General Howe soon after resigned his command to Sir Henry Clinton, whose first measure was the evacuation of Philadelphia, upon the morning of the 18th of June. In this retreat they were materially aided by the ships of war, as the whole Army, by the admirable dispositions of Lord Howe, were conveyed and encamped on the Jersey shore before ten at noon. Their retrograde progress to New York, with its attending incidents, are events unconnected with my purpose.
The preparations of France had preceded her hostile avowals.
Count D'Estaing, putting to sea from Toulon in April, made the Virginia coast early in the month of July. His hopes were to have found the British Fleet and Army, in the Delaware, and at Philadelphia, and by an united attack with General Washington on both, to have struck a blow at once decisive of the fate of America. Disappointed in these, he proceeded off New York, and after a few menaces he again disappeared, at first shaping his course to the Southward. But this was merely to cover his design against Rhode Island, in concert with a rebel force under General Sullivan. The French Admiral entered that harbour upon the 8th of August, anchoring his fleet between Newport and Conanicut.
Advice having been sent to Lord Howe, at New York, of the enemy's motions, his Lordship hastened to relieve the Garrison, and arrived in sight of it on the morning of the 9th.
D'Estaing, seizing a favourable wind, pushed out again, and formed in line, with the evident resolution of hazarding a battle. After two days of able manœuvring on the part of Lord Howe to gain the wind, which was thwarted by adverse circumstances, he quietly awaited the enemy's attack. Just on the eve of conflict, Neptune interposed, and scattered the hostile fleets.
This produced some single actions, in which English valour uniformly triumphed against powerful superiority, but was rendered unavailing in every instance, by the contingencies of fortune. The gallantry of Dawson, Hotham, and Raynor will appear indelible upon our Naval annals, as well as the bravery of those Seamen and Marines who so nobly seconded them.
The French Fleet, after recovering from the storm, again peeped into Rhode Island, from whence the rebels had retreated in confusion. It gladly took refuge in Boston, whither Lord Howe followed it, but durst not attempt so strong a position.
Thus D'Estaing gained but little from his system of surprize. He was a fit agent to have executed the insidious schemes of his Court, when we recollect his breach of parole in the East, which would have made him the sanctioned victim to a halter, if he had fallen within our power.
The appearance of a new and natural foe seemed to revive in every breast the flame of patriotism. At no period of our national existence did the English character appear more great. The Commercial Sailor vied with his Majesty's servants in the Fleet and Army in this noble and emulous zeal.
Admiral Byron having sailed from England in the beginning of June, reached the American coast with his fleet, but in a detached and shattered state. An evil planet seemed to rule over all his destinies, and his good fortune fell much short of his merit. Lord Howe having resigned the Naval command to that Officer, he proceeded off Boston, after having repaired all damages, from which he was driven to Rhode Island by a heavy gale that proved fatal to some of his ships. Of this D'Estaing took occasion to slip out, and with a powerful force aimed his future efforts against our West India islands.