Jersey to New York. As soon as Washington learned of his movement he broke up his camp, on the twenty-fourth of June, and crossed the Delaware in pursuit of the British army. The intense heat of the weather, and the heavy train which the British carried with them, caused them to move very slowly, and Washington soon overtook them. A council of war was called, at which General Charles Lee, who held the second rank in the American army, urged that Washington should confine his efforts to harassing the British on the march. It was resolved, however to attack the enemy and force them to a general engagement. Lee at first declined to take any part in the battle, but at the last moment changed his mind, and solicited a command. Retreat of Clinton. Upon the adjournment of the council of war, on the twenty-seventh of June, Washington sent Lafayette, with two thousand men, to occupy the hills near Monmouth Court-house and confine the enemy to the plains. On the morning of the twenty-eighth of June Lee, who had asked for a command, was sent forward by Washington with two brigades to attack the enemy. Upon coming up with Lafayette, who was his junior, Lee assumed the command of the whole advanced force and marched in the direction of the enemy, who had encamped on the previous night near Monmouth Court-house, and had resumed their march early on the morning of the twenty-eighth. As soon as ClinAs soon as Clinton heard of Lee's advance he determined to drive him back, and for this purpose wheeled about with his whole rear division, and made a sharp attack upon Lee, who fell back to higher ground. A misunderstanding of his order caused one of his subordinate officers to abandon his position and Lee's whole force fell back in some confusion. In the excitement of the moment Lee forgot to send word to Washington of his movement, and the first the commander-inchief, who was advancing with the main body, knew of it was the right of Lee's command falling back rapidly and in disorder. Riding up to the fugitives he asked them why they were retreating, and was answered that they did not know, but had been ordered to do so. Suspecting that the retreat had been ordered for the purpose of ruining the plan of battle, Washington hastened forward until he met General Lee and sternly demanded of him: "What is the meaning of all this, sir?" Lee was disconcerted for a moment, and then answered that the retreat was contrary to his orders; and moreover, that he did not wish to encounter the whole British army. "I am sorry," said Washington, "that you undertook the command unless you meant to fight the enemy." Lee answered that he did not think it prudent to bring on a general engagement. Washington replied, sternly: "Whatever your opinion may have been, I expect my orders to be obeyed." Fugitives Made to Halt. Washington at once reformed the men on a commanding eminence, and hurried the main body of the Americans forward to their support. The British soon appeared in force and endeavored to dislodge the Ameri cans from their position, and failing in this, attempted, but without success, to turn their left flank. The battle lasted till nightfall, and the American army bivouaced on the field, expecting to renew the engagement the next morning; but during the night Clinton skilfully withdrew from his lines and continued his retreat. The weather was so warm that Washington did not deem it prudent to continue the pursuit, and Clinton was allowed to regain New York without further molestation. The Americans lost about two hundred men in this engagement, a number of whom died from the effects of the extreme heat. The British lost three hundred men. During the retreat two thousand Hessians deserted from the British ranks. Lee Dismissed from the Army. As General Lee possessed a large share of the confidence of the commander-in-chief, he might have saved himself from the consequences of his fault, had he sought to explain his conduct in a proper manner. On the day after the battle he addressed an insulting letter to Washington, and met the reply of the commander-in-chief with another letter still more disrespectful in tone, demanding a court of inquiry. The court found him guilty of disobedience of orders, and of disrespect to the commander-in-chief, and sentenced him to be suspended from his rank for one year. Towards the close of his term of punishment he addressed an insolent letter to Congress, in consequence of some fancied neglect, and was dismissed from the army. A few years later he died in Philadelphia. After the battle of Monmouth Washington halted for a short time to refresh his men, and then marching to the Hudson crossed that stream and took position at White Plains, in New York, to be ready to cooperate with the French fleet, which was daily expected, in an attack upon the city of New York. The French fleet under Count D'Estaing, with four thousand troops on board, had arrived in the Delaware just after Lord Howe had sailed for New York. Failing to find the enemy in the Delaware, D'Estaing sailed for New York, but Lord Howe withdrew his vessels into Raritan Bay, and as the larger French ships could not cross the bar, the contemplated attack upon New York was abandoned, to the great regret of Washington. The French fleet brought the American commissioners who had negotiated the treaty with France, and also Monsieur Gerard, the first ambassador from the French king to the United States. In place of the combined attack upon New York it was resolved by Washington, in concert with the French admiral, to attack Newport and drive the British out of Rhode Island. The British had established one of their principal depots of supplies at this point, and had there a force of six thousand men under General Pigot. It was arranged that a force of American troops under General Sullivan should attack the enemy by land, while the French fleet and army should cooperate with Sullivan from the sea. On the twenty-ninth of July D'Estaing reached Narragansett Bay with his fleet, and on the eighth of August entered Newport harbor, in spite of the fire of the British batteries. A whole week had been lost, however, by the failure of the American troops to reach the positions assigned them as promptly as the French fleet. The delay was unavoidable, but it ruined the enterprise. The Fleet Scattered. On the ninth Lord Howe arrived off Newport harbor with his fleet to the assistance of General Pigot. On the tenth D'Estaing sailed out to engage the British fleet, but before this could be effected a sudden and terrible storm scattered both fleets. Howe returned to New York, and D'Estaing made his way back to Narragansett bay in a crippled condition. Instead of landing the four thous and French troops he had brought with him, the French admiral sailed to Boston with his whole force to refit. Sullivan in the meantime had crossed from the mainland to the island of Rhode Island 1 | Indies, and on the same day Clinton despatched a force of five thousand British troops from New York to the West Indies. Brutal as was the conduct of General Grey, it had been already surpassed by the British and their Indian allies in Pennyslvania. The inhabitants of Wyoming valley, a beautifu' region on the Susquehanna, had driven away the Tories from that region, and these had resolved upon revenge. Early in July a force of about eleven hundred Tories and Indians under Colonel John Butler and the Indian chief Brandt, entered the Wyoming valley. Nearly all the able-bodied settlers were absent with the American army, and upon hearing of the approach of the enemy a small force had been despatched by Wash and had taken position before the British intrenchments in front of Newport. Here he awaited the return of the French fleet, and in the meanwhile kept up a steady fire upon the British works. Upon D'Estaing's return he informed Sullivan of his intention to sail to 'Boston to refit his ships. Sullivan earnestly begged him to remain two or three days, as the British must certainly surrender by the end of that time. D'Estaing refused to do So. Sullivan then asked that the French troops might be left to cooperate with him and this also was refused. Left alone, Sullivan was obliged to retreat to the mainland, as he learned that aid was on its way from New York to Pigot. He effected this movement with skill and success, on the night of the thirtieth of August. The next day Sirington under Colonel Zebulon Butler, to the Henry Clinton reached Newport with a squadron of several ships and a reinforcement of four thousand men. Brutal Warfare. As he had arrived too late to attack the force under Sullivan, Clinton sent the troops he had brought with him, under Major-General Grey,to ravage the coasts to the eastward. Grey destroyed a large number of vessels along the coasts, and stripped Fair Haven, New Bedford, and the island of Martha's Vineyard of everything that could be carried off, and returned to New York laden with plunder. Late in October a British fleet which had been dispatched from England under Admiral Byron in pursuit of D'Estaing, arrived off Boston harbor. Byron was unwilling to venture within the harbor, and the French would not leave their place of security, and the English remained off Boston until a storm arose and scattered their fleet. On the first of November the French, taking advantage of the enforced withdrawal of their enemy, stood out to sea and sailed for the West assistance of the settlers. This force was defeated by the Tories and Indians, who then proceeded to lay waste. the valley and murder the inhabitants. They performed their bloody work in the most barbarous manner, and the beautiful valley was made a desolation. In the following month Cherry Valley in New York was ravaged with equal cruelty by a force of Tories and Indians, and the inhabitants were either murdered or carried into captivity. entire region of the upper Susquehanna and Delaware and the valley of the Mohawk were at the mercy of the savage allies of Great Britain. Battle of Savannah. The In the latter part of November, Sir Henry Clinton sent a force of two thousand mer from New York under Colonel Campbell to attack Savannah, Georgia, which was held by a garrison of one thousand men under General Robert Howe. The British carried the American position after a sharp engagement, and on the twenty-ninth of December, Savannah surrendered to them. General Prevost, the English commander in Florida, | ton established his headquarters at Middlenow repaired to Savannah, and assumed the brook, New Jersey, near the centre of his command. On his march across the country line. The winter passed away without any he captured Sunbury, a fort of considerable event of importance. The British held New importance. Upon reaching Savannah he York and Newport with too strong a force sent Colonel Campbell to seize Augusta, to make an attack upon either post successwhich was quickly secured and fortified. fully, and the withdrawal of the French fleet. country grew more worthless every day. I conviction that it was not to the interest of During the year 1779 the enormous sum of the United States that a power different in race, language and religion from the people of this republic should have a footing upon this continent. In addition to this he did not desire the people of the United States to increase their obligations to a foreign, even though a friendly, power. The American forces in the Southern States were commanded by General Benjamin Lincoln, The Tories were very numerous and very active in this region, and the feel load of money," Washington wrote to the president of Congress, "will not purchase a wagon-load of provisions." During the yearing between them and the patriots was one the currency depreciated from eight dollars for one dollar to forty-one dollars and fifty cents for one dollar. Congress had so little specie that everything must have gone to ruin but for the exertions of Robert Morris, a member of Congress from Pennsylvania, and a leading merchant of Philadelphia, who borrowed large sums of coin on his own credit, and loaned them to the government. This he continued to do throughout the war. Congress had long before this been deprived of many of its ablest members, who had resigned their seats in order to accept appointments in their own States, or to enter the army. Their places were filled with weaker men, and many dissensions mark the deliberations of the Congress of this period. Many members of Congress and a large part of the people seemed to regard the alliance with France as decisive of the war, and were disposed to relax their efforts. France and Canada. During the winter it was proposed to join the French in an expedition for the recovery of Canada for France, and the scheme found favor with a majority of the delegates in Congress. Washington opposed it with firmness. He pointed out to Congress the difficulty of the undertaking, and declared his of the bitterest hostility, and often manifested itself in bloody and relentless conflicts. Seven hundred Tories under Colonel Boyd set out in February, 1779, to join Colonel Campbell at Augusta. On the fourteenth they were attacked at Kettle Creek by a force of patriots under Colonel Pickens, and were defeated with heavy loss. Pickens hung five of his prisoners as traitors. Fighting at Charleston. General Lincoln now sent General Ashe with two thousand men to drive the British out of Augusta. Upon hearing of his approach Colonel Campbell evacuated Augusta and fell back to Brier Creek, a small stream about halfway to Savannah. Ashe followed him, but without observing proper caution, and on the third of March was surprised and routed by Campbell, with the loss of nearly his entire force. This defeat encouraged General Prevost to attempt the capture of Charleston. He marched rapidly across the country to Charleston, and demanded its surrender. Lincoln, who had been reinforced, no sooner heard of this movement than he hastened by forced marches to the relief of Charleston and compelled Prevost to retire to St. John's island, opposite the mainland. The British threw up a redoubt at Stone ferry to protect |