ring circumstances at that time, it appeared impoffible to have put this plan into execution. The minister for the American department, who in his ideas of war has always differed from every brave officer, may perhaps imagine that this fcheme might have been executed by obferving the method which he practised at Minden; but as he gave no particular orders to General Howe upon this head, he ought not to accuse him for not doing what he found to be wholly impracticable.

The other plan, which was more tedious, but at the fame time probable, and attended with lefs immediate difficulty and lofs of blood, was to make use of the shipping, which had never failed in doing effential service, and to attack Pennsylvania by the fide of Chefapeak Bay. This opened the way into the richeft and best of the central colonies, and led either directly or by croffing a county of no great extent, to the poffeffion of the object intended. When this point was gained, Philadelphia was to become a place of arms, and the centre of action, whilst every part of the fertile and flourishing provinces of Pensylvania, Virginia and Maryland, would, from their deep bays and navigable rivers, be expofed to the combined powerful action, and continual operation of the land and fea forces. But before this plan was adopted, measures were taken in the Jerfeys, if poffible, to bring General Washington to an action.

But befides the operations intended to be performed in the central provinces, there was another to be carried on in the North, on the fide of Canada, where very confiderable army had been collected, and by the fuccefs upon the lakes in the last campaign had a way opened for it to penetrate into the back parts Ii.. of

of the New England and New York provinces. The command of this army was committed to General Burgoyne, who was reported to be the author of the plan. The great body was to be feconded by a Jeffer expedition from the uppermofl part of Canada by the way of Ofwego to the Mohawk river. This fcheme was eagerly adopted by the miniftry, who founded the greatest hopes upon its fuccefs. All the advantages that had ever been expected from the com plete poffeffion of Hudfon's River, the establishment of a communication between the two armies, the cutting off all intercourfe between the northern and fouthern colonies, with the confequent opportunity of crushing the former, detached and cut off from all affiftance, it was now hoped would have been realized. The greater hopes were indulged concerning this plan, from the opinion entertained of the effect of the favages upon the minds of the Americans. It was known that the colonists in general were in great dread of them from their cruel and wafting manner of making war. Thefe were therefore collected at a great expence, and with much labour from all parts of the continent. In a word, this expedition feemed to become the favourite minifterial object of this year. It was worthy of that minifter, to whofe care the management of the war in that department was committed, and in the hiftory of his life will fill up fome pages not much to his honour. The fcheme and the execution will be feen more clearly afterwards when we come to the war in Canada.

A number of British and German recruits having at laft arrived at New York, with tents and field equipage, Sir William Howe, about the middle of June, marched into the Jerfeys, to endeavour to bring the provincial General to an engagement. The provincials.

were

were in poffeffion of a ftrong poft, from which it was not easy to drive them; and General Washington, befides the strength of his fituation, was now ren. dered confiderable by new reinforcements. Several ftrong bodies, under the command of the Generals Gates, Parfons, and Arnold, advanced to the border of the North River, where they were ready to pafs over to the Jerfeys, whenever there fhould be an op, portunity for action, or the peceffity of their friends required their affittance. At the fame time the Jer fey militia affembled from allquarters with the greatest readiness and zeal, to affift in the general caufe; fo that whatever motion the army made, or whatever pofition it took, it was watched and furrounded with enemies. General Howe, trufting to the goodness of his troops and the experience of his officers, tried every method he could devife to provoke Wafhing, ton to an engagement and to make him change his fituation. He pushed forward detachments, and made motions as if he intended to pafs him and advance to the Delaware. This meafure failing of fuccefs, he advanced in the front of his lines, where he continued for four days, examining the approaches to his camp, and accurately fcrutinizing the fituation of his pofts, hoping that fome weak and unguarded part might be found, upon which an attack might have been made with fome probability of fuccefs, or that when the armies were fo near, chance, inadvertency, impatience, or errorpmight occafion fome movements. or produce fome circumftance, which would bring on a general engagement. General Washington knew the whole importance and value of his fituation. As he had too much temper to be provoked or furprized into a measure which would have made him give up

of the New England and New York provinces. The command of this army was committed to General Burgoyne, who was reported to be the author of the plan. The great body was to be feconded by a Jeffer expedition from the uppermofl part of Canada by the way of Ofwego to the Mohawk river. This fcheme was eagerly adopted by the miniftry, who founded the greatest hopes upon its fuccefs. All the advantages that had ever been expected from the com. plete poffeffion of Hudfon's River, the establishment of a communication between the two armies, the cutting off all intercourfe between the northern and fouthern colonies, with the confequent opportunity of crushing the former, detached and cut off from all aflistance, it was now hoped would have been realized. The greater hopes were indulged concerning this plan, from the opinion entertained of the effect of the favages upon the minds of the Americans. It was known that the colonifts in general were in great dread of them from their cruel and wafting manner of making war. Thefe were therefore collected at a great expence, and with much labour from all parts of the continent. In a word, this expedition feemed to become the favourite minifterial object of this year. It was worthy of that minifter, to whofe care the management of the war in that department was com mitted, and in the hiftory of his life will fill up fome pages not much to his honour. The fcheme and the execution will be feen more clearly afterwards when we come to the war in Canada.

A number of British and German recruits having at laft arrived at New York, with tents and field equipage, Sir William Howe, about the middle of June, marched into the Jerfeys, to endeavour to bring the provincial General to an engagement. The provincials

were

were in poffeffion of a ftrong poft, from which it was not easy to drive them; and General Washington, befides the strength of his fituation, was now ren. dered confiderable by new reinforcements. Several ftrong bodies, under the command of the Generals Gates, Parfons, and Arnold, advanced to the border of the North River, where they were ready to pafs over to the Jerfeys, whenever there fhould be an op, portunity for action, or the neceffity of their friends required their affistance. At the fame time the Jer; fey militia affembled from allquarters with the greatelt readiness and zeal, to affift in the general caufe; fo that whatever motion the army made, or whatever pofition it took, it was watched and furrounded with enemies. General Howe, trufting to the goodness of his troops and the experience of his officers, tried every method he could devife to provoke Wafhing, ton to an engagement and to make him change his fituation. He pushed forward detachments, and made motions as if he intended to pafs him and advance to the Delaware. This meafure failing of fuccefs, he advanced in the front of his lines, where he continued for four days, examining the approaches to his camp, and accurately fcrutinizing the fituation of his pofts, hoping that fome weak and unguarded part might be found, upon which an attack might have been made with fome probability of fuccefs, or that when the armies were fo near, chance, inadvertency, impatience, or errorppight occafion fome movements or produce fome circumftance, which would bring on a general engagement. General Washington knew the whole importance and value of his fituation. As he had too much temper to be provoked or furprized into a measure which would have made him give up