CHAPTER General Howe made his appearance in the waters of XXXIV. New York with the late garrison of Boston and other 1776. troops from Halifax; and, a few days after, he landed on June 28. Staten Island, which Washington had not been strong enough to occupy. He was received there with great demonstrations of joy by the Tory inhabitants, who proceeded to embody themselves as a loyal militia. Promises of support were also sent in by the Loyalists of Long Island and New Jersey, and Tryon encouraged the British commander with hopes of an extensive defection. A few days after the landing of the British army, Admiral Lord Howe arrived from England with large reenforcements. These two brothers, intrusted with the chief military and naval command in America, were commissioned also, under the late act of Parliament, to receive the submission of such communities or individuals as might throw themselves on the king's mercy. A circular, declaration to the late royal governors, containing a statement of this commission, and an offer of July 14. pardon to all who would submit, was sent on shore under a flag. It also contained a request to give to this offer as extensive a circulation as possible. As soon as this July 19. paper reached Congress, they ordered it to be published in all the newspapers, that the people might see how "the insidious court of Great Britain had endeavored to disarm and amuse them," and that "the few" whom 'hopes of moderation and justice on the part of the British government had still kept in suspense" might now at length be convinced "that the valor alone of their country is to save its liberties." The commissioners presently attempted to open a communication, first with Washington, and afterward with Congress, through the medium of Franklin, whom Lord Howe had known in London; but their unwilling XXXIV. ness to recognize the military rank of Washington, or CHAPTER the political existence of Congress, proved obstacles in the way of any such intercourse. While New York was threatened with attack on the south, its northern frontier was in no less danger. The American army had retreated out of Canada, extremely disorganized, and in horrible suffering. 1776. The state of their army on this frontier was a cause of great anxiety to Congress and the Board of War. Besides ten regiments already dispatched thither from New York, three of the regiments at Boston were sent in the same direction, and measures were taken for additional enlistments in Connecticut and Massachusetts. A council of war decided that Crown Point was not ten- July 7. able, and the troops, short of provisions, with no accommodations for the sick, and suffering from a pestilential fever, fell back to Ticonderoga. Schuyler, in spite of his zeal and undeniable merit, was very unpopular with the New England troops, who still cherished many prejudices against the people of New York; nor was Schuyler himself altogether free from corresponding prejudices against the New Englanders. It was through the influence of the New England delegates in Congress that Gates had been made a major general, and appointed to command the northern army." That army, by retreating out of Canada, had arrived within Schuyler's district. To prevent collision between the two commanders, Congress declared that, by appoint- July 8. ing Gates, they had no intention to supersede Schuyler; and they recommended to the two generals to carry on the military operations in that quarter with harmony, so as best to promote the public service. The prejudice of the New Englanders against Schuyler caused many reports to his disadvantage. He was even accused of CHAPTER treachery. XXXIV. He offered to resign; but Congress express-ed entire confidence in his patriotism, and refused to 1776. allow it. Re-enforcements continued to arrive; but the northern army suffered terribly from the small-pox and camp fever. In the three months since the opening of the campaign, it had lost by death and desertion not less than five thousand men. The whole remaining force hardly exceeded that number, of whom two thousand were on the sick list. Carleton was at the foot of Lake Champlain with a well-appointed army of thirteen thousand men. By the wise precaution of Sullivan, the retreating Americans had carried off or destroyed all the water craft on the lake, of which, by means of a few armed vessels, they still held the command. As no road existed on either shore, both of which were still an unbroken wilderness, it was only possible for the British to advance by water. Every thing depended, therefore, on the command of the lake; and a vigorous competition was begun in the building of vessels. Arnold's conduct in seizing the goods of the Montreal merchants at the evacuation of that. city had subjected him to some discredit; but in war, vigor and courage are of more account than all the social virtues; and Arnold was presently selected by Gates to command the American vessels, for which, indeed, his former experience as a ship-master peculiarly qualified him. Ship-carpenters and naval stores were sent from the New England sea-ports; and, with indefatigable labor and heavy expense, the Americans, in the course of three months, equipped a flotilla of sixteen vessels, very various in size and sort, and manned by soldiers drafted from the army. But in this matter of naval equipment Carleton had greatly the advantage. Besides twenty smaller craft, and a number of armed boats XXXIV. dragged up the Sorel and over the rapids of Chambly, CHAPTER five vessels, the frames of which had been brought from England, and carried over land from Montreal to St. 1776. John's, each larger than the strongest American ship, were soon launched on the lake. This formidable flo tilla, manned by seven hundred seamen from the British ships in the St. Lawrence, presently proceeded in quest of Arnold. Aware of his inferiority, the American commander had chosen a position in advance of Crown Point, between an island and the main shore, where the whole British. squadron could not attack him at once. In the engagement which followed, one American vessel was burned Oct. 6. and another sunk; the rest, greatly damaged, sailed off by night in hopes to reach Ticonderoga, and to find shelter there under the guns of the fort. But they were pursued, overtaken the next day, and again brought to action near Crown Point. The vessels furthest ahead kept on their course and reached Ticonderoga; of those in the rear, one was taken; and, to save the rest from a similar fate, Arnold ran them on shore and set them on fire. The crews succeeded in escaping to the land. The Americans lost eleven vessels and ninety men. The British had one vessel blown up and two sunk; their loss in men was reported at fifty. Command of the lake thus secured, Carleton took possession of Crown Point, where he was soon joined by his army. Advanced parties were sent forward as far as Ticonderoga, which Gates held with his whole force, amounting now, by accessions of militia, to eight thousand men. The American works seemed too strong for an assault; it was too late in the season to undertake a siege; and Carleton presently retired down the lake, and put his troops in winter quarters. CHAPTER By the departure of the militia and the expiration of XXXIV. the term of service of the regulars, the northern army 1776. melted rapidly away. Several regiments which had yet a short time to serve marched under Gates to join Washington, who, by this time, was very hardly pressed. During the winter, Ticonderoga was held by a very slender garrison. So slowly were the requisitions of Congress complied Aug. 1. with, that, a month after the arrival of the Howes, Washington's army did not exceed twenty thousand men, of whom a fifth part were sick, and as many more absent on detached duty. Before active operations commenced, seven thousand additional militia came in, and some further re-enforcements afterward. Lincoln, who had been secretary to the first Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, led the militia of that state. The New York militia, over which the Convention then in session had given Washington full powers, was led by George Clinton. Mifflin, having been promoted to the rank of brigadier, resigned his office of quarter-master general, to which Colonel Stephen Moylan was appointed; but the new quarter-master soon resigned, and Mifflin was persuaded again to resume that important duty. As Washington Aug. 9. complained of a deficiency of general officers, Heath, Spencer, Sullivan, and Greene were made major generals. Commissions as brigadiers were given to Read and Nixon of Massachusetts, Parsons of Connecticut, M'Dougall and James Clinton of New York, and St. Clair of Pennsylvania; and the same rank was presently conSept. 4. ferred on Stephen of Virginia, Gadsden and Moultrie of Sept. 16. South Carolina, M'Intosh of Georgia, Maxwell of New Oct. 23. Jersey, and Smallwood of Maryland. Gates's place as adjutant general was supplied by Joseph Reed. Thaddeus Kosciusko, so distinguished afterward in Poland, en |