Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/390

WASHINGTON. antagonist, as a commanding officer, with whom that army could have to cope in the colonies.

Washington left Philadelphia on June 21st, joined the army at Cambridge, and assumed command on July 3, 1775. This army numbered about 16,000 men, all told, including the sick. It was in want of everything that could make it an effective fighting force—arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and, worse than all, esprit de corps. The course pursued by Congress in making its appointments had occasioned much discontent among the general officers; the organization was defective; a commissary and adjutant-general were more needed than a brave warrior or a skillful tactician. In Washington, fortunately for the country, were combined all three. He proceeded at once to complete an effective organization of his army, by forming it into six brigades of six regiments each, keeping together the troops from each colony, as far as practicable, and placing them under a commander from their colony. He maintained a constant correspondence with Congress, pressing his views earnestly upon that body, and, though slowly, with marked success. All the officers were commissioned anew by Congress, and gradually a Continental army was formed. Washington corresponded with the heads of the different colonial governments, and afterwards with the Governors of the several States, and succeeded at length, not only in creating the American Army, but in becoming the sole channel of communication between it and the numerous and complicated depositories of authority in the United States. But all this was accomplished amid embarrassments innumerable. The army itself became diminished by the expiration of terms of enlistment; there were cabals among the officers, and disagreements with the civil authorities; yet, despite all opposing influences, the British were closely besieged in Boston during the winter of 1775-76, and until a new army could be collected, and arms and ammunition supplied. On March 4, 1776, the Americans took possession of Dorchester Heights, and on the 17th the British evacuated Boston, and their fleet put to sea; whereupon Washington at once proceeded to New York, with the design of preventing a landing. In this he was foiled, partly through the insufficiency of the forces at his disposal, partly on account of the royalist strength in New York. The landing was effected; the Americans were defeated in the (q.v.), August 27, 1770; and Washington was forced to abandon New York to its fate and retreated northward. After opposing the British in the northern part of Manhattan Island and north of the Harlem River, notably at (q.v.), October 28th, he crossed the Hudson early in November with only about 6000 men under his immediate command. He was hotly pursued through New Jersey by the British, and when he crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania had less than 3000 weary, half-starved, dispirited soldiers under his command. Three weeks later (December 26th) he captured more than 1000 Hessians at (q.v.), and stole away from the superior forces of Cornwallis, defeating his reserve at (q.v.), and then went into winter quarters at Morristown, N. J. By March 1, 1777, not a British or Hessian soldier was to be found in New Jersey, save a small detachment at New

Brunswick and Perth Amboy. By his brilliant movements between December 25, 1776, and January 4, 1777, Washington had not only saved his small army, but had inspired the almost despairing colonists with renewed confidence and hope. In the mean time Congress had seen the necessity of enlisting a regular army of men for a longer period than a year, which had been its previous practice; and it now conferred for a period of six months almost dictatorial powers on Washington. The campaign of 1777 in this theatre of the war opened about the middle of June, and was disastrous to the Americans from the beginning. They were defeated in the battle of the Brandywine (September 11th), and the British entered Philadelphia two weeks later. On October 4th the patriots were again defeated at Germantown, and about the middle of December Washington and his half-clothed and worn-out command went into winter quarters at (q.v.) in a fortified encampment. During the winter Washington and his troops were subjected to the severest privations. To add to his embarrassment, a conspiracy among some of his own general officers nearly resulted in deposing him from his command in favor of General Gates, whose victory over Burgoyne at Saratoga had been, as Thomas Paine soon showed, rendered possible by Washington's admirably conceived and executed manœuvres; but it was fortunately frustrated, and only added to Washington's influence. (See .) Meanwhile, the men suffered for lack of food and proper clothing; the quartermaster's and commissariat departments were deranged and inadequate; and the patriot cause was at the lowest ebb of its fortunes. But Congress took up the question of properly recruiting and providing the army; a treaty with France was ratified, May 4, 1777, with great rejoicing on the part of the Americans; and the British, although only 20 miles distant from the American camp, permitted the winter and spring to pass without any offensive movement. All these circumstances combined enabled Washington to open the campaign of 1778 in somewhat better condition, and with an army in good spirits and rendered more efficient through the energetic drilling of Steuben. Sir Henry Clinton, who had replaced Howe as commander-in-chief of the British forces in America on May 18th, evacuated Philadelphia on June 18th, and Washington crossed the Delaware with his whole army, attacking the enemy at (q.v.) on June 28th, when they retreated, after a sharp engagement, which, but for the insubordination of General (q.v.), would probably have resulted in a victory for the Americans. Washington continued his march to the Hudson, which he crossed, and encamped, July 20th, near White Plains. He now distributed his troops in a line of cantonments around New York and in New Jersey, extending from Long Island Sound to the Delaware; arranged for the defense of New England; and in December went into winter quarters. During the whole of 1779 Washington retained his position in the Highlands of the Hudson, and remained on the defensive. In 1780 the French Government sent out Count Rochambeau, who arrived at Newport, R. I., July 10th, with an expedition; and combined operations were concerted, but not carried out, on account of the naval superiority of the