Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/504

 Lafayette availed himself of the honorable privilege. "The bond of indissoluble friendship—the friendship of heroes, was sealed from the first hour of their meeting to last throughout their lives, and to live in the memory of mankind forever."

In this connection, it is but right to remind the reader of other illustrious men, who came from the old world, to aid our fathers in the struggle for liberty. Kosciusko, Pulaski, De Kalb, Steuben, and others, are ever to be held in honorable remembrance.

On the 10th of July, by a bold movement, an important capture was effected, which served fully to offset the capture of Lee. General Prescott, who commanded the British troops in Rhode Island, finding himself on an Island, surrounded by ships, and with a force greatly superior to what the Americans could assemble in this quarter, became extremely negligent of his guard. Earnestly desiring to retaliate the capture of General Lee, a plan was formed for surprising General Prescott in his quarters, and of bringing him off prisoner. Accordingly, Lieutenant-colonel Barton, at the head of a party of forty of the country militia, well acquainted with the places, embarked in whale-boats, and after having rowed a distance of above ten miles, and avoided with great dexterity the numerous vessels of the enemy, landed upon the western coast of Rhode Island, between Newport and Bristol Ferry. They repaired immediately, with the utmost silence and celerity, to the lodging of General Prescott. Having seized the astonished sentinels who guarded the door, an aid-de-camp went up into the chamber of the general, and arrested him, without giving him time even to put on his clothes; and he was carried off with equal secrecy and success. This event afforded the Americans singular satisfaction. It was, however, particularly galling to General Prescott, who not long before had been delivered by exchange from the hands of the Americans, after having been taken prisoner in Canada. In addition to this, he had lately been guilty of a petty piece of insolence, in setting a price upon the head of General Arnold, as if he had been a common outlaw and assassin, an insult which Arnold immediately retorted, by setting an inferior price upon Prescott's head. Congress publicly thanked Lieutenant-colonel Barton, and presented him with a sword. Howe, who had heretofore refused to part with Lee on any terms, was now brought to a different view of the matter, and that officer was allowed to return to his post in exchange for Prescott.

Various and contradictory accounts reached Washington of the course which the fleet of Howe had steered. At one time, it was said to be returning to the Hudson; at another, that it was entering the Delaware; and at another, that it had sailed away towards Charleston. After a great deal of delay, late in the month of August, it was ascertained that the British had entered the Chesapeake, and were landing the troops at the head of Elk River, intending thence to march directly upon Philadelphia.

At the place of debarkation, the British army was within a few days'