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Chapter 10 - Battle of Brandywine, Valley Forge · History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution

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Section thirty seven of History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American
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Revolution, Volume IE. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are
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in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox
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dot org. History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution,
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Volume one by Mercy Otis Warren, Chapter ten, Battle of Brandywine,
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Valley Forge, desultory circumstances, skirmishes and events. General Howe withdraws from the
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Jerseys arrives at the River Elk, followed by Washington. The Battle of Brandywine.
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General Washington, defeated, retreats to Philadelphia, obliged to draw off his
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army. Lord Colnwallis takes possession of the city. Action at Germantown, wet
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Bank, et cetera. The British Army takes winter quarters in Philadelphia. The
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Americans in camp at Valley Forge. General Washington situation not eligible Elile's letters.
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General Conway resigns. The Baron de Steuben appointed Inspector General of the American Army.
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In the beginning of the year one thousand, seven hundred seventy seven,
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the spirits of the Americans were generally reanimated by fresh hopes in consequence of the
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measures taken by Congress to establish a permanent army until the conclusion of the war,
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and still more by their sanguine expectations of success from the negotiations and prospects
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of an alliance with France. A solemn Confederation consisting of a number of articles
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by which the United States should in future be governed, had been drafted,
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discussed, and unanimously signed by all the delegates in Congress in the month of
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October one thousand, seven hundred and seventy six. This instrument was sent to
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each legislature in the thirteen States and approved and afterwards ratified by the individual governments.
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After this, the Congress of the United States thought proper to appoint commissioners
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to the Court of France. When fortunately a loan of money was negotiated on
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the faith of the United States, and permission obtained for the reception of American
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ships of war and the sale of prizes that might be captured by them and
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carried into any of the ports of France, they were also encouraged to hope
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for still further assistance than the generosity of that nation. The growth of the
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infant marine of the United States had been so rapid and so successful had been
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the adventurers in this early stage of the war, that it was rationally concluded
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it could not be many years before the navy of America might make a respect
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figure among the nations. It was not expected in Great Britain that the colonies
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could thus early have acquired a naval force of the least consideration. In consequence
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of this idea, a great number of British ships and transports that went out
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slightly armed or not armed at all, were this year captured on their way
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to America. So bold and adventurous were the American privateers and their public ships
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that the domestic trade of Britain was rendered insecure, and a convoy became necessary
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to protect the linen ships from Dublin to Newley, a circumstance that never before
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took place footnote British Annual Register, seventeen seventy seven and the footnote. The
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successful depredations also on the British West India trade were felt through Great Britain in
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an alarming degree, and shocked their commerce so far as to occasion sudden and
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frequent bankruptcy. In London, Bristol, and almost all the great parts of
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the nation. Thus the colonies were filled with everything necessary for carrying on a
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war, or that furnished them the luxuries of life. But the sudden acquisition
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of wealth, which in consequence of unexpected success flowed into the lap of individuals
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so much beyond their form of fortune or ideas, was not indeed very favorable
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to the virtual manners of the possessors. It had a tendency to contract the
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mind and let it to shrink into selfish views and indulgences, totally inconsistent with
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genuine republicanism. The coffers of the rich were not unlocked with the public benefit,
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but their contents were liberally squandered in pursuit of frivolous enjoyments to which most
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of them had heheretofore been strangers. This avaricious spirit indeed somewhat retarded the measures
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gold templated by Congress, who had determined that the army in future should stand
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on a more stable footing. They directed that eighty eight battalions should be raised
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and kept in full pay until the close of the war, and as an
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encouragement to enlist, they promised a certain allotment of lands to both officers and
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soldiers at the commencement of peace. Yet the recruiting service went on heavily for
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a time and had an immense expense to the United States. But among the
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people whose personal liberty had been their proudest post, the above was not the
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sole cause of the difficulty of raising a permanent army. The novelty of being
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in chained to a standing army was disgusting. They generally revolted at the idea
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of enlisting for an indefinite term. Thus the army still remained incomplete, and
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the militia were again called out as before. In that mode there was no
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want of zeal and allow alacrity. Great numbers always appeared ready for any temporary
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service. During the winter of this year, the British commander did not attempt
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anything of greater magnitude than the destruction of the American magazines. He effected his
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purpose at Pigskill at Courtland Manor, and about the middle of April he sent
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on a detachment under the command of Governor Tryon to the little town of Danbury
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on the borders of Connecticut, where a considerable quantity of provisions that other articles
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had been deposited for the use of the American army. He considered it of
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great importance to cut off these resources before the opening of the Spring Campaign.
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In conjunction with Sir William Erskine and Brigadier General Agnew Governor Tryon Or, embodied
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near two thousand royalists, was vested with the principal command on the trivial expedition
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to Danbury. He executed his orders with alacrity. They destroyed a few hogheads
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of rum and sugar, a considerable quantity of grain and other provisions about seventeen
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hundred tenths, and plundered and burnt a number of houses in the town of
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Danbury. But the retreat to the shipping was intercepted by the militia of the
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country, drawn up by the Generals Wooster and Silomon. A small detachment of
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Continental troops commanded by General Arnold, with the party of recruiting officers, joined
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them, and a re encounter ensued. When that bravery was exhibited on both
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sides. General Wooster, an aged and experienced officer and a very worthy man,
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was mortally wounded. General Arnold had his horse shot under him at the
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moment the soldier at his bayonet lifted for his destruction, but with surprising agility,
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he disengaged himself from his horse and drew a pistol that laid his enemy
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dead at his feet. On the third day after his landing, Governor Tryon
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again reached the shipping and re embarked his troops with inconsiderable loss, though exceedingly
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fatigued by a march of thirty miles, harassed the whole time by an enemy
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arranged on each end, and pressed in the rear by recruits hourly coming in
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to the assistance of his opponents. Footnote. It has been acknowledged by some
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British historians that their loss more than counterbalanced the advantages gained in this expedition to
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Danbury and the footnote. Within a few days reprisals were made for this successful
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feat of Tryon by the more brilliant enterprise of Colonel Meags, who, with
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only one hundred and seventy men, landed on the southern part of Long Island,
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surprised the enemy lying at zag Harbor burnt twelve armed vessels. After the
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sailors destroyed the forage in stores on the ease part of the island, and
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returned to Gifford, about ninety miles distance, within thirty hours from the time
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of his departure. From thence he brought with him the trophies of his success,
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without the loss of a man, as no action of importance was exhibited
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for several months. These smaller depredations and inconsiderable skirmishes certainly to keep the spirits
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in play and preserve the mind from that lethargic state which, in action or
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want of object creates. The plan digested for the summer campaign among the British
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officers was to gain possession of Philadelphia, to command the central colonies, and
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to drive the Americans from all their posts in the province of Canada. Some
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circumstances had taken place that seemed to favor these designs. Confident of his success
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from his superior numbers in the field, General how for a time, exercised
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all the artifici of an experienced commander to bring General Washington to a decisive engagement.
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But from a perfect command of his temper and a judicious arrangement of the
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few Continental troops and the militia he had in aid, the American chieftain defeated
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every measure practiced to bring him to a general action. He placed about two
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thousand men in Princeton, and with the main body of his army, took
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his stand on the high and advantageous grounds in the neighborhood, and made all
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possible preparation for defense. This determined line of conduct in General Washington gave a
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new turn to British operations. On the nineteenth of June, General Howe decamped
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from Brunswick and we rode to Amboy with every appearance of a speedy embarkation.
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His troops, as usual, committed every outrage on their way, and as
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if instigated by despair of becoming masters of the country, an envious of the
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progress of arts and sciences in America. The colleges and public libraries were burnt,
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All public buildings and places of worships wept away, and nothing that had
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the appearance of distinguished elegance escaped. But the mind and the pen weary of
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the detail of destruction. It is enough to observe that the British army and
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their retreat left every trait of defoliation and barbarism behind them. The manouvas of
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the British commander led to the belief, and everything bore the strongest appearance that
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he was about to take a final leave of the Jerseys. The illusions succeeded
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so far as to induce General Washington to send a body of three thousand men,
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commanded by the Generals Maxwell, Conway and Lord Stirling, with designed to
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attack the rear of their march. General Howell, apprised of this movement,
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hastily returned to the charge. He despatched Lord Cornwallis on a secuitous route,
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who soon came up with Lord Sterling, strongly posted in a wood. The
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Americans determined to dispute the ground with Cornwallace, but the ardor of the British
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troops and the rivalry of the Assians obliged them soon to quit their advantageous post
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and retreat with precipitation. The loss the Americans sustained was not inconsiderable. They
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suffered greatly both from the extreme heat of the season and the valor of their
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antagonists. From this in some other circumstances, It was for a time generally
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believed that the late movement of General Howe and his army was but a feint
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to draw General Washington to an action, rather than from a fixed design immediately
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to evacuate the state of New Jersey. Convinced of this, Washington drew in
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his lines and recovered his camp on the hills, determined to persevere in it
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defensive system until some more advantageous opportunity. To justify the hazard of a general
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engagement, it would undoubtedly have been highly imprudent a general, how at this
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time, who had persisted in pushing his way to the Delaware through a country
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disgusted and alienated by the barbarity of his troops. Most of the inhabitants of
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this state were now armed for defense. Inflamed by resentment from the sufferings of
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the last year, impelled by necessity from the impediments in the way of all
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private occupations, and fired by a love of glory, they were now ardent
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for action in proportion as they had been heretofore remiss, and came to the
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field prepared to conquer or die in defense of their country. At the same
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time, General Washington was daily gaining strength by the arrival of fresh troops from
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various other quarters. The British commander accordingly thought proper about Midsummer to DeCamp in
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Earnest, he drew off his whole force as privately as possible to New York.
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Thence embarked and sailed from Sandy Hook the twenty third of July. The
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destination of the fleet and army was kept so profoundly secret that for some time
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after their embarkation, every capital on the continent was apprehensive that they should be
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the object of the next visit from a potent armament that seemed at a laws
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where to direct their operations. This expectation occasioned a general anxiety until the latter
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part of August, when the fleet appeared in the Chesapeake, and the army
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soon after landed at the head of the River Elk. On his arrival there,
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General Howe immediately published a proclamation and which he assured the inhabitants everywhere of
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safety and protection, provided they were not found in arms, and promised pardon
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to officers and soldiers who had surrendered to the Royal Army. Indeed, his
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disposition to clemency appeared so conspicuous on his first arrival that it prevented the entire
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depopulation of the adjacent parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Lower counties of
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Delaware, the inhabitants of which, on the first appearance of so formidable a
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foe in their neighborhood, were struck with consternation and on the point of abandoning
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their habitations. It was now obvious that the possession of the city of Philadelphia
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was the state for which both armies played to notal Washington had poved with the
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greatest part of his troops with the defense of that elegant city, and had
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by detached parties embarrassed the march of the British army from the River Elk to
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the Brandywise in the neighborhood. At the last the two armies met, and
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on the eleventh of September came to a general engagement. The battle was fought
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with bravery and sustained with spirit on both sides, But the fortune of the
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day declared against the Americans, yet not so decidedly as the sanguine expectations of
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their antagonists had led them to hope from such an event, but it gave
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them an astonishing advantage in the minds of the people through all the district of
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Pennsylvania, and a naval general, howe, with more facility to complete his
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enterprise. Many officers of high rank on both sides suffered much in the spirited
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action at the brandy Wine. A few days after this affair, General Waine,
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who had concealed himself in a wood with fifteen hundred men in order to
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harass the rear of the British, was discovered and attacked by Brigadier General Gray,
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who had given orders that no alarm should be made by the use of
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fire arms. He made the onset about one o'clock in the morning, and
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by the more cruel exercise of the bayonet, several hundred Americans were killed and
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wounded. The remainder with difficulty escaped by flight. Among others who suffered in
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the Battle of Brandywine, the Marquis de Lafayette, a young nobleman of France,
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was dangerously wounded. Warmed by an enthusiastic love of liberty and animated by
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a laudable ambition, this amiable young gentleman had left the court of France without
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leave of the king, and quitting the pleasures of domestic felicity, he embarked
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at his own expense and engaged in the service of the United States. At
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an early period of the War, when the affairs of America bore the darkest
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aspect, his zeal and his heroism. To the conclusion of the contest,
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placed the well earned laurel on his brow and procured him the love, respect,
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and best wishes of the people throughout America. Indeed, all the French
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officers in the Continental Army, among whom were many of higansideration, acquitted themselves
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with distinguished gallantry on this and many other occasions, with the courage of the
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soldier and the humanity of the officer were called into exercise. General Washington obliged
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to retreat and disorder, and closely pursued. After the action, retired to
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Chester. He soon after, with his army, reached Philadelphia. But the
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British commanders directed their operations with so much judgment and success, that before the
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twenty sixth of September, Washington thought proper to evacuate the city. Lord Cornwallis,
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with the British grenadiers and two battalions of Hessians, on that day,
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made a triumphal entry and took possession of the capital of the United States and
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of Section thirty seven