USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 3 > Part 16
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culated to add to the calamites of war, and to increase the miser. ies of the human race, some distinguished characters in Boston, especially Mr. Lovel, and the American officers and soldiers, who fell into his hands, were thrown into the common jail with felons, and treated without respect to military rank or condition, not as prisoners of war, but as state criminals.
This unjustifiable measure was remonstrated against by Washington and Congress.
Washington wrote a letter to General Gage on this subject, in which he urged a different course, and declared his determi- nation of retaliation in case of non-compliance. To this let- ter a very haughty and intemperate answer was returned. The 1 result of this correspondence was communicated to the council of Massachusetts, who directed that the British officers, then at Watertown, and elsewhere on parole, should be confined in jail. On the recall of General Gage, the command devolved on General Howe, whose conduct was less exceptionable ; and this rigorous treatment of prisoners was soon relaxed.
Not long after this, Colonel Ethan Allen, who had greatly distinguished himself among those that had taken Ticonderoga and Crown Point, advanced at the head of some volunteers against Montreal, while Montgomery was beseiging St. Johns, and on arriving near that town, he was attacked by superior num- bers and routed, and himself made a prisoner. Under pretext of his having acted without authority, he was clapped in irons, and sent to England as a traitor.
A letter was addressed to General Howe respecting the treatment of Colonel Allen, in which he was given to under. stand, that unless a different course was observed, General Prescot should receive exactly such treatment.
General Howe not holding any authority in Canada, or not choosing to answer the letter, Congress ordered General Schuy- ler to put him in jail. He was, however, speedily removed to a private house and confined to a room.
On the arrival of Admiral Howe and General Howe at New- York, the system which had been so long maintained, was abandoned, and an exchange of prisoners was agreed on.
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There was not, however, a sufficient number of prisoners in the hands of the Americans to redeem those in the hands of the enemy ; and consequently many of their citizens remained in . confinement. From them complaints were daily received of their experiencing severe and cruel treatment. These were confined on board of prison ships in large numbers, where they became the victims of disease and death. This disgraceful and inhuman treatment is supposed to have been adopted for the purpose of compelling the miserable sufferers to, enter into the British ser- vice. When charged with a conduct so unworthy his character, and the exalted station he held, Sir William Howe positively denied its truth. Perhaps it would be unjust to ascribe to this officer, who, though somewhat severe in his temper, did not blend in his general system, cruelties which would not have been practised in other wars, a degree of inhumanity to those entirely in his power. Perhaps it would be no more than jus- tice to admit, that his own supplies of provisions, were for a time not the best or most plentiful, and that the American sol- diers before being captured were very sickly ; but still the ex- cessive mortality which prevailed among them, can be account- ed for on no ordinary principles ; and those least inclined to criminate have ever been of the opinion, that if his orders did not contribute to the distress, his authority was not interposed with sufficient energy to correct abuses.
The capture of General Lee furnished an additional ground of controversy on the subject of prisoners. As he had been an offi- cer in the British service, whose resignation perhaps had not been received when he entered into the service of America, a dispo- sition was at first manifested to treat him as a deserter and a traitor, rather than as a prisoner of war. He was, therefore, closely confined, but received no other particular hardship. Congress, on obtaining information of this, entered a resolution in which they assured General Howe, that if the exchange which was offered of the six field officers taken at Trenton, for General Lee, should be rejected, and the severe treatment already experienced by him should be continued, Lieutenant Campbell, and five Hessian field officers, should experience pres VOL. IH. 22
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cisely the same treatment.' This proposition not having been acceded to, Colonel Campbell, and the five Hessian officers, were put into close confinement, where they were kept until General Lee was allowed the privileges of a prisoner of war.
Difficulties arose relative to the prisoners taken at the Ce- dars above Montreal, in the province of Lower Canada, on the ground that the terms of the capitulation had been infracted, on the part of the enemy, but it seems that the grounds taken by Congress on this subject were untenable, and that they had acted on false information. The course, however, which they took, although it had an injurious effect on the prisoners in the hands of the enemy, in the end had a salutary tendency.
After the sufferings of the prisoners in New-York, on board of the prison ships, had been extreme, and great numbers had died. the survivors were liberated ; but so wretched was their condition, that many of them died on their way home.
. The advantages derived by the United States from their little marine, were of signal benefit. Several fortunate captures made by public ships or privateers, afforded very opportune supplies of ammunition for the use of the army, which otherwise could not have acted.
It was not, however, in the capture of ammunition and arms ouilv, that the enterprising naval spirit of the Americans ren- de red essential service to their country. The non-importation acts and agreements, which preceded the war, had excluded the usual supply of goods, and the internal manufactures could not furnish the deficiency. Hence, the army could not be provided with necessary clothing and blankets. These wants were in some degree relieved by captures from the enemy. The goods thus taken would, at any period, and any state of things, have constituted an item well worth attention ; but at this time they were of inestimable value. The prizes made by the Americans in 1776, are estimated by some English writers, at one million sterling, (84,400,000) and their amount in the United States,- is believed to have been more considerable.
Soon after the enemy had taken post in Rhode Island, Com- modor Hopkins sailed with his little fleet, to New Providence,
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,where he made a descent, and seized considerable quantities of military stores.
On the east end of Long Island, Hopkins fell in with the Glasgow, commanded by Captain Howe, carrying twenty nine- .pounders, and an engagement ensued, which lasted several hours, but Howe, after having damaged the American vessels, made sail for Newport. In this action the American naval force was very superior to that of the enemy, and on this ac- count Hopkins received a full share of public censure. Whether the censure was well founded or not, we shall not take upon ourselves to decide. Hopkins was a very active man, and bad made many captures, and it is not improbable, that in this af- fair, the enemy were favoured by circumstances which no hu- man foresight could control.
In order to keep up the credit of the country, and meet the expenditures, Congress, in 1775, emitted paper money, and pledged the faith of the American people for its redemption. An opinion was every where entertained, that this pledge would be sacredly observed. In some of the colonies depreciation had never been known, while in others, its baneful effects had been severely experienced. But the general enthusiasm which then prevailed, and the expectation entertained that the contest would be of short duration, outweighed past experience and future apprehension, and gave to this currency an universal circulation. Other circumstances were added, which tended to give it circulation ; Congress passed resolutions of denuncia- tion against all who should dare to discourage others from tak- ing it.
Congress aware, however, that it must in time depreciate, and that there were not means within their reach for its redemp- tion, used their utmost exertions to procrastinate such an event. The emissions, therefore, were at first as small as possible. But it was not in the power of Congress to regulate the amount of paper money which should come into circulation. Every state government possessed or claimed the right of emitting these bills.
The consequences of thus increasing the quantity of bills
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put into circulation, were anticipated with trembling apprehen- sions, while the means for counteracting them could ouly be recommended.
To economise disbursments, and call in by taxes a part of the sums disbursed, were the only possible means of preventing such an accumulation of paper money, as infallibly to continue its depreciation, until it should entirely cease to be a circulat- ing medium. Congress had not the power of taxation : all it could do was to recommend. The state governments did not like to hazard the imposition of taxes, lest such a measure might give dissatisfaction, which there was reason to believe would be the case, since the contest had been undertaken with the avowed object of opposing taxation. The payment of the first installment of the first emession was postponed to 1779, and taxation was not resorted to before the depreciation had become considerable, and then the remedy was so sparingly ap- plied, as very little to effect the disease.
'Taxation, which would have been the only means of retard- ing the rapid increase of paper money, and sustaining its credit, was, in a great measure, avoided ; and in its place artificial substitutes were resorted to.
A loan was proposed to be opened for borrowing five mil- lions of continental dollars, on an interest of four per cent., the principal to be paid in three years.
The scheme of a lottery, in four classes, was also suggested, by which it was proposed to raise one million five hundred thousand dollars.
These experiments were of small avail. No depreciation of consequence ensued before the early part of 1777 ; and even then, it was not perceived by many. The rise of commodities was supposed to be occasioned by their scarcity : this delusion, however, was soon dissipated.
Congress, who appear to have not matured on the subject, passed a resolution for the purpose of keeping up the value of, their bills. In this resolution it was declared, that whoever, in any sale or barter, should rate gold or silver coin higher than their bills, should be considered an enemy to the country, and should :
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forfeit the value of the money, or other thing. They also re- commended to the several states to pass laws to that effect, and also declaring these bills a legal tender in the payment of all debis, and that a refusal should be deemed a liquidation of the debt.
These attempts to regulate, by law, the value of an article depending solely on public opinion, were accompanied by other recommendations.
The public faith had been plighted by Congress for the re- demption of their bills. It was, therefore. proposed and recom- mended to the several states, that they should engage to redeem thein at the time fixed on by Congress. Laws were according- ly passed by the states, which met the wishes of Congress.
In the sequel it will be seen that these coercive measures did not produce the desired effect-neither Congress nor the state governments could give a lasting value on that which had no value. .
As the contest assumed a more serious aspect, and became better understood, causes of irritation multiplied, and real in- juries were sustained.
In the commencement the opposition was to taxation, and the consequences which followed were not generally foreseen or even apprehended. Hence, when an appeal was made to the sword, many who had been clamorous became luke-warm, and were disposed to submit. These men were viewed with contempt, and were called tories. In some instances they be- came objects of resentment to their neighbours, who were for supporting American independence at all hazards.
In some places these people manifested a disposition to take up arms. In North Carolina they collected in considerable numbers, but were soon dispersed. In New-York a similar disposition was manifested. Considerable numbers of the in- habitants of what was then termed the county of Tryon, were disaffected ; and General Schuyler marched into that county with some militia, when a negociation was entered into with Sir John Johnson, their leader, which terminated in a kind of capitulation, in which Sir John Johnson, and the tories in bis
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neighbourhood, agreed to surrender their arms, and stipulated · to take no part in the existing contest.
With respect to persons of this description, the conduct ol- served at first towards them, was in general mild.
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.From the first moment that the contest took so serious an as- pect as to threaten hostilities, disaffection to the American cause assumed a decided shape, and those under its influence were arranged as a party against those measures which were pursued by the representatives of the people.
The disaffected were the most numerous in the states of New- York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The presence of the British army, in the two former states, and their being the principal theatres of action, no doubt had an influence in augmenting the numbers. Perhaps the other states would have afforded the same aspect had they been invaded by such nu- merous armies. In addition to all this, the state of New-York had very extended frontiers, which were menaced not only with invasion from the enemy, but by irruptions from the Indians. No wonder then that many of the inhabitants along the fron- tiers, and on the coast, should have had an apathy to the war, and an inclination to aid the enemy, whom they believed irre- sistible. - -
See Marshall's Life of Washington, Williams' History of Vermont, and Ramsey's History of the Revolution,
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CHAPTER VI.
The enemy concentrates his forces in New-Jersey after the battles of Trenton and Princeton-Stores at Danbury burnt-Ope- · rations between the Americans, under Washington, and the British, under General Howe-New- York invaded, on the side of Canada, by the British, under Burgoyne-Proclama- tion of Burgoyne-Great exertions by General Schuyler to oppose the enemy-Ticonderoga invested-The Americans abandon Ticonderoga and Mount Independence-Combat be- tween the Americans, under Colonel Warner, and the British, under General Frazer, at Hubbardton-Disorderly retreat of General St. Clair-Burgoyne proceeds up Lake Champlain, with the main army, to White Hall-The Americans, under St. Clair, retreat to Fort Ann-General Schuyler causes all the bridges between White Hall and Sandy Hill to be de- stroyed, and the road to be obstructed, by falling trees across it-Americans fall back on Fort Edward-Reinforcements are sent on to General Schuyler-The Americans retire to Saratoga -- Burgoyne reaches Sandy Hill-General Schuyler retires to Stillwater, and afterwards to the islands at the mouth of the Mohawk-St. Leger invests Fort Stanuis- The Mohawk militia are totally defeated at Oriskinny, while on their way to relieve the garrison of Fort Stanwix-Gene- ral Arnold detached by General Schuyler to the relief of Fort Stanwix-His arrival at Fort Dayton-Incident of Hon Yost Schuyler-St. Leger raises the siege, and retires to Oswego-Defeat of Colonel Baum near Bennington- Murder of Miss M. Crea-General Schuyler advances to meet Burgoyne-Is superseded by tieneral Gates-Battle on the 19th of September, between the Americans and British-Bat- tle on the 5th of October-Positions of the armics- Retreat of Burgoyne and surrender-Sir Henry Clinton takes Forts Clinton, Montgomery, Constitution, &c .- General Vaughan sails up the Hudson, and burns Kingston, &c.
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1777 .- THE enemy, after the battles of Trenton and Prince- ton, retired to Brunswick and Amboy, on Rariton River, where he concentrated his forces, thus leaving almost the whole state in the same situation it was before the opening of the cam- paign. The American army was now so much reduced, that it was unable to act efficiently .. In the mean time, however, it was augmented by detachments of militia from New-Jersey, Dela- ware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, and offensive operations were resumed. Skirmishes almost every day en- sued. In these the Americans generally had the advantage.
General Heath moved from his camp at Peekskill to the vi- cinity of Kingsbridge, and threatened an invasion of York island. This had a beneficial effect, for General Clinton re- turned to New-York with most of his forces.
During the winter, magazines of provisions, and other stores, had been laid up in the Highlands, from whence the American garrisons, and other troops stationed on the Hudson, might draw their supplies. Peekskill, on the river, about fifty miles north of the city of New-York, had served as a kind of post. Slills had been erected, and some troops were in general can- toned here. General Howe, learning that the force at this place under General M.Dougal did not exceed two hundred and fifty men, sent Colonel Bird, on the twenty-third of March, up the river, with five hundred men, against it. This officer, being accompanied by a frigate and some other armed vessels, arrived, and, before the whole of the stores could be removed, took the place, whereby the stores were mostly destroyed. The enemy soon embarked, in consequence of an attack made on his outposts by Colonel Willet.
At Danbury, on the western frontier of Connecticut, military stores to a considerable amount had likewise been collected. This place is about twenty miles from the Sound, and was sup- posed to be out of the enemy's reach. Against Danbury, how- ever, an expedition was projected, and two thousand five hun- dred'men, mostly provincials in the British service, under the command of Governor Tryon, assisted by Generals Agnew and Sir William Erskine, were employed in it.
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On the evening of the twenty-fifth of April, Tryon landed his forces at Campo, between Fairfield and Norwalk. General Silliman immediately sent expresses to alarm and call out the militia. Meanwhile the enemy proceeded, almost without in- terruption, to Danbury, which they reached about two o'clock the next day ; and which place, with the magazines it contain- ed, they set on fire and destroyed. Colonel Huntington, who was in the town with one hundred and fifty men, retired to a neighbouring height, where he awaited the arrival of the militia that were assembling. General Arnold, who was in the vicini- ty, joined General Silliman at Reading, where five hundred militia had collected. General Wooster, with some men, fell in with them, and they proceeded to Bethel, eight miles from Danbury. Here they divided their men, and General Woos- ter, with three hundred, attacked their rear, while General Ar- nold, with five hundred, engaged their van. Wooster was mor- tally wounded, and General Arnold was forced to retreat .- The enemy then encamped for the night at Ridgefield, which they also fired. The next day they resumed their march, but were greatly annoyed by General Arnold, who had got together upwards of one thousand men. They, however, effected their retreat to their vessels, and re-embarked. The loss sustained by the enemy in this inroad, amounted to one hundred and seventy, and that of the Americans to about one hundred. Besides General Wooster, Colonel Gould fell. Colonel Lamb was among the wounded.
. The destruction of the stores at Danbury was severely felt ; but the enemy derived no advantage by this sudden inroad. It served rather to rouse the inhabitants, and make them more active in the cause of independence. The opposition which the ene- my experienced in his retreat, demonstrated how difficult it would be to overrun a small part of New England:
This inroad was, not long afterwards, retaliated. The ene- my had collected forage and provisions to a large amount, at the east end of Long Island.
General Parsons, who had collected some recruits at New Haven, dispatched Colonel Meiggs, with two hundred and thirty VOL. II. 23
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men, in thirteen whale boats, on this service. Colonel Meiggs reached the place on the twenty-fourth of May, surprised. the enemy, burnt the stores and some small vessels, killed six men, and took ninety prisoners, without the loss of one man. Never was an enterprise conducted with more secrecy, or carried into effect with more success.
Congress, feeling apprehensive that the enemy would attack Philadelphia, passed a resolution, on the tenth of April, that a camp should be immediately formed on the western side of the Delaware, to which the continental troops in Philadelphia, and those on their march from the south and west should repair.
These forces were, however, soon after ordered to march into : New-Jersey, and join those under the command of Washing- ton, who was forming a camp on strong grounds near the Ra- riton. In the mean time the camp near Philadelphia was occu- pied by militia. The northern forces were mostly at Peeks- kill and Ticonderoga. Those at Rariton, under Washington, were designed to cover New-Jersey and Philadelphia on one side, and afford aid to those troops at Peekskill, in case the enemy should endeavour to make himself master of the Hudson and its passes, while those at Ticonderoga were to oppose General Burgoyne, should he invade New-York. Such seems to have been the disposition of the American armies in the mid- dle and northern states, and such their plan of operations.
The camp near Rariton was ten miles from Brunswick, and north of the road leading from New- York to Philadelphia, by Princeton. This position was very strong, and could not be approached without great difficulty. The American army in New-Jersey, on the twenty-first of May, amounted to about ten thousand men, over and above five thousand militia, then in the field, belonging to that state. Washington joined the army on the twenty- eighth. General Sullivan lay at Princeton with a body of continentals, which were daily increasing, by the arrival of recruits from the southward, and the militia of New- Jersey, who were coming in.
The first and real object of the campaign, on the part of General Howe, was the acquisition of Philadelphia. But it
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was uncertain what route he would take, since there were three. One was across New-Jersey, another up Delaware bay and river, and the third by the Chesapeake.
General Howe resolved on the first route, in case he could draw the American army from its strong position, and bring it to battle, but if he could not do this, then he determined to em- bark his army on board of vessels, and proceed by the others. Having then settled the plan of the campaign, he crossed over about the first of June into New-Jersey, and marched with his army to Brunswick, giving strong indications of penetrating through the country to the Delaware, and thence to Philadel- phia. Washington immediately ordered all the troops at Peeks- ' kill, but one thousand men, to come to his assistance. He di- rected Colonel Morgan, with his riflemen, to take post at Van- vighton's bridge, on Rariton, just above its conflux with Mill- stone river. General Sullivan was commanded to change his position, and occupy the high grounds on Rock Hill.
Early in the morning of the fourteenth of June, the British army, leaving two thousand men under General Matthews at Brunswick, advanced in two columns towards the Delaware. . The front of the first, under Lord Cornwallis, reached Somerset court-house, nine miles from Brunswick, by daylight ; and the second, under General de Heister, about the same time reached Middlebush. This movement was made by General Howe, in order to induce Washington to quit his camp and approach the Delaware, in which event he hoped to bring him to a general engagement ; but Washington, aware of his object, kept his position.
Finding that the American commander could not be drawn from his strong position, in which he deemed it unsafe to attack him. General Howe decamped, and returned to Amboy, where he passed some of his troops over to Staten Island. Several de- tachments from the American army were sent in pursuit of him.
On the night of the twenty-fifth, General Howe recalled those troops that had passed over to Staten Island, and early next morning, marched his whole army, in two columns, towards
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