often led them on to meet a fresh party who after giving them a few well-aimed vollies retired and left them in the fame manner to purfue as they were able. That by this method of fighting the provincials were very little exposed and yet did great execution upon their enemies.

In this engagement General Howe acted the part of a fkillful General and did all that was in his power to obtain a complete victory. His detaching

of Lord Cornwallis and his column was a wife and prudent manoeuvre, and in this he nearly out-schemed General Washington. But the other fhewed a readinefs of invention and penetration in detaching Sullivan, that fhewed he knew how to make the best even of a difadvantage. Whatever may be the merits of both generals it must be granted that the King's army was led on with great judgment, and commanded with much fagacity, and the commanding officers did all that could have been expected of great commanders. ́ It is to be obferved, that in this battle the provincial forces were met in the open field, and with no great advantage of fituation. The King's troops obtained a victory, but not of that final and decifive kind which the public were made to expect from the boating of the ministry, and the fuppofed valour of our men. It had been long imagined by fome, and positively affirmed by the fanguine fupporters of this war, that provided the King's troops could meet the rebels in an open field they would foon put an end to the war; and now they had fought from break of day till the ftars appeared, and were little farther advanced than when they began. The armies were nearly equal in number, and by the confeffion of our men and officers the ground nearly the fame to both, and yet a whole

day's

day's defperate fighting made very little alteration in the fate of the war. General Howe had gained a victory and the enemy had fled, but the conqueror was obliged to be as cautious and as much upon his guard after the victory as before; which fhews that it was no way decifive. General Washington foon repaired his lofs and was in a few days ready for the field. The British army was now posted at Concord and Afhtern, whilft a detachment was fent to seize Wilmington, which was made a receptacle for the fick and the wounded. Upon his march towards Goshen, the British general received information, that the enemy had quitted Philadelphia, and were advanced upon the Lancaster road, a few miles above that place. Upon this advice he took fuch effectual meafures for bringing them to an engagement, that nothing but the event which happened could have prevented his defign. An exceffive fall of rain which overtook both armies upon their march, and which continued without intermiffion for 24 hours, rendered both parties equally incapable for action.

General Howe loft this opportunity, and though he tried all his art for feveral days, and moved backwards and forwards, and in all directions belonging to the art of war, he could not bring the Americans into the fituation they had been in before. While he was bufied in marching and counter-marching, he received information that General Wayne with 1500 men, was lying in the woods upon fome scheme of enterprize, in the rear, and at a fmall distance from the left wing of the army. He detached Major Gene ral Grey with two regiments and a body of light infantry to furprize them in the night. General Grey conducted this enterprize with equal ability and fuc

cefs,

cefs, though perhaps not with that humanity which is fo generally confpicuous in his character. In imitation of a fimilar proceeding at the battle of Minden, he took effectual meafures that a single shot fhould not be fired in the course of the expedition, and that the execution fhould only be done by the point of the bayonets. The night favoured this defign, as the troops marched filently on the enemy unawares; had they been perceived before they came near it would not have been eafy to have attacked them, as they would have fpent fome fires upon their enemy, and retreated for fafety. In purfuing this defign the provincial out-pofts and pickets, were compleatly furprized and forced, without noise, about one in the morning, and the troops being directed by the light of their fires, rushed in upon the encampment, where a fevere and horrible execution enfued, about 300 being either killed or wounded upon the spot, and a number of prisoners taken. The remainder efcaped by the darkness of the night, and fome prudent difpofitions made by the officer who commanded the Americans, with the lofs of the greatest part of their baggage, arms, and ftores. The conquerors in this action loft only a captain of light infantry, and three private men, and about as many wounded. The Britifh troops as well as the officer that commanded them gained but little honour by this midnight flaughter.It fhewed rather defperate cruelty than real valour to put fo many men to the fword who were not under arms, but the greatest part afleep in their huts or tents. funk in drowfinefs which is common to all men in the night when they are expecting no danger. The commanding officer of the provincials was much to blame for being at all off his guard when he was fo

near

an enemy; for had his out guards been placed fo as to have given the alarm in time, they might have been able either to have defended themselves, or fled from the fury of a defperate enemy.

It was faid that a great number of thofe that were killed on that occafion, were people who had left their houses and fled for fhelter into the woods for fear of the enemy; that few of them had any arms, and were not in a fituation to defend themfelves. It is the unavoidable confequence of all wars, but efpecially civil wars, to involve the innocent and helpless in the fame hardships and diftrefs, with the guilty; and it is frequently in fome cafes difficult to diftinguifh the one from the other in the midft of the bustle of war and the commixture of parties. Accidents of this nature falling out in the hands of Genėral Grey or Sir William Howe, carried a worle afpe&t, than if they had happened under the authority of a Vaughan, a Grant, or a Prevoft. The profeffions of liberty which thefe firft gentlemen had fo often made, and their former character, as hu Imane and brave men, made any action that had the -appearance of cruelty, or was inimical to the general rights of mankind, ftrike the attention of the public more forcibly, than any tranfactions from the hands of thofe from whom no better things were expected. It was even painful to many true friends of the British conftitution, that one of the first and greateft officers in Europe, and a proteffed friend of the natural rights of mankind, fhould lo much as be fufpected of an action unworthy of his character. They endeavoured to cover this tranfaction with the mantle of charity, and to put as favourable a conftruction upon it as poffible. Hiftory muft do juftice to truth,

M m

and

and tranfmit tranfactions to pofterity as they happened, without refpect of perfons or regard to particular attachments. Thefe ideas of honour, which military men often are poffeffed of determine them to pursuits, which, as philofophers, their minds can never approve. It has much the appearance of inconfiftency, for men to difapprove of a war as unrighteous, and oppreffive, and yet become the principal conductors of it, and leaders in the oppreffion.

General Howe finding that the enemy could not by any means be brought to action, and that they were ardently abandoning the protection of the capital, rather than hazard a final decifion, took measures, to poffefs himself of the command of the Schuylkiḥ, which at length enabled him to pafs the army over that river without oppofition. Upon September 26th he advanced to Germantown, and next morning Lord Cornwallis took poffeffion of Philadelphia. Thus was this rich and flourishing city the capital of the most rifing colony, and the feat of the general congrefs of delegates, who gave laws and government to the continent of North America, reduced without oppofition, and of confequence without damage. It remains as yet among the myfteries of this war, why the colonifts fo eafily gave up this city, and why the king's troops fo foon abandoned and left it. The Americans on this occafion acted with a prudence, and forefight, which was not the priviledge of our commanders, and commiffioners. They well བམས་ knew that the keeping of this city, and the obstacles which they had prepared in the river Delaware.to embarrals the enemy, would fo weaken General Howe's army before he could receive any reinforcements, that they would have it in their power either

to