numbers of the inhabitants. A strong force of the British, under Lord Cornwallis, marched from Princeton to attack him. Washington was much inferior in strength to his antagonist, yet he was unwilling to retreat without striking another blow. The two armies were divided by only a small stream, and cannonaded each other till night. The British waited for the morning, in expectation of a complete victory. After dark, on the evening of the 2d of January, 1777, Washington ordered a line of fires to be kindled in front of his camp, to deceive the enemy, and then withdrew his army in perfect order and silence. He made a rapid march to Princeton, and early in the morning, before Cornwallis suspected he had removed from his encampment, he attacked and routed the British force at that place, capturing three hundred prisoners.

These successful exploits, performed in the midst of the most discouraging reverses, had a prodigious effect throughout the continent. They gave new confidence to the Americans, roused them from their despondency, brought new recruits to the standard of Washington, and raised his military reputation, which had been somewhat depressed by the disasters at New York. The British retreated with their whole force to New Brunswick. The American militia turned out, and in the short space of a month, the invading armies were nearly expelled from the Jerseys. It must be added that the British and Hessians were guilty of the most shameful atrocities while they overran the country, plundering, robbing, burning and ravaging, in a manner too shocking to relate.

Early in 1777, Washington found himself at the head of a respectable army, amounting to above seven thousand men. The British were much superior, but Washington, by judiciously selecting strong points of defence, contrived to frustrate every attempt of his enemy to penetrate again into the Jerseys. Sir William Howe took the field, at the head of a very strong force, and by marching and countermarching through the months of June and July, made every possible manœuvre to bring his antagonist to battle; but Washington foiled all his endeavors so successfully that Howe gave up his design, and determined to make an attempt upon Philadelphia by sailing up Delaware Bay. The British army was therefore embarked, and in the beginning of August arrived at the Capes of Delaware. Here, for some unknown cause, the British commander altered his plan, and the squadron put to sea again, sailed up the Chesapeake, and landed the troops in Maryland. Washington immediately broke up his

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camp before New York, and advanced southward to meet the British.

From the eastern shores of the Chesapeake, the British army moved towards Philadelphia, on the 3d of September. Washington had crossed the Delaware, determined to risk a battle in defence of the city. His army consisted of about eight thousand effective men. On the 11th of September, the two armies met at Brandywine creek, near the Delaware. The British marched to the attack in two columns, led by General Knyphausen and Lord Cornwallis. Another column attacked the right wing of the Americans. Washington, deceived by false intelligence, delayed to make the proper dispositions for repelling the assault of Cornwallis. The right flank of the Americans was turned, and the troops compelled to retreat. The result was a defeat of the Americans, with the loss of twelve hundred killed and wounded; among the latter were La Fayette and General Woodford. loss of the British was not above half that of the Americans. After this victory the British continued to advance, and gained possession of all the roads leading to Philadelphia. Many partial actions took place, but it was found impossible to defend the city. Sir William Howe entered Philadelphia in triumph on the 26th of September, 1777. Congress retired to Lancaster, and afterwards to Yorktown.

Most of the British army was cantoned in Germantown. Washington, having received reinforcements, attacked this place on the 4th of October. He drove the British into the village, but the latter took possession of a strong stone house, from which they could not be dislodged. The morning was foggy, and this embarrassed the movements of the Americans. Nearly one half their troops were obliged to remain inactive. After a severe conflict the assailants found it necessary to retire. The retreat was performed in haste, and Lord Cornwallis, with the British light horse, pursued the Americans for some miles. The loss of the British was about five hundred; that of the Americans, one thousand. Soon after the battle, the British retreated from Germantown.

The approach to Philadelphia from the sea was strongly guarded by forts on the Delaware, but the British were aware that without the command of the river, the possession of the city would be of little value. Accordingly, early in October, a force of two thousand men, under Count Donop, attacked the fort at Red Bank, which was garrisoned by four hundred men, under Colonel Greene. The Americans defended the place with such bravery that they compelled the assailants to retire with the loss of four hundred men, including their commander. The British

also attacked Fort Mifflin with no better success, losing two ships, one of them of sixty-four guns, which was burnt. In spite of these repulses, the British renewed their attempts, and brought so strong a force to the attack, that it was found necessary to evacnate the forts on the Delaware in November. Some of the American armed vessels escaped up the river, but many of them were taken or burnt.

Various military movements took place during the remainder of the season, but none of them produced any decisive result. About the middle of December, Washington's army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge, about sixteen miles from Philadelphia. Here they built huts in the midst of the woods, and passed the winter amid continual suffering and privation. Many of them were without blankets and almost destitute of clothes. Provisions, too, were scarce. Yet neither the sufferings of hunger nor cold could shake their constancy to the cause of their country. They submitted to all without murmurs or insubordination.

CHAPTER LXI.

Burgoyne's expedition.-The States invaded from Canada.--Alliance between the British and the savages.—Burgoyne reaches Lake Champlain.—His proclamation to the Americans.—Capture of Ticonderoga.-Retreat of the Americans.— Their naval force destroyed at Skenesborough.—Battle of Hubbardton -Barbarities of the Savages.-Murder of Miss M' Crea.-Siege of Fort Stanwix, by St. Leger.-Defeat of the militia under General Herkimer.—Stratagem of the Americans.-Retreat of St. Leger from Fort Stanwix.-Advance of Burgoyne's army.-Victory of the Americans at Bennington.-General Gates takes the command of the northern army.-Burgoyne crosses the Hudson, and encamps at Stillwater.-Battle of Freeman's Farm.-The Indians abandon Burgoyne's army.—Battle of Bemus's Heights.—Burgoyne retreats to Saratoga.-Clinton's expedition up the Hudson.-Burning of Esopus.-The British army surrounded at Saratoga.-Surrender of Burgoyne.—Clinton retreats to New York.

EARLY in 1777, the British ministry struck out a new plan, that of forming a line of military communication between New York and Canada. They considered the New England people as the soul of the confederacy, and promised themselves great advantages by the project of severing them from all communication with the neighboring states. They hoped, when this was accomplished, to be able to surround them so effectually with fleets, armies, and Indian allies, as to compel their unconditional submission. These views led to the scheme for the invasion of the provinces from Canada.

The regular troops, British and German, allotted to this service amounted to upwards of seven thousand. They were equipped with the finest train of brass artillery ever seen in a British army. In addition to the regulars, it was supposed that the Canadians, and the loyalists in the neighboring states, would send large reinforcements, well calculated for the peculiar nature of the service. Arms and accoutrements were accordingly provided to supply them. Several nations of savages had also been induced to take up the hatchet, as allies to the British; but the policy as well as the humanity of employing them, was questioned in Great Britain. The opposers of the scheme contended that Indians were capricious, inconstant and intractable; their rapacity insatiate, and their actions cruel and barbarous. On the other hand, the zeal of the British ministry for reducing the revolted colonies was so violent, as to cause them, in their excessive wrath,