S76 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



have been an end of the contest ; but this delay gave time for nu- 

 merous volunteer reinforcements to join general Washington, whoj, 

 in the night of the 25th of December, amidst snow, storms, and ice, 

 with a small detachment, crossed the Delaware, and surprised a bri- 

 gade of the Hessian troops at Trenton. He took upwards of 900 of 

 them prisoners, with whom he repassed the river ; having also ta- 

 ken three standards, six pieces of brass cannon, and near one thou- 

 sand stand of arms. Immediately after this, Washington recrossed 

 the river to resume his former post at Trenton. The British troops 

 collected in force to attack him, and only waited for the morning ; but 

 the Americans, by a happy stroke of generalship, defeated the plan. 

 Washington, to disguise his retreat in the night, ordered a line of 

 fires in front of his camp. He then moved completely from the 

 ground with his baggage and artillery, and by a circuitous march of 

 eighteen miles, reached Princetown early in the morning, carried 

 the British post at that place, and set off with near 300 prisoners on 

 bis return to the Delaware, just as the British troops at Trenton 

 were under arms and proceeding to attack him, supposing him in his 

 former position. 



In the month of September, 1777, two actions of some import- 

 ance took place between the armies of general Howe and general 

 Washington, in both of which the former had the advantage ; and 

 soon after, the city of Philadelphia surrendered to the king's troops. 

 But an expedition, that had for some time been concerted, of in- 

 vading the northern colonies by way of Canada, proved extremely 

 unsuccessful. The command of this expedition had been given to 

 lieutenant-general Burgoyne, a very experienced officer. He set out 

 from Quebec with an army of near 10,000 men, and an extraordinary 

 fine train of artillery, and was joined by a considerable body of the 

 Indians. For some time he drove the Americans before him, and 

 made himself master of Ticonderoga; but at length he encountered 

 such difficulties, and was so vigorously opposed by the Americans 

 under Gates and Arnold, that after two severe actions, in which great 

 numbers fell, general Burgoyne, and his army of 5,600 men were 

 obliged to lay down their arms, October 17, 1777. 



About the same time, sir Henry Clinton and genei'al Vaughan 

 made a successful expedition against the Americans up the North 

 River, and made themselves masters of several forts. General Howe 

 soon after returned to England, and the command of the British army 

 in America devolved upon general Clinton. It was now found neces- 

 sary to evacuate Philadelphia; and accordingly Clinton retreated 

 with the army to New-York, in June, 1778. The British troops 

 were attacked on their march by the Americans, but the retreat was 

 so ably conducted, that their loss did not amount to 300 killed and 

 wounded. > 



During part of this war between Great Britain and the colo- 

 nies, the latter received considerable supplies of arms and am- 

 munition from France ; and the French court seems to have thought 

 this a favourable opportunity for lessening the power of Great Bri- 

 tain. Some French officers also entered into the American service; 

 and on the 6th of February, 1778, a treaty of alliance was concluded 

 at Paris, between the French king and the Thirteen United Colo- 

 nies ; and in this treaty it was declared, that the essential and direct 

 end of it was " to maintain effectually the liberty, sovereignty, and 



