

REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 



extraordinary march through the forests of Maine and 

 succeeded in forming a junction with Montgomery. 

 After a partial .-icte. tin- works of Quebec were. ..u 

 Dee. 31, during a winter storm, simultaneously assailed 

 by several attacking columns. The patriots were at 

 last repulsed. Arnold badly wounded and the brave 

 Montgomery slain. The little army, held together by 

 Arnold. spent the winter a short distance from Quebec. 

 Arnold's wound, opened afresh by an accident, caused 

 his relief of command. His successors were finally, by 

 the middle of June, 1776, forced from Canada by the 

 famous Burgoyne, who, with large reinforcements to 

 Carleton. had appeared on the scene. But the main 

 cause of all disasters in this well-planned campaign 

 was a continued insubordination. For the patriots it 

 required time and mutual Buffering to allay such sec- 

 tional jealousies as weakened and at last destroyed 

 this important expedition. 



Great Bridge. Lord Dunmore, governorof Virginia, 

 declared martial law, perpetrated a scries of depreda- 

 tions, began to use Tories and Indians, and spread ter- 

 ror far and near. His forces assembled near the armed 

 vessels at Norfolk. He planned the destruction of 

 military stores at Suffolk. To hinder this, Col. Wil- 

 liam \Voodtbrd led his troops, about a thousand strong, 

 in that direction. Anticipating patriot Wood ford's 

 design, the governor dispatched ulraut 200 regulars 

 and some 4txi others with artillery to the "Great 

 Bridge" across the Elizabeth River. Here the coui- 

 uiander intrenched imprcgnably and covered every 

 approach. l!ut Wood lord by a ruse drew an attack 

 upon his men in position and so completely defeated 

 his adversary, Dec. 'J, 1775. Fordyee. leading the gren- 

 adier*, lost 60 men and his own lite. Woodford seized 

 Norfolk, but the enemy, taking shipping, burned the 

 town. 



Second Campaign, 1776. 



The British ministry planned first to aid their South- 

 ern colonial governors and then combine all their 

 powers, military, naval, and diplomatic, to get posses- 

 sion of New York and make that city their principal 

 base. Accordingly on Jan. 12, 1776, Lord Cornwallis 

 set sail from Cork with some six regiments, under 

 escort of Admiral Sir Peter Parker, with a large naval 

 contingent. On May 3 the fleet arrived at Cape Fear, 

 N. C. Sir Henry Clinton assumed command and 

 moved against Charleston. It was there at Sullivan's 

 Island, June 28, that Col. William Moult rio with a few 

 hundred men successfully resisted the combined attack. 

 Without furth'T effort Sir Henry now joined Gen. 

 Howe at Statcn Island, the Admiral Lord Howe having 

 there the naval fleet. The incoming Tories gave 

 Gen. Howe hopes of a speedy peace. The royal land 

 troops here amounted to 35,000 men, well supplied. 

 (Jen. Washington had possession of New York with 

 his army, such as it was, of about 17, 000, and had, 

 after leaving Boston, been busy fortifying all ap- 

 proaches, lie put Gen. Greene over the works in the 

 outskirts of Brooklyn, L L , giving him between 5000 

 and 6000 men. Greene on the eve of battle had a 

 violent fever and was replaced by Gen. Putnam. His 

 line stretched along, the Bedford Ridge in crescent 

 shape ; his right wing under Lord Stirling and his 

 left, considerably extended, under Gen. Sullivan. For 

 some unaccountable reason Putnaui immediately with- 

 drew his mounted patrols on the Bedford road which 

 led beyond his left through Bedford pass. Gen. Howe 

 first crossed his command to Long Island, took position 

 in front of Putnam, and reconnoitred for three days. 

 He formed three columns for attack, Gen. Grant's 

 opposite Stirling, Gen. De Hcister's breasting Sullivan, 

 and Sir Henry Clinton's to aim for the Bedford pass. 



Clinton c/mimcnced his march at 'J r. M., Aug. 26. 

 He captured a scouting party en mule, and by daylight 

 the nass, being unoccupied, was held secure. Alter 

 breakfasting lie pushed on through Bedford, driving 

 detached patriot regiments before him, till he struck 



Sullivan's rear. Gen. Grant. aUo moving in the nigh', 

 D t<> encounter Stirling's outer lines after mid- 

 night. Probably Putnam l Tievcd this the main ai- 

 tack. De Heistcr remained quiet till about da\ break. 

 Hearing that Sir Henry already had the Bedford |-;i 

 lie pushed on and furiously assailed the position of Sui 

 livan in front. A terrific conflict ensued throughout 

 the field. Putnam was dislodged and badly beatt n. 



Gen. Washington, however, reinforced ihc Brooklyn 

 redoubts in time t -:<\r a greater disaster. Howe's 

 loss was about -joo, while Putnam's was 1200 at least. 



Bnttlt of \\'/n't< 1'ttii'nf. Gen. Washington stood 

 on the defensive till the ij'.Uh. when he made a safe 

 withdrawal and for a time posted his army in the 

 northern part of New York Island, but afterward he 

 withdrew to White Plains. Here Gen. Howe, much 

 delayed rn route by American detachment*, at 

 confronted the Continental army. Washington warily 

 avoided general engagements ; but an important 

 knoll, lying between the main bodies, wa- contended 

 for. This gave rise to a lively action. Oct. 28, 1776. 

 During the night following Washington again retired 

 to North Castle, taking a strong position. From this 

 Howe undertook to manoeuvre niiu away by at tempt - 

 ing to_ carry the forts on the Hudson. Divining Howe's 

 intention VVashington, leaving two detachments for 

 observation and reinforcement, one under Lee at North 

 Castle, and the other under Heath at IVckskill. crossed 

 the main l>dy into New .Jersey. Without delay the 

 patriot Col. Magaw. holding Fort Washington. wa- 

 now attacked and defeated, but with heavy loss to the 

 British. Fort Lee on the west of the Hudson was 

 abandoned on the approach of Lord Cornwallis. who 

 had taken the field with (>(K() men. Washington deem- 

 ing it unwise, at that epoch, to risk an engagement, 

 retired before Cornwallis, till on Dec. 8 he passed the 

 Delaware. It was a time of much discouragement to 

 the patriots. Congress fled to Baltimore, while Wash- 

 ington as rapidly as possible gathered in his detach- 

 ments. Gen. Charles Lee under tin se orders en- 

 camped one night in New Jersey far from his com- 

 mand and suffered capture, but Gen. Sullivan, his suc- 

 cessor, speedily completed the march to Washington's 

 position. 



Jiiillle* of Tmiton and Prlncetim. Now, feeling a 

 little, stronger, the general, choosing a winter's night, 

 Dec. 25, reerossed tne Delaware, surprised at Trenton 

 a large force of Hessians under Gen. Raid and defeated 

 them. Raid was mortally wounded and a large num- 

 ber of prisoners taken. 



For precaution Washington again passed the Dela- 

 ware, but just then getting a moderate accession from 

 recruits he went back again to Trenton. The delighted 

 Cornwallis moved at once to Trenton, anticipating an 

 easy victory. A small stream only was between the 

 two armies as Cornwallis came into position near night, 

 Jan. 2, 1777. Washington, hearing of a British division 

 left baek at Princeton, cautiously withdrew. At sun- 

 rise he struck that division in motion. His militia in 

 advance acted disgracefully, but the general with other 

 trusted brigades soon checked the hopeful enemies 

 and nut them to flight. The patriot Gen. Mercer was 

 fatally wounded and 30 men only put hors <lc aimlxtt. 



It was during this spring of 1777 that the patriot 

 cause began to receive some help from abroad. The gal- 

 lant young tfarqoiade Lafayette from his private funds 

 prepared a vessel and joined, as a volunteer without 

 pay, the Continental army. Soon Congress gave him a 

 commission of major-general. No American forgets his 

 generous and soldierly :e-.-is.tancc. Washington, a ni:i 

 tcr of strategy, proceeds to Morristown and Middle- 

 brook and so threatens Howe's communications till, 

 weary of fruitless efforts, he withdraws to Statca 

 Island. 



There were several small expeditions on both sides. 

 In that to Danbury, Conn., (Jen. Tryon destroyed 

 quantities of stores and burnt the village. The Con- 

 necticut militia under Sullivan. Arnold, and Worceotor 



