July 4—The British troops had been driven from Boston about the middle of March. From that time to the last of June no British soldiers had a foothold anywhere in the thirteen colonies. England had been preparing, however. The aid of German troops had been secured, and an expedition made ready. It was a fortunate respite, after a great success, and finding the mother country inexorable in her determination, in which to carefully consider the situation. That consideration had produced that noble protest of freemen against tyranny—The Declaration of Independence. It now remained to make it good by force of arms against a rich and powerful European empire, which was summoning its energies to the work of subjugation. On the 28th of June General Howe landed the late garrison of Boston, and other troops, on Staten Island. July 12—Lord Howe arrived from England; Gen. Clinton returned from his repulse at Fort Moultrie, several Hessian regiments soon after arrived, and the British force amounted to 24,000; Gen. Carleton was near Lake Champlain with 13,000 men. The forces under Washington did not amount to half as many, but the British had a salutary respect for American prowess, and were laboring to win the American leaders back by promises of pardon.
[192]
Aug. 27—The battle of Long Island. The Americans, 9,000 strong, are attacked by the British, 15,000 strong. The Americans are worsted, but hold their intrenched camp. Washington silently and safely retreats during the night. The Americans lost 1,600 in killed, wounded and prisoners. British killed and wounded, 400.
Sept. 1—General Howe sends General Sullivan (American, taken prisoner in the late battle), to Congress to discuss a compromise of the dispute between England and the Colonies. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge, are appointed to meet English commissioners. They meet on Staten Island, but can make no arrangements.
Sept. 15—British army takes possession of New York. General Washington’s army being largely made up of militia, which come and go, he adopts “The Fabian Policy” of avoiding general engagements, keeping the enemy harrassed and in constant movement. This saved the American cause.
Sept. 26—Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee appointed commissioners to France.
Nov. 1—Henry Laurens, of South Carolina, chosen President of Congress.
Nov. 16—Fort Washington, at the north end of Manhattan Island, assaulted by the British, in force. The fort was taken with 2,000 prisoners. The British loss was 1,200 in killed and wounded.
Nov. 18—Americans evacuate Fort Lee, on the Hudson, above New York.
Nov. 28—Washington retreats across the Delaware into Pennsylvania.
Dec. 7—Gen. Lee disobeys the instructions of Washington and is taken prisoner by the British.
Dec. 8—A British naval force takes possession of Newport, Rhode Island.
[193]
Dec. 12—The British army being stationed along the Delaware, in New Jersey, Congress adjourns from Philadelphia to Baltimore.
Dec. 26-27—Washington suddenly crosses the Delaware and surprises Trenton. He captures 1,000 Hessians and six cannon, with a loss of four killed. In this year about 350 British merchant vessels had been taken by Americans.
1777.
 
Jan. 2—Washington having re-occupied Trenton, Lord Cornwallis marches a strong force to attack him.
Jan. 3—The American army silently retreat in the night and capture Princeton, with 300 prisoners. British loss in killed and wounded, 100. American loss about the same. General Mercer killed.
Feb. 6—Letters of Marque and Reprisal granted by the English against American commerce.
March 4—Congress returns to Philadelphia.
” 23—American stores destroyed at Peekskill, New York.
April 26—Danbury, Connecticut, burned by the British.
May 24—This outrage is retaliated by Colonel Meigs, of Connecticut, who lands on Long Island with 200 men, destroys twelve vessels, large quantities of provision and forage, takes ninety prisoners, and retreats without the loss of a man.
May 27—Button Gwinnett, of Georgia, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, is killed in a duel.
June 22—Gen. Howe evacuates New Brunswick, New Jersey, and retires in order to draw Washington into a battle. Washington advances till he penetrates the design of the enemy, when he retreats to a strong position and foils the British.
June 30—General Howe embarks 16,000 troops at Staten Island for Philadelphia. About this time the French Marquis De Lafayette, a youth of nineteen, arrived[194] in America, with twelve other foreign officers, to aid the American cause.
July 1—British Gen. Burgoyne appears before Fort Ticonderoga.
” 5—Americans evacuate Ticonderoga.
” 7—Americans retreating from Ticonderoga, are defeated at Hubbardton.
” 7—United States frigate Hancock captured by three English vessels.
” 29—Burgoyne’s army, constantly victorious, reaches the Hudson.
Aug. 3—British Gen. St. Leger invests Fort Stanwix (Utica, New York).
” 6—American Gen. Herkimer defeated near Fort Stanwix. American loss 400. Gen. Herkimer killed.
” 16—Battle of Bennington, Vermont. A victory for the “Green Mountain Boys.” British lost 200 killed, 600 prisoners, 1,000 stand of arms, 1,000 swords, and four cannon. American loss fourteen killed and forty-two wounded. This turned the tide against Burgoyne.
” 22—Gen. Arnold raises the siege of Fort Stanwix. St. Leger loses his artillery, tents, and stores.
” 11—Washington’s army defeated by the British at the battle of the Brandywine, near Wilmington, Delaware. Washington retreats in good order.
” 18—Congress adjourns from Philadelphia to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
” 19—Battle of Stillwater between Gates, American, and Gen. Burgoyne. Burgoyne held the field, but lost 500 men; Gates 300.
Sept. 16—Washington advances across the Schuylkill to attack the British, when a violent storm stops the conflict. The arms of the Americans are rendered unserviceable by the rain.
[195]
” 20—Gen. Wayne, surprised at Paoli, retreats with loss of 300 men.
” 26—The British enter Philadelphia.
Oct. 4—Battle of Germantown. Washington, with an inferior army, is again defeated. British loss 600. American loss over 1,000.
” 7—Battle of Saratoga. Burgoyne is defeated, and part of his camp with stores and ammunition, much needed by the Americans, captured. British loss 400. They retreated in the night.
” 15—Kingston, New York, burned by the British. They had taken forts Clinton and Montgomery, defending the river below, October 6th. This was an effort to aid Burgoyne, but it failed, being too late, and they retreated down the river.
” 17—Gen. Burgoyne surrenders his whole army to Gen. Gates. The prisoners amounted to 5,647. Burgoyne had lost about 4,000 since his capture of Ticonderoga. Thirty-five brass field-pieces and 5,000 stand of arms fell into the hands of the Americans. Washington, as commander-in-chief, had diminished his own army till it was much inferior to the British he was facing, to secure the success of the northern army against Burgoyne. This was the turning point of the war. Its immediate result was a treaty of alliance with France.
” 22—Count Donop, with 1,200 Hessians, attacks the American fort at Red Bank, below Philadelphia, and is repulsed by Colonel Green with 400 men. Donop is killed, and the British retire with a loss of 500 men and two vessels of war.
Nov. 15—“The Articles of Confederation” adopted by Congress.
” 16-18—Americans abandon Mud Island, and Fort Mercer, below Philadelphia.
Dec. 11—Washington establishes his army in winter quarters[196] at Valley Forge. During this year American prisoners were treated with great cruelty at New York. General Gates, who had really succeeded in capturing Burgoyne only by the aid of Generals Schuyler and Arnold, intrigues against Washington. When this became known the general indignation killed the scheme.
1778.
 
The American cause was really gained by the war of the previous year. The Americans were so far unanimous, and so spirited, that the British had not been able to get a permanent hold on any part of the country, save what was occupied by their armies in force.
Jan. 30—A treaty of alliance is made with France.
Mar. 4—The American frigate Alfred, of twenty guns, captured by two English vessels of war.
” 20—The American Minister presented at the French Court.
Apr. 18—Count d’Estaing leaves Toulon, France, with a fleet to aid the Americans in the war.
Jun. 12—Philip Livingston, of New York, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, died.
” 17—The British Parliament having appointed three Commissioners, the Earl of Carlisle, Lord Auckland, and Governor Johnstone, to treat for peace with the colonies, on the basis of granting everything they had asked, except independence, Congress replies, refusing all intercourse unless the independence of the States were first recognized, and the English army withdrawn. Two years before, this would have been eagerly accepted. England had lost, at the beginning of this year, twenty thousand men, and 550 vessels, taken by American cruisers, worth twelve million dollars, and had spent one hundred million dollars on military armaments in America.
” 18—The English, afraid of being blockaded in the Delaware river, by the French fleet, evacuate Philadelphia.
[197]
Jun. 28—Battle of Morristown; Washington wins. The British retreat in the night. Lord Cornwallis commanded.
July 4-5—“The............