perfons for giving energy to the public fervice. The ladies in Philadelphia first fet the example to their own fex, and were diftinguifhed by the fums, which they gave themfelves, and procured from their male acquaintance, to be applied as gratuities, in particular inftances, and as a general augmentation to the pay of the private foldiers of the army. The example was foon followed, in their own, and in other provinces. It could fcarcely be expected, in the midst of all the confufion and danger, of an uncommonly detructive war, raging no lefs in the bowels, than in the extremities of a country, that arts, or learning, thofe happy concomitants of eafe and fecurity, fhould at all be thought of, or almoft remembered. It is to the honour of the Americans, that it was under this preffure of circumftances, and amid ft all the anxiety of the prefent feafon, that the council and affembly of Maffachusetts Bay, fitting at Bofton, in the beginning of the month of May, eftablished, by a public law, a new and learned fo. ciety, to be entitled, "The Ame

66

rican Academy of Arts and "Sciences." The act, after enumerating feveral particular objects of their purfuit, adds, and, in fine, to cultivate every art and "science, which might tend to advance the intereft, honour, dignity, and happiness, of a "free, independent, and virtuous

tended a commencement for the conferring of degrees in the univerfity of that city. In the public charge delivered by the provost upon that occafion to the ftudents, he gave the reins to a warm ima gination, and wandered far in the paths of fpeculation; painting the rifing glories of America in arts and letters, as well as in commerce and arms.

Notwithstanding the apparent penury and misfortune of the times, a bank was inftituted, during the prefent fummer, in Philadelphia; and the scheme was fo well fupported by the principal men of the province, that the allotted capital, of 300,000l. Penfylvania currency, to be paid in hard money, was fubfcribed in a few days. The public fervice was, however, the principal, if not the only object of this bank. They were to receive the congrefs money, that is to fay, the amount of the taxes, and the fupplies remitted by the other colonies; and they were, on the other hand, to anfwer the public demands, and particularly to furnish the fupplies for the army, in the most prompt and efficacious manner; and for the procuring of fufficient refources of cafh, they were enabled to pass notes, and to borrow money at 6 per cent. intereft. To turn, however, this bank to any confiderable advantage, a much greater ftability in government, and a much greater care in their finances, is undoubtedly neceffary.

Previous to the arrival of the French fuccours, the Marquis de la Fayette, who had been so much diftinguished by the early part which he took in the American caufe, long before his court had

thrown

thrown by the mask, or even, perhaps, determined on the part which he has fince taken, returned from France. His early engagement, and great zeal and activity in the American fervice, in which he held an high rank, caufed him to be received with diftinction by Washington, and on his going to Philadelphia, he conveyed a letter, full of the most flattering encomiums, from that commander to the Congrefs. The refult was, a public complimentary refolution of welcome from that body, highly applauding his zeal, and no lefs acknowledging his eminent fervices. To the further enJuly 11th. couragement of the Americans, M. de Ternay at length arrived at Rhode Island from France, with a squadron of feven fail of the line, five frigates, and two armed veffels. His own thip, Le Duc de Bourgogne, carried 84 guns, and 1200 men; two others were feventy-fours; and four, carried 64 guns each. He likewife convoyed a fleet of traniports, with five old French regiments, and a battalion of artillery, amounting in the whole to about 6,000 men, under the conduct of lieutenant-general the Count de Rochambeau.

The French auxiliaries were received by Major Gen. Heath; who, for the fecurity both of the troops and fquadron, against any attempts from New York, put them in poffeffion of the numerous forts and batteries of that island; which, with the diligence and industry peculiar to their country in that refpect, they foon put in a high ftate of defence. In a few days after their arrival, they were

attended by a committee, from the general affembly of that ftate, with an addrefs of congratulation to the Count de Rochambeau, in which they expreffed the most grateful fenfe of the and generous magnanimous aid afforded to the United States, by their illuftrious friend and ally, the French momarch; and faid they looked forward, with warm hope and expectation, to the end of a campaign, which, through that aid, might prove the happy means of restoring the public tranquillity. They concluded, with an affurance of every exertion in the power of the state, for the fupply of the French forces with all manner of refreshments and neceffàries, and for rendering the fervice, as happy and agreeable, as it was honourable, to all ranks of the army.

Rochambeau declared in his an fwer, that he only brought over the vanguard of a much greater force which was destined for their aid; and that he was ordered by the king, his mafter, to affure them, that his whole power fhould be exerted for their fupport. The French troops, he faid, were under the ftricteft difcipline; and, acting under the orders of General Washington, would live with the Americans as brethren. He returned their compliments by an affurance, that, as brethren, not only his own life, but the lives of all thofe under his command, were entirely devoted to their fervice.

In the mean time Washington, in order to cement the union between both nations, and to prevent those jealoufies which were too much to be apprehended on. both fides, iffued a requifition, in public orders, to the American

[B] 3

officers,

officers, foliciting, and ftrongly recommending to them, the wearing of black and white cockades, (the ground being of the first colour, and the relief of the other) as a compliment to, and a fymbol of friendship and affection for their generous and magnanimous allies, It was, indeed, highly grievous, not only to native Englishmen, but to thofe Americans, who, though equally determined upon liberty and independence with the most violent, yet ftill looked withfully forward, to the renewal of ancient amity, and friendly connections, though upon equal terms, with the mother country, to perceive, not only the influence which France was gaining in the counfels of America, but the progrefs likewife which the was continually making, in the opinion, and, it is to be feared, in the affections of the people..

Admiral Arbuthnot had only four fail of the line at New York: fo that inftead of being able to cope with the French fquadron, he was under an expectation of being himself attacked in that harbour. This ftate of things was, however, foon July 13 changed, by the arrival of Admiral Graves, with fix fail of the line, from England. The British commanders, having now a decided fuperiority of force, loft no time, after the newly arrived hips had repaired or fupplied the confequences of the voyage, in proceeding to Rhode Island, intending, after taking a near view of the fituation of the enemy, to act as circumftances might invite or admit, whether with respect to a direct attack, or to the govern, ment of their future operations,

They foon difcovered, that the French were in fuch force, and had already put the fortifications in fuch condition, that an attack by fea was impracticable. In the mean time, Sir Henry Clinton meditated a joint attack by fea and land; a measure, which it would feem, that the admiral did not approve of; or at least, that he did not heartily concur in. After fome delay, occafioned by his not being furnished in time with tranfports, the general, at length, embarked 6000 of his beft troops, with which he proceeded as far as Huntingdon Bay in Long Ifland. Some unfortunate difagreement began at this time to appear, and continued long after to prevail, between the commanders in chief by fea and land. Their difpatches teemed with ambiguity and jealoufy, which became more glaring by time. Diflike, was rather more than hefitated; and blame, on one fide at leaft, was more than once implied, if not directly laid, In fine, it foon became evident, that they were little difpofed to mutual confidence or concert; and that the strained correfpondence between them, was

rather the irksome refult of neceffity, than the fpontaneous effect of choice or inclination. Under thefe untoward circumftances, the troops were re-landed at WhiteStone.

In the mean time, Washington, who was ftrictly attentive to all that was paffing, hoping to profit of Sir Henry Clinton's abfence with fo great a body of the troops, by fome rapid motions, fuddenly croffed the North River, at the head of 12,000 men, and marched directly towards King's Bridge,

ure of the expedition to Rhode Ifland, and confequent detention of the troops, neceffarily fruftrat ed this defign.

It does not appear probable, in the prefent view of things, that the expedition to Rhode Island, even fuppofing the most chearful cooperation of the feet and army, could have been attended with any fuccefs or benefit, fufficient to counterbalance

the danger to which it was unquestionably liable. Befides the natural advantages of fituation which that ifland poffeffes, and the ftrength of its forts and batteries, the New England provinces were in readinefs to pour in their whole force to the fupport of the French. They were now impelled to action by other motives than thofe which ufually operated; for they burned with eagerness to have fo early, and, what they deemed, fo happy an opportunity, of impreffing their allies with a high fenfe of their power and valour. Accordingly, upon the firft bruit of the defign, above 10,000 of their militia and fix-months-men, were fuddenly in arms, and advanced towards Providence; and it is not to be doubted, but that number would have been far more confiderable, if it had been actually carried into execution. With thefe direct impediments in the way of the defign, it will not be fuppofed that New York, thus ftripped of its beft troops, and of the protection of the fleet, could have been exempt from danger, under the vigorous attack intended by Wafhington.

We have feen in our laft vọ

the Spanish governor of Louifiana, in his unexpected expedition againft the British fettlements and forces on the Miffifippi. The fuccefs of that enterprize, with a knowledge of the weakness which the number of prifoners he had taken, neceffarily induced in the defenfive force of the province, could not fail to extend his views farther; but ftill thinking himself too weak for the defigned purpofe, he concerted a plan of operation with the governor of the Havanna, towards the latter end of the year 1779, in purfuance of which he was to be reinforced and fupported, by a confiderable embarkation from that place, early in the prefent year.

The appointed time being arrived, and De Galvez fuppofing that the expected force from the Havanna was of courfe on its way, and being himself impatient of delay, he embarked all the force he was able to raise in his government at New Orleans, and proceeded, under the convoy of feme fmall fri. gates and other armed veffels, on his expedition, expecting to be followed or met by the force from the Havanna.

Jan. 14.

1780.

After a continued ftruggle with adverfe weather, and the various other impediments we have mentioned, for near a month, the better part of the fleet were driven a-fhore, and feveral of the veffels at length totally wrecked, in the bay of Mobille. By this misfortune, the commander had the mortification of feeing all reafonable hope of fuccefs apparently fruftrated; 800 of his men being caft away on a naked beach, with the lofs of the greater part of their cloaths, arms, and neceffaries of every fort.

The Spaniards bore their misfortunes with that patience, which nas at all times been a characteriftic of their nation. Instead of hrinking under the difficulties and difcouragements they had experienced, they endeavoured, fo far as it could be done, to convert their lofs into a benefit; breaking up their wrecked veffels, and framing their timber and plank into ladders, and other machines, neceffary for an escalade; as they had fustained too great a lofs of artillery and other materials, to attempt a formal fiege. Thofe who had preferved their arms, were obliged to divide them, in fuch a manner as would render them most useful, with those who had none; and those who still renained unarmed, undertook the laborious fervice of the army.

It happened very unfortunately on the fide of the Engli, who were befides far from treng, that an account of the Spanish hipwreck was received at Penfacola, with the additional falfehoods, that 700 of their people had perifhed, and that the expedition was entirely laid afide.

The Spanish commander had no reafon to repent his perfeverance, He was ftrengthened by the arrival of four armed veffels from the Havanna, with a part of the regiment of Navarre on board. Although thefe brought an account, that the principal embarkation was ftill retarded, yet the arrival of fo many hips and fresh men, with the artillery, ftores, and various neceffaries which they were capable of fupplying, fuddenly caused a new face of affairs, and afforded a renovation of vigour and life to every thing. The former troops were fpeedily reembarked, and after a further encounter of other ftorms, difficulties, and dangers, the Feb. 25. whole were landed within three leagues of Mobille.

Mr. Durnford, a captain of engineers, and lieutenant-governor of West Florida, commanded the poor garrifon, which was to defena the fort, or caftle (as the Spaniards call it) of Mobille. This confifted of 97 regulars of the 60th regiment; of 16 loyal Marylanders, 3 artillery men, 60 feamen, 54 inhabitants, and si armed negroes, which, with two furgeons and a labourer, amounted to 284, of all forts. The enemy attacked the fort by fea and land; and began to open ground on the 9th of March.

On the 12th of March the Spaniards opened their battery, confifting of eight 18, and one 24 pounder. Their fire feems to have had fome confiderable effect, on the embrafures and parapets of the two faces which they attacked; and two of the garrifon guns being difmounted, they at fun-fet hung out a white flag. The capitula