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The defeat upon Long-Island had wrought a complete change in the American army; the fire of Lexington, and Bunker's-Hill was then extinguished, by the disasters of Long-Island, and the militia deserted their colours, abandoned their general, and fled to their homes, in such numbers, as to threaten the dissolution of the army; and one fourth of those that remained were enrolled amongst the sick.

The enemy, elated with the successes of Long-Island, moved with a division of their fleet up the East River, and threatened to cut off the retreat of the American army, which led the general to abandon New-York, and take post under cover of the forts; but the enemy landed in force from the fleet in the river, on the 15th of September, and General Washington retired.

On the 16th, a sharp skirmish commenced between detachments of the American and British armies, in which the Americans were decidedly successful, which inspired them with fresh courage, and resolution. On the 21st, more than 1100 houses were consumed by fire in the city of New-York, then equal to about one fourth of the city.

September 24th. Such was the fluctuating state of the American army at this time, that an officer of the first distinction thus expressed himself" We are now upon the eve of another dissolution of the army, and unless some speedy, and effectual measures are adopted by Congress, our cause will be lost."

Under these embarrassing circumstances, General Howe attempted to cut off the retreat of General Washington, by landing a strong force in his rear. At this critical mo. ment General Lee arrived in the American camp, and a reinforcement of 5 or 6000 Germans arrived in New-York, to strengthen the enemy. General Washington called a council of war on the 16th of October, when it was resolved to abandon York Island, and retire towards White

Plains, leaving a garrison in Fort Washington; to effect this, General Washington met the enemy with a firm front, whilst the sick, baggage, military stores, &c. were conveyed along his rear, and thus removed to a place of safety.

On the 22d of October, General Howe was reinforced by one or two divisions of the German troops, and on the 25th, he commenced offensive operations, and marched towards White-Plains, to give the Americans battle. On the 28th a general skirmishing commenced between the advanced parties, and on the 29th General Howe, about 12,000 strong, advanced in columns, and commenced an attack upon the American camp at White-Plains, with an intent to bring on a general action; but finding the Americans strongly posted, he drew off his troops until his reinforcements could arrive. On the 31st General Howe, being reinforced, made his dispositions to attack the American camp again; but General Washington withdrew in the night to the high grounds, and left a strong rear guard to cover White-Plains. This movement led General Howe to draw off his army, and retire towards Kingsbridge, November 5th, and General Washington sent discretionary orders to General Green to abandon Fort Lee, if he should judge proper; but General Green thought the post worth preserving, and chose to defend it. General Washington left a force of about 7 or 8000 strong with General Lee, at North-Castle, November 14th, and crossed North River to cover Fort Lee. The general called on Massachusetts for 4000 militia to support General Lee, whose troops were about to disband upon the expiration of their term of service.

On the 15th General Howe approached Fort Washington, and sent in his summons, and received the answer of a soldier who was faithful to his trust. General Washington received the news, and made his dispositions the en

suing night to withdraw the garrison; but was finally persuaded to risk an attack.

On the 16th General Howe ordered the fort to be invested upon all sides, with a strong force, and to be carried by storm; his orders were promptly executed, by the flower of the British army, in conjunction with the Germans, and the fort was carried, and a great part of the garrison butchered, while begging for mercy.

General Washington beheld the awful scene, and when he saw his brave men thus sacrificed by the cruelty of a barbarous foe, his soul was shocked at the horrid scene, and he wept with the feelings of a compassionate father. The shock was felt with the keenest sensibilities throughout the American army, and even General Lee wept with indignation at the news of the merciless butchery at Fort Washington, and cursed the unrelenting foe. Although the garrison at Fort Washington made a dignified defence, and caused the enemy to purchase it with such losses as rendered it a dear bought victory, yet he lost not a moment to pursue his victory, and on the 18th Lord Cornwallis made his dispositions to attack Fort Lee. General Green, who held the fort, upon the first intelligence of his lordship's movements, drew off the garrison, consisting of about 3000 men, and abandoned the fort to the enemy. General Green, with his garrison, joined General Washington, and on the 22d he retreated to Newark, where he found himself abandoned by the army, and left to the mercy of a victorious pursuing enemy, with only about 3500 men to accompany him in his flight. Struck with astonishment at the forlorn situation of the American cause, the general, with his brave companions, began to despair of success, and to talk of abandoning the cause of their wretched country, and retiring beyond the Alleghany Mountains. On the 28th General Washington retired to Brunswick, and Lord Cornwallis entered Newark with his

victorious army. Lord Cornwallis pursued to Brunswick, and General Washington retired to Princeton, December 1st. Lord Cornwallis halted one whole week at Brunswick, agreeable to orders from General Howe; and Gen. Washington saw himself abandoned by the Jersey, and Maryland brigades of militia, whose terms had then expired.

On the 7th, his lordship pursued to Princeton, and Gen. Washington retired to Trenton, and the next day his lordship entered Trenton, just at the critical moment that Gen. Washington, with his army, had crossed over the Delaware,* December 8th.

Gen. Washington took the precaution to cause all the boats upon the east side of the Delaware to be removed, which checked the enemy, and prevented his pursuit. Gen. Howe, who had joined Lord Cornwallis at Newark, made a stand at Trenton, and issued the proclamation of the king's commissioners, proffering pardon and peace, to all who should submit in sixty-days. Such was the pressure of distress upon the army, that they fled before a victorious enemy, in a state of despondency, and were reduced almost to a cypher, without pay, without clothes, without supplies, and imprinting the snow with their blood-stained steps. Such was the distress of the country, when they saw their liberties wasting away, and about to expire under the pressure of an overwhelming foe, that men of the first distinction, in great numbers, in that part of the country, embraced the overture, and made their submission.

To add to the distresses of this distressing scene, Gen. Lee, who had harassed the rear of the British army, with about three thousand men, was now surprised in his camp, and taken by the enemy; who exulted in this triumph, as having decided the contest, by the capture of the palladium of America. December 13.

* Gen. Washington could muster at this time only 2200 men.

To fill up the measure of this scene, the term of service of the Jersey, and Maryland brigades expired, and they withdrew at the moment, notwithstanding the most pressing solicitations of the general and his officers, as well as their remonstrances against their abandoning the cause of liberty, at such an eventful crisis.

Pending the delay of Lord Cornwallis at Trenton, Gen. Washington, by the assistance of Gen. Miflin, collected a body of militia from Pennsylvania, and at the same time he was joined by the corps of Gen. Lee, then under the command of Gen. Sullivan, all which gave permanence, and support to his army. With this force Gen. Washington resolved to make a stand, and if possible commence offensive operations against the enemy, to recover the spirits of the army, and the nation.

On the night of the 25th of December, Gen. Washington took advantage of a snow-storm; recrossed the Delaware, and commenced an attack upon the British army, gained a signal victory, took about one thousand prisoners, (amongst whom was an entire regiment of Germans, with their whole encampment,) and took up his position at Trenton.

The enemy soon recovered this shock, by large reinforcements, and Gen. Washington sent off his prisoners into the country, and retired to Princeton, where he again triumphed over the enemy, and pursued them to Brunswick. Lord Cornwallis collected all his forces at Brunswick, and made a stand; Gen. Washington took up his position at Morristown, and watched the motions of the

enemy.

During these operations in New-Jersey, the British army had thrown up the rein, and given full scope to the brutal passions: this roused the indignation of the people, and rekindled the fire of Lexington, which spread like lightning through the nation. New-Jersey then exhibited

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