The British still kept possession of Rhode Island, and by help of their fleet had command of the waters in the vicinity. They landed at Warren, in May, and took or destroyed the property of the inhabitants. And soon after visited Fall River, in the south part of Freetown, and set fire to mills and other buildings. In both these cases, they were attacked by the militia and were compelled to flee. There was a constant alarm in that quarter, for most of the summer. Great part of the militia in Dartmouth, Freetown, and Swanzey, were required to keep guard along the coast and near all the barbors in those places. And the militia in large numbers were sent on to the borders of the state, from a great distance. In August, the plan was revived of a descent on Rhode Island, to drive the British from Newport. And a great number of militia were ordered to assemble in the vicinity for that purpose. Some regiments of regular continental troops were also sent on by General Washington to aid in the design; and General Sullivan was appointed to command the expedition. Mr. Hancock, who was a major-general of militia, commanded those who went from Massachusetts. Several volunteer companies joined him, from Boston, Salem, Beverly, Gloucester, and Newburyport; and some from towns in Maine. The whole formed a large force: the British were estimated at 8000; and were strongly fortified in Newport. It was a part of the plan, that a French fleet, then expected, should assist in the expedition. The Americans passed on to the Island and advanced far towards Newport, and began to throw up fortifications. The French heard of a British naval force coming from New York and endeavored to meet them, but encountered a severe storm, and was obliged to put away for Boston harbor, after suffering considerable loss by the gale.

The British, from Newport, made an attack on the American lines, and were received with great spirit. The attack was kept up most of the day; and many were killed and wounded, both of the Americans and British; but the former kept pos

soon after; by which he was found guilty of the charges preferred against him; which were disobedience of orders, and for a disorderly and shameful retreat and the sentence was that he be suspended from his command in the

:

American army, for one year. In January, 1780, congress dismissed him

from his rank; and he retired from the public service. General Lee was a foreigner, and had been in the country but a short time before the war began. He was a conceited man, and considered himself better entitled to the chief command than Washington. It was doubtful whether his conduct originated in envy towards General Washington, or whether he was sincerely friendly to the British cause.

session of their entrenchments.* The enemy received large reinforcements in a few days, from New York; when General Sullivan, by advice of his officers, concluded to leave the Island. The retreat was well conducted, and without loss to the Americans.t

The expenses of this expedition fell heavily on Massachusetts, which furnished a large portion of the men engaged in it. The militia were raised and paid by the state. The loss of labor, too, on the farmers, in August and September, was very severely felt. It was a time of great alarm; and extraor dinary efforts were made either to force the enemy to leave the Island, or to prevent their depredations on the neighboring territory. Their vessels visited most of the bays and harbors on the coasts, and plundered the inhabitants of their sheep and cattle, fruit and grain. A squadron entered Buzzard's Bay and landed a number of troops in Dartmouth, near Bedford village. They marched up the river, about four miles on the west side, and through that village, where they set fire to several houses, and wounded two of the inhabitants. They passed down on the east side of the river, through Fairhaven village; and there also burnt a number of buildings. A detachment of artillery attacked them, but too small to give them much annoyance. The lieutenant commanding the detachment was mortally wounded by the British. The militia from the neighboring towns collected by evening, and obliged them to take to their boats and return to the squadron in the outer harbor. Colonel Fearing, of Wareham, commanded the militia that were out on that occasion. A large amount of property was destroyed by the enemy at this time, in the villages of New Bedford and Fairhaven.

* About 200 Americans were killed and wounded in this engagement: among the former were two lieutenants in Col. H. Jackson's regiment, belonging to Massachusetts.

+ The Marquis Lafayette was a volunteer in this enterprise. He came on from the main army, with General Greene; and their advice and assistance were very acceptable to General Sullivan. When the French fleet put into Boston harbor, he went to that place, to consult, with the admiral, and to urge him to afford further aid to the Americans. He hastened back to Rhode Island, and assisted in conducting the retreat after the reinforcements received by the British. Lafayette visited Boston again the winter following, and there embarked for France. His influence with the French ministry was highly favorable to America. He soon visited the United States again, and remained till the close of the war. He enjoyed the entire confidence of Washington; and was the chief in active command at the capture of Cornwallis, in 1781. On that occasion, he rendered very efficient service. He visited America again in 1784, was greeted with peculiar welcome by his companions in arms, and by the whole people. After a long period of reverses and trials, Lafayette once more landed on our shores and

A party of continental troops, chiefly from Massachusetts, and commanded by Colonel Alden, of Plymouth county, who were posted at Cherry Valley, in 1778, about seventy miles west of Albany, were surprised by the British and Indians, in the month of November, and a great number of the Americans were killed or taken. It was an outpost built under the superintendence of Colonel Alden, and kept up for the defence of the inhabitants in the frontier settlements. At that period, the population was few and scattered beyond Schenectady; but it was judged necessary to have a fort in advance of the inhabitants to prevent the depredations of the enemy; and after the capture of Bourgoyne, several posts had been retained on the western and northwestern frontiers. The fort was attacked by surprise, the enemy having approached by a blind and unusual path, while two other ways to the fort were carefully guarded. The British and Indians numbered seven hundred; no notice was received of their approach, till they rushed upon the fort and the house a few rods distant, where the commander lodged; who fell before he could reach the fort. Lieutenant Colonel Tracy was taken, and about seventy soldiers were killed or captured by the savages.

In November 1778, General Gates was appointed commander of the troops in Boston and vicinity, who had before been under the command of General Ward and General Heath. There was an apprehension, at that time, of a visit by the British fleet, which was formidable both at New York and Newport; and which gave indications of preparing for some new expedition. The British commander was impatient of making an attack on places on the seaboard, which could be approached by a naval force; and there was reason to suppose that the capital of Massachusetts was his particular object. Preparations were therefore made for such an event. General Gates remained at Boston and Providence through the winter; and when he left the state he expressed his satisfaction of the measures of the general court and of the conduct of the people.

An attempt was made by the British government, in the summer of 1778, to suspend hostilities and to open a discussion for reconciliation. Commissioners were appointed to treat with congress, or with any separate state. No satisfactory proposition was made, but merely a vague promise of

made a tour of the United States, in 1824 and 5; when he was received with such honors and rejoicing, as had been awarded to no one except General Washington, the commander of the American army of the revolution, and the first President of the United States.

pardon and of favor, on condition of a previous submission. The object probably was to gain time for further preparations to prosecute the war, to detach one state, or one part of the country from the rest, or to prevent an alliance with France, which the British dreaded, and which was then expected to take place. Besides, at this period, it was the determination of congress and of all the states not to relax in their opposition to England, until their independence was fully acknowledged. The plan of reconciliation, on the terms proposed by the British ministry, was considered, even by some statesmen in England, to be vain and impracticable. The proclamation, issued by the British ministry after congress rejected the proposition, threatening the Americans with all the vengeance and cruelty which savages could inflict, was condemned by enlightened Englishmen, as unjust, unchristian and inhuman. They said it was a proclamation contrary to humanity, to christianity and to every principle of virtuous policy; that it was their duty to soften the horrors of war, and to act as christians. But that now a war of revenge was threatened, such as Moloch in Pandemonium advised; which would fix an inveterate hatred in the people of America against the very name of Englishmen, and which would remain to the latest posterity." And Burke asked-" against whom are these dreadful menaces pronounced, but against those who are conscious of rectitude, who are acting in a righteous cause, and contending for freedom and their country?"

Early in 1779, congress voted to raise $15,000,000, of which Massachusetts was to provide $2,000,000. It was provided, that the amount might be appropriated by the authority of the state, but for general or continental purposes; and it was to be accounted for, on an adjustment between the state and the continent at a future time. Most of the expenses for the common defence of the country were incurred originally by each state, and a claim thence arose on congress for reimbursement, when the just proportions of the respective states for the whole aggregate amount should be ascertained.

The complaints increased, on the part of the great body of the people, of extortion, monopoly, and of the depreciation of the public paper occasioned by speculators; and the attention of congress was called to the subject. The attempt by the New England states, for this purpose, had proved ineffectual. Nor was it more practicable for congress to provide a remedy or a preventive. They recommended to the states, to regulate the prices of the common and necessary articles

The

of living. It was a question with some members of congress, and with others in Massachusetts, whether such a measure would be practicable or politic. The system was approved by a convention of the northern states, which was held at Hartford. The legislature of Massachusetts gave its sanction, by passing a law in favor of it. But all proved ineffectual. Public opinion was such as to make it difficult to execute the law. Many doubted the right of the legislature to prevent speculation, or to regulate the prices of articles in any measure. Personal interest prevailed with too many, who had the ability to profit by the necessities and wants of the common people. soldiers were obliged to part with their certificates of public service at a great sacrifice, and those who had articles for sale demanded exorbitant prices. In the spring of this year (1779,) there was such a scarcity of provisions, that the attention of the legislature was called to devise some relief. The summer of 1778 had been a very dry season; the army had taken up great stores of meat and grain; the British troops captured in October 1777, were supported in Massachusetts most of the time subsequently and through the year 1778; and an embargo had been laid, so that vessels were prevented coming from the south, even if they might escape the British. The sum of $200,000, (to be paid however, in paper much depreciated) was voted by the general court to purchase grain; and it was distributed principally among the people in towns on the seacoasts, who suffered much more than those of the interior parts of the state. Except for a few years in the early settlement of the country, the sufferings of the people had never been so great.

The condition of the army, both officers and soldiers, was still such as to require immediate relief; and congress was unable to procure it. The soldiers of the seventeen regiments raised by Massachusetts were furnished with necessary clothing; and the general court gave orders to the towns to provide for their families. And, as on a former occasion, advances were made to the officers, of different sums, according to their rank.

In the spring of 1779, General Washington made a request for a reinforcement to the continental army. He inquired The general

what number could be raised in Massachusetts. court replied, that if he thought the public service required it, they might raise two thousand, besides those now engaged, in the continental army, at Rhode Island, and on the seacoasts. Soon after, orders were issued to enlist one thousand five hundred for nine months, and the towns were