WASHINGTON. 



obliged to abandon all their pofts except two, whicli they 

 retained to the fouthward of New York. Sir William 

 Howe commenced the campaign of 1777 with attempts to 

 bring the American army to attion ; but Walhington, ap- 

 prized of his defign, evaded it by his manoeuvres. Phila- 

 delphia was the next objeft to which the views of the Britilh 

 were direfted : the American commander polled himfelf on 

 Brandy-wine creek, in order to difpute their palFsge ; and 

 finding it neceffary to rill< a battle, he fuffered a defeat, and 

 was under a necelTity of leaving the paflage to Philadelphia 

 open to the enemy. Having been reinforced, he made an 

 attack upon the Britifh troops at German-town, but was re- 

 pulfed with lofs, and took up his winter-quarters at Valley- 

 forge, about 25 miles from Philadelphia. The events of 

 this year had proved difailrous, and Wafhington experienced 

 many difficulties in providing food and clothing for his 

 army ; and the people became difcontented, alleging, in a 

 tone of loud complaint, the fuccefs of general Gates, and 

 the furrender of Burgoyne, as a contrail againft his want of 

 fuccefs. His patience and forbearance were invincible ; he 

 juftified his conduft, and evinced his patriotifm, by not yield- 

 ing to a fadlion at fuch a critical period. The public voice, 

 however, was in his favour, and thus fupported, he deter- 

 mined to perfevere. Witli the commencement of the year 

 1778, Wafhington concerted meafures with Congrefs for 

 amehorating the whole military fyftem. Walhuigton has 

 been called the American Fabius ; but enterprifing as his own 

 fpirit was, he was obliged by circuniilances to aflume this 

 charafter. The alliance with France very much improved 

 the fituation of the Americans ; this obliged the Britifh 

 army to evacuate Philadelphia, and their retreat was ha- 

 rafTed, as much as poffible, by the vigilance and adlivity of 

 Wafhington. By a partial aftion at Monmouth court -houfe, 

 they loft fome men, and then purfued their march to Sandy- 

 Hook. Wall\ington received the thanks «f Congrefs for 

 his aftivity in this combat, whilll general Lee incurred cen- 

 fure, and was fufpended from his command for a year by 

 the fentence of a court-martial. Wafhington retired to 

 New Jerfey ; and by his conciliatory manners and addrefs 

 compromifed the differences that fublifled between the Ame- 

 ricans and tiieir French auxiliaries. 



During the campaigns of 1779 and 1780, no great oc- 

 cafion prL-fentcd itfelf for the difplay of Wafliington's mi- 

 htary talents. The Americans had derived confidence in 

 their cxpot'talion of ultimate fuccefs from the alliance and 

 co-opcratinn of France. The year 178 i commenced with 

 a mutiny in the Pennfylvanian line of the army, which was 

 occalioned by the in.ittention of Congrefs to the redrefs of 

 their grievances. Wafhington on this occalion afted with 

 great wifdom, and left the matter in litigation to be fettled 

 by the civil authorities, which granted their principal de- 

 mands. But when the fame mutinous fpirit was extended 

 to the Jerfey brigade, he thought it right to interpofe ; and 

 by a punifhment of the ringleaders, the others were rellored 

 to their duty. He took this occalion of urging the different 

 ftates to make exertions for removing the caufcs of difcon- 

 tent among the troops. This was a year that called for 

 extraordinary attivity. The Britifh were pufliing forward 

 their fuccefics with uncommon ardour in tlie fouthcrn pro- 

 vinces, and Virginia was experiencing the calamities of 

 war. Wafhington was urged to defend his native province ; 

 but he knew no private intereft in this general conteil ; and 

 regarding America, rather than any particular dillriS, as 

 his country, he would not be induced to abandon his central 

 poll. It was now determined to combine the operations of 

 the American and French forces, and the tirll objctt in con- 

 templation was the (lege of New York. But this mcnfure 



Vol. XXXVH. 



was afterwards changed for that of an attempt againft the 

 army of lord Cornwallis, ported at York-town. Whilft 

 Wafhington and Rochambeau kept up the deception of a 

 defign againft New York, by paffing Clinton's army with- 

 out moleftation, and marching by Philadelphia to Williamf- 

 burgh, the land and naval forces made an united attack upon 

 the Britifli troops at York-town. Their gallant commander 

 was compelled to furrender his whole force on Oftober ig, 

 which event, in faft, terminated the war on the American 

 continent. Its importance was fuch in the opinion of Wafh- 

 ington, that he ilTued an order on the following day, that all 

 under arreft fhould be pardoned and fet at liberty, and that 

 a thankfgiving fervice fhould be performed with due fenouf- 

 nefs in the different brigades and divifions. He then re- 

 turned, with the greatefl part of the army, to the vicinity 

 of New York. The Britilh parbament, at an early period 

 of the year 1782, declared its fenfe of the impolicy of the 

 war by a vote againft further offenfive meafures. Wafh- 

 ington, however, with his cuftomary precaution, urged 

 the neccffity of remaining fully prepared for another cam- 

 paign ; but in the courle of the year tile preliminaries were 

 figned, and the independence of America fully recog- 

 nized. Difcontents prevailed in tlie army, under an appre- 

 henfion that its claims for pall fervices would be neglefted ; 

 and, as an cxpreffion of fuch exifting difcontents, inflamma- 

 tory addreffes w ere circulated among the troops. Wafhing- 

 ton on this occafion exercifed his conciliatory powers with 

 wonderful efteft. He cautioned the officers, individually, 

 to avoid intemperate meafures ; and then, at a general meet- 

 ing convoked by himfelf, he delivered to them an addrefs, 

 which produced an unanimous determination to trull their 

 caufe to the juftice of Congrefs and their country. On the 

 other fide, Wafhington thought it his duty to urge Con- 

 grefs to make an adequate compenfation to thofe who had 

 fo well ferved their country-, and his advice was duly regard- 

 ed. When the army was dilbanded, in November 1783, 

 their commander-in-chief took his leave of them by a moft 

 affeftionate and admonitory addrefs. He alfo, in the fam« 

 month, made a public entry into New York, and foon after 

 took a folenin leave of all his officers. The fccne is de- 

 fcribed as equally tender and dignified. " The manly demea- 

 nour of the chief, foftened by fenfibihty, filled every eye with 

 tears. After grafping the hand of each in filcnce, he pro- 

 ceeded to the place of embarkation, followed by the officers 

 in mute proceffion, with dejefted countenances. On enter- 

 ing the b.arge he turned to his companions in arms, and 

 waved his hat as a laft adieu. Many anfwered with their 

 te.ars ; and all kept their eyes upon him till he was nolongv 

 diftinguifhable. On his way to Annapolis, then the leal 

 of Congrefs, he delivered to the comptroller at Philadelphia 

 an exaft account, in his own hand-writing, of all tlie pub- 

 lic money he had received, the whole amount of which, in 

 eight years, was only between 14 and 15,000/. Nothing 

 was charged for perfonal fervices. He then proceeded to 

 the Congrefs, which received him as the greatefl and bell 

 citizen of the United States. After a fuitable addrefs, he 

 refigned his commiffion into the iiands of the prefident, who 

 in energetic terms expreffed the national fenfe of his high 

 merits. Such were the feelings of public gratitude towards 

 him, that he could have aflced nothing which would not rea- 

 dily have been granted ; but making no requell for himfelf, 

 his family, or relations, he limited himfelf to an indirect re- 

 commendation to Congrefs of fome young gentlemen with- 

 out fortune, who had ferved him as aides-de-camp. He 

 then haftcned to mount Vernon, where he inllantly laid afide 

 the ftatefman and general for the country gentleman." 

 Not fatislied with attending merely to his own intereft, ho 

 4 Z took 



