CHAPTER XIII.

Mutiny of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Troops. Agency of Washington in procuring Supplies from France. Limited Powers

of Congress.-Operations of the Enemy in the Chesapeake. — Detachment to Virginia under Lafayette. - General Washington visits Count de Rochambeau at Newport. - Condition of the Army.-Interview between the American and French Commanders at Weathersfield. — Plan of Operations.—A combined Attack on New York proposed. Junction between the American and French Armies. — Intelligence from Count de Grasse in the West Indies changes the Objects of the Campaign.- Successful Operations of Lafayette against Cornwallis. The combined Armies cross the Hudson and march to Virginia. The Fleet of Count de Grasse enters the Chesapeake. — Siege of Yorktown.- Capitulation. The American Army returns to Hudson's River; the French remains in Virginia.

THE year 1781 opened with an event, which filled the country with alarm, and threatened dangerous consequences. On the 1st of January a mutiny broke out among the Pennsylvania troops, stationed near Morristown, and about thirteen hundred men paraded under arms, refused obedience to their officers, killed one captain, mortally wounded another, and committed. various outrages. The mutineers marched in a body towards Princeton with six field-pieces, avowing their intention to proceed to Philadelphia, and demand from Congress a redress of their grievances. They complained that their pay was in arrears, that they were obliged to receive it in a depreciated currency, that many of the soldiers were detained beyond the term of their enlistment, and that they had suffered every hardship for the want of money, provisions, and clothing. By the prudence and good management of General Wayne, who took care to supply them with provisions on their march, they were kept from plundering the

inhabitants and other excesses. He sent the intelligence of the revolt by an express to General Washington, who, considering the number of the mutineers and the apparent justice of their complaints, recommended to him not to use force, which might inflame their passions, increase opposition, keep alive resentment, and tempt them to turn about and go to the enemy, who would not fail to hold out alluring offers. He advised General Wayne to draw from them a statement of their grievances, and promise to represent the case faithfully to Congress and the State of Pennsylvania, and endeavour to obtain redress.

These judicious counsels had the effect desired. A committee of Congress, joined by the President of Pennsylvania, met the revolters at Trenton, and made proposals to them, which were accepted, and they gave up their arms. An ambiguity in the written terms of enlistment was one of the principal causes of dissatisfaction. The agreement on the part of the soldiers was, to serve for three years or during the war. By the interpretation, which the officers gave to these expressions, they bound the soldiers to serve to the end of the war; whereas the soldiers insisted, that they engaged for three years only, or during the war if it should come to an end before the three years had elapsed. Accordingly they demanded a discharge at the expiration of that period. This construction being allowed, it was the means of disbanding a large part of the Pennsylvania line for the winter, but it was recruited again in the spring to its original complement. The revolters were indignant at the suspicion of their going to the enemy, and scorned the idea, as they expressed it, of turning Arnolds. Two emissaries sent among them with overtures from Sir Henry Clinton were given up, tried by a court-martial, and executed.

Not knowing how far this example might infect the troops generally, the sufferings of all of whom were not less than those of the Pennsylvania line, General Washington took speedy measures to prevent the repetition of such a scene as had just occurred. He ordered a thousand trusty men to be selected from the regiments in the Highlands, and held in readiness to march, with four days' provisions, at the shortest notice. The wisdom of this precaution was soon put to the proof; for news came, that the New Jersey troops, stationed at Pompton and Chatham, were in a state of mutiny, having risen in arms against their officers, and threatened to march to Trenton, where the legislature of the State was then in session, and demand redress at the point of the bayonet. The case required promptness and energy. Six hundred men were put under the command of General Howe, with orders to march and crush the revolt by force, unless the men should yield unconditional submission and return to their duty. These orders were faithfully executed. Taken by surprise, the mutineers were compelled to parade without their arms, make concessions to their officers, and promise obedience. To impress them with the enormity of their guilt, and deter them and others from future acts of the kind, two of the ringleaders were tried by a field court-martial and shot. By this summary proceeding the spirit of mutiny in the army was subdued.

In the midst of these distracting events Washington was employed, at the request of Congress, in affording important counsels to Colonel John Laurens, who had been appointed on a mission to France, for the purpose of obtaining a loan and military supplies. Such was the deranged state of the currency, so low had the resources of the country been drained, and

FAC SIMILE.

Expud fo Manuscript in the handwriting of "Washington.

Order of Battle for 1781. Light Infantry