business was conducted, and the unusual want CHAP. VI. of confidence it betrayed, orders were given to 1778. Hazen's regiment to march towards Albany, and the marquis immediately proceeded to the residence of congress. At his request, major general the baron De Kalb was added to the expedition, after which he repaired in person to Albany, in order to take charge of the troops who were to be there assembled, and from whence he was to cross the lakes on the ice, and to attack Montreal.

On his arrival at Albany, he found no preparations made for the expedition. Nothing which had been promised was in readiness. He therefore abandoned the enterprise as totally Before its impracticable. Some time afterwards, congress it is doned also determined on its relinquishment; and general Washington was authorized to recal, both the marquis de La Fayette and the baron

De Kalb.

execution,

: While the army lay at Valley forge, the February 27. baron Steuben arrived in camp. This gentle. man was a Prussian officer very strongly recommended, who was said to have served many years in the armies of the great Frederick; to have been one of the aids-du-camp of that consummate commander, and to have held the rank of lieutenant general. He was unquestionably well versed in the system of manœuvres which the king of Prussia had introduced, and was well qualified to teach them to raw troops.

CHAP. VI. He claimed no rank, and only requested to 1778, render as a volunteer, those services which

might be in his power, and might be most useful to the American army. He held a conference with congress, and from thence proceeded to Valley forge.

The office of Inspector general had been previously bestowed on Conway; but he had never entered on its duties, and his promotion to the rank of major general had given much umbrage to the brigadiers who had been his seniors. That circumstance, in addition to the knowledge of his being in a faction hostile to the commander in chief, rendered his situation in the army so uncomfortable, that he withdrew to York in Pennsylvania, which was the residence of congress. That body had designed to employ him on the proposed expedition to Canada, but that being abandoned, he was not

directed with Fayette and De Kalb, to rejoin Gentral Gon the army. Entertaining no hope of being way resigns. Duel between called on to exercise the functions of his new

him and

generalader, office, he resigned his commission about the last of April, and some time afterwards, returned to France.*

It was at once supposed that the baron Steu- CHAP. VI. ben must be peculiarly well fitted for this office, 1778. and he consented to engage in its duties as a volunteer. He performed them so much to the satisfaction of the commander in chief of the army, and of congress, that after the resignation of Conway, he was strongly recommended by general Washington to congress, and by them appointed to the office with the rank of major general, without exciting the slightest mur

mur.

This gentleman was of real service to the American forces. He established one uniform system of manœuvres; and by his skill and persevering industry, effected during the continuance of the troops at Valley forge, a most

CHAP. VL decisive and important improvement through 1778. all ranks of the army.

While in winter quarters, general Washington looked forward with extreme anxiety to the ensuing campaign. He counted on great advantages from being enabled to open it early, and in force; but this experience of the delays with which re-enforcements were drawn to camp from the different states, led him to apprehend that, notwithstanding every exertion he could make, his army would, as heretofore, be so feeble in the spring as to be exposed to the utmost danger, if early operations should be undertaken against it. In his letters to congress, and to the state authorities, this apprehension was pressed with great force, and they were urged to furnish their quotas with the utmost expedition. "Sir William Howe," he observed "could scarcely be supposed ignorant of the strength of the American army, and, if he was acquainted with it, would certainly open the campaign so soon as the weather would permit, unless restrained by the expectation of powerful re-enforcements from Europe. In either event, it was of the utmost importance, immediately to place the army on a respectable footing and prepare it for effectual offensive, or defensive war. If the enemy should commence his operations early, it was essential to be able to meet him with a force competent to the protection of the country; if he should remain within his lines, in the expectation of large re- CHAP. VI. enforcements, it was not less essential to put 1778. the American army in a condition to act offensively, and with effect, before their arrival."

He urged likewise a timely provision of arms and accoutrements for the soldiers; and endeavoured, by calling the attention of the farmers generally to the article of provisions, to keep up a sufficient stock in the country, out of which supplies might be obtained.

He pressed too, with great earnestness, “a completion of the proposed arrangement of the army, which was rendered necessary by the broken state of the regiments. He represented the alarming and distressing consequences which would result from being plunged into the campaign before the arrangements should be made, and the army properly organized. Whatever wisdom congress or their committees might use in the choice of officers, many would be disgusted, and would resign, or refuse the commissions offered to them. To remedy the confusion and disorder which this state of things would introduce, was not the work of a day. To establish order, regularity, and discipline, required the vigilance of every officer, and must in all armies flow from the generals."

However desirous congress might be of carrying into execution every wish of their general, it was impossible to do so. Their own deliberations were unavoidably slow, and as the