On the 5th of September, 1775, the Continental Congress resumed its sessions. Delegates from Georgia appeared and were admitted to seats in the Congress, and the colonies assumed the style of the Thirteen United Colonies. Matters were not very encouraging when Congress met. The army was in need of everything that could contribute to its efficiency, and the New England coast was harassed with the armed vessels of Great Britain, which laid its towns under exaction, or subjected them to 'bombardment, and committed other gross outrages upon the inhabitants. On the 18th of October the town of Falmouth, now Portland, in Maine, was burned by Lieutenant Mowatt of the British navy. The other towns, warned by the fate of Falmouth, proceeded to fortify themselves, and escaped with nothing worse than an occasional engagement with some royal cruiser.

Naval matters very largely occupied the attention of the whole country at this period. The only way in which the needed supplies could be obtained was by purchase abroad or the capture of the enemy's ships. Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina promptly established naval boards for the purpose of fitting out cruisers for this service; and among the first acts of Washington, after assuming the command of the army, was to send out armed vessels to the St. Lawrence and the New England waters to seize the supply ships of the English on their way to Canada and Boston. A number of vessels were captured by these cruisers, and a considerable quantity of arms, ammunition, and other stores thus accumulated. Congress appointed a secret committee to import powder from the West Indies, and to erect mills in the interior for its manufacture, and foundries for casting cannon. Licenses were issued to privateers, and a naval committee was appointed to superintend the formation of a marine force for the defence of the harbors, and was charged with the building of thirteen frigates. In December a secret committee was appointed to open and conduct a correspondence with foreign nations, or with friends of the cause in Europe.

Parliament, in the meantime, had not been idle, but had enacted stringent measures for the prosecution of the war and the punishment of the colonists. The measures adopted by the British government were cruel and barbarous. The Americans were to be treated as criminals and as deserving of death. They were made subject to the pains and penalties of treason if captured, and could in no case expect the treatment of prisoners of war. The crews of all vessels captured in trading to the colonies were condemned beforehand to serve in the marine corps of the royal navy. It was decided to increase the British army in America to forty thousand men. Twenty-five thousand of these troops were to be

raised, and the effort to enlist men was begun in England, but without success. Recruits could not be found in sufficient numbers to repay the effort. The ministry could not hope for better success in Ireland, as they had been warned by General Howe that the Irish were strong sympathizers with the Americans and could not be relied upon to fight against them. In this emergency the government resolved to employ German troops for the subjugation of America, and negotiations were opened with Brunswick and Hesse Cassel, two petty German States. The result was that Great Britain hired seventeen thousand troops from these states for the conquest of the English-speaking people of America. These mercenaries were generally known as Hessians, and became the objects of the bitter hatred of the Americans—a hatred which they fully earned by their subsequent cruelties towards the colonists.

These measures were not adopted by the British government without opposition. There was a determined minority in England, consisting of such men as Burke, Barré, and the Duke of Grafton, who manfully sought to obtain justice for the colonies up to the last moment at which a settlement was possible. The corporation of London and the mercantile interests of the country generally were opposed to the measures of the government, and sought to procure a just and peaceful settlement; but all efforts were in vain. The king and the ministry were resolved upon the subjugation of America; nothing else would satisfy them.

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CHAPTER XXVII.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

The Siege of Boston-Difficulties of the American Army-Activity of the Privateers— Clinton's Expedition-Colonel Knox arrives from Ticonderoga with Cannon-Seizure of Dorchester Heights by Washington-The British Evacuate Boston-Royalist Plots in New York-Paper Money Issued by Congress-Gates sent to the North-The British Attack Charleston-Battle of Fort Moultrie-The Howes in New York Bay-Change in the Character of the War-Growing Sentiment in Favor of Independence---Virginia Proposes that the Colonies Assert their Independence-Action of Congress-The Declaration of Independence-Articles of Confederation Adopted by Congress-Lord Howe's Efforts at Conciliation-Addresses a Letter to Washington-Battle of Long Island— Defeat of the Americans-Retreat from Long Island--Evacuation of New York by the Americans-Loss of Fort Washington-Washington Retreats through New Jersey-He Crosses the Delaware-Darkest Period of the War-Washington's Determination to Continue the War-Lord Howe's Proclamation-Its Effect-Congress at BaltimoreCarleton Invades New York-Defeats Arnold on Lake Champlain-Carleton Retires into Canada-Battle of Trenton-Happy Effects of the Victory-Congress confers Dictatorial Powers upon Washington-Commissioners sent to France.

HE winter of 1775-76 was passed by the army before Boston in inaction. There was not ammunition enough in the camp to enable Washington to attack Boston, and the British were well content to remain within their lines without seeking to raise the siege. Washington exerted himself to the utmost to obtain artillery and powder. Henry Knox, a bookseller of Boston, who had entered the military service of the colonies, had attracted the attention of the commander-in-chief by his skill in the use of artillery, and in planning the works erected for the defence of the camp. Knox now proposed to go to Ticonderoga and bring away from that place and from Crown Point all the artillery and powder that could be spared, and his plan was at once approved by Washington, who urged Congress to commission him a colonel of artillery. At the same time he wrote to Schuyler, the commander in New York, to give Knox every assistance in his power in his effort to bring the artillery from Lake Champlain to Boston. Great difficulties were experienced during the winter in inducing the troops to renew their enlistments. It required all the ingenuity and tact of which Washington was master to remove the prejudices and jealousies which had grown up in the camp since the commencement of the blockade of

Boston, and which threatened to disband the army. He succeeded in a greater degree than he had expected. At the opening of the year 1776 he had about ten thousand men in camp, many of whom were raw troops newly enlisted, and without arms. Still they were a more harmonious and contented force than the first army. Towards the close of 1775 the privateers made extensive captures from the British. Captain Manly, of the schooner "Lee," captured a British brig, off Cape Ann, laden with arms, artillery, and military stores for the British army at Boston. These were sent at once to Washington, and proved of the greatest service. Among the captures was an immense mortar, which Putnam named the "Congress," and

placed in position at Lechmere Point, on the north of Boston.

Matters were gloomy indeed. The people were anxious that Boston should be attacked, but such a course was impossible. As late as the 10th of February, 1776, Washington wrote: "Without men, without arms, without ammunition, little is to be done." To increase the discouragement of the patriots news came of the defeat of the attempt to conquer Canada. The British were collecting a fleet for a demonstration against some point on

the Atlantic coast, and as it was not certain where the blow would fall, a feeling of general uneasiness prevailed along the entire seaboard.

This expedition sailed from Boston, under Sir Henry Clinton, about the 1st of February. Washington, who had for some time suspected that it was designed to capture New York, had already sent General Charles Lee to raise troops to occupy that important city, and hold it against the British. Lee executed his task with energy, and on the 4th of February entered New York, and encamped in the suburbs, in what is now the City Hall Park. Governor Tryon, who had taken refuge on board a man-of-war, threatened to bombard the city if the American forces should enter it; but Lee informed him that the first shot fired at

New York would be the signal for the execution of the leading friends

of the royal cause in that city. This decisive answer induced Tryon to delay his barbarous purpose. That afternoon Sir Henry Clinton, with his fleet, entered the harbor. Finding that he had come too late to secure the city, Clinton declared that he had merely called at the harbor to pay a visit to his friend Tryon, and in a few days he sailed away for North Carolina, where the royalist Governor Martin, who, like Tryon, had taken refuge on board a man-of-war, had been endeavoring to stir up an insurrection of the Tories, as the royalists were called. The command of this movement was to be assumed by Clinton. Martin also expected

to be reinforced by seven regiments and a fleet under Sir Peter Parker, which were on their way from Ireland. To gain time, and stir up the Tories to prompt action, he commissioned two retired officers of the British army, Scotchmen, named McDonald and McLeod, who had recently settled in North Carolina, to raise troops among the friends of the king in the interior. They succeeded in raising about fifteen hundred men, and set off for the coast to join Martin. The patriots at once rallied in considerable force to oppose their march, and intercepted them at Moore's Creek Bridge, near Wilmington. On the 25th of February, a sharp engagement was fought here, which resulted in the defeat of the Tories. McLeod was killed, and McDonald was taken prisoner. Eighteen