"1683-1920" / The Fourteen Points and What Became of Them—Foreign Propaganda in the Public Schools—Rewriting the History of the United States—The Espionage Act and How It Worked—"Illegal and Indefensible Blockade" of the Central Powers—1,000,000 Victims of Starvation—Our Debt to France and to Germany—The War Vote in Congress—Truth About the Belgian Atrocities—Our Treaty with Germany and How Observed—The Alien Property Custodianship—Secret Will of Cecil Rhodes—Racial Strains in American Life—Germantown Settlement of 1683 and a Thousand Other Topics

by Frederick Franklin Schrader

The enemy who said, “The root of all resistance lies in the Commonwealth of Virginia and must be destroyed.”

So the Americans considered it most important to be defended. The advance of General Gates was already decided upon, but without the help of the organized troops and supplies it could not be done. And Muhlenberg was again called on to collect recruits. This was no trifling task, as the militia were scattered and unpaid; but it required a man of great military skill and personal influence to fulfill this mission.

His whole force, with the exception of one regiment at Fort Pitt, were prisoners at Charleston, which had been recaptured by Clinton in May, 1780. Virginia now became the seat of war. A fleet sailed up the James, ravaging with fire and sword.

MAJ. GEN. PETER MUHLENBERG

General Muhlenberg began his march to meet them with 800 raw recruits, urging his officers to lose no opportunity to instruct and fit them for the oncoming struggle. He sent Generals Gregory and Benbury to Great Bridge, and as soon as he received reinforcementshe advanced upon Portsmouth and drove the enemy in, so harrassing them that they were forced to withdraw, and embarked for New York. This repulse of their boasted descent in Virginia proved very humiliating.

The enemy being withdrawn, Governor Jefferson, with his economic views, saw fit to disband the troops. After they were disbanded General Muhlenberg’s command was about 1,000, of which General Green detached 400 for the Southern army, leaving Virginia in this defenseless condition at a most critical time, as General Phillips’ invasion with 2,200 and Benedict Arnold’s with 2,000 landed at Portsmouth January 2, 1781. At the death of General Phillips, Arnold took command; then sailed up the James to Richmond, desolating the country. A bloody record on the page of history.

After driving Governor Jefferson from his capital at Richmond, General Steuben, being the only force at hand, was not able to attack or resist this onslaught.

Arnold sailed down the tortuous James and fell back to Portsmouth, where he strongly intrenched himself, threatening to give the rebels such a blow as would shake the whole continent. General Greene returned to Virginia, and, with General Steuben, began to collect forces and supplies, leaving Muhlenberg to watch Arnold and keep him from further depredations.

There was a project set on foot to capture Arnold personally. “Conscience makes cowards of us all,” so he who had once been brave and fearless surrounded himself with a trusty guard day and night. The attempt proved futile, as it had in New York.