the medical department had neither sugar, tea, chocolate, wine, or spirituous liquors of any kind; chat every department of the army was without money, and had not even the shadow of credit left; that the patience of the soldiers, borne down by the pressure of complicated sufferings, was on the point of being exhausted."

Congress possessed not. the means to apply adequate remedies to these threatening evils. They passed a resolution, which was all they could do," That Ccngress will make good to the line of the army, and to the independent corps thereof, the deficiencies of their original pay, which had been occasioned by the depreciation of the continental currency; and that money or other articles heretofore received, should be considered as advanced on account, to be comprehended in the settlement finally to be made." This resolution was published in general orders, and produced a good effect; but did not remove the complaints of officers or men. The promise of future compensation from a country, whose neglect was conceived to be the source of all their sufferings, they deemed a feeble basis of dependence, at the moment they were severely pressed by privations of every kind.

Murmurs at length broke out into actual MARCH 25. mutiny. Two of the Connecticut regiments paraded under arms announcing the intention to return home, or by their arms to obtain subsistence. The other regiments from Connecticut although they did not join in the revolt, exhibited no inclination to aid in suppressing the mutineers out by the spirited and prudent exertions of the officers, the ringleaders were secured, and the regiments brought back to their duty.

The perplexities of a General, who commands an army in this situation, are not to be described. When the officers represented to the soldiery the greatness of the cause in which they were engaged, and stated the late resolution of Congress in their favour, they

answered, that for five months they had received no pay, and that the depreciated state of the currency would render their pay of no value when received; they wanted present relief, and not promises of distant compensation; their sufferings were too great to be supported; and they must have immediate and substantial recompense for their services. To the complaints of the army were joined murmurs of the inhabitants of New-Jersey, on account of the frequent requisitions unavoidably made upon them.

These disaffections were carried to New-York with the customary exaggerations of rumour. General Knyphausen, the commanding officer at that post, sup. posing the American citizens and soldiers ripe for revolt, passed over into New-Jersey with five thousand

men, to avail himself of favourable events, JUNE 6. and probably with the in ntion to drive General WASHINGTON from his camp at Morristown. He took the road to Springfield, and the behaviour of the Americans soon convinced him, he had been deceived in the report of their disaffected and mutinous disposition. The troops detached from the army to oppose his progress, fought with obstinate bravery; and the inhabitants seizing their arms with alacrity, emulated the spirit and persevering courage of the regular soldier. The enemy finding he must зncounter serious opposition, halted at Connecticut farms, consigned most of the buildings of that village to the flames, and then retreated to Elizabeth Point, opposite to Staten Island.

While General Knyphausen lay at Elizabeth Point, Sir Henry Clinton, with four thousand men, returned from the conquest of Charleston, South-Carolina, and joined him at that place. On the 23d of June Sir Henry moved by different routes, five thousand infantry, and a large body of cavalry, with twenty pieces of artillery, towards Springfield. General WASHING CON supposed that his determined object was the de

struction of the American camp and stores at Morristown. The effective force at this time under his immediate command amounted to little more than three thousand men. Not being able to contend with the enemy, but with the advantage of ground, he made the best disposition of his small force to defend his post, and detached General Green with a thousand men to guard the defiles on the road, and particularly to dis pute the enemy's passage of the bridge near Spring field. This service was performed with great military judgment, and with the spirit and efficacy of disci plined courage. When overpowered by numbers, General Green drew up his brave band on the heights back of Springfield. Sir Henry Clinton was not disposed to attack him in his strong position, nor to encounter the danger of proceeding to Morristown, and leaving Green in his rear; he therefore relinquished the object of his expedition, and, burning the town of Springfield, returned to New-York.

General WASHINGTON keenly felt this insult offered to his country, and was deeply mortified at his inability to repel it. In a letter to a friend he observed, "You but too well know, and will regret with me the cause which justifies this insulting manœuvre on the part of the enemy. It deeply affects the honour of the States, a vindication of which could not be attempted in our present circumstances, without most intimately hazarding their security; at least so far as it may depend on the security of the army. Their character, their interest, their all that is dear, call upon them, in the most pressing manner to place the army immediately on a respectable footing."

Late in the spring the Marquis La Fayette returned from France with the pleasing intelligence that his government had resolved to assist the United States, by employing, this year, a respectable land and naval force in America.

This grateful information re-animated the publick

mind, and gave a new stimulus to the agency of Congress, and of the governments of the several states; that preparation might be made to co-operate with the French armament on its arrival.

This event excited anew in the breast of the Commander in Chief the mingled emotions of ambition and patriotism. His country having solicited foreign aid, he felt the disgrace she must suffer, should the allies find her in a situation not to second their friendly assistance. He anticipated the deep wound that would be inflicted on his own feelings, should the French Commanders find him the nominal head of a naked, destitute, and inefficient army. To prevent the evils that were apprehended, he addressed a circular letter to the governments of the states, urging them to exertions proportionate to the present prospect of their country, and painting to their view the picture of dishonour and ruin that must arise from the neglect to improve this prosperous tide in their affairs.

Vigorous measures were in consequence adopted by Congress and by the states to recruit the army, to lay up magazines, and to enable their General to comply with the reasonable expectations of their allies; but the agency of different bodies was necessary to carry these publick measures into effect, and their operation was dilatory. On the 20th of June General WASHINGTON informed Congress that the army was yet destitute of many essential articles of clothing. "For the troops," he observed, "to be without clothing at any time is highly injurious to the service, and distressing to our feelings; but the want will be more peculiarly mortifying when they come to act with our allies. If it be possible I have no doubt immediate measures will be taken to relieve their distresses.

"It is also most sincerely to be wished that there would be some supplies of clothing furnished to the officers. There are a great many whose condition is

still miserable. This is, in some instances, the case with the whole lines of states It would be well for their own sakes, and for the publick good, if they could be furnished. They will not be able, when our friends come to co-operate with us, to go on a common routine of duty; and if they should, they must, from their appearance, be held in low estimation."

Ir the near prospect of the arrival of the French arinaments, the embarrassments of General WASHINGTON increased. His army was not yet in a situation to co-operate with the allies, and he became extremely anxious to know the force on which he might absolutely depend. He wished to attack New-York if the means were in his power. But to concert an attack upon this post with the French commanders, and in the event be unable to execute his part of the engagement, he knew would dishonour the American arms, and expose the French marine force employed in the service, to destruction. Should prudence forbid an attempt upon New-York, his force might be competent to assail some other British post, and it was highly expedient that the plan should be ripened, and all measures prepared for immediate action, the racment the French detachments should reach the continent. The anxiety of the Commander in Chief on this subject was disclosed in the following letter to Congress.

"The season is come when we have every reason to expect the arrival of the fleet, and yet for want of this point of primary consequence, it is impossible for me to form a system of co-operation. I have no basis to act upon; and of course, were this generous succour of our ally now to arrive, I should find myself in the most awkward, embarrassing, and painful situation. The General, and the Admiral, from the relation in which I stand, as soon as they approach our coast, will require of me a plan of the measures to be pursued, and there ought of right to be one prepared; but circumstanced as I am, I can