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Thus put on their guard, they waited the approach of General Poor, and would probably have given him battle; but his firing being the signal of other movements by Sullivan, they suddenly abandoned their works, and took to flight. Nothing could have been more mortifying to General Sullivan than this escape of what he had deemed a certain prize. He remained in the fort until the 31st, and then marched for Catherine's Town on the Seneca Lake. His road lay through the most dangerous defiles, and a swamp of considerable extent, through which a deep creek flowed in so meandering a course, that it was necessary to ford it seven or eight times. He arrived at the entrance of this swamp late in the afternoon, and was strongly advised not to venture into it until the next morning; but he persisted, and a miracle only prevented his obstinacy from bringing destruction upon his men. Some of the defiles through which he had to pass, were so narrow and dangerous that a score or two of Indians might have successfully disputed the passage against any number of men. The night was exceedingly dark, the men wearied, scattered and broken, and ready to die rather than move on; but the Indian scouts who had been sent to watch them, having retired as soon as it was dark, under the full persuasion that no General in his senses would attempt such a road by night, the defiles were fortunately unguarded, and the General arrived with his wearied army about midnight at the town. Clinton had halted at the entrance of the swamp, and pursued his march the next day.

Sullivan continued for more than a month in the Indian country, laying waste and destroying every thing, after the manner of his savage enemy, and

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completing the destruction of his fame. He arrived about the middle of October at Easton, in Pennsylvania, having in the course of his expedition killed eleven Indians and destroyed eighteen or twenty towns! Of the 1400 horses which he had taken with him, 300 only were brought back. His childish and absurd complaints had disgusted the commander in chief as well as the board of war, and the ridiculous vanity displayed in his official account of the expedition, rendered him the jest of the whole army. He was not long able to bear this downfall of his pride and consequence, and on the 9th of November, he solicited permission to resign, which Congress readily accorded.

While Sullivan was idly wasting his time on the march from Newtown, Brandt at the head of about 90 Indians and Tories, fell into the Minisink settlements and burned upwards of twenty houses and mills. They killed several, carried off a number of persons, and a considerable quantity of plunder. They were pursued by about 150 militia, collected from Goshen and the neighborhood, who from a want of caution, suffered themselves to be surprised and completely defeated.

Five days after, Captain McDonald at the head of 250 British and Indians, entered Frelands fort, on the west branch of the Susquehannah and captured it, together with 30 men. Contrary to their usual custom, they set the women and children, to the number of 50, at liberty.

A few successful expeditions were, about the same time, carried on against them, of which the most considerable was that of General Williams, who with Colonel Pickens, entered the Indian country towards

the latter end of August, and burnt and destroyed upwards of fifty thousand bushels of corn. He more

over compelled the Indians to remove into the settled towns of the Creeks, thereby preventing the plundering system which they had been for some time carrying on against the unprotected inhabitants.

While these things were going on, the Spanish governour of Louisiana, received intelligence that his Catholic master had declared war against England. The Governour, Don Bernardo de Galvez, lost no time in making known this pleasing intelligence; and having collected the whole force of his province at New Orleans, he made a publick recognition of the independence of the United States on the 19th of August. His next step was to march against the British settlements on the Mississippi, for the protection of which Lieutenant Colonel Dickson had raised a small fort, which was garrisoned by about 500 men. Spanish Governour laid seige to this little fort on the 2d of September, and obtained possession of it by surrender on the 11th. The conditions were highly honourable to the garrison; and the treatment which the prisoners and inhabitants received from their conquerour, was such as to call forth their most lively expressions of gratitude for his humanity and kindness.

The

CHAPTER XII.

Events of 1779 continued-Proceedings of Congress.-Ultimatum of Negotiations for Peace.-Instructions to the Ministers at foreign Courts. Mr. Jay appointed Minister to Spain. Mr. Adams to negociate a peace with Great Britain-Further emission of Bills of Credit.-Lieutenant Colonel Talbot made a Captain in the Navy-Gold Medal presented to Major LeeMr. Huntington elected President.-Convention Troops ordered to be fed with Indian Corn-Chevalier de la Luzerne presents his Credentials to Congress, and is received as Minister from France-Regulation of prices.-Loans from Spain and Holland. Communication from the French Minister.-Cruize of Captain Paul Jones.-Action between the Bon Homme Richard, and Serapis.--The Countess of Scarborough surrenders to the Pallas.--Jones enters the Texel-Remonstrance of the British Ambassadour, and reply of their High Mightinesses, the States General.

BEFORE we proceed to relate the further operations of the two armies, it will be proper to look at the measures pursued by Congress, in consequence of the late conference held with Monsieur Gerard. Having agreed upon the demands which should be made in their negotiation for peace, Congress on the 14th of August, wrote to their Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of France, in the following terms. "Having determined, that we would not insist on a direct acknowledgment by Great Britain of our rights in the fisheries, this important matter is liable to an incertitude, which may be dangerous to the political and commercial interests of the United States, we have therefore agreed and resolved, that the common right of fishing shall in no case be given up; and that if

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after a treaty of peace with Great Britain, she shall molest the citizens or inhabitants of the United States, in taking fish on the Banks of Newfoundland and other fisheries of the American seas, any where excepting within the distance of three leagues of the shore of the territories remaining to Great Britain at the close of the war, such molestations, being in the opinion of Congress a direct violation and breach of the peace, shall be a common cause of the said States, and the force of the Union be exerted to obtain redress for the parties injured. But notwithstanding these precautions, as Great Britain may again light up the flames of war, and use our exercise of the fisheries as her pretext; and since some doubts may arise whether this object is so effectually guarded by the treaty of alliance with his most Christian Majesty, that any molestation therein on the part of Great Britain is to be considered as a casus fœderis, you are to endeavour to obtain of his Majesty an explanation on that subject, upon the principle, that, notwithstanding the high confidence reposed in his wisdom and justice, yet considering the uncertainty of human affairs and how doubts may be afterwards raised in the breasts of his royal successors, the great importance of the fisheries renders the citizens of these states very solicitous to obtain his Majesty's sense with relation to them, as the best security against the ambition of the British Court. For this purpose you shall propose the following articles, in which, nevertheless, such alterations may be made, as the circumstances and situation of affairs shall render convenient and proper. Should the same be agreed to and executed, you are immediately to transmit a copy thereof to our Minister at the Court of Spain.

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