them. Breyman, like Baum, was
soundly whipped in his turn, and compelled to
retreat from hill to hill until darkness fell and
brought the combat to a close. Another hour of
daylight would have enabled Stark to capture the
whole force. As it was, he captured four brass
field-pieces, a thousand guns and about six hun-
dred prisoners. His splendid victory probably
saved him from being court-martialled for his
refusal to obey Schuyler and aid in the defence
against Burgoyne.
CHAPTER XIII
THE TWO BATTLES OF BEMIS* HEIGHTS SUR-
RENDER OF BURGOYNE FIRST BATTLE OF
BEMIS HEIGHTS
BURGOYNE was now in a perilous position.
He found himself daily threatened with a
greater and ever-gathering force of Americans.
The failure of St. Leger and the loss at Benning-
ton gave him an idea of what was before him.
Nor did there seem to be any indication of an
attempt to aid him from New York. He thought
of retreat, but hoped to push his way through
to Albany and remain there until help could
reach him.
Gates, in the meantime, had been put in com-
mand of the American army, superseding Schuy-
ler just as the latter had made all arrangements
successfully to oppose the British commander
with an army now consisting of about ten thou-
sand men, among them Morgan and his riflemen.
Having ousted Schuyler, Gates now turned his
jealousy towards Arnold, and they soon quarrelled.
Burgoyne chose moving forward and fighting as
the lesser of the two evils of doing that or retreat-
166
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 167
ing. Arnold and Kosciuszko therefore picked out
a battle-field for Gates on Bemis Heights. On
the 1 3th and I4th of September Burgoyne neared
the position. He was obliged to move slowly, as
he had everywhere to repair roads and bridges.
Arnold, at the head of about fifteen hundred
skirmishers, kept constantly attacking and de-
laying the working parties of the British. On the
1 8th Burgoyne encamped on a range of hills
about two miles from Gates' position. On the
morning of the igth he advanced to attack.
Burgoyne's plan was to turn the American left
with the greater part of his force led by himself
in person. The Canadians and Indians were to
attack the centre, while the left wing of his army,
under Generals Phillips and Riedesel, were to
attack the right.
Arnold soon discovered the movement of the
British upon the American left and sent frequent
reports of the fact to Gates, who remained quietly
and complacently in his tent. At length Gates
gave him permission to oppose the movement.
Arnold sent Morgan and Dearborn in that direc-
tion.
For a time these troops drove the advance
of the enemy, but becoming scattered in the
thickly-wooded country were in turn driven back
when the right of the enemy was reinforced.
Arnold now took a hand himself with other
American detachments. He could not force
168 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Fraser's position, however, and sent to Gates for
reinforcements. These the latter declined to
give. Arnold now made a detour and fell upon
Fraser's extreme right in an attempt to flank
him. He was soon engaged with the entire
British right wing. This he nearly broke. But
Burgoyne weakened his left and sent part of the
troops of both Phillips and Reidesel to its assist-
ance. Gates now sent reinforcements to Arnold,
and the latter fought under cover of the woods
and intrenchments until nightfall. When either
side advanced it was driven back with loss, and
the result was about equal. The British officers
acknowledged that it was the hardest fought
battle they had ever seen. The British remained
in their position on the field. But from assailants
they had become assailed, and though they had
repulsed the American assault the victory was in
doubt. Arnold was very indignant at Gates for
not sending him reinforcements promptly and in
sufficient numbers. He claimed that if they had
been sent he would have been able to sever the
British line. He was still further angered when
Gates declined to let him renew the fight on the
following morning. Gates subsequently excused
hinself from not sending reinforcements, on the
ground that to have done so would have been to
expose his own right, and from not following up
the victory that Arnold claimed, on account of
a lack of powder and ball, known only to himself.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 169
Burgoyne now intrenched himself and erected
batteries. Gates did likewise, on his left, his right
being unassailable. The effect of the fighting of
Morgan's riflemen was such that the Indians now
left Burgoyne almost totally. The Canadians and
provincials also began 'to leave him in large num-
bers. He was discouraged also by the news that
General Lincoln had fallen upon Ticonderoga, had
captured it and taken three hundred prisoners,
had liberated one hundred American prisoners
and was laying siege to Mount Independence.
Gates' jealousy of Arnold was now heightened
by finding that the whole credit of the first Battle
of Bemis Heights was given by one accord to
Arnold, and in his despatches he did not even
mention Arnold's name. Arnold called on Gates
to remonstrate. Gates, in great anger, told Arnold
that he had given him no command ; as he under-
stood Arnold had resigned his commission. He
also said that as General Lincoln was shortly ex-
pected to be with the army he would have no
further use for Arnold and would give him a pass
to go to Philadelphia whenever he wished to,
leaving a force to besiege Mount Independence.
In a few days Lincoln did arrive ; but Arnold
still insisted on his right to command the left and
told Lincoln that he belonged on the right when
the latter gave some orders to the men of the left.
Lincoln and other officers thought for a time of
trying to effect a reconciliation between Gates and
1 70 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Arnold ; but the idea was abandoned for fear of
giving offence to Gates.
In the meantime the Americans were continu-
ally harassing Burgoyne. From the 2Oth of Sep-
tember until the /th of October, the armies were
so near to each other that not a night passed
without an attack on the British outposts. Bur-
goyne still kept up hope, however, that Clinton
would come to his rescue from New York. And,
as a matter of fact, Clinton had advanced as far
north as the Highlands of the Hudson. In the
meantime Arnold and the army were impatient
for action. Arnold even wrote Gates upon the
subject. But the latter was shrewd, and his
shrewdness won him about all the credit he really
deserves in this campaign against Burgoyne. He
saw how desperate the situation of Burgoyne was
and knew that every day made it worse. Every day
of delay, too, made Gates' own position better.
THE 'SECOND BATTLE OF BEMIS HEIGHTS.
On the 7th of October Burgoyne determined to
make what to-day we would call an armed recon-
naissance in force. He moved out of his camp on
the right with fifteen hundred of his best troops,
led by himself, Phillips and Eraser, to see if he
could force a passage should he wish to advance,
or dislodge the American left should he have to
retreat. He hoped by the movement to give his
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 171
army an opportunity to forage also. Gates was
soon apprised of the movement of the British
and at once ordered all his officers to their alarm
posts. He sent his aide, Wilkinson, to observe
the movements of the enemy. The latter, return-
ing, told him that the front of the enemy was
exposed, and that their flanks rested on woods
from which they might easily be attacked. Gates
immediately ordered Morgan out to begin such
an attack. Morgan went to the enemy's right.
General Poor was at the same time to attack the
left. Burgoyne had scarcely put his men in battle
array when he was astonished to find himself
assailed on both flanks. The fight at once became
serious. Poor advanced rapidly up an ascent
against Ackland's grenadiers and Williams' artil-
lery. The guns were taken and retaken. The Hes-
sians afterwards said they never before saw artillery
charged with such utter recklessness. Finally
Poor captured the artillery and turned the guns
upon their owners. Ackland was wounded, and
both he and Williams were captured.
Arnold was in his tent, but the sight of the battle
was too much for him. He sprang on his horse
and dashed off to the field, where he led Learned's
brigade in a headlong charge against the Hessians
in the centre. Gates sent an aide to call him
back, but the aide was too slow to catch the ex-
cited Arnold. By repeated charges Arnold broke
the enemy's ranks. In the meantime Morgan was
1 72 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
harassing the right of the enemy with an incessant
fire. Here General Fraser opposed the American
attack for some time with success. He was con-
spicuous on an iron-grey horse, and he was wear-
ing a field officer's brilliant uniform. Morgan
singled him out for death because his death
seemed necessary. Some of Morgan's best shots,
therefore, were detailed to bring the general down.
Their first shot cut the crupper of his horse ; the
second shot grazed his mane ; the third hit the
general himself, mortally wounding him. This
threw his corps into confusion, and the confusion
was heightened by the appearance of reinforce-
ments for the American left led by General Ten
Broeck. Burgoyne now had to stir himself to
save his camp. He abandoned his artillery and
retreated undercover of the troops under Phillips
and Riedesel.
Having driven Burgoyne into his camp, the
Americans stormed it. They were led by Arnold,
who was by this time in a fighting frenzy. They
were unsuccessful in the right centre. Arnold,
however, joined Colonel Brooks with the latter's
Massachusetts regiment in an attack on the por-
tion of the camp occupied by the German reserve
and captured it, the Germans retreating and leav-
ing Breyman, their commander, mortally wounded
on the field. Arnold, too, had a horse killed under
him and was again wounded in the leg which had
received a wound in the attack upon Quebec.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 173
Night fell, but there was no doubt on this oc-
casion that the Americans had won the victory.
They had driven Burgoyne from the field and part
of his army from its fortifications. They had
killed and wounded a great many of the British
and their allies and captured their field artillery.
Moreover, the part of the camp they had taken
exposed the right and rear of the British army.
The Americans lay on their arms that night ex-
pecting to renew the attack in the morning.
During the night Burgoyne abandoned his camp
and took position on ground more favourable for
defence en the height about a mile away. It was
a sorry night for him. Supposing that the cam-
paign would be an easy one, a number of ladies,
wives of various officers, had accompanied the ex-
pedition. They had even brought along some of
their children. Among these ladies were the
Baroness De Riedesel and Lady Ackland. Gen-
eral Fraser died in the house occupied by the for-
mer, and the husband of the latter was wounded
in both legs and captured.
In the morning the Americans took possession
of the camp which Burgoyne had abandoned, and
they kept up a long range fire throughout the day.
Gates did not think it necessary or wise to make
an attack on Burgoyne, whose soldiers might now
be expected to fight even more desperately. He
contented himself with making dispositions to in-
sure the eventual surrender of the British, which
i 7 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
he now knew must come in time. During the
skirmishing, however, General Lincoln was slightly
wounded.
Burgoyne saw that an immediate retreat was
necessary, but he delayed to attend the funeral of
General Fraser, whose dying request was that he
should be buried in a redoubt he had erected at
six o'clock in the evening. When the funeral
procession filed off to the burial, the Americans
could see it but indistinctly. For a time, there-
fore, they fired upon it with artillery. Later,
hearing of the real nature of the affair, they
ceased and for the rest of the ceremony fired
minute-guns in honour of the dead Briton. That
night Burgoyne retreated again, abandoning his
hospital tents, with their sick and wounded, and
many of his stores. A terrific storm burst upon
the army while it was retreating, and the feelings
of the defeated Burgoyne may be imagined better
than they can be described. During the night
Lady Ackland bravely went to the American
camp to the assistance of her wounded husband.
To her surprise, she was treated with every civility
and kindness and soon had reason to change her
preconceived opinions of the American army and
its officers.
Burgoyne retreated to Saratoga, which he
reached the next evening. But a detachment of
the American army was already there and had
thrown up intrenchments to intercept him. On
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 175
the loth Burgoyne crossed the Hudson and took
position in intrenchments and redoubts which had
been constructed some time before. To delay
the American advance and screen his troops, he
ordered a large number of houses to be burned,
among them the country house, granary and
stables belonging to General Schuyler.
Burgoyne now decided to abandon all his artil-
lery and heavy impedimenta, let his troops carry
their provisions upon their backs and make a
desperate dash for safety. But he had no sooner
decided upon the plan than he made the discovery
that Gates was now in his rear in great force. As a
matter of fact, the American army was being in-
creased every day by constant arrivals of militia.
He gave up the attempt, therefore, and fortified
himself in the hope that Sir Henry Clinton would
yet come to his aid from New York. His camp
was constantly under fire and his men continually
under arms, however, and his provisions were
running short. The Canadians and Royalist
Americans promptly deserted him now, and so did
the last of his Indian allies. On the i/th of
October, therefore, he surrendered. His army
was reduced to about six thousand men. Gates
had at this time about double the number. By
the conditions of the surrender the British troops
were to be sent to England on condition that
they would not again serve in the war. The
officers were paroled, and all private property was
176 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
secured to both officers and men. By the capitu-
lation the American army gained possession of
the entire train of artillery that had been such a
pride to the British army, seven thousand stands of
arms, tents, clothing and military stores of all
kinds. The victors received the vanquished with
great good feeling, and honours were showered
upon the officers. It is something to be proud
of, Boy. that American soldiers, when victors,
have never taunted or insulted their captives. It
has been true of them in all their wars.
The Baroness de Riedesel with her children was
entertained by the polite and fastidious Schuyler,
whose wife also entertained her at Albany. Gen-
eral Burgoyne was also entertained at Albany by
Mrs. Schuyler during his entire stay there, twenty
covers being laid for himself and his friends.
Such was Schuyler's return for Burgoyne's des-
picable act in burning Schuyler's country estate.
Thus ended Burgoyne's famous invasion of
America from the Canadas. The fruits of the
victory which Schuyler had prepared for and
Arnold had fought for had been gathered by
Gates, a vain, scheming, selfish man, who was
soon spoiled completely by the honours which
were showered upon him.
CHAPTER XIV
CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT THE MOVE-
MENTS OF GENERAL HOWE BATTLE OF THE
BRAND YWINE
WHILE Burgoyne was making his at first vic-
torious sweep from the north through upper New
York, Colonel Barton with some Rhode Island
militia performed one of those remarkable feats in
a small way that did so much throughout the
entire Revolution to keep the Americans in heart
after their many reverses. He learned that Gen-
eral Prescott, who had command of the British
forces in that state, was quartered at a country-
house about four miles from Newport, carelessly
guarded and unsuspicious of any possible danger.
With forty men he pulled from Warwick Neck
through the ships of war and guard-boats from
the mainland to the island, landed quietly, eluded
the guard stationed at the house, and captured
Prescott in bed. He also captured his aide-de-
camp, who made an effort to escape by leaping
from a window. Equally successful in eludiflg the
guards on land and guard-boats in the bay on his
way back, he returned to the mainland with his pris-
oners in safety. This gave Washington an officer
12 177
i 7 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
of equal rank to exchange for General Lee.
Barton was voted a sword by Congress, and he
was made a colonel in the regular army.
General Howe, having been anxiously watched
by Washington from his encampment at Morris-
town all the spring, sailed with his army from the
port of New York on the 23d of July. Howe
took with him thirty-six battalions of British and
Hessian troops, a powerful train of artillery, a
regiment of light horse and a corps of royalists
called the Queen's Rangers. In all he had about
seventeen thousand men. He left the command
in New York to Sir Henry Clinton, and with him
seventeen battalions of infantry and another regi-
ment of light horse. The destination of Howe
was for a long time a matter of conjecture. Wash-
ington believed, from intelligence that he obtained,
that he would make for Philadelphia. At the
same time he could not understand why the Brit-
ish general should fail to co-operate with Bur-
goyne and aid the latter in his invasion of New
York. He therefore moved his army at once
toward the Delaware and ordered Sullivan and
Stirling from Peekskill to the south to reinforce
him. Sullivan, however, was later ordered to halt
at Morristown to be able to march either south to
Washington's assistance or back to defend the
Highlands should the latter be attacked. On the
3 1st of July Washington learned definitely that
the British fleet of nearly two hundred and thirty
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 179
sail had arrived at the Delaware capes, and he
knew at last for certain that Howe's object was
Philadelphia. He at once moved to Germantown,
a few miles from Philadelphia, and ordered Put-
nam to hurry on the reinforcements and notify
Schuyler and the commanders in the Eastern
States that they need not fear Howe, but might
turn all their energies to Burgoyne.
It was at this time that Congress gave Gates
the command of the northern army over Schuyler,
who had been severely criticised by his enemies
for St. Glair's failure successfully to defend Ticon-
deroga. At the same time the ever blundering
Congress divided the general commissariat into
two departments, one for purchase and the other
for distribution. This offended Colonel Trumbull,
who had been the commissary-general, and caused
his immediate resignation. The ultimate effect
of the change was to cause endless confusion in
this absolutely necessary branch of the service
a confusion that several times threatened the most
serious consequences. While Washington was at
Germantown he was frequently in Philadelphia on
public business and there met the young Marquis
de Lafayette, who had come over from France to
fight for American liberty. This famous French-
man, who was then but twenty-three years of age,
had left his noble young bride to share the hard
fortunes of the patriots who were struggling for
liberty. He offered to serve as a volunteer and at
i8o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
his own expense. Congress gave him the rank of
major-general, but did not give any command.
Lafayette and Washington at once became friends,
and their lifelong friendship was one of the most
beautiful in the history of great men. La-
fayette, being without a command, was made a
member of Washington's immediate military
family. At the same time that Lafayette came
from France, a number of other French, German
and Polish officers arrived to join the American
cause, and among these was the celebrated De
Kalb. The presence of these officers was of
course welcome, but they were a cause of great
trouble ; as they expected high office, and to ap-
point them to such would offend the Americans,
who deserved all the promotion they could get,
and who did not like to see these foreigners pro-
moted over them.
The militia of Pennsylvania, Delaware and the
northern parts of Virginia were now ordered to
reinforce Washington. Most of them rendez-
voused at Chester and were temporarily put under
the command of Wayne. Then Washington
moved on to Wilmington at the junction of the
Brandywine River and Christiana Creek. On his
way he had the army march through Philadelphia
itself, down Broad Street and up Chestnut, to give
the inhabitants an idea of his strength. There
were many Tories in the city and he wished to
impress them with the number of his men, and to
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 181
give heart to the patriots in the city. Though
poorly clad, the army did make a fine impression.
No one in Philadelphia had ever seen anything so
imposing before. In order to make them look to
a certain extent uniform, however, Washington
had to resort to the expedient of having the men
wear sprigs of green in their hats.
Late in August the British army landed from
the fleet in Elk River, at the northern extremity
of Chesapeake Bay. They landed near what
is now Elkton, about seventy miles from their
objective, Philadelphia. They were ten miles
further from that city than they were when they
were at Brunswick in New Jersey, and the country
in which they had to operate was heavily wooded
and cut by deep streams. But it was filled with
Tories, and that is why Howe chose it for the
scene of the campaign rather than the country he
had operated in the previous year.
Washington immediately made preparations to
check the movements of the British, move stores
from the vicinity where they were landing, and
especially to move or destroy waggons, horses and
cattle, of which the enemy stood in pressing need.
The divisions of Generals Greene and Stephen
were thrown forward behind White Clay Creek to
dispute the advance of the British, and the other
divisions which had been refreshing at Chester
were hurried on. General Rodney with the Del-
aware militia was ordered to watch and harass the
182 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
enemy, as were the light troops of horse. General
Smallwood and Colonel Gist were gathering the
Maryland militia in the rear of Howe, and Wash-
ington gave Smallwood Rodney's Delaware militia
as well. To replace Rodney he formed a corps of
light troops composed of one hundred picked men
from each" brigade and gave the command to Gen-
eral Maxwell. Sullivan now arrived very oppor-
tunely from the north with three thousand men.
The foreign officers now began to aid the Amer-
ican cause by their actual services. General De-
borre commanded a brigade in Sullivan's division
and Conway one in Stirling's. Fleury was with the
engineers, and the famous Pulaski took command
of the cavalry, which was for the first time be-
coming an important part of the army. Lafayette
as I have told you was with Washington. Light
Horse Harry Lee of Virginia, then twenty-two
years old, now began the series of exploits that
made him famous by capturing twenty-four of the
enemy on the 3Oth of August. Lee was the son
of another lady whom Washington had courted
unsuccessfully before he married the widow who
was now Mrs. Washington. And by the way,
Boy, see if you can find out the name of Mrs.
Washington when she was a maiden. When you
have found it you will know something that not
one person in a hundred knows. She is almost
always referred to by the name of her first hus-
band. But this mother of " Light Horse Harry"
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 183
must have made a deep impression on the heart of
Washington, for he used to make rhymes to her
and called her his " lowland beauty." For some
strange reason neither Napoleon nor Washington
was a successful love-maker, and neither of them
founded a family in direct line. In fact the great
lady-killer of the American army was Aaron Burr,
who is despised by almost all Americans in a less
degree than Arnold only.
Washington had made up his mind now to risk
a general engagement with the British army, a
regular pitched battle. His command was as
large as, if not larger than, that of Howe. To be
sure it was composed of less disciplined troops,
many of them militia ; but they had had some ex-
perience in the many minor engagements they
had fought in the preceding two years, and most
of their officers were known to be able and brave.
It would not do to let Philadelphia fall without a
fight; Congress expected it and the public de-
manded it. Even Europe expected a battle, and
it was important to fight one and win if possible ;
as the French were on the point of making an al-
liance with America against their inveterate foes
the English.
THE BATTLE OF THE BRANDYWINE.
The main body of the American army was now
encamped on the east side of Red Clay Creek.
The light infantry were in advance at White Clay
i8 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Creek, having been driven in about three miles
after a severe skirmish on the 3d of September.
On the 8th the British advanced in two columns,
one against the American front, and the other
(the British left) moving up the west side of the
creek toward Milltown. Washington immediately
suspected that Howe's intention was to get around
his right and rear by crossing the Brandy wine and
getting between Washington and Philadelphia.
He made a night march, therefore, and on the even-
ing of the 9th was encamped on high grounds in
rear of the Brandywine. Chadd's Ford, the prin-
cipal ford across the river and on the direct road
from the British camp to Philadelphia, was made
the centre of the American position ; as that was
thought to be the object of the next movement of
the British. Here Washington stationed Wayne's,
Weedon's and Muhlenberg's brigades with Max-
well's light infantry. The two latter brigades,
forming General Greene's division, were posted be-
hind the heights as a reserve. Washington made
his headquarters with this reserve. Maxwell was
thrown across the river on either side of the road
leading to the ford. The right wing was com-
manded by General Sullivan, and was composed of
his division and those of Generals Stirling and Ste-
phen. It extended two miles up the Brandywine.
The cavalry was thrown across the creek on the
extreme right. The left wing was composed of
the Pennsylvania militia under General Armstrong.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 185
On the morning of the 1 1 th the enemy advanced
toward Chadd's Ford in a great column. Max-
well's light infantry were driven across the river
after a sharp skirmish, and a few attempts were
made to force the ford, which resulted in contin-
ual skirmishing between Maxwell and the British
advance guard on both sides of the river, first one
side giving way and then the other. In the mean-
time a terrific cannonade was kept up by both
armies. It seemed to be the main attack of the
enemy. About noon, however, Sullivan sent word
that Howe with a large body of troops and a park
of artillery was pushing on past his right, with the
evident intention of turning it and gaining his
rear. Washington sent a body of horse to dis-
cover if this was true and made preparations to
attack the troops in front of him, while they were
thus detached from Howe. He gave orders for
Sullivan to assist, and had they made the attack
then as Washington had planned they would have
nicely turned the tables on Howe. But just as
Sullivan was about to move a militia officer as-
sured him that there were no troops in the vicin-
ity of the fords which it was supposed Howe was
going to cross. Sullivan sent this word to Wash-
ington, and the contemplated movement, which if
it had been successful (as it probably would have
been) would have routed Howe's army, was for
the time abandoned. This militia officer was one
Major Spicer, and to him the blame may be laid
1 86 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
for a defeat instead of a brilliant victory. The
defeat would have been more severe than it event-
ually proved, too, had it not been for a neighbour-
ing farmer by the name of Thomas Cheyney, who
rode to Washington himself, his mare covered
with foam, to assure the latter that Howe really
had crossed the creek above the American right
and was now within two miles of it. Washington
told him such could not be the case as he had just
received information to the contrary. The sturdy
farmer, however, persisted that he was right, and
offered to stake his life on it. Just then another
despatch from Sullivan confirmed the news brought
by the farmer. It was then too late for Wash-
ington to make his counter-movement on the
British centre and left. The mischief was done.
It was now necessary for him to make every
exertion he could to protect his threatened
right. The stratagem that had been employed
by the British at the Battle of Long Island
had been successfully repeated. It was Kny-
phausen in front of Washington at Chadd's
Ford with but a small division. He had fooled
the American commander with a prolonged skir-
mish and cannonade, while Howe got around to
the right and rear. Washington ordered Sullivan
therefore to change front to the right, quickly,
each brigade attacking as soon as it arrived upon
the ground. Wayne was to oppose Knyphausen
at the ford and Greene to hold himself in readi-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 187
ness to move wherever needed with the reserve.
Sullivan formed his new line in front of an open
piece of wood. Cornwallis was in command of
Howe's left on ground which he had plenty of
time to choose while the Americans were forming
their line. But the line was not formed satisfac-
torily at first. There was too great a distance be-
tween the divisions of Sullivan and Stephen. The
Americans moved to the right to close this gap
and protect their new right flank (the original
rear), and while they were thus moving Cornwallis
attacked, his troops moving forward in the most
perfect order. This changing of position in the
immediate presence of the enemy was a mistake
often made by our generals in the war of the Rev-
olution.
Sullivan vigorously opposed Cornwallis, but his
right and left wings were both broken, only the
centre standing firm. It now, being exposed to
the whole fire of the British line, eventually gave
way, also. In following up their success, however,
the enemy got tangled up in the woods, and the
Americans had time to form another line on a hill
to the north of Dilworth. Here they made an-
other spirited resistance, but were again driven
from their position with heavy loss. In the first
part of the fight, Lafayette, who had ridden to
the right to assist Sullivan, was wounded in the
leg and had to retire from the field.
In the meantime Knyphausen assailed the cen-
i88 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
tre. He was opposed by Wayne and Maxwell.
Washington had gone to the right to observe the
progress of the fight there. Greene was about to
go to the assistance of Wayne at the ford when he
received orders from Washington to bring the
reserve at once to the support of the right which
Washington had found in such imminent peril.
Greene's troops made the distance of five miles to
the new position of the right in .fifty minutes, run-
ning all the way. He arrived too late to save the
battle but in time to protect the defeated right
and save it from annihilation, after its retreat from
the height at Dilworth. He made his fight about
a mile beyond that town in a position chosen by
Washington. The British charged him with great
enthusiasm, expecting but little resistance. To
their surprise they were driven back time after
time. It was a bayonet fight now, and the loss
was heavy on both sides. At length Weedon
who had been posted in a defile was obliged to
join Muhlenberg's brigade on the main road for
his own protection against superior numbers. He
made the movement in good order, and at length
Greene, having successfully covered the retreat of
Sullivan's divisions, gradually drew away himself
from the superior force of the enemy. As it was
late in the afternoon when he did this, the British
did not pursue.
Greene's splendid stand had also been a pro-
tection to Wayne. The latter had defended the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 189
ford until the approach of British troops on his
right told them that the American right had
been driven from the field and that he and
the left were in danger. He now withdrew by
another road to Chester, where he joined the
remainder of the army. Knyphausen was fortu-
nately too used up and his men too fatigued to
pursue him. And it was well that the British could
not pursue, for the Chester roads were now full
of the disorganised American army in headlong
flight. At Chester, however, there was a deep
stream with a bridge over which the fugitives had
to pass. The wounded Lafayette set a guard at
the bridge to prevent further flight. Washington
and Greene with his comparatively successful
divisions arrived and some degree of order was
restored. The army took post behind Chester for
the night.
The news of the battle was received in Phila-
delphia with consternation by the Whigs and
exultation by the numerous Tories. Congress
immediately adjourned to Lancaster, giving Wash-
ington almost absolute powers for sixty days and
for seventy miles around headquarters. It also
made Pulaski a brigadier-general of cavalry for his
bravery in the action. General Conway also won
distinction by his soldierly qualities in the battle.
But the French Brigadier Deborre had not done so
well. His division was the first to break when
Cornwallis made his original attack. He tried to
190 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
rally it and was wounded, but Congress ordered a
court of inquiry on his conduct. This offended
him, and he resigned his commission and returned
to France.
Howe made the mistake so often found in the
annals of war of not following up his advantage
promptly. He remained during the following
night and for two days at Dilworth. Lafayette
afterwards said that had he " marched directly to
Derby, the American army would have been cut
up and destroyed. They lost a precious night,
and it is perhaps the greatest fault in a war in
which they have committed many."
Washington availed himself of the lack of
energy of the enemy, retreated through Derby and
across the Schuylkill to Germantown.
CHAPTER XV
SURPRISE AND DEFEAT OF WAYNE HOWE TAKES
PHILADELPHIA THE BATTLE OF GERMAN-
TOWN
WASHINGTON was not disheartened by his de-
feat, but determined to again seek Howe and give
him battle. On the I4th of September he again
crossed the Schuylkill, and, advancing along the
Lancaster road, tried to turn the left of the enemy.
Howe learned of the movement and made a similar
attempt to outflank Washington. The armies met
near Warren Tavern, but were prevented from
fighting by a great rain-storm. This storm seri-
ously inconvenienced the American forces, who
were many of tharn without blankets, or, in fact,
any protection from the rain, and rendered their
guns almost useless. Consequently Washington
gave up his intention of forcing another fight, to
the great discontent of many of the civilian leaders
in the cause. Washington now retreated to
French Creek, at a town called Warwick, where he
obtained some muskets and ammunition, and then
crossed the Schuylkill and prepared to defend the
passage of that river at Parker's Ford. He de-
tached Wayne to get in rear of Howe, join Small-
191
i 9 2 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
wood's Marylanders, and watch for an opportunity
to cut off Howe's baggage train.
Wayne made a circuitous march, got within
three miles of the left wing of the British army,
and concealed himself and his division in a wood
to await the arrival of Smallwood. All one day
Wayne hovered about the enemy's camp, until
he became convinced that they were going to re-
main there. He thought their position an easy
one to be attacked, and sent many messengers
to Washington, urging the commander-in-chief to
hasten forward and attack Howe in his disad-
vantageous position. Wayne was perfectly con-
fident that his own movements had not been ob-
served and that the secret of his hiding-place was
not known. In this he was mistaken. During
the night he was surprised by Lord Grey with a
strong detachment and taught a lesson that he
did not forget for the rest of his life and one,
too, that made him afterwards fhe most careful
general in Washington's army. A countryman
brought him intelligence of the advance of the
British force against him, but he did not believe
the intelligence. He doubled his pickets, how-
ever, and ordered his troops to sleep on their arms.
It was nearly midnight when his pickets were
driven in and his camp attacked at the point of the
bayonet, the weapon in which the British so much
excelled the Americans, both from long practice
in its use and from better equipment. Wayne
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 193
took command of the right of his position when
the attack was made, in order to cover the retreat
of the left, led by Colonel Humpton. But the
latter was careless and formed his men in front of
their camp-fires, thus throwing them into bold
relief. The British rushed at his force with their
bayonets, killed and wounded nearly three hun-
dred of his men and drove the rest from their
camp and the field. Wayne fired some volleys at
the enemy, but they were satisfied with the blow
they had struck, and, taking with them some pris-
oners and Wayne's heavily-laden baggage wag-
gons, retired to their camp. General Smallwood
was within a mile of Wayne at the time, but his
raw militia fled at the first sight of the enemy.
On the 2 1st, Howe made a feint by moving
rapidly up the Schuylkill. This drew Washing-
ton also up the river to protect the military stores
at Reading and Jiis own right flank. Then Howe
turned on his heel abruptly, made another quick
march back to the ford, crossed it, and pushed on
for Philadelphia, halting for some days at Ger-
mantown. Washington immediately sent to
Gates for the return of Morgan's riflemen, whom
he had sorely missed, and to Putnam for twenty-
five hundred reinforcements. On the 26th Howe
entered Philadelphia, sending Cornwallis to take
possession of the city. The brilliant display made
by the British detachment, with its well uniformed
legions, light dragoons and long trains of artillery
'3
i 9 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
was in great contrast with that made by Washing-
ton's army a short time before. The main body
of the British army remained in its encampment
at Germantown.
After the battle of the Brandywine, Lord
Howe, the British admiral, took his fleet from
the Chesapeake around into the Delaware Bay,
and up the Delaware River as far as he could then
go. He anchored along the river from Reedy
Island to Newcastle. He was prevented from
going further by obstructions placed in the river.
These were at Billingsport, protected by a small
fort on the New Jersey side, and consisting of a
chevaux-de-frise in the channel, and, between
Forts Mifflin and Mercer, a similar obstruction
higher up the river. ' Washington had thrown
small garrisons into these forts, knowing that if
the British could not obtain supplies by water he
could easily prevent them from doing so by land.
Sir William Howe was quite as well aware of the
necessity for taking these forts and removing the
obstructions in the way of the fleet of his brother,
and he detached part of his army to cross into
New Jersey and take the forts, beginning with the
small one at Billingsport.
Through some intercepted letters which fell
into his hands Washington learned of this move-
ment of the enemy, and determined to attack the
British in their camp at Germantown while they
were thus weakened by the lack of this detach-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 195
ment and by the absence of the troops under
Cornwallis who were holding Philadelphia. This
he did on the 4th day of October, 1777.
THE BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN
Germantown was in those days a small town
consisting mainly of a double row of houses along
the main street, nearly two miles in length. The
houses were of stone, low and separated from each
other by gardens and orchards. The one large
house in the village was at the end furthest from
the British camp and about one hundred yards to
the east of the road, which ran north and south.
At the further end the British camp was divided
into two nearly equal parts by the road. Four
roads approached the village from the north, run-
ning in this neighbourhood nearly parallel. The
Skippack was the main road and formed the one
street of the town. On its right was the Ridge
road, which joined the main road beyond the vil-
lage. On the left of the main road (the Skip-
pack) was the Limekiln road, which ran parallel
to the other and entered it at right angles about
the centre of the town. Still further to the left
of the main road was the York road, which, like
the Ridge road on the extreme right, joined the
main road beyond the town.
As I have told you, the British right wing,
under General Grant, was to the right or east of
i 9 6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
the main road and the left wing to the west. The
latter had a battalion of light infantry with a train
of artillery stationed in advance, two miles to the
west of the main road, and an outlying picket with
two guns at Mount Airy.
Washington's plan was for Sullivan, command-
ing the American right wing, composed of his own
division and Wayne's, to march down the main
road and attack the British left wing. He was to
be supported by Stirling's division as a reserve
and flanked by Conway's brigade. General Arm-
strong, at the same time, was to march down the
Ridge road with the Pennsylvania militia and get
upon the enemy's left and rear. Greene, com-
manding the left wing, was to march down the
Limekiln road and enter the town at the market-
place. He had his own division and Stephen's,
and the two were to attack the British right. At
the same time, McDougall's brigade was to attack
its right flank ; while Smallwood, with his Mary-
land militia, and Forman, with his New Jersey
brigade, were to attack the British right in rear,
after making a circuit by the York road. Two-
thirds of the army, it will be seen, were to attack
the British right, and it was expected that they
would drive it, and the remainder of the army with
it, into the Schuylkill or perhaps compel it to sur-
render. The battle was faultlessly planned and
should have succeeded. Indeed, it did succeed
for a time, and the eventual catastrophe was due,
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION . 197
so far as we can understand, almost solely to the
weather and a mistake of Knox's.
The army was put in motion on the night of
the 3d of October, taking the different roads as-
signed. It marched all night, making fifteen
miles, and emerged from the woods on Chestnut
Hill about sunrise on the morning of the 4th.
The outlying picket was killed, and the picket
guard driven in with the loss of their two six-
pounders. The roll of drums announced the Brit-
ish call to arms. Wayne immediately led a charge
against the battalion of the 2d infantry, which,
as I have told you, was two miles in front of the
British camp. The infantry broke, but reformed,
again gave way, reformed again, when reinforced
by a body of grenadiers, and charged back. They
fought bravely for a time and then broke and fled,
leaving their artillery in Wayne's hands. His
troops pursued with ardour, charging with the
bayonet, and, burning with revenge for the
slaughter at Brandywine, gave no quarter to the
British troops they met. Sullivan and Conway
joined in the attack on the west of the road, but
the left wing had not yet got into action. It was
a morning heavy with fog, and the sun was so ob-
scured that the American troops frequently mis-
took each other for enemies and fired at each
other. The enemy's advance was soon driven
from the field. But six companies of the4Oth in-
fantry threw themselves into the large stone house
i 9 8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
I have spoken of, to the east of the road. This was
the house of Judge Chew, who had been chief
justice of Pennsylvania before the Revolution.
Here they barricaded the doors and ascended to
the upper stories, where they defended them-
selves. The main body of the British passed on
up the street pursued by Wayne. The remainder
of the division should have followed on after
Wayne, paying no attention to the stone house.
But being fired on from the house it stopped.
General Knox insisted that a garrisoned castle
should not be left in rear, an old military maxim,
and his objection prevailed. But the house could
not be taken, and after losing valuable time, the
remainder of the division pressed on, leaving a regi-
ment to guard the house. But the two sections
of the division could not be reunited. The fog
and smoke rendered objects indistinct at a dis-
tance of but thirty yards, the different parts of
the army could not tell where the other parts
were, and Washington could learn nothing as to
what was going on and could therefore give no
orders. Still the attack on the centre was success-
ful, though all the flank and rear attacks failed.
And Sullivan pushed the left so hard that it gave
way.
On the enemy's right, Greene and Stephen,
having had to make a circuit, became separated.
Stephen also made the mistake of stopping to ex-
change fire with the British in Chew's house.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 199
Greene pushed on to the market-place, driving a
regiment of infantry before him. Here he en-
countered the right wing of the British army, drawn
up in battle order. He charged them so impet-
uously that they began to waver. At this mo-
ment victory seemed about to perch on the Amer-
ican banner. Forman and Smallwood were just
coming into action on the extreme right flank of
the enemy, and the battle would have been won
but for . Well, no one has ever been able to
explain satisfactorily what that " but " was for.
A singular panic seized the American army, which
has never been accounted for. Sullivan says his
men ran out of ammunition. Wayne's men re-
treated at the appearance of a large body of troops
on its left flank, which it supposed was a division
of the enemy, but which was in reality a part of
the American army moving to their assistance.
Wayne's officers tried to stop the retreat, but in
vain. When Wayne's retreating troops fell back
they came upon Stephen's division and in turn
gave the latter the idea that they were British
troops which made that division retreat in panic,
and in like manner the whole army fell into con-
fusion and retreated from a victory which it had
fairly won. The British now turned upon their
pursuers and drove them from the field, and Lord
Cornwallis came up with a reinforcement of cav-
alry from Philadelphia. The Americans, how-
ever, managed to get away without losing either
2 oo HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
their artillery or wounded, which was mainly owing
to Greene, who kept up a retreating fight for five
miles, and to Wayne, who checked the pursuit for
a time with his cannon. The retreat, however,
eventually continued for twenty miles five miles
more than the army had advanced. The loss on
both sides was heavy, but the Americans suffered
the more. General Agnew was killed on the
British side, and General Nash on the American,
while Colonel Matthews, of one of the Virginia
regiments, was wounded and captured by the
enemy.
The loss of a battle was a severe blow to
Washington, but singularly enough it had an ex-
tremely good effect in Europe. The impression
made by what looked like an audacious attack on
the British in a position of their own choosing
was greater and more favourable than that of any
other single battle of the war, with the possible
exception of Bunker Hill. And singularly enough
the battle had an extremely good effect on the
American army itself, after they got over their
chagrin at being defeated. They had hardly ex
pected to win in a pitched battle with regulars.
Now they saw that they were able to beat the
enemy when they tried hard enough, and they
learned that they were a good deal swifter in
their movements than the British.
The army had retreated to Perkiomen Creek,
where it remained for a few days. There Wash-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 201
ington was reinforced by about two thousand
Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania troops, and he again advanced toward Phil-
adelphia, taking up a strong position at White
Marsh. Here he occupied himself by sending
out numerous detachments to cut off supplies
from the British army and in preparations for
the defence of Forts Mercer and Mifflin. The
defences at Billingsport had been taken by the
enemy and the obstruction sremoved. Howe was
equally anxious to take these forts and let his
brother's ships pass up the river. Fort Mifflin
was garrisoned by Marylanders under Lieutenant-
Colonel Smith, and Washington put a garrison
of regulars into Fort Mercer on the New Jersey
shore under the command of Colonel Greene, who
had fought with Arnold at Quebec. The obstruc-
tions were increased, and floating batteries, fire
ships and galleys were added to the defences
under the command of Commodore Hazelwood.
CHAPTER XVI
SUCCESSFUL DEFENCE OF FORTS MERCER AND
MIFFLIN CAPTURE OF FORTS MONTGOMERY
AND CLINTON THE CONWAY CABAL CAP-
TURE OF FORTS MERCER AND MIFFLIN
GATES AT THE HEAD OF THE BOARD OF WAR
COLONEL GREENE, accompanied by a young
French volunteer engineer, hastened to put Fort
Mercer in a state of defence. Before his out-
works were completed, however, he was attacked
on the 22d of October by twelve hundred Hes-
sians under Count Donop. The latter sent a flag
demanding immediate surrender and threatening
no quarter if the fort had to be taken by storm.
Greene sent a reply to the effect that he would
defend the fort to the last. The Hessians im-
mediately threw up a battery, under which they
advanced to the attack in two columns. The
galleys and floating batteries under Commodore
Hazelwood gave them a terrific flanking fire as
they advanced, and for a time there was an
equally hot fire from the incompleted outworks
of the fort. Greene did not have enough men to
man the outworks effectively, however. Accord-
ingly, as prearranged by himself and Duplessis, he
202
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 203
abandoned them at a certain point in the attack
and retreated into the strong redoubt within the
fort. The Hessians, observing the cessation of
the fire, thought the fort already captured and ad-
vanced through two entrances. Once well within
the fort they were suddenly assailed by a murder-
ous fire of both artillery and small arms ; and
after suffering great loss were compelled to re-
treat in confusion again under the fierce fire from
Hazelwood's ships. Donop was mortally wounded
and captured, dying a few days later, bitterly
grieving that his young life had been sacrificed to
his own ambition and his sovereign's avarice.
Lieutenant-Colonel Mingerode was severely
wounded also. In all the Hessians lost about a
third of their number in killed and wounded,
while the American loss was trivial.
At the same time that Donop attacked Fort
Mercer the enemy's ships to the number of six
also attacked Fort MifHin. They managed to
force their way through the lower line of chevaux-
de-frise ; but the sixty-gun ship, the Augusta, and
the sloop Merlin ran aground and could not be
drawn off. The other vessels opened a hot can-
nonade upon Fort MifHin, but could not get
within effective distance of it owing to the ob-
structions. The Americans tried to set fire to
the two ships that had run aground by sending
down fire-ships, but failed. The next day a red-
hot shot set fire to the Augusta, and she was im-
204 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
mediately abandoned. Before all her crew were
taken off, however, she exploded, and some
officers and men were killed who had not had time
to escape. The Merlin was now set on fire and
abandoned. Congress presented Greene, Smith
and Hazelwood each with a sword and its thanks
for their brilliant defence of the fort.
While all this was going on, and while Gates
was opposing Burgoyne in the north, Sir Henry
Clinton moved up the Hudson on an expedition
against the defences of the Highlands. General
Clinton had command of Fort Montgomery and
his brother James of Fort Clinton. Putnam had
command of the troops in the vicinity of Peeks-
kill.
Clinton made a feint first against Putnam at
Tarrytown and then another about eight miles
below Peekskill. He completely bewildered the
old general, who sent in haste to the brothers
Clinton for reinforcements. When these had
started, Clinton suddenly crossed to the other
side of the river and, marching around the Dun-
derberg, made a rapid march around to the rear
of the forts.
General Clinton was not as easily outwitted as
Putnam, however. He perceived the meaning of
Sir Henry Clinton's manoeuvres and in turn sent
to Putnam for reinforcements, but the messenger
proved traitor and deserted to the enemy. By
eight o'clock on the morning of the i6th of
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 205
October, Sir Henry Clinton had crossed to Stony
Point and marched around the Dunderberg.
Here he divided his force. Lieutenant-Colonel
Campbell with one column was to attack Fort
Montgomery, and at the same time Sir Henry was
to attack Fort Clinton. You will see that there
were four Clintons prominent in this war, the
Clinton brothers on the American side, Sir Guy
Clinton, Governor of Canada, and Sir Henry
Clinton, who was making this attack on the Amer-
ican forts. On this day fortune favoured the
British Clinton. Both forts were captured after a
sturdy resistance, though most of the garrison of
each escaped and joined Putnam, who had failed
to- come to the rescue of the forts, though he
plainly heard the firing. He persisted in be-
lieving that Fort Independence, which he com-
manded, and Peekskill were the real objects of the
attack. In the attack on the forts a number of
prominent British officers were killed, among
them Colonel Campbell, who led the attack on
Fort Montgomery, Major Grant and Count Ga-
brouski, a Polish aide on Sir Henry Clinton's
staff, who had volunteered in the British cause
because of his affection for Lord Rawdon. The
next day the obstructions in the river were re-
moved by the British, Forts Independence and
Constitution were evacuated (the American frig-
ates and galleys stationed at the obstructions had
been set adrift and burned the previous day) and
206 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
the Hudson was open for the British ships. It
was too late to help Burgoyne, however. He had
surrendered.
In the meantine Washington was in for trouble.
His failures at the Brandywine and at German-
town had subjected him to criticism. Gates had
been triumphant at Saratoga, and, like Lee, had
begun scheming against his commander-in-chief.
And now there was trouble with Conway, who
had developed into a braggart and general mis-
chief-maker. The Baron De Kalb, the grey-haired
European veteran who had accompanied Lafayette
to America, had been made a major-general by
Congress. Conway considered himself slighted
by this appointment of De Kalb to a rank higher
than his own, and he made an effort in Congress to
be promoted himself. This was strongly opposed
by Washington, who had taken Conway 's measure.
Mifflin, the quartermaster-general of the army,
supported Conway, and when Conway learned of
Washington's opposition to him, he and Mifflin
I formed a faction to oppose Washington. Mifflin
had tendered his resignation to Congress and was
devoting his time to intrigues against Washington.
Conway joined in the affair so heartily that the
alliance of Washington's enemies soon became
known as the Conway Cabal. Its main object
was to substitute Gates for Washington as com-
mander-in-chief. Gates, intoxicated by his success
and delirious with vanity, was perfectly willing to
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 207
be boosted by the cabal and no doubt thought it
would succeed. He slighted Washington by fail-
ing entirely to report his victory to the com-
mander-in-chief, which drew from the latter a
dignified rebuke. He sent his pompous aide,
Wilkinson, to notify Congress of his victory.
The latter delayed so long that the news was old
when he reached Congress, and he was deeply
disappointed at not making more of a stir in that
body. The only notice they took of him was to
brevet him brigadier-general after some delay.
About this time Washington learned of the
cabal against him, but maintained a dignified
silence until he learned definitely of correspond-
ence derogatory to himself between Conway and
Gates. He then wrote Conway a short letter
quoting the derogatory words. Conway was
frightened out of his wits and at once offered his
resignation. But the cabal was at work in Con-
gress, and that body would not accept the resigna-
tion. Washington now sent Hamilton in person
to Gates to obtain reinforcements. As I have
already told you, Washington had sent Morgan to
the aid of Gates when the latter needed him ; but
Gates had failed to respond to Washington's
order to return Morgan and his riflemen now that
they were needed by Washington. Nor did he
send reinforcements from his now practically use-
less army to the aid of the commander-in-chief.
Howe did not give up his attempt to take Forts
208 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Mifflin and Mercer. On the loth of November
he began the bombardment of Fort Mifflin, and
on the 1 6th the fort was reduced after a terrific
cannonade from batteries and ships. It was
almost levelled to the ground. What was left of
the garrison retired during the night. The defence
had been so brilliant, however, that Colonel
Smith, who commanded it, and Fleury, a French
engineer who assisted in the defence, were hon-
ored. Howe then sent Cornwallis to under-
take the capture of Fort Mercer. Washington
tried to reinforce the garrison ; but the reinforce-
ments arrived too late, and on the appearance of
Cornwallis the fort was abandoned. Just after
the abandonment the tardy reinforcements arrived
from the north. Had they come sooner the fort
might have been saved. Even as it was, it was too
late in the season to remove the major part of the
obstructions from the river, and the larger ships
were prevented from ascending it. Sufficient
were cleared away, though, to permit transports
to go up to Philadelphia, and thus the mam object
of the British, that of getting supplies to the city,
was accomplished.
Young Hamilton, on his trip north to hurry
reinforcements, had encountered Morgan on his
way. He stopped to induce Putnam to send on
reinforcements. That crusty old general did not
want to do so. He had in view an attack on New
York which he considered of vast importance.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 209
As a matter of fact Putnam's idea was chimerical,
and Hamilton, in the name of the commander-in-
chief, had to give Putnam absolute orders before
the old warrior would part with his men. Hamil-
ton had even greater difficulty with Gates. He
eventually succeeded in inducing the latter to
send the brigades of Poor and Patterson to Wash-
ington's aid, however.
A number of officers had now resigned from the
army in pursuance of the plans of the cabal. These
were Con\vay,Spotswood,Connor,Ross and Mifflin.
A number of others were said to be on the point of
taking the same action. The cabal was now in
fine working order, and Washington was subjected
to continual criticism, while the merits of Gates
were loudly proclaimed. All Pennsylvania now
cried aloud to Washington for a victory. The
desolating hand of the enemy was now upon that
state. The commander-in-chief himself wished
for an engagement. It would, if successful, be of
great personal benefit to himself and his prestige
in the dark days of the cabal. But Washington
was a truly great man, and he could sink his own
personal interests for the good of the cause. He
knew that even if he could win a victory it would
be only by attacking the enemy on his chosen
ground and behind his works, and the victory
would be won at a frightful cost. Much as he
\vanted to close the campaign with another battle,
therefore, he decided in his own mind not to do
210 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
so. He did call a council of war, though, and laid
the matter before them. After a long and heated
session the council broke up without coming to a
decision. Washington asked each general to send
in his opinion on the project of an attack upon
the city in writing. Four officers voted in favour
of it and eleven against it. The idea was there-
fore abandoned. At this time Lafayette at the
head of about four hundred men of Greene's
division made an attack on a British picket, killed
about twenty men and captured a number more
without serious loss. He had not yet recovered
from his wound, which made the action on his
part still more meritorious. Washington took the
opportunity, therefore, to recommend to Congress
that he be given the actual command of a division,
to which his rank really entitled him. He was
therefore assigned to the command of the division
of General Stephen, who had been dismissed
because of drunkenness at the battle of German-
town.
A change was now made in the Board of War,
and Gates was put at the head of it. One of the
first acts of the board was to make Conway an
inspector-general with the rank of major-general.
It was evidently now the intention of the cabal
that Gates should become the moving spirit of the
war.
Howe was as anxious for a general engagement
as Washington was, and, seeing that the latter did
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 211
not intend to attack, he made preparations to do
so himself. On the 4th of December, therefore,
he moved out of his intrenchments in the early
evening and during the night advanced towards
Washington's line of defences, constantly harassed
by light troops that Washington had thrown out
for the purpose. The next morning he went into
camp about a mile from Washington's right.
After reconnoitring throughout the day he
next changed his position to a hill about a
mile from the American left. After hovering
about thus for four days he concluded that
Washington's position was too strong to be suc-
cessfully assailed. Washington's heart beat high
with the anticipations of a battle under such favour,
able circumstances. But he was again doomed to
disappointment. On the night of the 8th Howe
had a long line of fires lighted in front of his
position, and, resorting to a trick he had learned
from Washington, hurriedly retreated behind
them back to his own position.
Winter was now upon the army. It was worn
out, poorly clad and destitute of blankets. There
were plenty of clothes in various places, but no
transportation to bring them to the army. Mif-
flin had let the quarter-master's department go
to rack and ruin, Since early summer he had
been of little aid to Washington.
Lancaster^ York and Carlisle were considered
by Washington as locations for the winter camp.
212 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
But to choose either would be to lay a great tract
of fertile, rich farming country open to the
depredations of the enemy. For this reason he
eventually decided to " hut " at Valley Forge on
the west bank of the Schuylkill and about twenty
miles from Philadelphia.
It was a cheerless army that marched into
winter quarters there. How unlike the situation
to that of the previous year ! There were no
bright achievements to buoy up the soldiers'
hopes. Philadelphia had fallen. The men were
poorly supplied with clothes, and the food was so
scanty that a mutiny was barely avoided. When
an alarm was made that the enemy were march-
ing on Chester, Washington's troops declared that
they would rather fight than starve. They had
been without meat and some also without bread
for days. To cap the climax, the Pennsylvania
legislature now addressed a remonstrance to Con-
gress against Washington's going into winter
quarters. This exhausted the patience of the
commander-in-chief, and he, on his part, addressed
a letter to Congress, disclosing the actual condi-
tion of the army and the necessity not only for
its remaining in winter quarters but for supplying
it properly with food and clothes. Congress saw
the point, permitted him to remain at Valley
Forge, and gave him authority to forage on the
surrounding country. He did this reluctantly.
The country about him was peopled with friends
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 213
to the cause, and he feared the effects of such a
move as plundering upon the morale of his army.
Bitter necessity alone compelled him to adopt
the measure. The army could not be permitted
to starve. Such were the closing scenes of 1777.
It was Washington's hardest year, and the winter
at Valley Forge witnessed the army's greatest
suffering.
CHAPTER XVII
EXPOSURE OF THE CONWAY CABAL CONSTER-
NATION OF GATES STEUBEN AT VALLEY
FORGE DOWNFALL OF CONWAY THE SIGN-
ING OF THE TREATY WITH FRANCE HOWE
SUPERSEDED BY CLINTON THE MISCHIANZA
WHILE Washington was in all this trouble
Gates had become the popular idol. If he had
been a strong man Washington would have had
much to fear from this. But he had merely be-
come weakened by his new-found glory. His
friends were flatterers seeking their own advance-
ment through his, and they urged him to take his
seat at the head of the Board of War and save
the country.
But just as he thought he was secure in his
new-found glory came an unexpected blow which
filled him with dismay. Part of the contents of
another letter from Conway to Gates was repeated
to Washington. Gates did not learn of this from
the commander-in-chief. The latter maintained a
dignified silence. Gates heard of the matter
through correspondence with Mifflin. As a mat-
ter of fact the recent correspondence with Con-
way had been of a nature that would destroy
214
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 215
Gates if it had all or even the most important
parts of it come to the ears of Washington. Mif-
flin's letter did not state just what Washington
knew. Indeed the members of the cabal were
all in doubt as to what Washington did and did
not know. That was the difficulty. In conster-
nation Gates wrote a long letter to Washington
in which he practically acknowledged maintain-
ing a correspondence derogatory to the latter.
His object seemed to be mainly to find out who
had been the traitor in his camp and punish him.
He did not seem to think it possible that he
could effect a reconciliation with the commander-
in-chief. And here, for some strange reason,
Gates made a singular blunder. He sent a copy
of his letter to Washington to Congress. He
supposed that Washington knew everything, and
he was preparing to defend himself as best he
could.
Washington made a dignified reply to Gates,
telling him that all he knew was that Conway had
written a letter to him (Gates), in which he had
said " Heaven has been determined to save your
country, or a weak general and bad counsellors
would have ruined it." This was actually all that
Washington knew, but the letter of Gates had
made it perfectly evident that there had been
much more to the correspondence. Washington
now told Gates that this extract from Conway's
letter had been communicated by Wilkinson,
216 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Gates' toady and aide-de-camp, to General Stir-
ling's aide, Major McWilliams. Washington told
Gates that as the information had come from his
aide-de-camp he considered that it had been
communicated as a friendly act to forewarn the
commander-in-chief of a dangerous enemy. As
Gates had sent his letter in duplicate to Congress,
Washington sent his reply in the same manner to
that body, and the result was that the whole
country soon knew of the cabal against Wash-
ington, or at least the part played in it by Conway.
Gates now thought he was secure. He tried
to explain away the matter and in doing so
mixed matters up in such a way that Washington
could not fail to see that Gates was not telling the
truth, and that there was back of the matter an
intrigue against him in which Gates had a promi-
nent part. He compared the two letters from
Gates, analysed them for the benefit of the writer
and gave the results in a freezing letter which he
again laid before Congress.
The cabal now sought a scapegoat and decided
upon Wilkinson as the sufferer. He was removed
from Gates' staff and otherwise humiliated. Burn-
ing with resentment, Wilkinson challenged both
Gates and Stirling to duels, but both were pre-
vented. Wilkinson's career, however, was practi-
cally closed with the incident. Out of the matter
too came real good. Washington's friends in
Congress and the public in general were put on
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 217
their guard, and the danger from the cabal was at
an end.
The cabal did not die without an expiring effort,
however. It sought to wean Lafayette from his
allegiance to the commander-in-chief. For this
purpose he was offered the command of an expe-
dition to invade Canada during the winter by the
Board of War. The expedition had been planned
without being referred to Washington, and Lafa-
yette, angered at the apparent snub to his idol, was
for declining the command without thanks. But
Washington persuaded him to take it. Conway
was to be second in command and to be the real
head of affairs. But Lafayette would not have
this and insisted that De Kalb be made second in
command. His request was reluctantly granted.
The cabal did not find Lafayette so easy to handle
as they imagined. On this account probably they
relaxed their efforts, and the campaign was aban-
doned after Lafayette and Conway had arrived at
Albany, where the force for it was to rendezvous.
Washington now undertook the formation
of a new system for his army and the reform-
ation of the abuses which had brought it to
such a critical condition. But the reforms were
slow in going into operation, and the distress of
the army continued to increase. They were half
naked and half starving in their hut encampment,
or more properly yillage, at Valley Forge. They
did not even have sufficient straw to sleep on.
218 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Sickness spread in the camp, there were no medi-
cines for the sick and not even forage enough for
the horses, which died of starvation. Yet the men
stuck to Washington and the fortunes of their
country with a degree of fortitude and patience
that was absolutely sublime.
In Philadelphia the British army was faring in
a very opposite manner. They had plenty to eat,
drink and wear. The inhabitants had to suffer of
course, as provisions and fuel were dear on account
of the investment of the place by Washington,
which, incomplete and weak as it was, yet pre-
vented the people and the enemy from drawing
on the surrounding country for supplies. Gam-
bling and riotous living of every description were
indulged in by the officers to the great horror of
the inhabitants, many of whom were Quakers.
One of the posts of American troops which guard-
ed the country was commanded by "Light Horse
Harry " Lee. He was attacked by a party of the
enemy which greatly outnumbered his own force,
but he defended himself so skilfully that he drove
the enemy away with severe loss and saved his own
men and even his horses. This so pleased Wash-
ington that the son of his " lowland beauty " was
made a major and put in command of a squadron.
In the latter part of February, 1778, the cele-
brated Baron Steuben arrived at Valley Forge,
having been induced to give up his military em-
ployments in Europe and join the American cause
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 219
by Franklin and Deane, the envoys in Paris. He
was a scientifically trained soldier and a splendid
disciplinarian. He immediately took charge of
the drills and inspections of the army and before
the ensuing campaign had it well drilled in
field manoeuvres of which heretofore they had
been totally ignorant, officers as well as men. He
was a hotheaded old fellow and scolded the men
roundly in every language of which he was mas-
ter (of which the English language was not one).
Nevertheless he became a great favourite with
the men, and his constant inspections of their arms,
clothing and quarters soon made their life more
tolerable. Matters now began to brighten. Greene
was made quartermaster-general, though still re-
taining his rank in the regular army. By his won-
derful exertions the army was put in excellent
condition and ready to take the field and move
rapidly the moment it should be found necessary.
Congress, the body of blunderers, now turned to
Washington's side again overwhelmingly and
made Gates and Conway understand distinctly
that they were at all times under the immediate
orders of the commander-in-chief. Conway had
been left at Albany, when Lafayette and De Kalb
left after the failure of the Canadian project.
From there he was ordered to join the army un-
der McDougall at Fishkill. He was soon ordered
back to Albany, however, and this fired his anger
He wrote to Congress a petulant letter in which
220 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
he protested against what he called a " burlesque
disgrace " and declared that " his honour would not
permit him to stand it." Congress, glad of a chance
to get rid of him, considered this tantamount to a
resignation and promptly accepted the same.
This was not at all to Conway's liking, and he en-
deavoured without success to have the acceptance
revoked. He made the mistake now of venting
his spite on Washington and in consequence was
challenged to a duel by General Cadwalader, one
of Washington's staunchest supporters. Conway
was wounded in the duel and nearly died from the
effects of the wound. To the surprise of every
one he recovered and went back to Europe. On
the 6th of May, Steuben was made a major-gen-
eral and inspector-general in Conway's place.
On May 2d a treaty was signed with France, by
which the independence of the United States was
recognised by the older country, and the two be-
came allies in the war with Great Britain. This
induced parliament to pass some measures called
the " Conciliatory Bills " and to send a committee
to America to endeavour to arrange affairs with
what England still called " her colonies." If
these bills had been passed before the war began
we might still be colonies of England, but now
they were too late. Congress and the people paid
no attention to them except to say that they
would treat with England when the latter country
withdrew her troops and ships from America and
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 221
acknowledged the independence of the States.
The committee and the bills were both a bur-
lesque, and none came to realise the fact sooner
than the committee itself, which soon gave up in
disgust the attempt to conciliate the Americans.
The committee, as a last resort, tried to bribe
Washington and other influential Americans, of
course without success. For the purpose they
needed an influential man to lay the matter before
these " prominent Americans," and they boldly
offered General Reed ten thousand pounds and
any office in the colonies in the king's gift to be
their emissary. To their offer Reed made his
celebrated reply which every schoolboy in the
land knows. " I am not worth buying," said Reed,
" but such as I am the King of England is not rich
enough to buy me." As a last resort the committee
issued a manifesto offering to treat with the depu-
ties from all or any of the colonies. No attention
was paid to it. Lord Carlisle wrote to a friend :
" I enclose you our manifesto, which you will
never read. 'Tis a sort of dying speech of the
commission. Everything is great upon this con-
tinent. The rivers are immense ; the climate vio-
lent in heat and cold ; the prospects magnificent ;
the thunder and lightning tremendous. We have
nothing on a great scale with us but our blunders,
our misconduct, our ruin, our losses, our disgraces,
our misfortunes "
Poor General Howe was held accountable for
222 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
these " losses, ruins, disgraces and misfortunes,"
and he was relieved of the command of the Brit-
ish army. When he departed a great fete was
held in his honour, however, called the Mischianza.
It consisted of a regatta, tournament and pageant.
It was the silliest kind of affair and quite out
of place in an army which, with superior numbers,
had been cooped up all winter in the city by the
" old Continentals in their ragged regimentals."
There were triumphal arches and a gorgeous
avenue lined with the colours of all the regiments
in the British army. There were also a number of
officers dressed as " Knights of the Blended Rose "
and " Knights of the Burning Mountain," to say
nothing of fourteen beautiful damsels dressed in
Turkish fashion. Major Andr6 was one of the
projectors of this effeminate entertainment and
figured in it as one of the " Blended Rose " dandies.
In a letter to a lady friend he declared that his par-
ticipation in the affair had made him a " complete
milliner " and offered to buy her supplies in that
line. He was a fair specimen of the British chiv-
alry of the time and one of the leaders in the dis-
sipations that had shocked the staid old inhabitants
of Philadelphia. He was afterwards hung as a spy.
Sir Henry Clinton was put in command of
Howe's army, and all Americans were delighted
at the change. They knew Clinton and his meth-
ods better than the English did, and they knew
him to be an easier man to defeat than Howe.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 223
Soon after Clinton took command of the British
army, Washington observed what he considered
symptoms of an intention on the part of the
enemy to evacuate Philadelphia. Howe had
made a serious raid through the Jerseys, also. To
watch the British in the city, therefore, and to
guard the Jerseys, he sent Lafayette with about
twenty-one hundred men across the Schuylkill to a
point about half-way between Valley Forge and
the city. Clinton received intelligence of this and
sent General Grant with about five thousand men
to surprise and capture Lafayette and his com-
mand. They nearly succeeded, too ; but by em-
ploying the ruse worked so frequently in this war
of pretending to defend a camp which he was
really deserting as fast as his troops could march
Lafayette escaped with the loss of but few men.
The long delayed exchange of General Prescott
for General Lee now took place, the British at
last giving up their claim that Lee was a deserter
from their own service. Ethan Allen was at the
same time exchanged for Colonel Campbell. Lee
resumed his office as second in command and was
soon as arrogant as ever. Allen was brevetted
colonel and remained for some time at Valley
Forge, where he was a subject of great interest
on account of his captivity and sufferings. He
soon left for his Vermont home, however, and did
not again take up arms in behalf of the colonies.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE EVACUATION OF PHILADELPHIA THE BAT-
TLE OF MONMOUTH CLINTON'S RETREAT TO
NEW YORK COURT-MARTIAL OF GENERAL
LEE
THE British delayed long about evacuating
Philadelphia. It was not until June that it was
apparent that the total evacuation was about to
take place, and not until the i8th of that month
that it actually did occur. The signs pointed to
a march through the Jerseys to New York for the
British army, and Washington considered the ad-
visability of pursuing them and making them
fight. He laid the plan before his officers, most
of whom were in favour of it. It was strongly op-
posed, however, by Lee. He declared that he
would pave their way with gold if they would only
return to New York, and he did not believe the
army was strong enough to risk a battle. Was
Lee still jealous of any success that Washington
might win ? Was he still aspiring to the office of
commander-in-chief, in Washington's place ? It
would appear so. But Washington thoroughly
understood Lee, and in a polite manner admon-
ished him not to indulge in his cynical criticisms
224
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 225
to the extent he formerly had. As a matter of
fact, Lee was beginning to talk too much in his
old way.
But Washington no longer had the great regard
for Lee's opinions that he formerly had. Greene,
Lafayette, Wayne and Cadwalader, all tried friends
of Washington, believed with him in the advisa-
bility of forcing Clinton to fight.
Clinton evacuated Philadelphia with great se-
crecy, commencing the movement across the
Schuylkill at three in the morning. By ten o'clock
his rear-guard was safely over. Washington sent
Maxwell with his brigade to co-operate with Gen-
eral Dickinson and the New Jersey militia to
harass Clinton on his march, and followed after
the retreating enemy with the remainder of the
army, though he sent Arnold with a small force
to occupy the city, as Arnold had not yet recov-
ered from his wound. Clinton marched along the
eastern bank of the Delaware as far as Trenton,
and Washington had to make a detour to the
crossing place, where he had been that winter
night, a year and a half before, when he fell upon
Trenton. Washington suspected that Clinton
wished to draw him into the open country for an
engagement, and held another council of war. In-
fluenced by Lee, the council agreed by a majority
vote that it would be better to follow Clinton at
a distance. Clinton moved towards Brunswick,
with the intention of embarking on the Raritan
15
226 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
for New York. He saw that he would be opposed
there by Washington's detached forces and prob-
ably also by Gates, who was now marching down
from the north. He turned abruptly to the right,
therefore, and made for Sandy Hook, with the in-
tention of embarking at the latter place. Wash-
ington at once penetrated his design. He sent
Wayne with a thousand men to reinforce the ad-
vance corps, which now numbered about four
thousand men. The advance should have been
commanded by Lee, as senior major-general. La-
fayette desired it, however, and Lee was easily*
prevailed on to relinquish the command in his
favour. Lee did not think he would suit carrying
out orders with which he did not agree. He soon
afterward repented of his dicision and wished the
command back again. He saw it was going to be
the most important in the army. Washington
was in some perplexity as to the matter of satis-
fying Lee, without wounding the feelings of La-
fayette. He solved the difficulty by still further
increasing the command and sending Lee with the
reinforcements. This put Lee in command, as he
was the senior. Washington also explained mat-
ters to Lafayette. It proved to be a costly sub-
stitution, and the mistake of superseding Lafa-
yette lost the battle of Monmputh. It was the
evening of the 2/th of June when Lee regained
the command of the advance. That night Clinton
encamped on high ground at Monmouth Court-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 227
House. Lee, with the advance, was five miles
distant at Englishtown. Washington rode for-
ward and reconnoiteredthe position of the enemy.
It was protected by woods and morasses and too
strong to be attacked with much hope of success.
But if they were permitted to go on they would
secure ground still more favourable for defence.
He resolved, therefore, to attack Clinton's rear as
soon as the head of the British column was put in
motion. He gave orders for Lee to be ready to
make this movement and sent out Generals Dick-
inson and Morgan to lie near the enemy's lines
and see whether the English would endeavour to
evacuate their camp during the night.
THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH
The British vanguard, under Knyphausen, be-
gan moving early on the morning of the 28th.
Dickinson informed Washington, and the latter
ordered Lee to attack, unless there should be ex-
traordinary reasons for not doing so, and he told
Lee that he would immediately come on to his
support with the main body. The main part of
the British army waited for its long train of wag-
gons to pull out before moving. Lee advanced
with the brigades of Wayne and Maxwell. The
troops under Dickinson and Morgan were already
skirmishing with the British rear-guard. Lee
moved slowly, as the country was cut up by woods
228 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
and morasses and difficult to move in. He was
soon joined, therefore, by Lafayette, with the
main body of the advance. When he reached the
heights of Freehold, he rode forward to recon-
nitre and descried what he thought was a de-
tachment of the enemy, which he determined to
cut off. To accomplish this he had Wayne skir-
mish in its rear, while he, with the main body,
made a short cut through the woods to cut it off. He
was so certain of accomplishing his object that he
wrote Washington a note assuring him of success.
The movement made by Lee had been observed
by Clinton, who turned about, and Lee brought
up face to face with the whole rear division of the
British army. He tried to form his troops for ac-
tion. His artillery opened, and his skirmishers
repulsed an attack by the light horse. His orders
do not seem to have been made with much clear-
ness, however. At any rate they were misunder-
stood. Mistakes were made, and one regiment
after another fell back, until Lee's whole advance
was in full retreat before an inferior force. Nor
did he make any effort to check the retreat or
send notice of it to Washington.
The commander-in-chief was, of course, with the
main body and rapidly advancing to Lee's support.
The booming of cannon told him that the attack
had commenced, and he pressed on with still more
ardor. At Freehold the road forked. He sent
Greene by one road to flank the enemy, while he
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 229
went forward by the other. While giving these
directions a farmer rode up and told him his
advance was retreating. An American soldier,
coming back in breathless haste and in a fine
fright, corroborated the farmer. Amazed and in-
censed Washington sprang on his horse and gal-
loped to the front. On his way he soon met the
fugitives returning from the field. He began to
see that the news was only too true. He soon
met two regiments in full and disorderly retreat.
Washington was informed by their colonels that
the whole corps was in retreat. Still Washington
could hardly believe them. There had been little
firing and he had received no notice of the retreat
from Lee. Soon several columns of Lee's force
were observed also in retreat. Colonel Shreve of
one of the regiments assured Washington that the
whole corps was in full retreat why he did not
know, as there had been but a slight skirmish with
the enemy's horse. The other officers of this
regiment were in a state of mind similar to that of
their colonel. One declared that they were fly-
ing from a shadow.
Washington was now thoroughly exasperated.
He rode forward and soon met Lee. He angrily
asked Lee what the meaning of the retreat and
disorder was. He had already formed the opinion
that Lee had retreated on purpose to upset the
plans which had been adopted without his con-
currence, and although Washington seems to have
230 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
jumped at the conclusion, which was something
unusual with him, he was probably right. Wash-
ington's anger was terrible, and Lee was so discon-
certed that he hesitated in his reply. This an-
gered Washington still more, and again he thun-
dered his question at Lee. His manner stung Lee
more than his words. He made an angry reply,
and Washington used still stronger expressions.
Lee tried to explain that his troops had been
thrown into confusion, by disobedience of orders
among his inferiors and by the meddling and
blundering of others. He declared further, how-
ever, and in apparent contradiction of the fore-
going explanation, that he did not think it prudent
to face the whole British army with his small de-
tachment. Washington informed him that he had
certain information that it was but a strong cov-
ering detachment of the enemy. Lee answered
that at any rate it was larger than his own.
Washington taunted Lee with unwillingness to go
into the fight. Lee said he did not think it pru-
dent to bring on a general engagement. Washing-
ton replied that the matter had not been left to
his opinion and that he had failed to obey orders.
The enemy were now within a short distance of
the army, and Washington promptly made arrange-
ments to retrieve the ground lost. The troops
were rallied on the high ground where they now
stood, and the artillery was placed on their flank
and on a hill to support them. By this Washington
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 231
hoped to check the enemy while he formed the
main body on a height in the rear. Washington's
anger had cooled somewhat now, and he left Lee
in command on the height, the latter declaring
that he would not be the first to leave in case he
was driven back. Washington now brought on
the main body and formed it on a height with a
wood in rear and a morass in front. Greene com-
manded the right wing and Stirling the left. Lee
maintained his position, fighting gamely, but was
eventually driven back. He formed behind the
morass ; but the men were exhausted by the fight-
ing, marching and countermarching, and Washing-
ton ordered him and his men to Englishtown to
collect the fugitives.
The English advanced under a hot artillery fire
and tried to turn the left flank of the American
army. They were repulsed by Stirling and then
tried to turn the right flank where they were driven
back with severe loss by Greene, his batteries get-
ting an enfilading fire on part of the attacking
force. They suffered greatly, too, from the fire of
Wayne's men, who were somewhat sheltered in
an advanced position by an orchard and a barn.
Colonel Monckton with a regiment of grenadiers
now tried to drive Wayne from his well-chosen
spot at the point of the bayonet. But Wayne re-
served the fire of his men until the enemy were
almost upon them. A terrific volley then killed
Monckton and slaughtered his troops, who were
232 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
repulsed. The whole British force now retreated
to the ground occupied by Lee in the morning.
Washington was about to renew the battle and
attack them in this position in turn when the day
drew to a close. The army lay in position all
night on their arms, in order to be ready to make
the attack in the morning.
In the morning, however, the discovery was made
that the entire British army had retreated during
the night, leaving a number of their wounded to
be cared for by the Americans. As they had
started early in the night they were too far on
their way to be followed successfully by Washing-
ton's tired troops in such hot weather. The roads
too were deep and sandy ; there was little drinking
water ; and the country was such that a small force
of the enemy could at any time hold the whole
American army in check while the remainder
pressed on. This was especially the case near the
point of embarkation. The pursuit was therefore
abandoned. The American loss was about eighty
killed and double that number wounded. Among
the killed were Colonel Bonner and Major Dick-
inson.
The British loss was much more severe, and, as
I have told you, the gallant Monckton was killed
while making his charge on Wayne. Washington
now detached General Maxwell with his brigade
and Morgan with his riflemen to hang on the
enemy's rear and harass them, while he, with the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 233
main army, pushed on to the Hudson, by the way
of Brunswick.
Washington camped near Brunswick, to give his
army a much needed rest, and despatched young
Lieutenant-colonel Aaron Burr on a reconnoi-
tring expedition. The latter sent spies into New
York and others to various points on the Hudson
to watch the enemy, and especially the enemy's
shipping, for the purpose of learning at once of
any intended movement of the enemy, who,
Washington supposed, might be meditating an
attack on the defences recently constructed on the
Hudson.
Clinton .arrived at Sandy Hook on the 3Oth of
June, having lost nearly two thousand men during
his march through the Jerseys by desertion. Most
of these were Hessians. The fleet of Lord Howe
arrived at the Hook on the 5th of July and con-
veyed Clinton's troops to Staten Island, Long
Island and New York City.
Lee asked for a court-martial on his conduct
during the battle, and the favour was promptly
granted to him. Washington made three charges
against him of disobedience of orders, misbehav-
iour before the enemy and disrespect to the com-
mander-in-chief. The court-martial found him
guilty of all three of the charges, and he was sen-
tenced to be suspended from command for one
year.
Lee now followed the example set by Conway
234 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
and abused Washington in outrageous terms, both
in his correspondence and by word of mouth.
This brought him a challenge from Colonel Lau-
rens of Washington's staff, and in the duel Lee
was wounded in the side. He then retired to his
estate. His sentence was almost completed when
he heard that Congress contemplated relieving
him from command. This angered him so that
he wrote an insolent note to that body, which,
though it made many mistakes, did not permit its
own dignity to be assailed. Congress, therefore,
promptly dismissed Lee from the service. He
lived on his estate for some time. But it was
sadly mismanaged, and he made a trip to Phila-
delphia to dispose of it. The journey was too
much for him, and he was taken while there with
a fever, from the effects of which he died. He
was an eccentric, impatient, ambitious man. But
he was honourable, and had no part in the intrigues
against Washington, being an open and avowed
enemy of the latter rather than a secret one.
He served the cause of the country very faithfully
and was buried with high military honours.
CHAPTER XIX
TARDY ARRIVAL OF THE FRENCH FLEET EX-
PEDITION AGAINST NEWPORT THE FLEETS
DISPERSED BY A STORM SULLIVAN'S DISAP-
POINTMENT AND RETREAT THE WYOMING
VALLEY MASSACRE MURDER AND PILLAGE
BY THE BRITISH
MATTERS began to look very well now for the
young United States. The British had been
driven into New York, and, beyond holding a
few seaports, had done little or nothing toward
the successful subjugation of the land of our
birth.
" It is not a little pleasing," wrote Washington
from his headquarters at White Plains, "that
after two years' manoeuvring and undergoing the
strangest vicissitudes that perhaps ever attended
any one contest since the creation, both armies
are brought back to the very point they set out
from ; and that the offending army at the begin-
ning is now reduced to the use of the spade and
pick-axe for defence. The hand of Providence
has been so conspicuous in all this, that he need
be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more
than wicked that has not gratitude enough to
acknowledge the obligations."
235
236 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
It is seldom that we find Washington in so
satisfied a mood. He was one of the class of
men who seem to have lived but to overcome
apparently unsurmountable obstacles. The his-
tory of America has been made by such men.
And even then, at the brightest moment in the
war since the British had fled from Boston, a keen
disappointment was hovering over the land.
The French fleet arrived just too late to cut
off the British in their retreat to New York. It
consisted of twelve line of battle-ships and half
as many frigates, and it brought Mons. Gerard,
the French minister to the United States, and a
land force of four thousand men. It had been
almost three months in crossing the ocean from
Toulon, a trip that would be made to-day in but
little over a week.
The tardy French commander, the Count
d'Estaing, sent a highly flattering message to
Washington and started the French minister off
to Philadelphia. He then proceeded north along
the coast, only to find the British fleet, under
Lord Howe, safely anchored inside of Sandy
Hook. Here the Count determined to fight the
British fleet, to which his own force was superior,
and Washington was to co-operate against New
York with his army. Both the French and
Americans were exultant, while the English had
the mortification of seeing, for the first time, an
English fleet blocked up in its own harbour. But
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 237
when the American pilots went aboard the great
French battle-ships they found that the largest
ones drew too much water to pass over the bar.
The cup of joy that D'Estaing was raising to
Washington's lips was dashed to the ground.
The French fleet now undertook the capture of
Newport, Rhode Island. General Sullivan com-
manded the American forces at Providence, and
he was ordered by Washington to co-operate.
The latter also reinforced Sullivan with two bri-
gades under the Marquis Lafayette. General
Greene was also sent to help Sullivan, as he was
a native of the island upon which Newport is
situated and had great influence with the people.
General Pigott commanded the British force of
about six thousand men on the island. His main
defence was a line of intrenchments across it,
about three miles from the town. The French
fleet was to force its way into the harbour and the
Americans to approach simultaneously by land.
On the loth of August the troops were to land
from the ships and the Americans to cross to the
island. The French commander was a stickler
for precedence. At the approach of the allies,
the British evacuated their intrenchments in front
of Sullivan, in fear of being cut off. Sullivan,
seeing the works abandoned, naturally enough
crossed on the Qth to take possession of them.
Sullivan's proceeding a day ahead of the ap-
pointed time offended D'Estaing, who had strict
238 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
notions of the proprieties. He made ready to
co-operate, eventually. But before he commenced
operations his lookouts discovered the English
fleet, under Lord Howe, sailing in to the rescue
of the town. They were still inferior to the
French fleet in numbers. Nevertheless, they had
been reinforced and gallantly went to the assist-
ance of their comrades at Newport.
Had Lord Howe been as prompt as he was
gallant he would, with little doubt, have de-
stroyed or captured the French fleet ; as the wind
was greatly in his favour and dead against the
French fleet. This was a matter of the greatest
importance in the days of sailing vessels. The
English ships would have been able to manoeuvre
without difficulty, while the French ships could
only have been handled at all with the greatest
difficulty, and would have been exposed to the
fire of the land batteries. The British anchored,
however, outside the harbour during the night,
and D'Estaing at once took advantage of the
Briton's blunder to sail out of the harbour. The
British ships now formed in line of battle, but
avoided a conflict in their turn. The wind had
changed, and the French now had the advantage.
Both fleets now manoeuvred, the British to avoid
a fight until they had the weather-gage, the
French to force a fight while they still retained
it. And as they manoeuvred they gradually
drew away from the Rhode Island shore until
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 239
they were lost to sight. And before the actual
contest began a great storm scattered the ships
of both fleets and disabled them. When it sub-
sided, the English bore away to New York for
repairs, and the French returned to Newport, but
in no condition to fight.
While these events were happening in the East,
the British in the West were inciting the Indians
against the Americans. There was a British garri-
son at Niagara, and in that noted spot most of the
trouble arose. Brant, the Indian murderer, had
fled there after he and his English allies had been
driven from Fort Schuyler ; and there he and a
number of Tories projected the savage invasion
of the peaceful Wyoming Valley, along the Sus-
quehanna river.
This expedition was started in June, being com-
posed of Colonel John Butler's Rangers, John-
son's Royal Greens and Brant and his Indian
braves. They murdered and destroyed as they
advanced, for a time unchecked. Washington
had started reinforcements to the defence of the
Valley ; but the farmers had already united for
protection under the command of Colonel Zebulon
Butler. The patriot Butler with more zeal than
wisdom determined to push on and attack the
marauding Butler at his headquarters at Fort
Wintermoot, without waiting for the reinforce-
ments. In consequence he was terribly defeated
there and the greater part of his force massacred
2 4 o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
by the Indians and Tories. That settled the fate
of the Valley. It was then defenceless. Farms
were laid waste, the houses and barns burned, and
their owners murdered. The remaining inhabit-
ants of the fertile tract, some five thousand in
number, were driven in consternation to neigh-
bouring settlements more capable of defence.
Many of the Tory marauders had been neighbours
and often close kinsmen of the unhappy sufferers,
and the relationship instead of inciting them to
pity merely led them to more horrible atrocities.
The whole affair was one of the most barbarous
outrages that ever sullied the pages of English
history.
In the meantime the British in New York were
performing similar feats whenever the opportunity
came to them. The same General Grey who was
sent by Clinton against the Connecticut ports
surprised a body of dragoons under Colonel Bay-
lor in Old Tappan. The dragoons were asleep in
a barn, and Grey slaughtered them while they
were naked and defenceless and crying for mercy.
A few were taken prisoners by virtue of the en-
treaties of a British officer who seems to have been
built too delicately for cold-blooded murder. The
majority, however, were bayoneted, some re-
ceiving as many as sixteen bayonet thrusts.
About the same time three hundred regular
British troops, under the lead of another blood-
letter, by the name of Ferguson (a captain)
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 241
sacked and burned Little Egg Harbor. They
went after privateers which they did not get. So
they burnt the salt works, storehouses and private
dwellings of the people. Before he returned Cap-
tain Ferguson had another opportunity to distin-
guish himself in his peculiar way. He learned of
a small body of American infantry lying but
twelve miles distant from him. He attacked them
in the night with about two hundred and fifty
men. He took five prisoners. That is to say, he
slew the rest as they wakened from their sleep.
As a pirate or a slave trader Captain Ferguson
would have been a towering success. But as a
soldier under a soldier's flag he is a lasting shame
to the English people.
We may have more respect for the Hessians
under Donop who laid waste the country between
Tarrytown and Dobb's Ferry on the Hudson.
They at any rate were not making war on their
own flesh and blood. Throughout the British oc-
cupation of New York and its vicinity the Hessian
hirelings of all breeds added every horror they
could to the evils of war. But they were, like the
Indians, less morally guilty than the English who
hired them. We can feel especially sympathetic
with these Hessians of Donop's command as Colo-
nel Richard Butler and Major Henry Lee took
them by surprise soon after. The Americans
killed but ten however, which is no unusual pro-
portion.
16
242 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Throughout the remainder of the war these
dastardly acts of the British were continued, and
their only real successes, with a few exceptions,
were in pillage of the peaceful and the murder of
the defenceless. And the English government
invariably rewarded the pillagers and murderers.
Colonel Grey, for instance, was made Lord How-
ick and eventually Earl Grey for his wholesale
murders. But if anything were needed to make
the Americans more determined to secure their
independence, these acts would have accomplished
the purpose better than any others. They effect-
ually sundered every tie of affection for England
that might have remained in the hearts of Amer-
icans and made eventual independence a necessity.
CHAPTER XX
THE BRITISH IN FLORIDA AND GEORGIA STORM-
ING OF STONY POINT SULLIVAN'S EXPEDI-
TION AGAINST THE WYOMING VALLEY MUR-
DERERS FURTHER MARAUDS SIEGE AND
SURRENDER OF CHARLESTON MARAUDS OF
TARLETON AND FERGUSON
AT the very end of the year 1778 the English
succeeded without much difficulty in capturing
Savannah and overrunning Georgia. They had
failed to conquer New England. They had been
driven from the Middle States. They were now
to attempt the subjugation of the South, and at
first they succeeded very well. The southern
colonists had not yet been roused to great exer-
tions in order to save their homes, and the main
army had been concentrated under Washington
in the North and must of necessity remain there.
Florida fell with Georgia, and the British there-
upon turned toward South Carolina. General
Lincoln was therefore hurried from the North to
Charleston to put it in a state of defence.
Washington and his army wintered in New
Jersey, watching the British in New York, and in
1779 little was accomplished in the northern
243
244 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
army on either side. In the middle of July,
General " Mad Anthony " Wayne stormed Stony
Point on the Hudson and took it at the point of
the bayonet. It was a night attack, such as the
British were fond of making; but even the Brit-
ish had to acknowledge that not one man was put
to death save in " fair combat." The American
loss was fifteen killed and eighty-three wounded.
The British lost sixty-three killed, while five
hundred and fifty-three were taken prisoners. A
friendly negro guided the advance picket of the
Americans to the English sentinels. Two of
these were captured without the firing of a shot.
The Americans, therefore, managed to get to the
very outworks of the fort without giving cause
for alarm. The attack was made in two columns
each preceded by between a hundred and a hun-
dred and fifty men. One of these advance columns
was commanded by Colonel Fleury, the other by
Major Stewart. These formed two vanguards on
either side of the fort for the main body of the
troops, which charged in after them. Each van-
guard was preceded by a forlorn hope of ten men,
and these forlorn hopes lost the greater number
of the American killed. Wayne himself was
wounded at the head of his troops.
Washington found that the fort would require
too large a garrison to be held to advantage, and
it was consequently evacuated three days after its
capture. It was the most brilliant surprise of the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 245
war, however, and one of the most successful in
history.
A little later during the summer, General Sul-
livan led an expedition of three thousand men,
against the Indians and Tories who had laid
waste the Wyoming Valley. They were rein-
forced by two thousand New-Yorkers under
General James Clinton. At Newton, Butler,
Johnson and the Indian Brant opposed Sullivan's
army but were easily beaten, This was late in
August. Sullivan then pushed on destroying the
Indian country, orchards, fields of corn, gardens,
houses, in fact everything that was of value to
them. The Indians fled with their families to
the protection of the British at Fort Niagara.
To look at it to-day, it seems like a rather heart-
less procedure, but it was necessary to starve the
Indians out of the country to prevent a repetition
of the Wyoming massacre. This was Sullivan's
last achievement, as ill-health soon compelled him
to retire from the army.
The British during this year accomplished but
little in the North, though they had in New York
city an army superior to Washington's. They
had campaigned against him in the Jerseys to
their heart's content and wanted no more of it.
Nearly all they accomplished was in the maraud-
ing line. In May, General Mathews ravaged a
part of Virginia, burning or destroying everything
that fell into his hands.
246 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
In July, Clinton sent General Tryon (the former
Tory Governor of New York), with a force of
twenty-five hundred men to ravage Connecticut.
Tryon landed with his force near New Haven
and promptly took and plundered that town.
From there he went to Fairfield. Here he des-
troyed everything of value, including the vessels
in the harbour, and burned the town to the ground.
At Norwalk his acts were not quite so atrocious.
That is to say some private property was spared.
In addition to the destruction at these places his
soldiers indulged in all the kinds of disorder known
to soldiers. Tryon was about to turn his atten-
tion to New London, when Washington's activity
gave alarm to Clinton, and the expedition was
recalled.
Then Major Henry Lee of Virginia took a hand
at retaliation of a legitimate kind, by descending
upon Paulus Hook and capturing part of the
British garrison and bringing them off. In other
places, however, the Americans were unsuccess-
ful. General Lovel failed completely in an
attempt to capture a British fort at a point on
the Bay of Penobscot, which had been established
to hold the Maine forests for the king. And
Lincoln and D'Estaing failed to recapture Savan-
nah, late in the autumn. After three weeks of
fruitless siege operations at the latter place, Lin-
coln and D'Estaing put themselves at the head of
their respective bodies and tried to take the place
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 247
by assault. They were repulsed with great loss.
D'Estaing was wounded, and Count Pulaski was
killed. Sergeant Jasper, the hero of Fort Moul-
trie, also lost his life there.
Lincoln now retreated into the Carolinas.
Washington went into winter quarters at Morris-
town. And Sir Henry Clinton, accompanied by
Lord Cornwallis, set sail the day after Christmas
for the capture of Charleston and the subjugation
of the Carolinas. He left the Hessian General
Knyphausen in command at New York. The
latter distinguished himself by continuing the
policy of Clinton as to raiding and marauding.
At Elizabethtown a church was burned in which
a patriot preacher of great eloquence had offici-
ated. The Rev. James Caldwell was the preacher.
He was with the army and was an object of par-
ticular hatred to the Royalists. They regretted
that he was not in the pulpit when the church was
burning, and they took other measures of an even
more painful character later to wreak their hatred
on him. Another of Knyphausen's expeditions
was made against Young's House, a fortified
American outpost near White Plains. Here the
usual massacre took place, although about ninety
prisoners were taken, to suffer in the prison ships
in the harbor of New York.
About the same time (the latter part of Janu-
ary) Clinton neared Charleston, S.C., after a
tempestuous and lengthy voyage. He had lost
248 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
the cavalry horses of his dragoons, but their com-
mander soon mounted them again. This com-
mander was the famous, or rather infamous,
Tarleton, who was to prove such a terror to the
Southern States. He was a fit associate of Grey,
Tryon and the rest of the British raiders. When
he had remounted his dragoons with horses taken
by force from friends and enemies alike, Clinton
proceeded by easy stages to Charleston, having
landed at St. John's Island.
THE SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
Lincoln, after the retreat from Savannah, had
proceeded to Charleston and had taken command
there. As Clinton approached he bent his ener-
gies to fortifying the city. Lincoln preferred to
remain with his small army in the open country ;
but at the earnest solicitation of the inhabitants,
and especially of Governor Rutledge, he finally
consented to remain and defend the town, al-
though the prospect of its capture, and with it
his army, was far from remote. Rutledge, on his
part, called out the militia of the State, and rein-
forcements were expected from the North. Lin-
coln was disappointed by both. He was to be
still further disappointed. Commodore Whipple,
who commanded the few vessels of the young
American navy stationed at Charleston, found
that he had not been correctly informed as to the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 249
depth of water in the harbor, and would -mot be
able to defend the passage of the English ships
under Admiral Arbuthnot. This laid the water
front open, with protection only from Fort
Moultrie and Whipple's ships anchored alongside
of it.
On the 1 2th of March Clinton appeared before
Charleston and commenced the siege, though the
investment was not completed for some time.
Lincoln could, therefore, have escaped even after
the discovery of the weakness on the water side.
It was Washington's opinion, too, that he should
have evacuated the city. But he bravely re-
mained at his post to make the best defence he
could. Washington ordered De Kalb with the
Maryland troops to the aid of Lincoln, but it was
hardly considered possible that he would arrive in
time. On the other hand, Clinton was promptly
reinforced by sea by Lord Rawdon with twenty-
five hundred fresh troops from New York. Still
further troops came to the British commander
from Savannah, though not without some brushes
with the militia. And here began the operations
of the celebrated partisan bands under Colonels
Washington, Marion and Sumter that make a
large part of the history of the American army in
the Carolinas. In fact Colonel Washington soon
had an encounter with Tarleton that was partially
successful.
But Charleston was doomed. The enlistments
250 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
of manjrof the militia in Lincoln's army expired,
and the militiamen went to their homes. On the
7th of April, however, Lincoln was reinforced by
some seven hundred Virginians under General
Woodford. With the reinforcements, Lincoln's
little army numbered about four thousand.
The English Admiral had little difficulty in
passing Fort Moultrie, and the garrison evacuated
it. The British lines closed about the town. Be-
fore they did so, Governor Rutledge and half of
the executive council of the state left the city in
an effort to rouse the people of the state to come
to the city's relief. They failed in their mission,
however, and the investment was soon thereafter
completed. On the I2th of May the city of
Charleston surrendered.
During the siege Tarleton with his dragoons
and Major Ferguson with his riflemen made a
forced march to Monk's Corner and surprised the
patriot General Huger's camp there, killing or
capturing nearly the entire force. Major Fer-
guson seems to have been of a finer character
than most of his associates. At Monk's Corner
a number of dragoons broke into a dwelling and
maltreated some ladies who had sought shelter
there. If Ferguson had had his way he would
have put the dragoons to death. His superior,
Colonel Webster, arrived, however, and the dra-
goons escaped with a whipping.
Clinton now considered South Carolina sub-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 251
jugated and prepared to leave, personally, for
New York. He projected several expeditions into
the interior, though, before he went. The most
important of these was headed by Cornwallis, and
with it went Tarleton. It had for its object a
corps of Virginia troops under Colonel Buford
which had been advancing to reinforce Lincoln,
but which was now retreating. Tarleton, with
Cornwallis' advance, overtook Buford on the banks
of the Waxhaw. The attack was a surprise, and
the usual massacre followed. One hundred and
thirteen were killed on the spot and a greater
number so mangled that they could not be moved.
This after they had thrown down their arms and
cried for quarter. But fifty prisoners colild be
carried away from the scene of the butchery.
There was no excuse for such slaughter. There
were but five killed and fifteen wounded on the
English side. For this heartless blood-letting
Cornwallis recommended Tarleton to the king for
high honours. We do not learn, however, that he
was made an Earl.
CHAPTER XXI
ARNOLD'S DIFFICULTIES HIS MARRIAGE IN-
VESTIGATED BY A COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS
COURT-MARTIALLED HIS TREASONABLE COR-
RESPONDENCE WITH CLINTON ARNOLD AND
ANDRE' CAPTURE OF ANDRE* AND FLIGHT OF
ARNOLD EXECUTION OF ANDRE* STORY OF
NATHAN HALE
WE must now take notice of a man to whose
personal bravery we have often referred, but who
proved to be merely a fighting animal with a very
low grade of moral or spiritual being. If warfare
brought out nothing but the good in man there
would be more excuse for it than there is. But
the worst of warfare, Boy, is the fact that it brings
out too much of what appears to be good in bad
men. Common brute lust for fighting masquer-
ades as bravery, insensibility to danger as courage,
and what is worse selfish ambition as patriotism.
Some men who have most deeply cursed their
country in all times have hewed their way to
power sword in hand. Now and then there is an
exception. Washington and Grant were such.
But the world is still supplied with would-be
Napoleons and with people only too ready to
252
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 253
acclaim them rulers. For one Washington in
warfare there are a hundred Tarletons or Greys,
and there is also a plentiful supply of Benedict
Arnolds.
In 1778 Arnold, still suffering from the wound
he had received at Bemis Heights, was placed in
command of Philadelphia. He still had the
sincere regard of Washington ; but he was in
trouble with Congress, owing to the fact that his
accounts had not yet been settled. Some of his
items of expenditure had been considered exorbi-
tant by the committee, and he was suspected of
an ambition to become wealthy by any means
that lay in his power. Under these circumstances
it was a very unfortunate thing for Arnold that
he was placed in command of the city where Con-
gress was holding its sittings, and which was the
seat of government. There had always been con-
tinual clashing between the army and the civil
government. And Arnold, being already at odds
with Congress, could hardly have been expected
to get along well in such a position. He lived
very expensively, kept running into debt and was
accused of fraudulently using the power of his
position to obtain money to meet his obligations.
All roads lead to ruin when a man has once
started in that direction. He had not been long
in Philadelphia before he began courting a beauti-
ful young lady, Miss Margaret Shippen. Under
ordinary circumstances a love-affair might have
254 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
made him popular. But, unfortunately, the
young lady's family was suspected of Tory pro-
clivities. She herself had been a favourite with
the British officers when they had occupied the
city ; and she had even been one of the characters
in the celebrated Mischianza.
One thing led to another, until charges were
preferred against Arnold and sent to Congress.
A committee investigated the charges and reported
to Congress, exculpating him. Arnold thought
his name cleared, resigned his command at Phila-
delphia and hastened his marriage to Miss Ship-
pen. But Congress, instead of adopting the report
of the committee, asked Washington to refer the
charges to a court-martial. Arnold's disappoint-
ment and anger at this proceeding can be imagined.
He still suffered in heart from the belief that Con-
gress had not done him full justice in the matter
of promotion, and he now had a further cause of
complaint.
The eight charges were reduced to two, and on
the 1 2th of February, 1780, the court-martial
found that while he had been guilty of no fraud-
ulent act, his proceedings had been " irregular,
and contrary to one of the articles of war." He
was sentenced to be reprimanded by the com-
mander-in-chief. The reprimand was as gentle
and kindly as Washington could compose. But
Arnold was stung to the quick. He was still
heavily in debt ; his accounts were still unsettled ;
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 255
he needed the money he claimed to be due him
to pay the debts; and he had just been married.
He was also disappointed at not being permitted
to make an expedition at sea, which he claimed
he could carry through, though his wounds still
prevented him from active duty on land. He
eventually obtained a leave of absence for the
summer.
From the time that the court-martial found
him guilty in part of the charges preferred against
him, Arnold is known to have begun to plot trea-
son against his country. Whether he had begun
before or not is still a matter of doubt, though it
is known that Major John Andr, the adjutant-
general of the British Army, had corresponded
before this with Arnold's young wife.
He began by writing letters to Sir Henry Clin-
ton in a disguised hand and over the signature of
Gustavus. He claimed to be a man of impor-
tance in the American army, and said he was dissat-
isfied with recent proceedings of Congress, espe-
cially with regard to the treaty with France.
To prove that he was what he claimed to be,
he occasionally gave Clinton certain informa-
tion regarding the movements of the Amer-
ican troops, which, of course, proved to be true.
He let Clinton understand that he would be will-
ing to betray his country if the English govern-
ment would pay a sufficient consideration. And
he wanted considerably more than the sum paid
256 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
to Judas. On the part of Clinton the correspond-
ence was conducted by his adjutant-general, the
same John Andr.
When Clinton eventually learned who his cor-
respondent was, he hardly deemed it worth while
to buy Arnold's treason. He could then obtain
nothing but the traitor's services, and they were
worth little indeed to the British commander.
It became necessary, therefore, for Arnold to ob-
tain command of some place of importance that
the British wanted and would pay liberally for.
This place was eventually decided to be the forti-
fications at West Point, on the Hudson, which
had so long been an object of anxiety to Wash-
ington.
Arnold obtained the command he coveted in
August, and made his headquarters at Beverley,
below the fort, and on the opposite side of the
river. This was the country seat of Colonel Bever-
ley Robinson, a Tory then with the British and in
their service in New York. Here the scheme was
hatched. Washington and the allied French were
to be drawn away from West Point ; a flotilla
was to ascend the Hudson, carrying a large land
force; and Arnold was to surrender the High-
lands with little or no opposition, on the pretence
of having an insufficient force to make a success-
ful resistance. It was expected that this would
dismember the Union and break the whole Amer-
ican military plan.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 257
To 'consummate the bargain Andr finally went
up the Hudson to a point where the British sloop
of war Vu/furewas anchored, and proceeded thence
to meet Arnold on land. It was ostensibly to
be his mission to negotiate for the security of
Colonel Beverley Robinson's property. The two
conspirators met about six miles below Stony
Point, on the western shore of the river. It was
midnight when they met, and at early dawn the
proceedings had not been completed. Arnold,
therefore, prevailed upon Andr6 to remain on
shore another day. Accordingly they repaired to
a farmhouse, where, after breakfast, the plans
were finally agreed upon and the price settled
which Arnold was to receive for his treachery.
But Andr was now within the American lines.
The first interview had been on territory without
both lines.
From the moment the miserable compact was
sealed Andr was unfortunate. Arnold furnished
him with plans of the fortifications which were
placed in Andrews stockings. He also gave Andre
a pass to enable him to go through the American
lines. In the meantime the Vulture had been
fired upon by cannon from the banks and com-
pelled to drop down the river. Arnold went back
to his headquarters about ten o'clock, and poor
Andr6 had to remain in the farmhouse the re-
mainder of the day, already wondering whether
he would be able to regain the Vulture with
'7
258 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
safety. He had risked a great deal, but he ex-
pected to be made a brigadier-general in the
British army if he succeeded in his enterprise.
But he risked more than he thought, for it had
not yet occurred to him that he was within the
American lines, practically in disguise and there-
fore a spy. And he proceeded to make his posi-
tion still worse by removing all that remained of
his uniform and putting on the garb of a farmer.
About sunset he and a guide crossed the river to
Verplanck's Point and proceeded in the direction
of White Plains. They managed to pass through
one patrol by the use of Arnold's authority, but
were warned of the danger of proceeding far into
the neutral territory between the two armies, as
they were overrun by marauders of every descrip-
tion. They therefore put up at a farmhouse for
the remainder of the night. In the early morn-
ing they proceeded on their journey. About two
miles from the Croton River the guide turned back,
and Andr6 went on alone. Six miles further on
he came to a fork in the roads. He had intended
to take the left-hand road toward White Plains
but finally decided to take the other toward the
Hudson, which was a more direct route to New
York. Here he made another mistake. A few
minutes later a man stepped out from the trees
that lined the road and stopped him with a lev-
elled musket. But Andr supposed he belonged
to the British side and foolishly announced that
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 259
he was a British officer. In the meantime the
first sentry was joined by two others. They were
a small picket. But they were not of the party
to which Andr supposed they were. You will
remember, Boy, that Young's House in this neigh-
bourhood had been sacked and burned and its de-
fenders murdered. That had aroused the resist-
ance of the inhabitants of that part of the neu-
tral ground, and they had sprung to arms to
defend their homes. They turned out in small
parties to intercept straggling British soldiers.
One small party of seven had divided, four taking
post at Sleepy Hollow, and three, on this road to
New York that Andre was travelling. And these
three men were John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart
and David Williams. They had captured a man,
too, of far more importance than any of the free-
booters they were looking for. And John Pauld-
ing had escaped but four days before from a foul
British prison in New York. While there his
uniform had been taken from him, and he had
been given some old clothes of a refugee. These
clothes had deceived Andre. The latter was as-
tonished and dismayed to find that he was in the
hands of patriots, but he tried to pass the matter
off, declared that he had but pretended to be a
British officer in order to pass what he supposed
were British lines, and showed Arnold's pass.
This would have saved him had he not made the
mistake of declaring himself to be a British of-
26o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
ficer. But the suspicions of the three men were
aroused, and they searched him. They were about
to let him go even then, when Paulding declared
that he would not be satisfied until Andre's boots
had been searched. The British adjutant-general
protested. The patriots insisted. As a result
the concealed papers were discovered. Paulding
glanced at them and, somewhat horror-stricken
himself, declared that Andr6 was a spy.
Andre now tried to buy himself free, at last de-
claring that he would pay any price that his cap-
tors demanded. But Paulding answered that he
should not stir one step though he paid them ten
thousand guineas, and the three men set off with
their unfortunate prisoner to the nearest American
post.
The news of Andrews capture flashed through
the American army, and as soon as it was known
so, too, was the treason of Arnold. Unfortunately
the commander of the post to which Andr6 was
brought promptly notified Arnold, and the traitor
made his escape.
Every intercession was made for Andr to se-
cure his release. He was a great favourite in the
English army and a man of fine education and
attainments. But he was found guilty of being
a spy, was sentenced to be hanged and was exe-
cuted on the 2d day of October. One proposi-
tion alone would have secured Andre's release.
Washington would undoubtedly have traded him
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 261
for Arnold, but British honour could hardly con-
sent to that. Arnold joined the British army and
remained in it, though it is but justice to the Eng-
lish to say that they despised him to the day of
his death, almost as deeply as his countrymen
have execrated him. He failed to deliver West
Point into the hands of his countrymen's enemies,
the British lost an able officer and obtained a bad
one. And the fate of Andr6 has at least served
to bring into greater prominence (though not as
much as it deserves) the bitter fate and patriotic
services of Nathan Hale.
Hale was a young Connecticut school-teacher,
a graduate of Yale college, who was studying for
the ministry. He joined the army on the news
of the battle of Lexington. " A sense of duty,"
he wrote his father, " urges me to sacrifice every-
thing for my country." He served with Wash-
ington before Boston, became a captain in the
Connecticut militia and, when Washington needed
the services of a person competent to enter the
British lines and secure information of the enemy's
movements, Hale volunteered. He had secured
his information and made plans of the enemy's
works, and was returning to meet a boat which
was to take him to the mainland when he fell a
victim to a mistake not unlike Andrews. He mis-
took a boat from a British man-of-war for the
boat that had been sent to convey him, was ar-
rested, tried and hanged. His treatment at the
262 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
hands of his British captors was totally unlike
that which Andr received. The latter was
treated with the greatest consideration and excited
the pity of the whole American army. But Hale
was treated with great brutality, refused the con-
solation of a Bible, and the letter which he wrote
as a last word to his mother was destroyed by the
infamous provost marshal in order " that the rebels
should never know that they had a man who could
die with such firmness." Hale's dying words
were, " I only regret that I have but one life to
lose for my country." For many years the fate
of Andr excited more sympathy in American
breasts than the fate of the brave Hale. But Time
has changed all that. To-day we realise that
Andr6, after all, was engaged in a dastardly en-
terprise, and well deserved the fate that was meted
out to him.
CHAPTER XXII.
KNYPHAUSEN'S INVASION OF NEW JERSEY
THE MURDER OF MRS. CALDWELL KNY-
PHAUSEN'S SECOND ATTEMPT GATES AP-
POINTED TO COMMAND THE SOUTHERN
ARMY SUMTER AND MARION THE BATTLE
OF CAMDEN.
WASHINGTON learned of the loss of Charleston
and the return of Sir Henry Clinton to New York
at about the same time (June 1st). He surmised,
with of course considerable apprehension, that
Clinton's success would stir the pulse of the
British in New York and make them more ener-
getic and aggressive than they had been for a con-
siderable time. His great fears were for West
Point. This stronghold of the Hudson protected
the communication between the New England
States and the rest of the confederacy. With it
lost, the colonies would be cut almost in twain.
Nothing shows Washington's military sagacity
more clearly than this continual fear of his that
the Highlands of the Hudson, natural fortifica-
tions as they are, might be wrested from him.
That they never were was due to his unceasing
vigilance. The English were quite aware of their
263
264 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
importance. I f they had been held when Burgoy ne
invaded New York that general might have suc-
ceeded.
Clinton, however, made no campaign against
the Highland fortresses. His eye was still jeal-
ously cast in the direction of the Jerseys. The
British had been repeatedly driven out of this
state. The victorious Clinton wished to retrieve
the past defeats of the army he commanded.
On the 5th of June Knyphausen made a dash
from Staten Island to Elizabethtown Point with
five thousand men. As they advanced to Eliza-
bethtown, a solitary American sentinel stationed
at a meeting point of two roads discharged his
musket at them. The single shot struck General
Sterling, who led Knyphausen's.advance, and mor-
tally wounded him.
Colonel Dayton, who commanded the American
troops in the town, was too weak to cope with the
advancing British and retired. As he retired sig-
nal guns, fires and galloping couriers aroused the
country. At Connecticut Farms, Dayton was
joined by the Jersey brigade under General Max-
well, and the two made a stand. They were soon
obliged to retreat again, though, as the British
were reinforced and brought their artillery into
play.
The invaders had been angered by the opposi-
tion to their march, and they proceeded to wreak
their vengeance on the defenceless in true British
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 265
style. They set fire to the houses of the town and
murdered the wife of the Reverend James Cald-
well, whose church at Elizabethtown they had
burned the preceding January. He himself was
away with the regiment of which he was chap-
lain.
Knyphausen now pressed on to Morristown
after the retreating Americans. But as the Amer-
icans retreated they were being constantly rein-
forced by the rising countrymen, and they were
retreating straight on to Washington's army.
Knyphausen got almost to Springfield before he
discovered what he was going against. He at once
turned around and retreated during the ensuing
night to his starting-point. The next day the
Americans followed, and at Connecticut Farms,
the Reverend James Caldwell found his wife a
corpse. The news spread abroad through the
land and aroused a feeling of horror and indigna-
tion almost equal to that aroused by the murder
of Miss Jane McCrea. Like every other act of
British cruelty, it but aroused the country to a
more determined stand against their oppressors.
Later in June, Clinton embarked his troops
again on their transports. Washington feared
that the movement was to be against West Point,
and with part of his army started in that direction.
He moved slowly and cautiously, however. The
embarkation was but a feint, and on the 23d he
learned that Knyphausen had once more moved
266 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
from Elizabethtown, this time with the intention
of taking Morristown and destroying the military
stores there. Knyphausen's advance was retarded
by Major Lee on the Vauxhall road, by Colonel
Dayton on the main road, and by Colonels Angel
and Shreve at two bridges across the Rahway
River, Greene, with the main army left by
Washington, being stationed in the Short Hills
about a mile from Springfield.
Lee made a sharp fight on the Vauxhall road
and retreated. Dayton made an equally gallant
resistance. With him was the Reverend Mr.
Caldwell, whose wife had been murdered such a
short time before. He was maddened at her fate.
When the Jersey regiment, to which he was at-
tached, needed wadding for their guns he rode to
the Presbyterian Church and brought a quantity
of Watts' hymn-books from it, which he distrib-
uted for wadding. " Now, boys," cried he, " put
Watts into them."
Colonel Angel, at the first bridge over the Rah-
way, had the fiercest of the fighting. Both his
loss and that of the enemy opposed to him were
great. Compelled to retire, he did so in good
order to the bridge where Colonel Shreve was
stationed. Here another stand was made. Both
were driven eventually, however, back on the main
body. Greene awaited the British attack with con-
fidence. But the enemy had had enough fighting
in the continual attack on the American advance.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 267
Knyphausen saw that to reach Morristown would
probably result in the eventual capture of himself
and his command. He, therefore, wisely re-
treated. He was just in time. Washington had
despatched a brigade from his command to the
aid of Greene, and Knyphausen would have been
overwhelmed. The British left their usual calling
card at Springfield before they left. They burned
the place to the ground. All the way back to
Elizabethtown they were closely pursued, losing
a quantity of stores and some prisoners. Indeed
they were glad to make their escape back to New
York.
That short campaign ended the British en-
deavours to conquer New Jersey. From that time
on, the much enduring state was practically free
from them.
The war, however, was being prosecuted, and its
evils felt, in another direction. We have seen
how Charleston was captured and General Lin-
coln and his army with it. The militia of the
southern states was being rapidly organised, and
De Kalb was still advancing towards Charleston.
Cornwallis and his subordinates, in the meantime,
were overrunning the country. A new command-
ing officer was necessary to the southern army.
It had been Washington's intention to recommend
General Greene to the post. But the friends of
Gates were too quick for him, and before Wash-
ington's recommendation could reach Philadelphia
268 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Congress had appointed Gates to the command
of the southern army of defence. This general
jumped at the chance to add to the laurels he had
won in his victories over Burgoyne. Unfortu-
nately, in this instance, he had no Schuyler to
prepare the way to victory. Indeed before he
left his estates in Virginia he received a sinister
warning from his old associate in intrigue, Lee.
" Beware," said Lee, " that your northern laurels
do not change to southern willows." Gates
proceeded on his journey to anticipated victory
undismayed, and after he had started Washington
received the first division of welcome reinforce-
ments from the French under the Count de Ro-
chambeau. Lafayette had been successful in his
pleading with the French king to send another
fleet and army to the succour of the struggling
states.
Cornwallis was pressing on in his determination
to conquer North Carolina and add it to the other
subdued southern states. He had a harder nut
to crack than he thought. He was going among a
people whose ancestors had had a long experience
in dealing with invaders. North Carolina was
populated largely by a race of Scotch-Irish ex-
traction, and they had given their royal governors
more trouble in colonial days than the people of
any other colony. They were by far the most
independent of any. When they saw that they
were to be invaded by the conquering Briton they
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 269
prepared to make trouble. The state, too, pre-
sented many physical obstacles to successful in-
vasion. It contained wild mountains, deep forests
and treacherous rivers that were seldom bridged
because ordinarily they were fordable. But they
were liable to be swollen to raging torrents by
sudden storms. These were the defensive strength
of the country, and Lord Cornwallis was all un-
aware of them.
The personal leader of the North Carolinians
was Thomas Sumter, an old Indian fighter
whom they loved to call the " Game Cock." In
the Continental army he had been a lieutenant-
colonel of riflemen. Along the coast the state is
low and swampy and vegetation so thick that it
was full of hidden fastnesses. When Charleston
fell Sumter had secreted himself and family in
one of these. From it he sallied forth whenever
the opportunity presented with whatever small
force he could collect to surprise and harry small
detachments of the enemy. His purpose accom-
plished he would retire with equal despatch to his
fastness and be as completely lost to the bewil-
dered British as though the earth had swallowed
him. Like unto him was Francis Marion, who,
you will remember, was at the battle of Fort
Moultric. Marion was known to the English as
" The Swamp Fox of the Carolinas." The names
of these two men soon became more of a terror
to the British and Tories than even that of Tarle-
270 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
ton to the patriots. At Hanging Rock in
August, Sumter, with a particularly large force,
for him, of about six hundred men, fell upon the
British, nearly annihilated the Prince of Wales
regiment and scattered and routed a large force of
Tories that were acting with it. .
De Kalb in the meantime had been stopped at
Deep River on the 6th of July, his provisions
having given out. General Caswell, with the
North Carolina militia, was on the Pedee, and De
Kalb was endeavouring to join them and the small
remainder of the defenders of Charleston who
had escaped capture. The country between them
was sterile, however, and De Kalb was compelled
to stop and forage for supplies. He was about
to make a detour through the more fertile counties
when Gates arrived on the 25th.
Gates, burning to accomplish much in little
time, gave orders for an immediate advance
through the sterile country. He declared that
provisions in plenty were but a few days' march
behind. On the 2/th the army started and suf-
fered severely in consequence of Gates' lack of
foresight. On the third of August, however,
Gates was joined by a small body of regulars
under Lieutenant-colonel Porterfield, and on the
7th made his junction with Caswell. On the I3th
of the month, Cornwallis and Gates were but
twelve miles apart, the British being at Camden.
The British force was about two thousand. That
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 271
of Gates was about a thousand more, but most of
them were raw militia. And of this force Gates
sent Colonel Woolford and a hundred regulars,
together with some field-pieces to aid Sumter in
that enterprising partisan's attempt to capture a
large British convoy. On the evening of the i$th
Gates pushed on about seven miles to attack the
British should they attempt to interfere with
Sumter. And on the same evening, by a singular
coincidence, the British moved forward to attack
Gates on the next day. And of this intention of
the English Gates was blissfully unaware, for he
had made little or no effort to scout the country
in front of him.
THE BATTLE OF CAMDEN.
The two forces blundered on to each other
about two o'clock on the morning of the i6th. A
skirmish immediately ensued between the two ad-
vance guards. Both forces then halted, formed
for action and waited for daylight. Gates was
astonished to learn from a few prisoners his ad-
vance had captured that he was in the immediate
presence of Cornwallis, and the prisoners led him
to believe that the force of the enemy was con-
siderably larger than it was. Dumfounded he
called a council of war and asked what was to be
done. There was nothing now to do but fight,
however. Arrangements were accordingly made.
272 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
The Maryland division, led by De Kalb, was on
the right of the American line, the Virginia militia
on the left and Caswell's North Carolina militia
in the centre. The artillery was in the road, and
a brigade of the regulars were held in reserve.
The British attacked at daybreak. They
charged, firing and shouting, and the inexperienced
militia were dismayed. They came upon the left
first. Stevens tried to control his men, but he
was unsuccessful. His militia threw down their
loaded muskets and fled. The panic spread. The
North Carolina militia made a short stand, but
were soon in headlong flight, pursued by Tarleton
and his cavalry. Gates and his staff tried to rally
the militia, but failed. The day was hazy ; smoke
hung about the field of battle. Gates supposed
the regulars had fled with the militia and gave up
all for lost. He retreated with the rest.
But the regulars had not fled. Not knowing
that they were deserted, they steadfastly held their
ground, rallying whenever broken and driving
back the bayonet charges. Tarleton, however,
finally charged them on the flank and drove them
in confusion into the woods and swamps. Un-
fortunately the brave De Kalb fell, pierced by
eleven wounds, and his aide De Buysson was
wounded a number of times by the merciless red-
coats while supporting the wounded general in
his arms. At last they were taken prisoners,
having experienced less mercy than if they had
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 273
fallen into the hands of cannibals. He died a few
days later.
Poor Gates had planned to rally his fugitives
and make a stand at his previous camp, but before
he reached it he had been deserted by all save
his generals and his and their aides. His mortifi-
cation may be imagined. Lee's warning had
proved a prediction. And to make matters worse
Sumter had been completely successful in captur-
ing the convoy. But Tarleton was sent by Corn-
wallis after Sumter and came upon him by
surprise on the Wateree, capturing his camp.
Indeed Sumter barely escaped with but three hun-
dred and fifty of his men. Gates and Caswell
proceeded with the broken remnants of the army
to Charlotte, and from there to Hillsborough, a
hundred and eighty miles from Camden, where he
finally stopped. Of his army there remained now
but a thousand regulars. The militia had one
and all dispersed to their homes.
Washington, when he heard of the disaster, im-
mediately took what steps he could to get the
southern states to raise a sufficient force of reg-
ular troops to at least hold the enemy in check.
He had no hope of driving them out of theCaro-
linas until he received further help from abroad.
To Gates, in the hour of the latter's humiliation,
he wrote a touching letter of sympathy and un-
broken confidence. It was far beneath Washing,
ton to rejoice at the misfortunes of the man who
18
274 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
had been so long his bitter enemy and \vould-be
rival. There are times when, contemplating the
heroic character of the great commander-in-chief,
we almost lose sight of his subordinates and feel
like exclaiming, " After all, there was but one
Hero of the Revolution." And we may be for-
given a sigh if we compare the petty, squabbling,
jealous rivalry for power of the pretended great
men of our own day to so sublime a figure. To-
day a man would seek the Presidency of the
United States on the reputation of one of Wash-
ington's troop captains. We are long past our
heroic age.
CHAPTER XXIII
CORNWALLIS' ADVANCE INTO NORTH CAROLINA
THE BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN SUM-
TER VS. TARLETON THE BATTLE OF THE
COWPENS
CORNWALL is having so thoroughly beaten
Gates fancied that he had mastered the rebels in
South Carolina, and that North Carolina awaited
but his advent to yield submission. He remained
at Camden a short time to collect supplies and
give his armies a rest before proceeding to Char-
lotte. He little dreamed that the campaign he
had opened so gloriously for the English cause
was to end in bitter defeat, and was to result
eventually in the complete overthrow of royal
authority in the colonies.
Before proceeding further he detached Major
Ferguson, a royalist, with his partisan corps, to
the mountains in the western part of the state to
compel the submission of the people and to aid
local royalists in annoying the beaten army that
Gates was endeavouring to reorganise. He was
% to operate between the Catawba and the Yadkin,
and eventually rejoin Cornwallis at Charlotte.
While Cornwallis waited he hanged a number
275
276 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
of prisoners taken at Camden who were found to
have British protections in their pockets. They
were strung up without trial and almost without
formal proceedings of any kind. Slaughter has
always been deemed by the British an apt method
of making a good and loyal colonist.
When Cornwallis moved on and established
himself at Charlotte he soon learned to call the
place the " Hornet's Nest of the Carolinas." The
country was so sparsely settled that it could not
be foraged to advantage. His scouting parties
were continually waylaid by the inhabitants.
His convoys of provisions from Camden had to
be well guarded on the road or they were cap-
tured, and few got through even then without a
running fight. What was worse, his messengers
were shot or captured and their despatches taken.
The latter was particularly annoying, as he could
learn nothing of the movements of Ferguson.
The latter was about to move towards Char-
lotte, according to his orders, when he learned of
a small American force retreating to the moun-
tains from an expedition against Augusta. He
determined to capture it. He supposed that the
country about was too thinly inhabited to oppose
him. He stopped at Gilbert-town, a small place
on the frontier of the state. But his maraud had
roused the backwoodsmen to the defence of their
homes. And they were all trained Indian fight-
ers. A large force suddenly gathered about him.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 277
They were composed of Kentuckians, led by Colo-
nels Campbell and Boone, of Carolinians, com-
manded by Colonel Williams, and of Virginians,
under the command of Colonels Cleveland,
Shelby and Sevier. Three thousand gathered
about him. Ferguson thought better of his pro-
ject of capturing Americans and pushed for the
British army, as Cornwallis had instructed. But he
was too late, and was destined never again to see
the British commander. Nor could he even com-
municate with Cornwallis, as his expresses were
one and all captured or killed.
The American frontiersmen and woodsmen
followed in haste on his trail, travelling night
and day in the clear October weather. They
soon brought Ferguson to bay at King's Moun-
tain, a detached promontory in the foot-hills,
which had sloping sides, well wooded and well-
adapted to defence. It was a position that Fer-
guson considered invulnerable, and he had no
thought of defeat.
The Americans attacked him in three equal
divisions on three sides of the mountain.
THE BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN.
Ferguson had deployed his command on the
top of the mountain. Of the Americans, Camp-
bell and Shelby led the centre of the attack.
Sevier and McDowell were on the right, and
278 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Cleveland and Williams on the left, both of these
latter divisions acting as flanking columns. The
Americans were without military discipline. Once
in the fight they were to act as individuals after
the manner of Indian warfare. They we're un-
provided with bayonets and if charged were to
retire stubbornly, but not too far, and as soon as
the charge ceased were to return to the attack.
Campbell allowed time for the flanking divis-
ions to get ahead and then pushed up the moun-
tain. His divisions drove in Ferguson's pickets
about four o'clock in the afternoon. As soon as
they came within rifle distance of the crest of the
mountain the English opened with a tremendous
volley. The Americans immediately sought the
shelter of the trees and opened a deadly rifle fire,
practically all of them being sharpshooters.
Ferguson could not stand this fire and ordered
a bayonet charge down the mountain. It was a
fatal mistake. The centre gave way slowly, and
he seemed to be on the point of victory when one
of the flanking divisions opened on him. He had
to change front and charge this. No sooner was
he partially successful in his charge upon this
than the other flanking division opened on him,
while the centre came back to the attack in front.
So the battle went on. He charged first one and
then the other only to be slaughtered by the di-
visions that were at rest. The ground, too, was
better suited to rifle firing than to bayonets, and
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 279
as the British were above the Americans they
were not exposed to their own cross fire. At
length Ferguson was surrounded. He fought
doggedly until he himself was hit, when his second
in command waved a white flag and surrendered.
The British lost one hundred and fifty killed and
more than that wounded. There were but twenty
Americans killed and a proportionate number
wounded. Colonel Williams, however, was among
the killed, so that each side lost a leading officer.
Eight hundred or more prisoners were taken, and
some of the royalists were hung in revenge for
the hanging Cornwallis had indulged in at Cam-
den. The royalists, however, were at least tried
by court-martial.
Unfortunately for the American cause the
mountaineers and frontiersmen who fought this
battle had no appreciation of its importance and
at once went their several ways. If they had
maintained their organization they could have
given Cornwallis a deal of trouble. As it was
they had read Cornwallis such a lesson that he
feared a rising in South Carolina and the over-
throw of the royal authority in his rear. He
therefore turned tail on the I4th of October and
hastened back to Winnsborough with such haste
that he lost twenty waggons in his first day's
march with all their contents.
This victory raised the partisan spirit through-
out the Carolinas. Marion and his famous men
280 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
were soon dashing through the country, a varying
force in strength but ever the same in spirit. He
operated between the Pedee and Black rivers, and
after striking a blow would disappear into the
swamps. Sometimes he even charged almost up
to the gates of Charleston, and he was contin-
ually cutting the British communications with
that city. Tarleton tried to bag the swamp
" fox," but Marion was too crafty for him, avoided
a regular engagement and continued his exploits.
At the same time that Marion was at work be-
tween the Black and Pedee rivers, Sumter ap-
peared on the Santee, captured a British outpost,
crossed the Broad river and menaced the British
post at Ninety-six. Tarleton was called off from
Marion to oppose Sumter. The latter made for
the Tyger river, but was overtaken by Tarleton's
advance on the 2Oth of November. It was too
late to cross, and Sumter hastily improvised a fort
out of a log barn and determined to make a
stand. Tarleton with his advance awaited the
arrival of his main body. Sumter seized the oppor-
tunity to take the offensive and charged himself.
The charge was repulsed, and Tarleton charged in
turn. But he too was repulsed by the fire from
the log-barn and was obliged to retire and await
his reinforcements. Night fell, and during it
Sumter made the difficult passage of the river and
his forces dispersed into the swamps. He him-
self, being wounded, was carried off by some of
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 281
his nearer friends on a litter swung between two
horses.
On the retreat of Cornwallis, Gates moved with
the remnants of his army to Charlotte, and on the
2d of December General Greene arrived at that
place and took command, superseding Gates, who
retired to his Virginia estates.
Greene set about making an army out of the
rabble that Gates had lost all command of. And
he found the task a difficult one. But he made
himself liked, and he took such prompt and effect-
ive measures that he won the love of his subordi-
nates, and military discipline began to return.
Greene divided his command, on account of the
difficulty of foraging in such a barren country.
He sent Morgan, the rifleman, with a part of his
force towards Ninety-six. He, with the re-
mainder, marched to the east side of the Pedee
River opposite the Cheraw Hills.
Cornwallis lay at Winnsborough, about seventy
miles from Greene, and General Leslie was push-
ing on with fifteen hundred reinforcements to join
him. With these Cornwallis intended to make
another attempt to subjugate North Carolina.
The plan of the British commander was to leave
Lord Rawdon, at Camden, with a large force to
keep South Carolina in subjection, while he, with
the remainder of his army, marched forward, got
between Greene and Virginia, and compelled the
latter to give battle. By getting between Greene
282 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
and Virginia he would prevent the latter from
being reinforced. Cornwallis looked forward to
the complete subjugation of North Carolina, and
afterwards that of Virginia and Maryland.
Cornwallis did not wish to leave Morgan un-
molested in the neighbourhood of Ninety-six,
however, and he despatched Tarleton after Morgan
with about eleven hundred picked troops, of whom
a large proportion were Tarleton's famous cav-
alry.
Cornwallis moved on the I2th of December
in such a manner that he could carry out his origi-
nal intention, and at the same time be able to
prevent Morgan from joining Greene.
Morgan, in the meantime, had been joined by
North Carolina and Georgia militia, until his force
was about equal to Tarleton's, though it was in-
ferior in cavalry and in discipline. On the ap-
proach of Tarleton, Morgan made for the upper
fords of the Broad River. On the evening of the
1 5th of January, 1781, Tarleton came upon a small
detachment left behind by Morgan. He supposed
that Morgan was in full force there on the Pacelot,
and manoeuvred to deceive the American. This
wasted time, and in the early morning when he
crossed the stream, he was dumfounded to dis-
cover that Morgan was well away on his retreat.
Tarleton pressed forward impetuously. At ten
that night he came upon a recently deserted camp
of Morgan's, where the camp fires were still burn-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 283
ing. Tarleton let his men have but a short rest,
being anxious to come upon the American com-
mander while in retreat. At two o'clock the next
morning, therefore, he pressed on with his weary
soldiers. Early on the morning of the i/th he
captured two of Morgan's videttes and was sur-
prised to find that, instead of being in headlong
flight, Morgan had halted on the banks of the
Broad River, given his army a good night's rest
and was prepared to give battle to Tarleton. As
a matter of fact Morgan had stopped for fear
Tarleton would come upon him while crossing the
river and take advantage of his confusion.
THE BATTLE OF THE COWPENS.
Morgan had halted at a grazing establishment
known as Hannah's Cowpens. To-day it would
be known as a ranch, and it seems a shame that a
place where the Americans won a victory, in the
Revolution, should be known by quite so undig-
nified a name.
Morgan took position in an open wood with a
slight eminence on either flank. His infantry
were arranged in two lines. The first was North
and South Carolina militia under Colonel Pickens.
This line, with a corps of riflemen in front of it,
was to wait until the enemy were within easy shot,
then fire two volleys and retire.
The second line, drawn up in rear, was com-
2 8 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
posed of Colonel Howard's light infantry and the
Virginia riflemen, all of them regulars. In rear of
this line Colonel Washington held Morgan's small
force of cavalry, about one hundred and thirty
strong.
Tarleton advanced about eight o'clock in the
morning. He anticipated an easy victory as the
ground was favourable to the action of his cavalry.
He formed his infantry into line with his dragoons
on either flank. He left a part of each arm, how-
ever, as a reserve. But he was so impetuous that
he did not even wait for this reserve to take its
place before giving the order to advance. And
there was one serious handicap that he entirely
overlooked. His men were tired out with their
rapid pursuit, while Morgan's command had had
the benefit of a good night's sleep.
The corps of riflemen fired on the advancing
British and then fell back on Pickens militiamen.
The latter fired the two volleys as prearranged,
and then fell back on the regulars. Against these
the British infantry were hurled, while the cavalry
charged their flanks. For a time they stood, but
being outflanked were about to change front, when
Morgan ordered then to fall back on Colonel
Washington's cavalry.
The British rushed forward irregularly, suppos-
ing the Americans to be in full retreat. To their
amazement they were immediately charged by
Colonel Washington's cavalry, while the Continen-
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 285
tals, facing about, gave them a destructive volley
and then charged back in turn.
The British fell at once into complete confusion.
Fatigued and exhausted, as well as surprised, they
were seized with panic and broke. A few endeav-
oured to defend their cannon, but they were cut
down and the cannon captured, as well as the
British colours. The flight now became general.
Not even Tarleton himself could rally his famous
dragoons, and they galloped off. Tarleton in-
deed and the few officers and men who remained
true to him had to trust to the fleetness of their
horses to escape capture.
The British loss was one hundred and ten killed,
two hundred wounded and between five and six
hundred prisoners. The Americans had but
twelve killed and sixty wounded. Besides the
cannon and colours, Morgan captured eight hun-
dred muskets, thirty-five waggons, seventy negroes,
one hundred dragoon horses and various other
belongings of Tarleton's army.
Morgan sent Colonel Washington in pursuit of
the flying Tarleton and then made for the
Catawba. Cornwallis was but twenty-five miles
away, and Morgan wanted to make sure of a junc-
tion with Greene. Cornwallis waited for his rein-
forcements and to gather up the stragglers from
Tarleton's defeated command. Then he started
for Morgan, but the delay had saved the latter.
Morgan got his last man across the Catawba two
286 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
hours before the van of Cornwallis' army came in
sight. That night a heavy rain came on and so
swelled the Catawba that it became impassable.
Cornwallis felt the loss of Tarleton's light troops
keenly. He needed them for just such work as
this pursuit of Morgan and his coming pursuit of
Greene. He therefore spent two days destroying
every particle of baggage belonging to his army
that was not absolutely necessary. He himself
set the example. His officers followed, and prep-
arations were made for the most rapid marching.
The English even destroyed all their wines and
liquors with which they usually supplied them-
selves on campaign, and some of their food sup-
plies were destroyed. They supposed Morgan to
be so hindered by~his prisoners that they could
overtake him before he made his junction with
Greene. But they were mistaken.
CHAPTER XXIV
GREENE TAKES COMMAND AND COMMENCES HIS
FAMOUS RETREAT THE CROSSING OF THE
CATAWBA, THE YADKIN AND THE DAN RIVERS
CORNWALLIS ABANDONS PURSUIT HE RE-
TIRES TO HILLSBOROUGH AND IS FOLLOWED
BY GREENE BATTLE "OF GUILFORD COURT
HOUSE THE VICTOR RETREATS GREENE
MOVES INTO SOUTH CAROLINA
MORGAN had sent his prisoners back by a cir-
cuitous route so that they might not retard
his retreat. And Greene put himself in motion
to join Morgan. Greene had received news of a
British force that had been landed at Wilmington
and that was supposed to be intended for cooper-
ation with Cornwallis. He moved, therefore, not
only to help Morgan but to prevent the junction
of Cornwallis and this new army. The main body
he left under command of General Huger, and
with a guard of a few dragoons pushed on to per-
sonally conduct Morgan's retreat. He foresaw the
eventual ruin of Cornwallis. And he adopted
Washington's famous Fabian policy of constant
retreat except when there was an exceptionally
good opportunity to fight. He intended to draw
287
288 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Cornwallis as far as he could from his base of sup-
plies by retreating before him, and expected to be
joined by reinforcements that would make him
in the end superior in strength to the English
general.
Greene ordered Morgan to retreat on the 3ist
of the month so that he might get a good lead on
his pursuer. The Catawba was subsiding and
might at any moment become again fordable. To
dispute the passage of the river, Greene left about
five hundred militia under General Davidson.
And on the very night of the 3ist Cornwallis
moved out in pursuit. He was unsuccessful in
finding an unguarded ford, though he marched a
good part of the night in an attempt to do so.
But he forced the passage, nevertheless, with some
loss. The American loss was about forty, includ-
ing General Davidson, who was last to retreat
and was killed as he was mounting his horse.
Tarleton pursued the fleeing militia and totally
dispersed them with some further loss. Had he
continued but a few miles further in his pursuit
he would have captured General Greene himself.
Greene, however, rode on alone through mud and
rain and escaped. He had ordered Huger to join
Morgan at Guilford Court House. Cornwallis
was delayed by his artillery and baggage. He
mounted some of his infantry on baggage horses,
joined them to the cavalry and sent them on
ahead. They arrived at the Yadkin just in time
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 289
to capture a few waggons and nothing more. The
Yadkin was not fordable at the place, and the
Americans had secured all the boats. The army
of Cornwallis was obliged to move up the river
to a fordable point, and Greene's two divisions
united safely at the appointed place on the Qth of
February.
Greene had now a force about equal to that of
Cornwallis in numerical strength, but there the
equality ended. Cornwallis' soldiers were all vet-
erans ; most of Greene's were militia. And Corn-
wallis had much superior cavalry. Greene called
a council of war, one of the few he called during
all his career, and it was unanimously agreed not
to offer battle, but to continue the retreat. This
was the measure advocated by Greene himself.
He wanted to retreat across the river Dan into
Virginia. By doing this he would be continually
nearing his reinforcements, and Cornwallis would
be continually moving further and further from
his base of supplies and away from any possible
reinforcements. For Greene had learned that the
force landed at Wilmington was a small one and
not intended to cooperate with Cornwallis.
Cornwallis on his part expected to catch Greene
and force him to fight before he could reach the
river Dan, and he calculated that there were not
enough boats on the river to cross Greene's army.
The most famous portion of this most famous
retreat now began. Cornwallis moved for the
'9
2 9 o HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
upper fords of the river, supposing there were no
others. Greene set out for the fords at the junc-
tion of the Dan and Staunton rivers. In addition
General Kosciuszko hurried on to collect all the
boats for the use of Greene's army and to throw
up works for the defence of the ferries. Greene
commanded the main body of the army, which
with the trains, formed the advance, and Colonel
Williams commanded the rear-guard, as Morgan
was ill. It was a terrible march and a brilliant
one. Every stratagem that could be devised to
delay the British and throw them off the scent was
used with skill, as Tarleton himself testifies. The
Americans were poorly clad and many of them
barefoot, leaving the traces of their bare feet in
splotches of blood on the frozen ground. But
they were accustomed to hardships.
Cornwallis pressed on, confident that he at last
had Greene in a trap. The British general did
not know of the lower fords, and he was held far
in rear by Williams and his active rear-guard. At
last the army reached the Dan and crossed it in a
day. That night Williams left his camp-fires
burning in sight of the British and silently de-
camped. He also crossed in safety, just as, again,
the van of the British army marched in sight of
the river. Nothing could have been more surpris-
ing or disheartening to the British than this un-
'expected escape of the American army. They
had toiled and struggled and suffered in vain.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 291
Greene had the satisfaction, besides saving his
army, of conducting one of the most masterly
retreats known to military history.
The baffled Cornwallis now took post at Hills-
borough. Greene had made preparations for
further retreat, but perceiving that Cornwallis had
given up the pursuit promptly took up the role of
pursuer himself. The river had fallen, and he sent
Lee and Pickens on a scout. They were anxious
to meet Tarleton, who was on a similar mission
for the enemy. They failed to trap him, but had
the good fortune to come upon a force of four
hundred royalists under Colonel Pyle, which had
been raised to reinforce Cornwallis and was in
quest of Tarleton to form a junction. In the en-
gagement that followed Lee and Pickens killed
and wounded nearly half the Tory detachment
and captured nearly all the rest.
Greene crossed the Dan, and Cornwallis aban-
doned Hillsborough, crossed the Haw River and
moved to the banks of the Alamance, one of the
tributaries of the Haw. Here he was in a country
more favourable to him in sentiment and full of
supplies, of which he stood in great need. Greene
threw out his light troops under Pickens and
Williams to watch Cornwallis, and himself moved
from camp to camp, avoiding a general battle in
anticipation of the arrival of reinforcements.
On the 6th of March Cornwallis moved out and
attempted to surprise Williams, but was unsuc-
292 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
cessful. That general promptly got out of the
way, and Cornwallis did not pursue. He had
struck with the main purpose of bringing Greene
into action, and Greene had no intention of ac-
commodating him at that time. Within a week,
however, Greene was reinforced by Lawson's
brigade of Virginia militia, Butler's and Eaton's
brigades of North Carolina militia and four hun-
dred regulars, all of whom had been making for
his camp by forced marches. This gave Greene a
total fighting strength of four thousand five hun-
dred men, a much larger army than that of Corn-
wallis, though it was far inferior in training and
experience.
Greene now determined to accept the battle
which Cornwallis offered. He accordingly gave
orders to concentrate on the I4th of March at
Guilford, only eight miles from the British.
BATTLE OF GUILFORD COURT HOUSE.
Early on the morning of the i$th, Cornwallis
set out for Guilford Court House. About four
miles from the place the British advance under
Tarleton came upon the American advance under
Lee. At last there was to be a contest of strength
between the two rival horsemen under equal con-
ditions and with equal forces. It resulted in suc-
cess for Lee, mainly because his horses were of
much superior strength. Tarleton's men were
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 293
weakly mounted, and when the two bodies of
horsemen came together the British were borne
back with loss. Tarleton sounded the retreat, and
Lee pursued him back to the main army, when he
in turn retreated.
In the meantime Greene was deploying for
battle on a wooded hill about a mile from the
court house from which the battle takes its name.
He drew up in three lines. The first was com-
posed of the North Carolina militia and riflemen
under Butler and Eaton. They were posted be-
hind a fence with a cultivated field in front of
them. Woods were on their flank and rear, and
in fact all about. The second line was about three
hundred yards in rear and was composed of Vir-
ginia militia under Generals Stevens and Lawson.
This line crossed the road upon which Cornwallis
was advancing. The third line was four hundred
yards in rear of the second and was composed of
Virginia and Maryland regulars under General
Huger and Colonel Campbell. There were a few,
a very few, field-pieces with the first line and at
Greene's headquarters near the court house. The
cavalry of Lee and Washington covered the flanks.
The British advanced in three columns. Gen-
eral Leslie with the Hessians and Highlanders
were on the right ; the Royal Artillery and Guards
were in the centre ; and Webster's brigade were
on the left. When the British were within one
hundred and fifty yards of the first line of Ameri-
294 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
cans, the North Carolina militia fell into confu-
sion ; many of them threw down their guns, and
they retreated. A volley from the British regu-
lars and their shouts completed the confusion,
and the first line went back in a panic. General
Stevens, in command of the Virginia militia, was
prepared for this, however. His ranks opened to
let the fugitives pass, and his men stood their
ground. After some hard fighting the British
charged this second line with the bayonet and
drove it also. All fell back -now to the third line,
on which Greene counted for victory. He rode
along it calling on the regulars to stand firm.
Webster charged the Maryland regulars and
was driven back by them, with some aid from the
Virginians and Delaware troops. Stewart was
more successful in charging the other Maryland
regiment, and his Guards and Grenadiers drove it
back in confusion. Upon this the first turned
from Webster and charged Stewart, and at the
same time Colonel Washington's cavalry charged
upon them. All this resulted in the fiercest kind
of a fight. Stewart was killed. The field-pieces
were taken and retaken, and finally the British
gave way and were pursued with great slaughter,
until their own artillery, firing grape-shot, halted
the panting Americans.
Again the enemy advanced all along the line.
There was more hard fighting, but the effect of
the first flight of the Carolinians had been too
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 295
great. The Americans began to give way. Greene
saw that the battle was lost and rather than risk
the total destruction of his army ordered a retreat.
This was made in good order with the loss of his
artillery only. The British, in fact, were too badly
used up to pursue him, and he escaped with ease.
Tarleton started to pursue, but was called back.
The British had suffered severely, and the whole
British army had to get to work to hunt up and
care for the wounded. These were scattered
throughout the woods; many could not be found,
and their cries through the night made one of the
most horrible impressions on the survivors that
were experienced during the war.
The American loss as reported was about thir-
teen hundred killed and wounded, though it was
never exactly ascertained and was probably more.
The British loss was about one hundred killed and
five hundred wounded and missing. This loss of
the British, however, was much more disastrous
to his army than the greater loss of the Americans
to them. The British army was smaller and the
proportion of loss all the greater in consequence.
Moreover, the British had lost many officers of
importance, and they were tired out. As a matter
of fact Cornwallis considered his victory almost
as ruinous as a defeat. And Greene after all had
only retreated ten miles from him. Cornwallis,
therefore, had no thought of following up his
doubtful advantage. He had had all the experi-
296 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
ence he wanted at following a retreating Greene.
On the contrary, Cornwallis felt compelled to re
treat himself to a point where he could be better
supplied. He set out, therefore, for the Haw
River, leaving his seriously wounded behind to fall
into Greene's hands. Greene followed, and his-
tory has to record the strange sight of a defeated
army pursuing a victorious one. Greene was
brought to a halt at Deep River, as Cornwallis had
broken down the bridges across it.
He was now compelled to part with his militia.
Their time had expired. He had to stop for such
a length of time to collect supplies and rebuild
the bridge that Cornwallis was far on the way.
He made a sudden change in his plans, there-
fore, and determined to march into South Carolina
and prosecute the war there. This would compel
Cornwallis to follow him or sacrifice his many
posts in that state and Georgia. On the 5th of
April, Greene set forth on the road to Camden,
the post where Lord Rawdon had his head-
quarters.
When Cornwallis learned of this move of
Greene's army it was too late to render any assist-
ance to Rawdon. His force was now reduced to
but fourteen hundred men. He decided there.
fore to move into Virginia and form a junction
with a force acting there, with General Phillips in
command and with Arnold second in command.
CHAPTER XXV
THE SITUATION IN VIRGINIA GREENE MOVES
UPON THE BRITISH THE BATTLE OF EUTAW
SPRINGS CORNWALLIS JOINS ARNOLD LA-
FAYETTE FOLLOWS CORNWALLIS WASHING-
TON'S CHANGE OF PLANS CORNWALLIS MOVES
TO YORKTOWN HE IS BOTTLED UP THERE
LAFAYETTE had been sent to the relief of
Greene. Steuben had been watching Arnold be-
fore Phillips came into command of the British
in Virginia. When Cornwallis turned north
therefore, Lafayette and his army were turned to
oppose him, together with the Baron Steuben's
small force on the York River. Steuben had been
defending the state as well as he could against the
marauds of the traitor, Arnold, and later of his
superior, Phillips.
Greene moved to the hills on the Santee and
remained encamped during the hot months of
July and August. But Marion, Lee, Sumter and
Washington (the colonel) overran the state and
harassed the British. Greene had made a move
against Rawdon, but had been repulsed at the
minor engagement of Hobkirk's Hill. Rawdon
297
298 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
had in the meantime turned over his command to
Stuart and proceeded to the North by sea.
On the 22d of August, Greene moved from
the healthy cool hills on the Santee against
Stuart. The latter lay about sixteen miles away
from him ; but as Greene moved Stuart changed
his position to Eutaw Springs, where he was re-
inforced from Charleston. The two armies met
on the 8th of September.
THE BATTLE OF EUTAW SPRINGS.
Greene had about two thousand men, the Brit-
ish about three hundred more ; but Greene was
superior in cavalry. Greene advanced at four
o'clock in the morning in two columns, which later
were to be deployed into two lines of battle, that
being one of the old-fashioned methods of deploy-
ment. General Marion commanded the first
column, which was composed of North and South
Carolina militia. The second column was com-
posed of North Carolina. Virginia and Maryland
regulars. Lee's cavalry covered the right flank,
Henderson's the left. Colonel Washington's dra-
goons and the Delaware regulars formed the
reserve.
Greene deployed into line of battle upon reach-
ing the first British outpost, which was soon put
to flight. The two lines now advanced, the road
being in their centre and on it the field-pieces.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 299
They were still far from the British lines, how-
ever, and had difficulty in keeping their forma-
tions as they moved through the woods. Stuart
had thrown forward a body of infantry to oppose
their advance while he made arrangements for
battle. His extreme right rested on Eutaw Creek
and was concealed by dense thickets on the banks
of the stream. The left was on the Charleston
road. About fifty yards in rear of his main line
there was a brick house surrounded by a palisaded
garden which Stuart intended to use as a shelter.
And the strength of this miserable brick house
saved him from utter defeat and ruin.
The Americans drove in the British advance
line and pressed on. The militia fought with the
ardour of regulars, and the battle soon raged fiercely
all along the line. Two of the field-pieces of the
Americans were dismounted and one of the Brit-
ish. Finally the militia gave way and retired,
covered by the flanking cavalry. The Continentals
led by Sumner took their place in fine style, and
the British also brought their reserves into action.
Sumner's brigade contained a number of recruits,
however, and Greene saw signs of approaching
demoralisation. He therefore ordered the Mary-
landers under Williams to sweep the field at the
point of the bayonet. They did so with great
gallantry. The British gave way. Lee and his
cavalry then turned their flank and also charged
them in rear. The British were thrown into a
3 oo HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
panic; Colonel Washington also charged them
and turned the panic into a rout. A great num-
ber of prisoners were taken.
But the extreme British right in the dense
thickets were still in position and could enfilade
the American left. Greene ordered Washington
with his cavalry and Kirkwood with his infantry
to dislodge them. Unfortunately Colonel Wash-
ington, in his ardour, did not wait for the infantry.
He dashed forward with his dragoons. The
thicket could not be penetrated by cavalry, and his
force was roughly handled. His horses were shot
down, his men killed or wounded at the pleasure
of the British. He himself, too, was wounded
and would have been ruthlessly slain but for
the intervention of a British officer. The infantry,
however, succeeded in driving the British from the
thickets, whence they took refuge in the palisaded
garden of the brick house. Had the Americans
now pressed home, the victory would have been
secure. But the troops broke to plunder the
British camp. Many became intoxicated on the
liquors found there and refused to obey their
officers. Soon all was riot and disorder. In the
meantime the enemy rallied. Fire was opened
on the Americans from every window of the brick
house and from the surrounding woods. Colonel
Stuart had succeeded in rallying his men and in
inducing them to advance again to the attack.
And Greene, in this emergency, found that his
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 301
ammunition was nearly exhausted. He therefore
withdrew, leaving a strong picket on the field of
battle. He could not find water nearer than his
previous camp, seven miles away, however. In
the night the enemy retreated, not stopping until
they reached Monk's Corner, twenty-five miles
from Charleston.
This was the last affair of importance in the
South. We must now return to the army of
Cornwallis and see how he fared.
General Phillips, who had reinforced Arnold at
Portsmouth, Va., on the 26th of March, had com-
mand of a force of about thirty-five hundred men.
This was so great that Baron Steuben, who had
been opposing Arnold, had to hurriedly withdraw
into the interior.
On the i6th of April Phillips advanced up the
James River and attacked City Point and Peters-
burg. Throughout the surrounding country he
and Arnold burned and destroyed everything
that was worth attention. Richmond would have
fallen into their hands but for the timely arrival
of Lafayette, whose small army of two thousand
men had been diverted from the relief of Greene,
now that the latter had moved into South Car-
olina.
Cornwallis notified Phillips that he would join
him at Petersburg, and Phillips held that place,
awaiting the arrival of his comrade. While wait-
ing, however, Phillips fell ill and a few days later
302 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
died. Arnold then commanded until Cornwallis
arrived on the 2Oth of May. Cornwallis tried to
draw Lafayette into battle, but the young French-
man warily drew away to the north to make a
junction with Wayne. Cornwallis tried to prevent
the junction but failed. He then occupied himself
with destroying stores and raiding the private
estates of the Virginia gentlemen. Tarleton soon
mounted his command on race-horses belonging
to the latter and scoured and ravaged the country
to his heart's content.
Lafayette, having formed a junction not only
with Wayne but also with the Baron Steuben,
took the aggressive, and Cornwallis found himself
less anxious for an engagement. In the mean-
time Washington threatened an attack on New
York, and Clinton sent to Cornwallis for reinforce-
ments. This compelled Cornwallis to retreat to
Portsmouth, Lafayette following. On the retreat
Cornwallis turned on Wayne, who led the Amer-
ican advance, and on the 6th of July he gave Mad
Anthony a very severe handling. But Wayne
fought so stubbornly that" Cornwallis concluded he
was followed by a force much stronger than he
was and failed to follow up an advantage that
might have been disastrous to the American
cause.
Toward the end of July, Washington still
threatening New York, learned that a French fleet
under the Count de Grasse would soon be in the
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 303
Chesapeake. Lafayette also wrote that should a
fleet come there he felt sure that the army of
Cornwallis could be captured. This changed
Washington's plan of campaign. He determined
to take advantage of the British idea that he was
to attack them in New York, make a quick march
through the back country and join Lafayette.
Then, with the French fleet, to prevent the escape
of Cornwallis by sea, to hem him in by land and*
capture him.
Perfect secrecy was maintained concerning the
plan ; preparations were made as though New
York were the objective. In fact it was not until
the 2 1st of August, when he was well on his way,
that Washington even wrote to Lafayette, in con-
fidence, that he intended to join him. The French
under De Rochambeau also joined in the rapid
march toward the unsuspecting Cornwallis, and
the Count de Barras decided to join De Grasse
when he arrived with the French squadron under
his command. The whole operation was a mas-
terly military movement. It completely deceived
Clinton, and when that general realised what had
taken place under his very nose it was too late to
aid the imperilled Cornwallis. He did the best
he could under the circumstances, by sending
Arnold into Connecticut to ravage his native state.
And if anything could have added to the odium
of the name of Arnold it was this expedition. But
it did not turn Washington aside for one moment
3 o 4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
from the campaign he had planned. On the 3Oth
of August, Washington reached Philadelphia.
For once in the cfareer of the Father of his
Country his plans were aided by events. On the
25th of August, Colonel John Laurens arrived at
Boston from France with two and a half million
livres in sadly needed cash, part of six million
livres obtained from the French king.
Cornwallis, in the meantime, had moved to
Yorktown, where he set about establishing a per-
manent post in obedience to orders. Clinton in-
tended the place as a base from which he pro-
posed to operate later in the year. And Corn-
wallis felt so secure and suspected so little of the
real design of the Americans, that he offered to
detach a thousand men, or even more, to help
defend New York from the threatened attack by
the American and French armies.
Lafayette, in obedience to instructions from
Washington, succeeded in raising the militia of
the neighbourhood and forming a force sufficient
to prevent Cornwallis from retreating from York-
town on the appearance of the French fleet. And
he made ready to cooperate with the troops that
were to be landed from the French fleet. In this
way Cornwallis was quietly bottled up. And he
did not suspect his danger until the French fleet
arrived within the Capes of Delaware on the 28th
of August. He looked about for an avenue of
escape. But the York and the James rivers were
PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON. Page 304
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 305
filled with the armed vessels of the French. And
at Williamsburg Lafayette was so strongly posted
that Cornwallis did not dare attack him. In this
predicament Cornwallis set about strengthening
his fortifications and erecting new ones, at the
same time sending expresses to Clinton notifying
the latter of his extremity.
The only effort made to help Cornwallis was by
Admiral Graves, with a British fleet of twenty
ships. The Count de Grasse put out to meet him
with an equal force. The sea-fight that ensued
was of equal success to both. Each claimed a
victory, and neither was anxious to renew the
engagement. For four days they remained watch-
ing each other. Then the arrival of De Barras
with the other French fleet made the contest so
unequal that the Englishman bore away for New
York.
20
CHAPTER XXVI
THE SIEGE OF YORKTOWN STORMING OF THE
REDOUBTS SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS
END OF THE REVOLUTION
ON the 25th of September the allied armies and
the fleets were at last concentrated around York-
town. Thirteen redoubts and batteries connected
by intrenchments were circled around the land
side of the town, and there were batteries along
the front on the York River. On either side of
the town there were deep creeks emptying into
the York, and on each of them, at a point about
half a mile from each other, the enemy had erected
extensive outworks, redoubts faced by abatis, field
works and obstacles. On the other side of the
river Gloucester Point was fortified and it, with
some English ships, defended the passage of the
stream. Gloucester Point was defended by Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Dundas with about seven hundred
men. Just as the allies appeared before the town
Cornwallis heard from Clinton that Admiral Digby
with a fleet and reinforcements would sail to rein-
force him on the 5th of October. Signals were
arranged between the two generals, by which the
English fleet would know whether Cornwallis still
306
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 307
held out and whether he still held Gloucester
Point. Before the works the allies took post, the
Americans on the right and the French on the
left. Cornwallis abandoned his outer defences and
withdrew into the town. The allies immediately
seized the abandoned works and used them as a
cover while they threw up intrenchments in front
of the town. By the 28th of September the allies
were within two miles of the town proper, and
General de Choisy, with Lauzun's French legion
and Weedon's brigade, was pushed across the
York River to attack Gloucester Point. By the
1st of October the allied armies had constructed a
complete circle of intrenchments around Yorktown
on the land side, each end resting on the river.
On the 2d Tarleton and his legion made a
movement from Gloucester to forage the country
in the immediate neighbourhood, the besieging
army being in serious straits for forage. He suc-
ceeded, but only after being roughly handled by
Lauzun with his French hussars and lancers.
About a dozen officers and men were lost on
either side, and Tarleton was nearly captured.
It was his last effort on American soil. On the
following day General Choisy received a rein-
forcement of marines from the French fleet and
cut off all communication from Gloucester.
On the night of the 6th of October, 1781, the
first parallel was opened before Yorktown. It
was within six hundred yards of the English in-
3 o8 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
trenchments and redoubts. General Lincoln had
the honour of opening the parallel. He had once
been besieged himself. And Governor Nelson
pointed out his own handsome residence as the
most effective part of the town to be shelled. It
was being used by Cornwallis for a headquarters
building. He was promptly driven out. A terrific
cannonade was now exchanged day and night
between the opposing forces.
On the nth the second parallel was opened by
the Baron Steuben with his division. The work-
men, however, were very much annoyed by the
fire from two British redoubts, one on either flank,
about three hundred yards in front of the main
works of the besieged. It was resolved to storm
them on the night of the I4th. One was carried
by Lafayette with a detachment of Americans,
and the other by the Baron de Viomel with a
French detachment. At the head of the latter
was the regiment of Gatinais, of which De Rocham-
beau had been colonel. Hamilton, no longe'r a
member of Washington's staff on account of a
lack of respect shown to the commander-in-chief
on a previous occasion, had the honour of leading
Lafayette's column. Both redoubts were taken
at the point of the bayonet. The French had far
the stronger redoubt to take and suffered more
severely than the Americans. The redoubts were
immediately included in the second parallel.
Cornwallis was now 'in despair. On the i6th
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 309
he made a furious attack on two of the most ad-
vanced batteries, and took and held them long
enough to spike the guns. But the work was done
too hastily, and the spikes were easily removed.
The English commander now determined to try
to escape. His plan was to cross the river to
Gloucester, surprise Choisy, break through and
force his way through Maryland, Pennsylvania
and the Jerseys, and join Clinton in New York.
It was a mad scheme, but he was in desperate
circumstances. The only other alternative seemed
to be surrender. His works had almost been bat-
tered to pieces, and he had hardly a gun left to
bear on the allied front. He managed to get one
division of his army across. But he experienced
so many delays that he was unable to cross the
other and had to recross the first division under
the fire of the batteries.
His hopes were now at an end. He was too
humane to expose his garrison to an assault which
must be successful and bloody. He therefore
ordered a parley beaten on the morning of the
1 7th. He asked for terms. After an exchange
of letters they were at length given by Washing-
ton and accepted by Cornwallis. On the iQth
the garrison surrendered.
General Lincoln was appointed to receive the
surrender of the British commander, for the same
reason that he was appointed to open the first
parallel. But Cornwallis pleaded an indisposition
3 io HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
and was represented by General O'Hara. The
British army passed through the lines of the
American and French armies, drawn up on either
side of the road to receive them, and were con-
ducted to a field by General Lincoln, where they
deposited their arms. Afterwards they were con-
ducted back to Yorktown, where they were to be
held as prisoners of war; although the officers
were to be paroled and permitted to go either to
any port of Europe or to any place in America
held by British troops.
On the very day that Cornwallis surrendered
the tardy fleet that was to come to his aid from
New York sailed from that city. It consisted of
thirty-five ships and carried reinforcements of
seven thousand of Clinton's best troops. But it
did not arrive until the 24th of the month. It
learned of the surrender and returned in mortifica-
tion to New York.
Throughout America the news was received
with transports of joy. Congress voted its thanks
to the commanders and officers of the allied
armies, and made presents of colours and trophies
to Washington, De Rochambeau and De Grasse.
It ordered the erection of a marble column com-
memorative of the alliance of America and France,
and appointed a day for general thanksgiving and
prayer.
Exactly opposite was the feeling of the British
both in New York and in England. Lord North,
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 311
the British prime minister, when notified of the
news, exclaimed, " It is all over." And, practi-
cally, so it was. It was not until the 2$th of
November, 1783, however, that the British evacu-
ated New York. On the same day it was entered
by the American troops marching down from
Harlem to the Bowery as the British moved out.
It was a vastly different army that entered from
that which left, you may be sure. The Americans
were as ragged and forlorn-looking as the British
were well clad and smart. But the Americans
were victors and the British vanquished. And
the happy inhabitants of New York were just as
proud of their unkempt victors as the latter could
have desired. Banquets were given, and the city
was for some time in a holiday state, with fire-
works, processions and general rejoicing.
Savannah was evacuated July i ith and Charles-
ton, December I4th, 1782.
On the 4th of December Washington took
leave of- the officers who had struggled so long
and so nobly. He then proceeded to Annapolis,
hailed everywhere by the people as the saviour of
his country. Congress had been removed to
Annapolis, and there, on the 23d of December,
Washington resigned his commission to that body.
He reached his home at Mt. Vernon on Christmas
Eve, hardly appreciating the extent of the fame
he had won.
His leave-taking of his officers and the resigna-
3 i2 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
tion of his commission were two of the most
affecting scenes in the history of our country.
The officers and soldiers of the army itself
gradually dispersed to their homes and returned
to occupations they had left so many years before.
But few of them were paid in money for their
hardships, exertions and dangers. But their name
and fame will be for ever glorified by the most
wonderful nation civilisation has ever produced.
To-day it stretches across a hemisphere and con-
tains eighty million souls and perhaps more. In
another century but the grandchildren of the
boys and girls who read this book will know more
about that than the author.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE NAVAL HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
THE Heroes of Our Revolution were not all
confined to the army. We had a navy that was
small, indeed, but which has left us a record that
is as brilliant as it is brief.
As early as 1776 the Americans had twenty-
six vessels, great and small. And during the
first two years of the war they captured over eight
hundred English merchantmen, for they were
mostly privateers fitted out to prey on the enemy's
commerce. They did it so well that they all but
drove the English flag from the seas.
Ezekiel Hopkins was the first commander-in-
chief of our naval forces, but he got into trouble
on his first cruise and was dismissed from the
service. The command of the navy then devolved
on Captain Nicholson. He was an able officer,
but in some ways unfortunate. He had command
of the Virginia of twenty-eight guns, but was
blockaded, and he and his crew joined Washing-
ton's army and fought with it at Trenton. He was
afterwards put in command of the Trumbull, with
which he fought the Watt, a vessel of superior
size and strength. For two hours and a half he
3 i4 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
lay abeam of her within musket-shot and poured
in broadside upon broadside. His spars were
shot away though, and he was unable to capture
the Watt. He himself and his boat were captured
in 1781 after he had fought bravely against the
most desperate odds.
Captain Barry commanded the Raleigh of thirty-
two guns. In this boat he was attacked by a
whole fleet of British vessels. He tried to escape
but failed. Then he closed with the first of the
enemy's boats and tried to board her. In this he
was unsuccessful also. Then he ran his ship
ashore and fled with his crew to a barren and
rocky island, making good his escape. In 1781
he commanded the Alliance, and with it he
attacked two English vessels. He was wounded
and carried below. While his wound was being
dressed one of his officers asked him if they should
surrender. " No," he answered in great anger.
" If this ship cannot be fought without me I will
be carried on deck." And carried on deck he
was. This so inspired his men that they turned
to and captured both the English vessels. The
next year in the Luzerne he made a wonderful
escape from a whole British squadron with that
vessel and a consort.
Joshua Barney was another brave and success-
ful naval commander, whose chief achievement
was capturing the Monk, a vessel much larger than
the Hyder Ally, which he commanded.
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 315
Then there were Robinson, Williams, Wickes,
Alexander, Manly, Biddle, Harding, Truxton,
Murray, Young, Hazelwood, and Dale. They
were all celebrated for the terror they spread
among British merchantmen, and for their wonder-
ful seamanship which enabled them to overhaul
and capture England's merchant ships and keep
away from her powerful navy.
But the most celebrated naval commander of
the war, and one of the most celebrated sailors in
the history of the world was Paul Jones. He is
the bright particular star of the American Navy
during the Revolution.
His real name was John Paul, and he was born
on July 6th, 1747, in Kirkbean, Leith, Scotland.
He was the son of a poor gardener on the estate
of Arbigland. He added the name Jones to his
own, probably because he was fighting against his
own countrymen. He made his assumed name
so well known, both at the time and in history,
that the name of John Paul would be unknown
to-day were not Jones added to it.
Captain Wickes, of the cruiser Reprisal, distin-
guished himself in the West Indies early in the
war and late in 1776 sailed for France. He made
many prizes in the Bay of Biscay, and in the sum-
mer of 1777 started on a cruise around Ireland,
attended by the Lexington and the Dolphin. The
three swept the Irish and English seas of their
merchantmen. On their return to America, how-
3i6 HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION
ever, the Lexington was captured, and \\\& Reprisal
was lost on the coast of Newfoundland, with
Wickes and all of his crew.
It was John Paul Jones who carried the war ac-
tually into Great Britain itself. He followed in
the track of the brave but unfortunate Wickes.
In the spring of 1778 he sailed in the Ranger
from France to the English coast. He entered
the harbour of Whitehaven, took the fortifications
and fired the shipping. In the spring of 1779 he
sailed with a squadron of seven vessels from a
French port, and cruised along the Scotch coast
with great success. From there he proceeded to
the east coast of England,, where he encountered
a fleet of merchantmen under convoy of two Brit-
ish war vessels. Jones, in the Bonhomme Richard,
engaged the larger of the British vessels, the Ser-
apis. The other, the Countess of Scarborough,
was engaged by Captain Cottineau, in the Pallas.
The action that followed was terrible. Jones was
fired upon by another of his own ships, either
through the treachery or incompetency of its cap-
tain. But the Serapis surrendered, as did the
Countess of Scarborough. Sixteen hours after the
surrender the Bonhomme Richard went down.
Untold damage was done to British ship-
ping all over the world by American privateers.
From the very nature of things America could
maintain no real navy. But these fast-sailing pri-
vateers became terrors of the seas. They could
HEROES OF OUR REVOLUTION 317
seldom be caught by the British naval vessels, and
they made the new flag of the United States
known wherever boats were sailed. Indeed, it
was on account of the navy that the flag was first
adopted.
From this small beginning one of the greatest
navies of the world has been evolved. At the end
of our civil war no navy on earth compared with
it. And in a few years from this writing it is
again to be at least the equal of almost any. Long
may it carry to victory the red and white stripes
and the ever growing blue field of stars.
THE END.
DATE DUE
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>EC 1 3 1976
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9 1984
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NOV
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DEC 21
987
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1
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JAN 3 1
391
GAYLORD
PRINTED IN U S A
3 1970 00124 4109
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