together men and fupplies, and the fpur which an at- 1781. tempt against that place would give to every exertion, were among the reasons which prompted to the undertaking, and promised fuccefs, unless the enemy fhould call a confiderable part of their force from the fouthward. The French troops were to march toward the North river as foon as circumftances would permit, leaving about 200 men at Providence with the heavy stores and baggage, and 500 militia upon Rhode Island to secure the works. On the 24th, letters were addreffed to the 24. executive powers of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Jerfey, requiring among other things, militia to the amount of 6200. Washington enforced the requifition with "Our allies in this country expect and depend upon being supported by us, in the attempt we are about to make; and thofe in Europe will be aftonished, should we neglect the favorable opportunity which is now offered." The general returned to his head quarters on the 26th. The next day he forwarded this information to the proper perfons-" On the calculations I have been able to form, in concert with fome of the most experienced French and American officers, the operation in view will require, in addition to the French army, all the continental battalions from New Hamp fhire to New Jersey to be completed." He added afterward-"As we cannot count upon the battalions being full, and as a body of militia will moreover be neceffary, I have called upon the feveral ftates to hold certain numbers in readiness to move within a week of the time I may require them."

The British adjutant general employed one lieut. James Moody, in attempting to intercept Washington's

1781. difpatches. He fucceeded repeatedly, though his efcapes were narrow. He was urged to renew the fervice after the interview between Washington and Rochambeau had taken place; accordingly, way-laying the mail fome days in the Jerfeys, the opportunity offered for his taking and conveying to New York that very bag which contained the letters that were the object of the enterprise.

June

Preparations were now making for the American ar21. my's taking the field; and on the 21ft of June they marched for the camp at Peeks-kill. On the 1ft of July, Washington mentioned in a letter-" From the 12th of May to this day, we have received only 312 head of cattle, from New Hampshire 30, Maffachusetts 230, and Connecticut 52. Unless more ftrenuous exertions are made to feed the few troops in the field, we must not only relinquifh our intended operation, but fhall difband for want of subsistence; or which is almost equally to be lamented, the troops will be obliged to feek it for themselves where it can be found." The next morn

ing about three o'clock, the army marched toward New York with no baggage, but a blanket and clean shirt each man, and four days provifions cooked. Gen. Lincoln having taken poft with four battalions of infantry, and a small detachment of the guards, at no great diftance from fort Independence, was attacked on the 3d by about 1500 royal troops. The body of the American army, which was at hand, marched to fupport him. Lincoln defigned to draw the enemy to a diftance from their strong poft at Kingsbridge and its dependencies, and thereby to have given Washington and the duke de Lauzun, with the French legion, and Sheldon's dragoons,

the

the opportunity of turning their flanks. But it being 1781. apparent that Washington determined to fight at all events, the enemy declined fending out reinforcements, and foon retired within Kingsbridge. The next day the army marched toward White Plains; and on the 6th July the van of the French troops under Rochambeau appeared on the heights about eight o'clock, on the left of the Americans. On the 8th the French encamped near in a line with the Americans, with their left extending toward the Sound. Their whole force consists of more than those who went from Newport; for about the 8th of June, there arrived at Boston, a French 50 gun ship, 3 frigates, and 14 transports, with 1500 men. These marched the 14th of the fame month to join their countrymen under Rochambeau. The British having gained the proper intelligence planned an expedition, which would have been very prejudicial to the Americans had it fucceeded. The nature and importance of it learned from the general orders of July the 17th. "The commander in chief is exceedingly pleased with major gen. Howe, for marching with fo much alacrity and rapidity to the defence of the stores at Tarry-town, and repulfing the enemy's fhipping from thence. The gallant behaviour and fpirited exertions of col. Sheldon, capt. Hurlblut of the 2d regiment of dragoons, capt. lieut. Miles of the artillery, and lieut. Shaylor of the 4th Connecticut regiment, previous to the arrival of the troops, in extinguishing the flames of the veffels which had been fet on fire by the enemy, and rescuing the whole of the ordnance and ftores from deftruction, has the applause of the general." On the 21ft, the general in a letter to the French admiral thus expreffed himself→

may

be

23.

1781" I hope there will be no occafion for a movement to the fouthward, for want of force to act against New York, as I flatter myself the glory of destroying the British squadron at New York is reserved for the king's fleet under your command, and that of the land force at the fame place for the allied arms." At eight o'clock in the evening of the fame day, the American army (exclufive of 20 men to a regiment) and part of the French, marched from their encampments, and continued it with great rapidity and scarce any halt through the night. At four the next morning, they were drawn up in order of battle, while Washington, Rochambeau, all the general officers and engineers reconnoitred the different pofitions of the enemy's works from right to left. The next morning was alfo spent in reconnoitring. At four in the afternoon, the troops prepared to march and return to the camp. They arrived at their old ground by halt after twelve.

26.

The states were all this while very dilatory in fending the number of troops required: they were equally culpable as to the quality of thofe they did fend, which occafioned a Maffachusetts officer to write from camp as July follows on the 26th" A private character, who fhould ufe fraud to get rid of his engagements, would be confidered as a fcoundrel; while a collective body do not blush at tranfactions for which an individual would be kicked out of fociety. Had the different ftates boneftly complied with the requifitions of congress, we should at this period have had an army in the field equal to any exigence of fervice. How contrary has been their conduct! Of the recruits which have come in, to fay nothing of their deficiency in point of number, few of

them

them will be able, before the expiration of their inlift- 1781. ments, to perform the duties of a foldier. When I have feen boys of a yard and a half long paraded for mufster, abfolutely incapable of fuftaining the weight of a foldier's accoutrements, and have been told that these fhadows have been fent as part of the ftates quota, I have curfed the duplicity of my countrymen, and pronounced them unworthy the bleffings of freedom. The army at large confidered this conduct of their respective ftates as a vile impofition; and we began to fend back the unqualified recruits; but fo proportionably great was their number, that we were obliged to retain many, who, though they are not at prefent, yet may in a campaign or two be in fome degree ferviceable. This is no exaggerated picture. It might, by a deeper colouring, be made a more ftriking likeness."

The continental army, by taking a position near New York and its feveral movements, confirmed Sir H. Clinton in the belief of that intelligence he had procured by the interception of Washington's letters, and led him to withdraw a confiderable part of the troops under the command of Cornwallis, as a reinforcement to his own garrifon. This led Washington to obferve on the 30th-" From the change of circumftances with which this withdraw will be attended, we shall probably entirely change our plan of operations. I conclude the enemy's capital poft will be at Portsmouth." By great exertions and powerful aids from the Maffachusetts and Rhode Inland, the heavy artillery, ftores, &c. were brought to the North river in a manner beyond his expectation; as he himself acknowledged on the 2d of Auguft; but on the fame day he complained-"I am not ftronger

at

Aug.