CHAP. X. 1777. tached parties, embarraffed the march of the British army from the river Elk to the Brandywine. In the neighbourhood of the last the two armies met, and on the eleventh of September came to a general engagement. The battle was fought with bravery, and sustained with spirit on both fides; but the fortune of the day declared against the Americans, yet not fo decidedly as the fanguine expectations of their antagonists had led them to hope from fuch an event. But it gave them an astonishing advantage in the minds of the people through all the district of Pennsylvania; and enabled general Howe with more facility to complete his enterprife. Many officers of high rank on both fides, fuffered much in the spirited action at the Brandywine. A few days after this affair, general Wayne, who had concealed himself in a wood, with fifteen hundred men, in order to harass the rear of the British, was discovered and attacked by brigadier general Grey, who had given orders that no alarm should be made by the use of fire-arms. He made the onset about one o'clock in the morning; and by the more cruel exercife of the bayonet, feveral hundred Americans were kill. ed and wounded: the remainder with difficulty efcaped by flight. Among others who fuffered in the battle of Brandywine, the marquis de la Fayette, a young nobleman of France, was dangerously wound. 1777. ed. Warmed by an enthufiaftic love of liberty, CHAP. X. and animated by a laudable ambition, this amiable young gentleman had left the court of France without leave of the king and quitting the pleasures of domeftic felicity, he embarked at his own expense, and engaged in the service of the United States at an early period of the war, when the affairs of America wore the darkest afpect. His zeal and his heroifm to the conclufion of the conteft, placed the wellearned laurel on his brow, and procured him the love, respect, and best wishes of the people throughout America. Indeed all the French officers in the continental army, among whom were many of high confideration, acquitted themselves with diftinguished gallantry on this and many other occafions, where the courage of the foldier, and the humanity of the officer, were called into exercise. General Washington obliged to retreat in disorder, and closely pursued after the action, retired to Chefter. He foon after with his army reached Philadelphia; but the British commanders directed their operations with so much judgment and fuccess, that before the twentyfixth of September, Washington thought proper to evacuate the city. Lord Cornwallis with the British grenadiers, and two battalions of Heffians, on that day made a triumphal entry, and took poffeffion of the capital of the United States. CHAP. X. 1777. The era was truly critical. Congress again found it neceffary,afecond time to defert the city, and now repaired to York-Town for safety. Dif fenfions ran high among the inhabitants of Philadelphia. Some of the most opulent families were difaffected, and renounced all adherence to the union and several perfons of different defcriptions, emboldened by the absence of congrefs, and the fuccefs of the British arms, took this opportunity to declare in favor of the royal cause. One of principal confideration among them, went out, and conducted the king's troops into the city. Others declared themfelves zealously attached to the measures of administration, and equally difgufted with the opposition of the colonies. Among these was Joseph Galloway, a member of congress, and speaker of the house of representatives in Pennfylvania. He foon after repaired to England; where he indefatigably exerted his abilities and his influence against his native country, on all occafions. Besides those individual apoftates, the quaker intereft had long embarraffed every public measure in that colony. They were a large and powerful body in the ftate of Pennfylvania; and, notwithstanding their pacific principles, though not actually in arms, they at this time took a decided part against the American caufe. Their previous conduct had drawn upon themselves many feverities. Several of the 1777. principal leaders had been imprisoned, and oth- CHAP. X. From these political diffenfions, the partial defeats, the lofs of Philadelphia, the flowness of recruits for permanent service, the difficulty of obtaining fupplies for the army from various causes, and particularly from the monopolizing and avaricious fpirit that was faft gaining ground in America, and from delay, "the be trayer of all confederations," a lowering afpect was caft over the operations of America on every fide. On the contrary, the British government, the army, and their adherents, 1 CHAP. X. 1777. had much reafon to flatter themselves with an idea of the speedy completion of their designs against the United States. They were now in poffeffion of the first city in the union; general Clinton was in force at New York; general Vaughan on the North River, with troops fufficient to fweep away the inhabitants on both fides, and to keep the adjacent country in awe. A large detachment of the British army ftill held the poffeffion of Newport: colonel Lofbourg with a Heflian brigade in conjunction with them, was piratically plundering the neighbouring coafts, and burning the fcattered villages of the ftate of Rhode Ifland. It is proper here to obferve, that soon after the British troops had taken poffeffion of Rhode Island, fome animofities had arisen between general Howe and lord Percy, who commanded there. This was occafioned by a requifition from fir William Howe to his lordfhip, to fend him on fifteen hundred men for the better defence of New York, and to aid his operations in that quarter. Lord Percy declined a compliance with this order, alleging as a reason for this refufal, that the Americans were rapidly collecting and ftrengthening themselves in the town of Providence; that the number of troops already there, gave them reafon to be apprehensive for the fafety of Newport. General Howe refent |