CHAP. II. proceeding by land to that city. It was sup1777. posed that if, in the execution of this plan,

the Americans could be brought to a general action on equal ground, the royal army possessed advantages which must ensure a victory; but that if Washington, declining an engagement, should again be pressed before them over the Delaware, their object would yet be certainly obtained.

Had the enemy taken the field at the first opening of the season, before the continental troops were assembled, it is probable that this plan might have been executed without any serious obstruction; but the tents, and camp equipage, expected from Europe, not arriving until about the last of May; general Washington had, by the most indefatigable exertions, collected his army, and taken possession of, and in some degree fortified, the very advantageous post on the heights of Middlebrook, before the British army was in motion. ground so advantageous as this it would be dangerous to attack him; for although his camp might be forced, yet victory would most probably be attended with such loss, as to have the consequences of a defeat, and totally disable the victor from reaping its fruits.

On

If it was deemed too hazardous to attack the strong camp occupied by general Washington at Middlebrook, it was an experiment not less dangerous to attempt to cross the Delaware, to

1777.

dispute the passage of which an army was col- CHAP. II. lecting on its western bank, while that under the command of general Washington remained unbroken in his rear. It comported, therefore, with the cautious temper of sir William Howe to devise some other plan of operation, to be resorted to in the event of being unable to draw the American general from his present advantageous position.

The two great bays of Delaware and Chesapeak, which run deep into the country, and into which the whole fleet could be securely brought, so as to co-operate in a great degree with the land forces which might be safely transported within a few days march of Philadelphia, and landed at a place from whence their march would be obstructed by no rivers, and only opposed by the American army on equal ground, readily suggested the alternative of proceeding by water, should he be unable to manœuvre general Washington out of his present encampment.

Having settled the plan of the campaign, and received some small re-enforcements with the necessary camp equipage from Europe, such of the troops still remaining in New York, as were designed for active service, began about the beginning of June, to pass over into Jersey, and were soon followed by general Howe in person; who, having left a guard for the defence of Amboy, assembled his army at Brunswick,

June.

CHAP. II. and gave strong indications of an intention to 1777. penetrate through the country, to the DelaJune 12. ware; and thus reach Philadelphia by land.

Thirteenth.

1

He brought with him a number of waggons, and flat bottomed boats, supposed to be intended for the passage of that river.

Persuaded from these appearances that an expedition up the Hudson could not be at present contemplated, and believing himself too weak either to act against the enemy or to defend his own camp, general Washington ordered to his immediate aid the continental troops assembled at Peck's-Kill, except one thousand effectives, who, with the assistance of the militia were deemed adequate to the protection of the passes in the highlands from any force which could now be brought to act against them.

In the mean time, a select corps of riflemen was formed under the command of colonel Morgan, an officer who had greatly distinguished himself in the unfortunate attempt to storm Quebec. To great personal courage, he added all that watchfulness, that indefatigable exertion, and that happy mixture of caution and enterprise, so peculiarly requisite in the formation of a character intrusted with the command of a partisan corps, designed to act on the lines of a formidable enemy.

He was ordered to take post at Vanvighton's bridge on the Raritan, just above its confluence with the Millstone river, and watch, with very small scouting parties, the left flank of the CHAP. II. British army. His attention was particularly 1777. directed to the roads leading from Brunswick towards Millstone, Princeton, and the country generally through which it would be necessary to pass, either to go to Philadelphia, to turn the right wing of the army at Middlebrook, or to make any attempt on general Sullivan. On any movement of the enemy, he was instructed to seize every opportunity to fall on their flank, and to gall them as much as possible; but to take especial care never to permit himself to be surrounded, or to have his retreat to the army cut off.

General Sullivan, also, was ordered to change his position, and to occupy the high grounds of Rocky-hill, as a place of greater security.

Early in the morning of the 14th, the British army, leaving two thousand men under the command of general Matthews at Brunswick, advanced in two columns towards the Delaware. The front of the first, under lord Cornwallis, sir William reached Somerset court-house, nine miles from out to Brunswick, by the appearance of day; and the court-house second, under the command of general De Heister, about the same time reached Middlebush, which lies between Somerset court-house and Brunswick, on a road to the east of that taken by lord Cornwallis.

1777.

CHAP. II. ducing general Washington to quit his fortified camp at Middlebrook, and approach the Delaware, in which event, he expected to bring on a general engagement on ground less disadvantageous than that now occupied by the American army. That officer, however, was too well acquainted with the importance of his present position to abandon it, and throw away the advantages it gave him. On the first intelligence that the enemy was in motion he drew out his whole army, which he posted to great advantage in order of battle, on the heights in front of his camp. This position was constantly maintained. The troops remained in order of battle during the day, and in the night, they slept on the ground to be defended. In the mean time, the militia of Jersey, with an alacrity heretofore unexampled in that state, obeyed the orders given them, and took the field in very great numbers. They principally joined general Sullivan, who had retired behind the Sourland hills towards Flemingtown, where an army of some respectability was forming, which could readily join, or otherwise co-operate with that under the more immediate inspection of the commander in chief.

The settled purpose of general Washington was to defend his camp, but not to hazard a general action on other ground, by advancing from the heights he occupied into the open country, either towards the enemy or the