George; and to effect this, workmen were despatched with a strong guard, to repair the roads and bridges that led to fort Edward. As soon as they were gone, the enemy seemed to prepare for an attack; which rendered it necessary to recall the guard, and the workmen, being left exposed, could not proceed. The boats which conveyed provisions down the Hudson river, were exposed to the continual fire of the American marksmen, who captured many; so t it became necessary to convey them over land. General pe finding it impossible to stay here, with any safety to his army, resolved to attempt a march to fort Edward in the night, and force the passages at the fords either above or below. That he might effect this the more easily, it was resolved that the soldiers should carry their provisions on their backs and leave behind them their baggage and every other incumbrance. But intelligence being received that the enemy had raised strong entrenchments opposite the fords, well provided with cannon, and that they had also taken possession of the rising ground between fort George and fort Edward, it was judged impossible to succeed in the attempt.

The American army was still increasing in numbers and reinforcements flocked in from all quarters, elated with the certain prospect of capturing the whole British army. Small parties extended all along the opposite bank of Hudson's river, and some had passed it, that they might the more exactly observe every movement of the enemy. The forces under general Gates were computed at sixteen thousand men, while the army under general Burgoyne amounted to six thousand.

Every part of the British camp was reached by the rifle and grape shot of the Americans. In this state of extreme distress and imminent danger, the army continued with the greatest constancy and perseverance, till the evening of the thirteenth of October, when an inventory of provisions being taken, it was found that no more remained than was sufficient to last three days; a council of war being called, it was unanimously determined that there was no other alternative but to treat with the enemy. In consequence of this, a negociation was opened the next day, which terminated in a capitulation of the whole British army; the principal article of which was, "That the troops were to have a free passage to Britain, on condition of not serving against America during the war." On this occasion general Gates generously or dered his army to keep within their camp, while the British soldiers went to a piace appointed to lay down they arms, that the latter might not have the additional mortification of being made spectacles on so melancholy an event.

The number of those who surrendered at Saratoga, amounted to five thousand seven hundred and fifty. According to the American accounts, the list of sick and wounded left in the camp when

the army retreated to Saratoga, amounted to five hundred and twenty-eight, and the number of those, by other accounts, since the taking of Ticonderoga, to near three thousand. Thirty-five brass field-pieces, seven thousand stand of arms, clothing for an equal number of soldiers, with tents, military chests, &c. constituted the booty on this occasion.

Sir Henry Clinton, in the mean time, instead of taking effectual measures for the immediate relief of general Burgoyne, of whose situation he had been informed, amused himself with destroying the two forts called Montgomery and Clinton, with fort Constitution, and another place called Continental Village, where there were barracks for two thousand men; he also carried away seventy large cannon, a number of smaller ones, and a quantity of stores and ammunition. Another attack was made by sir James Wallace, with some frigates, and a body of land forces, under general Vaughan, upon Esopus, a small flourishing town on the river. But these successes only tended to irritate the Americans, and injure the royal cause.

On the sixteenth of March, 1778, lord North informed the house of commons, that a paper had been laid before the king, by the French ambassador, intimating the conclusion of an alliance between the court of France, and the United States of America. It was on the sixth of February, 1778, that the articles were for mally signed, to the great satisfaction of France; by which it was hoped, that the pride of her formidable rival would be humbled, and her power lessened. For this purpose and her own aggrandizement, did France enter into an alliance with the revoltedR subjects of Great Britain; but not till after the capture of Burgoyne's army, when the Americans had made it manifest, that they were able to defend themselves, without the interference of any foreign power. How far that interference has been beneficial to France, the dreadful features of her own revolution must decide; and to which the American revolution undoubtedly gave birth. The articles were, in substance, as follow:

1. If Great Britain should, in consequence of this treaty, proeeed to hostilities against France, the two nations should mutually assist one another.

2. The main end of the treaty was, in an effectual manner to maintain the independency of America.

3. Should those places in North America, still subject to Great Britain, be reduced by the colonies, they should be confederated with them, or subjected to their jurisdiction.

4. Should any of the West India islands be reduced by France, they should be deemed its property.

5. No formal treaty with Great Britain should be concluded, either by France or America, without the consent of each other; and it was mutually engaged, that they should not lay down their

arms, till the independency of the States had been formally ac knowledged.

6. The contracting parties mutually agreed to invite those powers who had received injuries from Great Britain, to join the com

mon cause.

7. The United States guaranteed to France all the possessions in the West Indies, which she should conquer; and France guaranteed the absolute Independence of the United States, and their supreme authority over every country they possessed, or might acquire during the war.

The house of commons looked upon this treaty as a declaration of war; and the members were unanimous in an address to his majesty, promising to stand by him to the utmost, in the present emergency; but it was warmly contended by the members of the opposition, that the present ministry should be removed, on account of their numerous blunders and miscarriages in every in. stance. Many were of opinion, that the only way to extricate the nation from its trouble, was to acknowledge at once the independency of America, that so they might do with a good grace, what they would inevitably have to do at last. Instigated with zeal for the national honour, the ministerial party was determined to resent the arrogance of France, and prosecute the war in America, with increased vigour, should the terms about to be offered them be rejected.

The agents of the Americans, in the mean time, were assidu ously employed at the court of Spain, Vienna, Prussia, and Tuscany, in order, if possible, to conclude alliances with them; or, at least to procure an acknowledgement of their independency. As it had been reported, that Great Britain had applied for assistance to Russia, the American commissioners were enjoined to use their utmost endeavours with the German princes, to prevent such auxiliaries from marching through their territories; and also, to prevail with them to recall the German troops already sent to America.

To the Spanish court they proposed, that in case they should think proper to espouse their cause, the American States should assist in reducing Pensacola under the dominion of Spain; provided the citizens of the United States were allowed the free navigation of the river Mississippi, and the use of the harbour of Pensacola and they further offered, that if agreeable to Spain, they would declare war against Portugal, should that power expel the American ships from their ports.

The troops under general Burgoyne in the mean time, were preparing to embark, agreeably to the convention of Saratoga, but Congress having received information that articles of ammunition and accoutrements, had not been surrendered as stipulated; and alledging, also, some other cause, as that they apprehended sinis

ter designs were harboured by Great Britain, to convey these troops to join the army at Philadelphia, or New York, positively refused to let them embark without an explicit ratification of the convention, properly notified by the British court.

The season for action approaching, Congress was indefatigable in making preparations for a new campaign; which, it was confidently affirmed, would be the last. General Washington, at the same time, to remove all necessary incumbrances from the army, lightened the baggage as much as possible, by substituting sacks and portmanteaus, in place of chests and boxes; and using packhorses instead of wagons. The British army, on the other hand, expecting to be reinforced by twenty thousand men, thought of nothing but concluding the war, according to their wishes, before the end of another campaign.

Lord North's conciliatory bill, therefore, was received by them, with the utmost concern and indignation: they considered it as a national disgrace; and some even tore the cockades from their hats and trampled them under their feet. By the colonists it was received with indifference. The British commissioners endeavoured to make it as public as possible; and Congress, as usual, ordered it to be printed in all the newspapers. Governor Tryon inclosed several copies of the bill in a letter to general Washington, intreating him, that he would allow them to be circulated; to which the general returned for answer, a newspaper, in which the bill was printed, with the resolutions of Congress upon it, which were, that whosoever presumed to make a separate agreement with Great Britain, should be deemed a public enemy; that the United States could not, with any propriety, keep correspondence with the commissioners, until their independence was acknowledged, and the British fleets and armies removed from America.

The colonies were also warned not to suffer themselves to be deceived into security by any offers that might be made; but to use their utmost endeavours to send their quotas into the field. Some individuals, who conversed with the commissioners on the subject of the conciliatory bill, intimated to them that the day of reconciliation was past: that the haughtiness of Britain had extinguished all filial regard in the breast of the Americans.

Silas Deane, about this time, arrived from France with two copies of the treaty of commerce and alliance, to be signed by Congress. Advices of the most flattering nature were received from various parts, representing the friendly dispositions of the European powers; all of whom, it was said, wished to see the independence of America settled. upon the most permanent basis.

Considering, therefore, the situation of the colonies at this time, it was no wonder that the commissioners did not succeed. Their proposals were utterly rejected, and themselves threatened to be

treated as spies. But before any answer could be obtained from Congress, sir Henry Clinton had taken the resolution of evacu ating Philadelphia. Accordingly, on the eighteenth of June, after having made the necessary preparations, the army marched out of the city, and crossed the Delaware before noon, with all its baggage, and other incumbrances. General Washington, apprised of this design, had despatched expresses into the Jerseys, with orders to collect all the force that could be assembled, in order to obstruct the march of the enemy. After various movements on both sides, sir Henry Clinton, with the royal army, arrived at a place called Freehold, on the twenty-seventh of June, where, expecting the enemy would attack him, he chose a strong situation. General Washington, as was expected, meditated an attack as soon as the army began to march. The night was spent in making the necessary preparations, and general Lee was ordered with his division to be ready at day break. Sir Henry Clinton, justly apprehending that the chief object of the enemy was the baggage, committed it to the care of general Knyphauzen, whom he ordered to set out early in the morning, while he followed with the rest of the army. The attack was made, but the British general had taken such care to arrange his troops, and so effectually supported his forces when engaged with the Americans, that they not only made no impression, but were with difficulty preserved from a total defeat, by generai Washington, who advanced with the whole of the American army.

The British troops retreated in the night, with the loss of three hundred men, of whom many died through fatigue (the weather being extremely hot) not a wound being seen upon them. In this action, general Lee was charged by general Washington with disobedience and misconduct, in retreating before the British army. He was tied by a court-martial, and sentenced to a suspension from his command for one year. When the British army had arrived at Sandy Hook, a bridge of boats was, by lord Howe's directions, thrown from thence over the channel which separated the island from the main land, and the troops were conveyed on board the fleet; after which they sailed to New York. General Washington then moved towards the North river; where a great force had been collected to join him, and where it was now expected that operations of great magnitude would take place.

France, in the mean time, was preparing to assist the Americans. On the fourteenth of April, 1778, count D'Estaing had sailed from Toulon, with a strong squadron of ships of the line, and frigates; he arrived on the coast of Virginia, in the beginning of July, whilst the British fleet was employed in conveying the forces from Sandy Hook to New York. The French fleet consisted of one ship of 120 guns, one of 80, six of 74, and four of 64, besides several large frigates; and exclusive of its complement