BRITAIN. 



64,3 



sistance already exhibited, gave but slender hopes of 

 succei.s iii pushing on tlu- enterpri/.e. According to 

 ' Mr Penir's prediction! the refusal of the " olive 

 brancli" was followed by a general determination of 

 tin- Americans for independence. It might have 

 been indeed foreseen, that whatever sentiments per- 

 vaded the colonies before the rejection of this peti- 

 tion, this event could not but operate, both as a i 

 of new alienation, and a pretext for declaring what 

 had been formerly concealed. It was not to be look- 

 ed for, that the leaders of a revolution should step 

 down from the rank of champions and rulers, to that 

 of subjects and suppliants : it was not possible, that, 

 while the war was every day adding thousands of 

 individuals to those already pronounced traitors by 

 the laws of England, ideas of peace or submis- 

 sion should become prevalent. Those provinces, ac- 

 cordingly, which had been the most backward in 

 declaring for independence, North Carolina, Penn 

 sylvania, (and Maryland, the most reluctant of all,) 

 at last concurred in the confederation. The dele- 

 gates of the thirteen United States being now una- 

 nimous, solemnly promulgated their declaration of 

 Independence on the 4th of July 177fi. Appealing 

 to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude 

 of their motives, they absolved, in the name of their 

 countrymen, all their allegiance to the crown of Bri- 

 tain, and political connection with the British state. 

 However justified by general views, and by the event 

 itself, Lord Chatham's prediction, that we could not 

 conquer America, might be, the boldness of the Con- 

 gress in declaring their independence, formed a stri- 

 king contrast to the present dangers of their situation. 

 General Washington's head quarters, after the cap- 

 ture of Boston, were fixed at New York ; and both 

 place and Long Island were put into the best 

 posture of defence that could be prepared against an 

 enemy now double in number to the continental ar- 

 my.* The British army in this quarter consisted of 

 nearly 30,000 men, amply provided. General Howe 

 arrived, about the end of June, off Sandy Hook, with 

 the troops which he had removed from B ;ston, and 

 -.-as joined by his brother, Lord Howe, at the head 

 of the fleet, and with reinforcements. The Howes 

 were popular in America ; and they were chosen with 

 a shew of pacific policy, to carry out offers of peace, 

 together with the terrors of the British arms. But 

 their commission was never shewn to the Americans, 

 if we may trust the declaration of Washington, to 

 contain any terms worth listening to ; and their pro- 

 clamation, which offered pardon to the colonists in 

 arms, was emphatically answered by the same com- 

 mander in a few words, that, having taken arms to 

 defend their indisputable rights, they were conscious 

 of no guilt, and wanted no pardon. 



Both sides prepared seriously for action. On the 

 26th of August, the whole British army being re- 

 imbarked, landed on the south-western extremity of 

 Long Island ; on the opposite side of which, in 

 view of the island and city of New York, was sta- 

 tioned a large body of the Americans under General 

 Sullivan. An engagement took place, in which the 

 Americans were driven back to their lines at Brook- 



lyn, their commander Sullivan taken prisoner, and 

 1000 of their men killed or captured. The Britibh 

 , whose ardour to storm the enemy's lines 

 could scarcely be restrained, broke ground at 600 

 yards distance from the nearest redoubt, and the ships 

 in the bay waited oiily for a fair wind to enter tlr- 

 east river, and thus completely cut off the Ameri- 

 cans from all retreat to the continent. In this situa- 

 tion, the genius of Washington enabled him to make 

 an admirable retreat. He effected it on the succeed- 

 ing night, under cover of a thick fog, with such i- 

 lence, order, and secrecy, that a British army, only a 

 quarter of a mile distant, knew nothing of it till the 

 l:i,;t boats of the Americans were seen passing the 

 river, out of reach of the batteries. General Howe, 

 next morning, took possession of the deserted works 

 of Brooklyn, the only fruits of his victory. An in- 

 terview took place, at the desire of Lord Howe, af- 

 ter this affair, between his lordship and some mem- 

 bers of the congress, (Franklin, Adams, and Rut- 

 ledge,) upon Staten Island. The British command- 

 er, though he promised that the authority of con- 

 gress should be subsequently acknowledged, to sub- 

 stantiate an accommodation if it should be made, de- 

 clared that he could only receive the gentlemen of 

 congress as individuals, not as members of a legal bo- 

 dy ; but it was wholly unnecessary to institute any 

 such distinction ; for the American deputies declared, 

 that his lordship's commission contained no new au- 

 thority, and that his power of inquiring into the si- 

 tuation of America, held out no distinct advantage 

 that could induce the colonies either to treat or to 

 disarm. 



Having taken possession of New York island and 

 of the city, with little opposition, General Howe en- 

 deavoured to bring his antagonist to a general action : 

 a crisis which Washington had sufficient sagacity and 

 choice of positions to succeed in avoiding. From 

 the environs of New York the American command- 

 er retreated to Kingsbridgc, and from thence to a 

 new and strong position on the White Plains, with 

 the deep river Brux in his front, and the North River 

 behind his rear. Here the incessant rains of Octo- 

 ber prevented Howe from attacking him, or discou- 

 raged the dilatory disposition of the British general, 

 till he withdrew to the high woody lands bordering 

 on North Castle district. Howe, thus despairing of 

 bringing him to a general engagement, determined 

 to attack Fort Washington, a strong post which the 

 Americans still retained on the North River. It was 

 carried by assault, and 2700 men were made prison- 

 ers. Fort Lee, on the opposite or Jersey side of the 

 same river, was soon after abandoned to General 

 Cornwallis without a struggle. Washington, with 

 diminished numbers, continued his retreat before the 

 van of Lord Cornwallis, to Brunswick, and from 

 thence to Princetown. On the 8th of December 

 Lord Cornwallis reached the banks of the Delaware, 

 just as tiie rear guard of the Americans gained the 

 opposite shore ; but a cessation of the pursuit became 

 indispensable for want of boats. Washington at this 

 period trembled for the fate ot America, and talked 

 of retiring to the recesses of the Alleghany mouu- 



Briiafc. 

 Grcm 



Washing- 

 ton suc- 

 ceeds in 

 avoiding 

 a general 

 battle. 



Fort Wash- 

 ington ta- 

 ken by the 

 British. 



* The American army, at this time, in and near New York, did not exceed 18,000 men. 



