A M E 
(operations: but now they were doomed to experience mif- 
fortune, mi fiery,- and di(grace; the enemy over-running 
their country, and their own armies not able to face them 
in the field. The province of New York, as being; the 
molt central colony, and molt accellible by fea, was pitch¬ 
ed upon for the obje£t of the main attack. The force 
font againll it confided of (ix (hips of the line, thirty fri¬ 
gates, beiides other armed yellels, and a va(t number of 
tranfports. The fleet was commanded by lord Howe, and 
the land-forces by his brother, general Howe, who was 
now at Halifax. The latter, however, a confiderable time 
before his brother arrived, had fet fail from Halifax, and 
lay before New York, but without attempting to com¬ 
mence hoftilities until he fhould be joined by his brother. 
T he Americans had fortified New York, and the adjacent 
illands, in an extraordinary manner. General Howe landed 
his troops on Staten Ifiand, where he was foon joined by 
a number of the inhabitants. About the middle of July, 
lord Howe arrived with the grand armament ; and, being 
one of the commillioners appointed to receive the fub- 
miflion of the colonifts, he pitbli/hed a circular letter to 
this purpofe, to the feveral governors who had lately been 
expelled from their provinces, deluing them to make the 
extent of his commillion, and the powers he was inverted 
with by parliament, as public as pofiible. Here, however, 
Congrefs faved him trouble, by ordering his letter and 
declaration to be publilhed in all the newfpapers, that eve¬ 
ry one, as they (aid, might fee the infidioufnefs of the Bri- 
t-ith mini (try, and that they had nothing to truft to befides 
the exertion of their own valour. 
Lord Howe next lent a letter to general Walhington; 
but, as it was directed “ To George Walhington, Efq.” 
the general refuted to receive it, as not being directed in 
the l'tyle fuitable to his rtation. To obviate this objection, 
adjutant-general Paterfon was fent with another letter, 
directed “ To George Walhington, See, See.'' But, though 
a very polite reception was given to the bearer, general 
Walhington utterly refufed the letter; nor could any ex¬ 
planation of the adjutant induce him to open it. The on¬ 
ly interefting part of the converfation, was that relating to 
the power of the commillioners, of which lord Howe was 
■one. The adjutant told him, that thefe powers were very 
extenlive ; that the commillioners were determined to exert 
tfiemfelves to the utmoft, in order to bring about a recon¬ 
ciliation ; and that he hoped the general would conlider 
this vilit as a ftep towards it. General Walhington re¬ 
plied, that it did not appear that thefe powers conlifted in 
any thing elfe than granting pardons ; and, as America had 
committed no offence, fhe alked no forgivenefs, and was 
only defending her itnqueftionable rights. 
The decilion of every thing being now by confcnt of 
both parties left-to the fword, no time was loll, but hofti¬ 
lities commenced as foon as the Britifh troops could be 
collected. This, however, was not done before the month 
of Augurt ; when they landed on Long Ifiand, oppolite 
to the Ihore of Staten Ifiand. General Putnam, with a 
’large body of troops, lay encamped and llrongly fortified 
on a peninfula on the oppolite fhore, with a range of hills 
between the armies, the principal pafs of which was near 
a place called FIal-bujh. Here the centre of the Britifli 
army, confiding of Heffians, took poll; the left wing, 
under general Grant, lying near the Ihore; and the right, 
-confiding of the greater part of the Britilh forces, lay 
under lords Percy, Cornwallis, and general Clinton. 
Putnam had ordered the partes to be fecured by large de¬ 
tachments, which was executed as to thofe at hand ; but 
one of the greateft importance, which lay at a diftance, 
was entirely neglected. This gave an opportunity to a 
Targe body of troops under lord Percy and Clinton to pafs 
<he mountains and attack the Americans in the rear, while 
they were engaged with the Hefiians in front. Through 
this piece of negligence their defeat became inevitable. 
Thofe who were engaged with the Heffians firft perceived 
their miftake, and began a retreat towards their camp ; 
but the padage was intercepted by the Britilli troops, who 
-V&L. I. No. 29. 
RICA. 449 
drove them back into the woods. Here they were met by 
the Heffians ; and thus were they for many hours ftaugh- 
tered between two fires, no way of elcape remaining but 
by breaking through the Britilh troops, and thus regaining 
their camp, in this attempt many perifhed ; and the 
right wing, engaged with general Grant, iliared the fame 
fate. The victory was complete; and the Americans loft 
on this fatal day (Augurt 27th) between three and four 
thoufand men, of whom 2000 were killed in the battle. 
Among thefe a regiment, confiding of young gentlemen 
of fortune and family in Maryland, was almoft entirely 
cut in pieces, and of the furvivors not one 'c Raped without 
a wound. The ardour of the Britilh troops was fo great, 
that they could fcarcely be rertrained from attacking the 
lines of the provincials ; but for this there was now no 
occafion, as it was certain they could not be defended. 
Of the Britilh only fixty-one were killed in this engage¬ 
ment, and 257 wounded. Eleven hundred of the enemy, 
among whom were three generals, were taken prifoners. 
As none of the American commanders thought it proper 
to rilk another attack, it was refolved to abandon their 
camp as loon as pofiible. Accordingly, on the night of 
the 29th of Augull, the whole of the continental troops 
were ferried over with the utmoft fecrecy and lilence; fa 
that in the morning the Britilh had nothing to do but 
take portelfion of the camp and artillery which they had 
abandoned. 
This victory, though complete, was very far from be¬ 
ing fo decifive as the conquerors imagined. Lord Howe, 
ftippoling that it would be fufficient to intimidate the con- 
grefs into lome terms, fent general Sullivan, who had 
been taken prifoner in the late aftion, to congrefs, with a 
mellage, importing, that though he could not confidently 
treat with them as a legal aflembly, yet he would be very 
glad to confer with any of the members in their private 
capacity ; fetting forth at the lame time the nature and 
extent of his powers as cymmilfioner. But the congrefs 
was not as yet fufficiently humbled to derogate in the lead 
from the dignity of character they had allumed. They 
replied, that the congrefs of the free and independent 
dates of America could not confidently fend any of its 
members in another capacity than that which they had 
publicly allumed ; but, as they were extremely delimits of 
reftoring peace to their country upon equitable conditions, 
they would appoint a committee of their body to wait upon 
him, and learn w hat propofals he had to make. 
This produced a new conference. The committee ap¬ 
pointed by congrefs was compofed of Dr,. Franklin, Mr. 
Adams, and Mr. Rutlege. They were very politely re¬ 
ceived by his lordfitip; but the conference proved as frttit- 
lefs as before independency had been declared, and the 
final anfwer of the deputies was, that they were extremely 
willing to enter into any treaty with Great Britain that 
conduce to the good of both nations, but that they would 
not treat in any other character than that of independent 
ftates. This pofitive declaration inlLmtly put an end to 
all hopes of reconciliation ; and it was refolved to profe- 
ctite the war w ith the utmoft vigour. Lord Howe, after 
publilhing a manifelto, in which he declared the refttfal 
of congrefs, and that he himfelfwas whiling to confer with 
all well-difpofed perfons about the means of reftoring 
public tranquillity, fet about the moll proper methods for 
reducing the city of New York. Here- the provincial 
troops were polled, and from a great number.of batteries 
kept continually annoying the Britilli (hipping. The Halt 
River lay between them, of about 1200 yards in breadth, 
which the Britilh troops were extremely deiirous.of palling. 
At laft the Ihips having, after an incert'ant cannonade of 
feveral days, (ilenced the molt troublefonie batteries, a 
body of troops was fent up the river to a bay, about three 
miles diftant, where the fortifications were lefs ftrong than 
in other places. Here having driven off the provincials 
by the cannon of the fleet, they marched direCtly towards 
the city ; but the enemy, finding that they fitould now be 
attacked on all (ides, abandoned the city, and-retired to the... 
i Y . - ‘ north 
