Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/501

 were, as yet, of no avail. The vexatious questions of rank and the choice of officers, as well as the immense hardships and trials of the service, exposed as the troops were to hunger and cold and nakedness, rendered it exceedingly difficult to fill up the ranks. The commander-in-chief was unceasing in his urgency upon the different states to forward the enlistment as rapidly as possible, in order that he might make preparations for the opening of the spring.

Howe, while waiting reinforcements from England, set on foot an expedition against the depot of American stores, at Peekskill, which, we are sorry to say, owing to the smallness of the force at that point, and the suddenness of the attack, was in great measure successful. Not long afterwards, in the latter part of April, a similar expedition was made upon the borders of Connecticut. Two thousand men, under Governor Tryou, marched against Danbury, for the purpose of destroying the stores there collected for the use of the army. The Connecticut militia bravely met the enemy, but were unable to prevent the loss of the stores, among which were more than a thousand tents, at that time of special value to the Americans. The brave General Wooster, although now at the advanced age of seventy, engaged with ardor in the conflict, and fell mortally wounded. Arnold, who was recruiting in the vicinity, took post at Ridgefield, to dispute the passage of the British, but gave way after a sharp conflict, in which he was wounded. The British reached New York, after having burned and destroyed, with a species of savage ferocity, every thing they could lay their hands upon.

As an offset to these expeditions against the Americans, a bold plan was formed in Connecticut to retaliate upon the enemy on Long Island. They were informed that the British had collected immense stores of forage, grain, and other necessaries for the troops, at Sag Harbor, and that it was defended by only a detachment of infantry, and a sloop of twelve guns. The English, however, believed themselves sufficiently protected by their armed vessels which cruised in the Sound: they deemed it hardly possible that the Americans would dare to pass it, and attempt any thing upon Long Island. But the latter were nowise intimidated by the obstacles, and resolved to surprise Sag Harbor, by a sudden incursion. Accordingly, Colonel Meigs, one of the intrepid companions of Arnold in the expedition of Canada, crossed the Sound with as much rapidity as ability, and arrived before day at the place where the magazines were situated. Notwithstanding the resistance of the garrison and the crews of tinsels, he burned a dozen brigs and sloops which lay at the wharf, and entirely destroyed every thing on shore. Having accomplished the object of the expedition, he returned without loss to Guilford, in Connecticut, bringing with him many prisoners. The Americans manifested, in this enterprise, the greatest