his real advantages, fo he had too much penetration to lose them by circumvention or flight. He had profited to long by his cautious line of conduct, from which he had not hitherto departed, nor deviated during the course of the troubles in America, of never committing the fortune of his country to the hazard of a single action, that he was not now inclined to alter his plan, or change the rule of his conduct, when he was not preffed by any neceffity to do TA

it.

General Howe did not give up all hopes of bringing Washington from his strong fituation, and puriued a plan that had well nigh answered his defign.Upon the 19th of June, he fuddenly retreated, and not without fome vifible fignatures of precipitation, from his position in the front of the enemy, and withdrawing his troops from Brunswick, retreated with the whole army towards Amboy. This partly produced the effect which he intended. The army was eagerly pursued by feveral large bodies of provincial regulars, as well as of the Jerfey militia, under the command of the Generals Maxwell, Lord Stirling, and Conway; the latter of whom was a Colonel of the Irish brigades, and one of that numerous train of officers in the French fervice, who had taken an active part against Great Britain in this unhappy war. The royal army in this feigned retreat were guilty of fome particular exceffes; enormities, which were thought to have been permitted on purpose to enflame the paffions of the colonists, and to promote the general defign of bringing them to an engagement, were committed on this occafion. plete the delufion of the Americans, the bridge which was intended for the Delaware was thrown o

4

To com

ver the channel which feparates the continent from Staten Island. The heavy baggage, and all the incumbrances of the army were paffed over; fome of the troops followed, and every thing was in immediate preparation for the paffage for the reft of the army. By these measures, if the immediate defign failed of fuccefs, every thing was forwarded as much as it could be for the intended embarkation; a measure with which the Americans were as yet unacquainted, and of which they had not any information. Every circumstance concurred, along with the vanity natural to mankind, to induce the Americans to believe that it was a real and not a pretended flight, and that it proceeded from a knowledge of their fuperiority, and a dread of their power. General Washington, notwithstanding all his caution, was fo far imposed upon by this feint, that he quitted his fecure pofts upon the hills, and advanced to a place called Qubble-town, to be nearer at hand to protect or fupport his advanced parties. Washington was very near on this occafion enfnared, and was certainly very much off his guard to fuffer himself to become a dupe to a piece of mere artifice, which he might readily have perceived could proceed from none of these caufes which he imagined determined General Howe to decamp, and pafs his men over the channel. Some days paffed while these motions and manoeuvres were carrying on, when the British General on a fudden changed his courfe and marched his army back by different routs, and with great expedition to Amboy. There were three things he had in view by this change of his pofition. To cut of fome of the principal advanced parties to bring the enemy to an engagement in the neighbourhood of Oubble town; or if this defign fhould fail through

the

his real advantages, fo he tion to lose them by circ had profited to long by

from which he had not ed during the course never committing th hazard of a fingle

ed to alter his r duct, when he

it.

General

ing Washi ed a pla Upon

not

253

from

ppointment ha

were at first perceive.

d fome fmall advanced parties - 3000 men under the command of trongly posted in a woody country, vered by artillery judiciously difpofed full ay, and feemingly determined to dispute his fro ge with great vigour and firmness. The British d and Heffian troops, by a mutual emulation, exerted all their vigour, and fought with great intrepedity; they preffed forward to try who fhould firft come to a close engagement with the enemy, and overcome all obftacles. The colonifts, who both knew that they were not an equal match for the British beft troops, and befides were ordered not to hazard too much, made the beft ufe of their artillery and fmall arms upon their enemy as they advanced, and then retreated as fast as they could. Several men on both fides were killed on this occafion, though we have never yet had a true and diftinct account of the killed and wounded.

The Americans, who had the advantage of the woods, and had their artillery well placed and also well fupplied, did confiderable execution upon the British troops, of which our accounts make no men

neral Washingto

and

from

xt to impoffible for Geneto know where the erefore under the necefruation, and the King's place of destination refift them. By hoice of pofts, by

speedily remedieu
the plains, and aga

wer to avoid an

eparing, and

`n concernundertaure not feem

Up

camp upon the hills. At the fame t
further defign of Lord Cornwallis, he
paffes upon the mountains, the poffeffion o
the British
troops would have laid him under t
ceffity ef a
critical change of fituation, which could of
not be executed without much danger. Thus was
General Howe's well concerted scheme of bringing
the enemy to action, or at least of withdrawing them
from their ftrong holds, rendered abortive by the
caution and prudence of General Washington. In
this attempt General Howe fhewed a great deal of
military addrefs and forecast, and did all that any of-
ficer could have done to fulfil the defign which he
had in view. But he was fo well matched in point of
Generalfhip by General Washington, that the ut-
most bounds of his military plans and operations were
investigated by that officer, either before they were
executed, or as foon as they began to be put in prac-
tice, and generally prevented from producing any
effect.

Sir William Howe was now convinced that Wahington was too firmly attached to his defenfive plan

of

1

the celerity of the enemy, it was intended that Lord Cornwallis, who with his column of troops was to take a confiderable circuit to the right, fhould, by turning the left of the provincials, take poffeffion of fome paf, fes in the mountains, which by their fituation and command of ground would have reduced them to a neceffity of abandoning that strong camp, which had hitherto afforded them fo advantageous a fecurity.This part of Lord Cornwallis's appointment had more difficulties attending it than were at first perceived; for after he had difperfed fome small advanced parties he fell in with about 3000 men under the command of Lord Stirling, ftrongly posted in a woody country, and well covered by artillery judiciously difpofed full in his way, and feemingly determined to difpute his paffage with great vigour and firmness. The British and Heffian troops, by a mutual emulation, exerted all their vigour, and fought with great intrepedity; they preffed forward to try who fhould firft come to a close engagement with the enemy, and overcome all obftacles. The colonifts, who both knew that they were not an equal match for the British best troops, and besides were ordered not to hazard too much, made the beft ufe of their artillery and fmall arms upon their enemy as they advanced, and then retreated as fast as they could. Several men on both fides were killed on this occafion, though we have never yet had a true and diftin&t account of the killed and wounded.

The Americans, who had the advantage of the woods, and had their artillery well placed and alfo well fupplied, did confiderable execution upon the British troops, of which our accounts make no men