character, invaded Kentucky. They were met by the Kentuckians under Boone, Todd, and other leaders. A severe battle was fought at the Big Blue Lick, and the Kentuckians were defeated with the loss of nearly one-half their force.

Story of Captain Huddy.

Some of the staunchest patriots and some of the most ferocious Tories resided in Monmouth county, New Jersey. The patriots built a block-house of logs at Dover, which was a strongly fortified building. The only method of ingress or egress was by the use of a scaling ladder. Captain John Huddy was commander of this post, and was one of the bravest men who fought for the American cause. His house was once surrounded by his foes, but esccping he jumped into the waters of the bay, and as he swam he shouted, "I am Huddy!" His escape on this occasion was remarkable.

On March 20, 1782, a party of forty Tories and eighty seamen, all fully armed, left New York in whaleboats for the purpose of capturing Captain John Huddy. Their coming was announced by scouts, and preparations were made to receive them. The battle was one of the fiercest of the war. The powder in the fortress at length gave out, and Huddy, with sixteen men, four of whom were wounded, was taken prisoner. Huddy was a prisoner of war, and was entitled to treatment as such, but his enemies conspired to put him to death. He was executed on the morning of April 12, and his last words were, "I shall die innocent, and in a good cause."

Captain Lippincott, who ordered Huddy's execution, cursed his men because they were unwilling to take the life of so brave a foe, and with his own hand helped to pull the rope. Returning to New York he reported to the board of loyalists that he had "ex

changed" Captain Huddy for Philip White. The pastor of the Presbyterian church at Freehold preached the funeral sermon from the front porch of the old Freehold hotel, and the body was buried with the honors of

war.

The desire of the English people for the close of the war had grown too strong to be resisted, and the king and his ministers were at length forced to yield. The impossibility of conquering America had become so apparent to the continental nations that in the spring of 1782 the Dutch republic recognized the independence of the United States, and received John Adams as envoy from that government. The king of England maintained his obstinate opposition to the wishes of his people to the last moment. On the twenty-second of February, 1782, a resolution was introduced into the House of Commons to put an end to the American war and was supported by the leaders of the Whig party. It was defeated by a majority of one, but on the twenty-seventh of February a similar resolution was introduced and was carried by a majority of nineteen.

England Gives Up the Struggle.

On the twentieth of March Lord North and his colleagues were forced to relinquish their offices, and a new ministry was formed under the Marquis of Rockingham. Sir Henry Clinton was removed from his command in America, and was succeeded by Sir Guy Carleton, whose humane conduct of the war while governor of Canada we have | related. Carleton arrived in New York in May, 1782, with full powers to open negotiations for peace. tiations for peace. He at once put a stop to the savage warfare of the Tories and Indians on the borders of western New York, and opened a correspondence with Washington proposing a cessation of hostilities until a definite treaty of peace could be arranged.

Five commissioners were appointed by Congress to conclude a peace with Great Britain. They were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, who had just been released from the tower of London, where he had been kept a prisoner for about a year, and Thomas Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson was unable to leave America. Five commissioners were appointed by Great Britain to treat with "certain colonies" named in their instructions.

A Treaty Formed.

The commissioners from the two countries met at Paris, but the American commissioners refused to open negotiations except in the name of the "United States of America." This right was acknowledged by Great Britain, and on the thirtieth of November, 1782, a preliminary treaty was signed, which was ratified by Congress in April, 1783. This treaty could not be final because by the terms of the alliance between the United States and France neither party could make a separate treaty of peace with England. In January, 1783, France and Great Britain agreed upon terms of peace, and on the third of September, 1783, a final treaty of peace was signed by all the nations who had engaged in the war-by the United States, France, Spain and Holland on the one side, and Great Britain on the other.

Great Britain acknowledged the independence of the States of the Union in the following words: "His Britannic Majesty "His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United States, viz. : New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, to be free, sovereign and independent States; that he treats with them as such; and for himself, his heirs and successors, relinquishes all

| claim to the government, proprietary and territorial rights of the same, and every part thereof." It should be observed that the treaty acknowledged the independence and sovereignty of each of the thirteen States, and not of the United States as a single nation. The independence of the States had already been recognized by several of the European powers: by Sweden, on the fifth of February, 1783; by Denmark, on the twenty-fifth of February, 1783; by Spain, on the twenty-fourth of March; and by Russia in July, 1783. Treaties of friendship and commerce were entered into between the United States and these powers.

Washington and His Army.

During the year 1782 the greater part o the American army was encamped at Newburg, on the Hudson. Washington mad his headquarters in an old stone house, which was well adapted for defence and concealment, one of the rooms having seven doors leading to other parts of the house, and but one window. The troops were unpaid and were neglected by Congress and by the various States. Washington warned the government of the danger of further neglect of the army, but his warning was unheeded, and in March the patience of the army was so far exhausted that it was seriously proposed to march to Philadelphia and compel Congress to do justice to the troops. Washington appealed to the officers to remain patient a little longer, and pledged himself to use his influence with Congress to fulfill its neglected promises to the army. His appeal quieted the trouble for a time. Congress shortly after agreed to advance full pay to the soldiers for four months, and to pay in one gross sum the full pay of the officers for five years.

The condition of the country was a subject of the gravest apprehension. It was

plain that the articles of confederation were not capable of continuing the Union much longer, and many persons believed that the only hope of preserving a regular government, and a permanent union to the country, lay in the establishment of a monarchy. In May, 1782, Colonel Nicola, of the Pennsylvania line, at the instance of a number of officers, wrote a letter to Washington, proposing the creation of a monarchy, and offering him the crown: Washington indignantly refused to entertain the proposition, and severely rebuked the writer of the letter.

Peace at Last.

In the spring of 1783 the news of the signing of the preliminary treaty of peace was received in America, and was officially communicated to the nation in a proclamation by Congress. On the nineteenth of April, 1783. just eight years from the commencement of the war at Lexington, the close of hostilities was proclaimed, in general orders, to the army at Newburg. A general exchange of prisoners followed, and large numbers of Tories were obliged to leave the country, as they feared to remain after the protection of the British forces was with

drawn. They emigrated chiefly to Canada, Nova Scotia, and the West Indies. The final treaty having been signed, the army was disbanded on the third of November, and the troops, with the exception of a small force, returned to their homes to enjoy their wellearned honors and the thanks of their grateful countrymen. On the twenty-fifth of November the British evacuated New York, which was at once occupied by a small force of Americans, under General Knox. In December Charleston was also evacuated by the British.

On the second of December Washington issued a farewell address to the army, and on the fourth of that month took leave of the officers at New York. He then proceeded to Annapolis, where Congress was in session, and on the twenty-third of December, under circumstances of great solemnity, resigned his cɔmmission to that body, and after receiving the thanks of Congress for the able and faithful manner in which he had discharged the task intrusted to him, retired to his home at Mount Vernon, which he had not visited for eight years, except for a few hours, while on his way to attack Cornwallis at Yorktown.