AFFAIRS OF THE WAR IN AMERICA.
The surrender of Lord Cornwallis virtually terminated the war in America; but peace was not yet restored to that country. On hearing of the defeat of de Grasse, indeed, the whole republican party were filled with dismay; and some confessed that unless France sent them more men and money they were as far off from peace and independence as ever. On the other hand, the royalists took heart on hearing the news, and retaliated on the republicans for the wrongs they had endured at their hands since their recent successes. Thus they hanged one Joshua Huddy, a captain in Washington’s army, leaving a label on the tree, which set forth that it was in retaliation for the murder of one White, a royalist, whom the republicans had put to death. The perpetrators of this deed were arrested by Sir Henry Clinton; and the leader in the affair, Captain Lippincot, was tried by a court-martial, who returned a verdict of not guilty. This affair, however, had the effect of retarding that peace which was now so much desired on both sides of the Atlantic. Washington demanded that Lippincot should be given up to him to be tried and executed by republican law; and when this was refused by Sir Henry Clinton, he declared that he would hang a young English officer, a prisoner taken at York Town, in retaliation, if his demand was not satisfied. The day for this execution was fixed by Washington; and in the meantime Sir Henry Clinton was superseded by Sir Guy Carleton, who arrived at New York with instructions from the Rockingham administration, to open negociations with congress for peace on the basis of independence. Overtures were made to Washington by Carleton for a truce; and a passport was solicited of him for a person to carry a letter to congress with offers of peace. These overtures and the passport, however, were sternly refused by Washington; and he again recurred to the subject of Huddy, declaring that he would hang the British officer if Lippincot was not delivered up to him. His violence met the approval of congress; and a vote was passed on the 21st of May, binding themselves to make no separate treaty, and to entertain no overtures of negociation, except in common with their allies. All that could be effected was a partial exchange of prisoners, and a suspension of hostilities, which were rather conceded from the weakness of the American army, and the formidable position of the British, than from the friendly advances of the British cabinet. The suspension of hostilities, however, that was obtained by Carleton was only partial, for a war of posts was still continued in Carolina and Georgia. In the meantime, negociations still continued concerning the young officer whom Washington had selected for the gibbet. There can be no doubt that he would have shared the fate of Major André, had not his parents possessed influence, for Washington still sternly demanded the person of Captain Lippincot as the price of his redemption. The devoted victim, however, was the son of Sir Charles Asgill; and his mother, Lady Asgill, wrote to the King and Queen of Fiance, soliciting their intercession on her son’s behalf. This letter was sent to Washington, accompanied by one from the Count de Vergennes, in which the French minister stated, that the King and Queen of France had been extremely affected by Lady Asgil’s letter, and that they desired that the inquietudes of an unfortunate mother might be calmed, and her tenderness reassured. It would have been bad policy had Washington not relented on the receipt of these letters; and he, therefore, forwarded them to congress with one of his own, and Captain Asgill was forthwith set at liberty. But although Washington put on so bold a front towards the English, treating them with a contempt which would seem to indicate that he was their perfect master, his situation was one which would have justified the language of humiliation and supplication, rather than of contempt and dictation. During these negociations, and only a few days after he had refused to grant a passport to congress, he stated to that assembly, that his army on the Hudson was destitute of provisions, and in a state of disorder bordering on mutiny; and that if the British were aware of his situation, and were to make a sudden attempt, he could not withstand them. Subsequently, as the condition of his army did not improve, the haughty Washington wrote in plain language to congress, “that it was high time for peace.” Nor was the army under General Greene, in the south, in a better condition. A large part of it were occasionally as naked as they were born. The very loins of the brave men who fought at Eutaw Springs were galled by their cartouch-boxes, while their shoulders were protected only by a piece of rug or a tuft of moss. In writing to congress, Greene remarked: “The troops have received no pay for two years; they are nearly naked, and often without meat or bread; and the sick and wounded are perishing for want of medicines and proper nourishment.” Disaffection prevailed even among the officers; and upon one occasion, on the appointment of Colonel Laurens to the command of the legion, they one and all tendered their resignation, and were only induced to return to their posts by their general’s prudent and conciliatory conduct. And this was not the only danger which Greene had to encounter. A portion of his army entered into a secret correspondence with the British, for the purpose of delivering him into their power; but the conspiracy was detected, and while the ringleader was shot, the chief of the conspirators deserted. Yet while the American forces in the south were in this desperate condition, the British troops undertook no new expedition, except for the purpose of procuring provisions. Under the impression, indeed, that with their diminished forces it would have been folly to have renewed the strife, or even to have maintained their position, they determined to leave Charlestown. Accordingly, having agreed to leave it uninjured, on condition of their retreat being unmolested, they evacuated that town on the 14th of December; the American army entering it as the British rear-guard departed from it On their departure solemn thanks were offered to the Almighty in the different places of worship, by the citizens and soldiers, and the whole city presented a scene of joy and festivity; but even after this period; Greene experienced much difficulty in obtaining provision for his troops; and it was only by his becoming responsible as an endorser of the contractor’s bills, that the evil was removed. By this measure the troops were fed; but it was the cause of much subsequent embarrassment, not only to Greene himself while living, but to his family after his death.