General Greene was sent to Congress to urge relief for the suffering army; and all governors were urged to furnish supplies and troops for the ensuing campaign.
On the twenty-fifth of April, Governor Tryon of New York made an incursion into Connecticut with two thousand men, and fought with Wooster and Arnold at Ridgefield; where Arnold distinguished himself, and Wooster was mortally wounded. The loss of sixteen hundred tents was also a serious affair at the time. General Greene was despatched to inspect the Highlands and its defences. A British fleet had ascended the Hudson as far as Peekskill; and as spring advanced, every possible preparation was made for active duty, in all departments where British troops could gain access by land or sea. On the twenty-third of May, Colonel Meigs crossed from Guilford to Long Island, and destroyed twelve brigs and sloops, one of them carrying twelve guns, and a large quantity of British stores, the small detachment guard having been recalled to New York two days before.
It had become apparent to Washington that General Howe, having withdrawn so many troops from advanced posts, would enter New Jersey in force; and on the twenty-ninth of May, he moved his headquarters to the well-fortified position at Middlebrook. On the seventh of June, Arnold was placed in command at Philadelphia, to act with General Mifflin in anticipation of Howe’s possible movement in that direction. On the twelfth, General Howe, reënforced by two additional regiments recalled from Newport, R.I., marched from Brunswick towards Princeton with an aggregate force of seventeen thousand men.
This second New Jersey campaign was short in duration, and of small results. Howe intrenched near Somerset Court House, where the Raritan River was not fordable; and neither army could attack the other. He was between Washington and Philadelphia. It was a challenge to the abandonment of Middlebrook, risking an open, circuitous march, if the American army intended to prevent a British movement upon the American capital. Howe expected to cut off the division of Sullivan, which was at Princeton, but that officer had moved to the hills to the north-west, near Flemington. Cornwallis advanced as far as Hillsborough, when he found that no enemy remained at Princeton. The British left was on the Millstone, and their right rested at Brunswick. A glance at the map—“Operations in New Jersey”—will show that any movement of the American army to the west or south-west would uncover their defences at Middlebrook to any attack by the road running due north from Brunswick. Washington, anticipating the possibility of a general action, and resolved to select a good opportunity to bring it on, ordered all of the Continental troops at Peekskill, except one thousand effective men, to march in three divisions, at one day’s interval, under Generals Parsons, McDougall and Glover, to his support; the first two columns to bring, each, two pieces of artillery.
It certainly was General Howe’s impression that Washington would have such fears for the safety of Philadelphia as to risk an action south of the Raritan. On the succeeding fifth of July he wrote to Lord Germaine, that his “only object was to bring the American army to a general action.” But Washington only strengthened his works, and never believed that Howe was making Philadelphia the object of his movement. The following letter explains his views: “Had they designed for the Delaware, on the first instance, they probably would have made a secret, rapid march of it, and not have halted as they have done, to awaken our attention and give us time for obstructing them. Instead of this, they have only advanced to a position to facilitate an attack on our right: which is the part they have the greatest likelihood of injuring us in. In addition to this consideration, they have come out as light as possible, in leaving all their baggage, provisions, boats, and bridges, at Brunswick, which plainly contradicts the idea of their pushing for the Delaware.”
On the morning of the nineteenth, Howe suddenly returned to Brunswick. Greene and Maxwell were advanced by Washington to a position between Brunswick and Amboy. Howe marched early in the morning of the twenty-second. Morgan and Wayne drove in the Hessian rear-guard upon the main army, after a spirited skirmish. It had been Greene’s intention to have Maxwell strike the column near Piscataway. Washington advanced his entire army as far as Quibbletown, now Newmarket, upon the advice of his officers that the retreat was genuine; yet not without a suspicion, afterward verified, that the whole was a ruse to entice him from his stronghold.
On the twenty-sixth, Howe put his whole army in motion to resume the offensive. Cornwallis, with the extreme right, was to gain the passes to Middlebrook. Four battalions, with six pieces of artillery, were to demonstrate on Washington’s left. Without further details, the action is outlined as follows: Cornwallis found himself confronted by Stirling. A lively skirmish ensued, near Westfield, now Plainfield. The Americans were overmatched in numbers, and lost nearly two hundred men in casualties and prisoners, besides three brass guns, but steadily fought on, while slowly retiring. Washington, comprehending the whole movement, retired Maxwell’s Division, without loss, and regained the passes threatened; and the prolonged resistance of Stirling delayed Cornwallis until too late for him to gain the American rear. On the afternoon of the twenty-seventh, Cornwallis, after a loss of seventy men, passed through Sampton unopposed, and joined Howe who had already retired from Washington’s front. The American Commander-in-Chief dictated the choice of battlefield. Howe, representing Great Britain, declined his terms. On the thirtieth, Howe crossed to Staten Island, and his last military operations in New Jersey came to an end. He afterwards claimed that his forces were numerically inferior to those of Washington; but both friends and critics, in the protracted controversy which afterwards arose as to this costly and fruitless march into New Jersey, admit that the disparity of force, in all respects, was with the American army.
The simple fact remains unobscured, that as General Howe’s acquaintance with Washington’s methods matured, he better appreciated his qualities as a Soldier.
CHAPTER XVII.
BRITISH INVASION FROM CANADA.—OPERATIONS ALONG THE HUDSON.
On the twentieth of June, Washington learned that Burgoyne was approaching St. John’s; and that a detachment of British and Canadian troops, accompanied by Indians, had been organized for the occupation of the Mohawk Valley, west of Albany, under Colonel St. Leger. This would enable them to court the alliance of the “Six Nations,” and to suppress the enlistment into the American army of the scattered white population of that region. On the same day, he ordered General Putnam to hold in readiness to move up the river, at a moment’s notice, four regiments of Massachusetts troops which were then at his headquarters at Peekskill, and also to hire sloops at Albany for their transportation northward.