THE Parliamentary Register; OR, HISTORY O F THE PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS; CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF The most interesting SPEECHES and MOTIONS; accurate Printed for J. ALMON, oppofite BURLINGTON-HOUSE, in PICCADILLY. MDCCLXXIX. THE HISTOR OR Y PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES Of the FIFTH SESSION of the HOUSE of O F THE Fourteenth Parliament of Great-Britain. May 6, 1779.. HE Houfe went into a committee to confider of the Teveral papers which were prefented to the Houfe by Mr. De Grey. [See the papers, page 253 & feq. Vol. XI]. Frederick Montagu, Efq; in the chair. Chairman faid it F. Montawas an inftruction to the committee from the Houfe to call gu, Efq; in Earl Cornwallis and examine him relative to the subject matter of the faid papers. Earl Cornwallis was called in, and being feated in a chair Earl Corncovered, * the examination began by Sir William Howe. wallis. Q. Was not the knowledge of the face of the country of America, for military purpotes, extremely difficult to be obtained from the inhabitants? A. I am happy to take this public opportunity to declare my great regard and veneration for the character of Sir William Howe. I think he has deferved greatly of his country; I think he has ferved his country with fidelity, affiduity, and with great ability. After having given this public teftimony of my opinion of the general's conduct, I beg this Houfe will understand that I do not come here to antwer to queftions of opinion, but merely to questions of matter of fact; the private opinions of a fubordinate officer can give very little fatisfaction to this House; they His Lordship fat two or three minutes with his hat on, but as foon as the examination began, he rofe and gave his answers uncovered. VOL. XII. B may may poffibly not do juftice to the character of the honour able general, or my own, I therefore truft in the candour of this House, that they will put no questions to me, but fuch as relate to matter of fact. [Then the queftion was repeated.] Q. Was not the knowledge of the face of the country of America, for military purposes, extremely difficult to be obtained from the inhabitants? A. It was, Q. Is not the country in general fo covered with wood, and fo favourable to ambufcades, that but an imperfect knowledge of it can be obtained from reconnoitering? A. It certainly is very difficult to obtain a knowledge of it by reconnoitering. Q. Does your Lordship know any country, confidering the circumftances of the American war, fo well calculated for the defenfive? A. I never faw a ftronger country, or one better calcu lated for the defenfive. Q. Were the movements of the King's army much embarraffed and retarded, by the difficulty of getting provifions when in the field, and from the clofenefs of the country? A, They were. Q. Did your Lordship fee the enemy's lines at Brooklyn during the action of the 27th of August 1776? A. I did not fee them on that day with any accuracy; I was on the left with the fecond battalion of grenadiers, and could form no judgment, Q. From the knowledge you had of thofe lines after the action, would it have been a prudent measure to have aflaulted those works on that day? A. I apprehend the latter part of that question is matter of opinion; I never did hear it fuggefted by any one that thole lines could have been carried by affault. Q. Was any advantage to be expected from that affault, adequate to the confideration of the lofs of men which we muit have fuffered? A. I apprehend this to be entirely a queftion of opinion; and although I might have no difficulty in answering this queftion, yet, as it may lead to others of a more difficult ature, I must beg leave to decline it. Q Did your Lordship understand at that time, that the enemy's principal ftrength was then on York Ifland? A. It was univerfally fuppofed that the enemy's principal ftrength was at that time on York Iiland. Q. Did you obferve that any time was loft in making preparations for the landing on York Island? A. I do not know that any time was loft; the preparations were of a complicated nature, and depended, in fome degree, on the naval department. Q. Was the poffeffion of the city of New York a neceffary measure previous to any operations to the eastward against the enemy at King's Bridge? A. In regard to any opinion I may have given, I beg to be understood that I do not think myfelf bound to give to this Houfe my paft opinion, any more than my present opinion; I have not folicited this Houfe to enquire into my conduct The queftion being entirely a matter of opinion, I beg to decline it. Q. Did your Lordship obferve any avoidable delay, prior to the movement of the army from York Island? A. I did obferve no avoidable delay; and from the particular employment I had at that time in fuperintending the works thrown up for the defenfive army that was to remain in York Ifland, I think there was no avoidable delay. Q. Was you acquainted with Sir William Howe's reafons for not attacking the enemy's entrenchments at White Plains on the 28th of October, after the defeat of the corps on the enemy's right? A. I was. Q. Were thofe reafons, in your opinion, fufficient for declining the attack on that day? A. This question, although it bears the face of a queftion of opinion, is not fo in fact; from political motives, it is impoffible either for the General or myfelf to explain those reafons-if they could be explained to this House, it must appear evidently that the attack was impoffible. Q. Did it appear to your Lordship that the country, in the rear of the enemy, was fo ftrong as to have afforded them a fecure retreat? A. That question is likewife in part a queftion of opinion; the answer I fhall give is, that the country in their rear did appear very strong. Q. Would it have been prudent to have purfued the ene my from Brunfwick with that part of your Lordship's corps which first reached that place? B 2 A. As |