“It was lucky for the inhabitants now left in Boston, that they did not. For I am informed that everything was prepared to set the town in a blaze, had they fired one cannon.”
CHAPTER IX.
The War in New York.
The Refugees—Return of Patriots—The Hessians—Scenes in Canada—Renewed Efforts of the British—Alexander Hamilton—Declaration of Independence—Prediction of John Adams—Position of the Hostile Forces—The Interview with Colonel Patterson—Scene on the River—Bombardment of Sullivan’s Island—Obstructions of North River—Battles on Long Island—The Retreat—Camp at King’s Bridge—The Camp at White Plains—Battle—Fort Washington captured by the British.
By ten o’clock on the morning of the 18th of February, 1776, the British troops were all embarked, and the humiliated fleet was passing out of the harbor. At the same time a division of the American troops, under General Putnam, with flying colors and triumphant martial strains, entered and took possession of the recaptured city. From a thousand to fifteen hundred tories had fled with the British. Houseless, homeless, in the depth of poverty, to be fed and clothed by charity, their situation was truly heart-rending. There were among them, affectionate fathers, loving mothers, amiable sons and daughters. They were the victims of circumstances and not of intentional wrong. War is indeed cruelty. Who can refine it?
Nearly two thousand members of patriot families returned with the conquering army. Weary months of destitution and suffering had been theirs, because they adhered to their country in dark hours of adversity. “It was truly interesting to witness the tender interviews and fond embraces of those who had been long separated under circumstances so peculiarly distressing.”[122]
When we consider the feeble resources of Washington’s command, the powerful forces he had to resist, and the obstacles to be surmounted, it must be admitted that the triumphant result of this campaign places Washington in the highest rank of military commanders. The annals of war may be searched in vain for a more brilliant achievement. No language can express the astonishment and chagrin with which these tidings were heard in England.[123]
It was expected that the British would make an attack upon New York. Washington reached the city on the 13th of April. Soon a patriot army, amounting in all to about eight thousand men, was distributed at various points in the city of New York and its environs. Governor Tryon was still on board one of the ships of war, about twenty miles below the city. He was keeping up an active correspondence with the tories. Arduous duties engrossed every moment of the time of General Washington and his officers. Lady Washington was there, with several other distinguished ladies. One of them wrote:
“We all live here like nuns, shut up in a nunnery. No society with the town, for there are none there to visit. Neither can we go in or out, after a certain hour, without the countersign.”
England, greatly exasperated, was redoubling her efforts for the subjugation of America. She hired four thousand three hundred troops, from the Duke of Brunswick in Germany, and thirteen thousand from the Prince of Hesse. Thus seventeen thousand Germans were hired by England, to aid in rivetting the chains of slavery upon the necks of the children of her own sons and daughters.