operation and must confess to our allies that we look wholly to them for our safety. This will be a state of humiliation and littleness against which the feelings of every good American ought to revolt. Yours, I am convinced, will-nor have I the least doubt that you will employ all your influence to animate the legislature and the people at large. The fate of these States hangs upon it. God grant we may be properly impressed with the consequences.

"I wish the legislature could be engaged to vest the executive with plenipotentiary powers. I should then expect every thing practicable from your abilities and zeal. This is not a time for formality or ceremony. The crisis in every point of view is extraordinary, and extraordinary expedients are necessary. I am decided in this opinion.

"I am happy to hear that you have a prospect of complying with the requisitions of Congress for specific supplies that the spirit of the city and State seems to revive, and the warmth of party decline. These are good omens of our success-perhaps this is the proper period to unite.

"I am obliged to you for the renewal of your assuraces of personal regard, my sentiments for you, you are so well acquainted with, as to make it unnecessary to tell you with how much esteem and regard I am," &c.

Three days after, Hamilton apprised Governor Trumbull of the approach of Sir Henry Clinton from Charleston, urging supplies from Connecticut: "Flushed with his success there, and tempted by the present position of our affairs, it will be extraordinary if he does not immediately aim a blow at West Point. If he does, we have every thing to apprehend from the total want of provision in the garrison, which has been for some time on half allowance."

Under this apprehension, he earnestly cautioned its

commander to vigilance, directing him to impress the cattle in his neighborhood in order to save his salted provision.

The distresses here pictured produced the apprehended effect. Two regiments of Connecticut troops revolted, but were immediately reduced to subjection. In the hope that this insubordination would extend, Knyphausen, the sixth of June, crossed into New Jersey, and the next day marched towards Springfield, burning a small village on his route, a wanton act of barbarity, worthy of Tryon, who accompanied him.

Maxwell, with the Jersey brigade and some militia of the neighborhood, immediately took a strong position at that town. Washington, learning the movement of the enemy, hastened to his assistance with his whole force, less than four thousand men.

Hamilton wrote to Steuben: "I am commanded by the general to inform you, that the enemy are out in considerable force; and by the last advices were advancing this way. We are going to meet them." Hamilton went forward to reconnoitre. He wrote to Washington the next day: "I have seen the enemy. Those in view I calculate at about three thousand: there may be, and probably enough are, others out of sight." Stating their retrograde movement towards Staten Island, he remarked: "Different conjectures may be made. The present movement may be calculated to draw us down and betray us into an action. They may have desisted from their intention of passing till night, for fear of our falling upon their rear. I believe this is the case, for as they have but few boats, it would certainly be a delicate manœuvre to cross in our face. We are taking measures to watch their motions to-night as closely as possible. An incessant but very light skirmishing. Very few boats, not

more than enough to carry three or four hundred men at a time. It is likely more will come down this evening." Knyphausen, not willing to make battle on so strong ground, retired in the night to Elizabethtown.

This movement, and the danger of the Highland posts prompted a letter from Hamilton, in Washington's behalf, on the eleventh of June, from Springfield, to the committee of co-operation, disclosing his fears: "The most disastrous consequences are to be apprehended. You, who are well acquainted with our situation, need no arguments to evince the danger. The militia of this State have run to arms, and behaved with an ardor and spirit of which there are few examples. But perseverance in enduring the rigors of military service, is not to be expected from those who are not by profession obliged to it. The reverse of this opinion has been a great misfortune in our affairs, and it is high time we should recover from an error of so pernicious a nature. We must absolutely have a force of a different composition, or we must relinquish the contest." Sir Henry Clinton now arrived at New York, and with a view to divide the American force, an attack upon West Point was threatened. Leaving two brigades with Greene together with the Jersey militia under an order framed by Hamilton, Washington moved slowly towards Pompton, and reached Rockaway bridge. The enemy, learning this division of his force, pushed rapidly for Springfield, which he burned, having encountered an obstinate resistance by Greene, "baffled and almost beaten," as Hamilton wrote, "by a general without an army―aided, or rather embarrassed by small fugitive bodies of volunteer militia, the mimicry of soldiership."

Hamilton, as they were advancing, in the name of Washington, again addressed the committee of co-operation, whose powers had been enlarged. "The enemy are VOL. II.-3

now in full force, bending their march towards Morristown, and by my last advices had advanced beyond Springfield. They were vigorously opposed by our advanced corps; but what could the valor of a handful do against so infinite a superiority of numbers. The enemy can effect almost any particular object they may attempt." He urged a removal of the stores beyond their reach, and remarked: "We do not know what may be the ultimate designs of the enemy. All we know is, that they are very strong and that we are very weak. I beg leave to recommend that the States may be again called upon to redouble their exertions to comply with the demands that have been already made upon them. It is essential to our immediate safety, to say nothing of the expected co-operation. If she means to be free, this is the moment for America to exert herself."

To guard against a surprise, he immediately wrote in Washington's name to General Howe in command at West Point, to take all necessary precautions, and at the same time, in a private letter to Steuben, then at that place, conveyed to him the general's desire that he would remain there to give his "advice and assistance to the commanding officer."

The firm conduct of Greene and the activity of the Americans, had determined the enemy to retire to New York, not willing to penetrate farther at the moment of the expected arrival of the expedition from France, of which, though supposed to be a secret, they had received advices.

Letters were immediately after addressed by Hamilton in behalf of Washington to the chief officers of several States. "This is the time," he wrote Weare of New Hampshire, "for America, by one great exertion, to put an end to the war, but for this purpose every necessary

means must be furnished. The basis of every thing else is the completion of the continental battalions to their full establishment. If this is not done, I think it my duty to forewarn every State that nothing decisive can be attempted, and that this campaign, like all the former, must be chiefly defensive." Stark was sent there to collect and forward the drafts of men and the three months' levies. Orders were also issued to the principal officers of the army to expedite these measures.

In this moment of extreme anxiety, part of the hoped succor from France arrived on the American coast.

Hamilton, in the name of Washington, wrote on the thirteenth of July to the committee of Congress: "It cannot be too much lamented that our preparations are still so greatly behindhand. Not a thousand men that I have heard of have yet joined the army. After what had been preconcerted with the honorable the Congress, after two months' previous notice of the intended succors, if our allies find us unprepared, and obliged to wait several weeks in a state of inaction, it is easy to conceive how unfavorable the impression it will make of our conduct. Besides this, the season is exceedingly advanced. A decisive enterprise, if our means are equal to it, will not permit us to lose a moment of the time left for military operations; which, if improved with all the vigor in our power, is less than were to be wished for in an undertaking of so arduous and important a nature. So much is at stake so much to be hoped-so much to be lost-that we shall be inexcusable if we do not employ all our zeal and all our exertion."

Advices from General Heath announced the arrival of the French fleet off New Port on the tenth of July. This intelligence was communicated to Congress in a brief note from Hamilton's pen, enclosing a plan of co