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Home Great Britain and her Relations with America after the Seven Years War, 1763-1783 1763-1783; Part 7 |
1763-1783; Part 7In the second year (1776) Howe was the British commander. Capable but indolent, he was, as a strong Whig, inclined to sympathize with the American cause He evacuated Boston and took his troops south to Long Island. There he defeated Washington's troops at Brooklyn. But his victory was not decisive owing to his failure to pursue the enemy; and his negligence gave Washington the opportunity of withdrawing all his troops the night after the battle across the mile of water that separated the island from the mainland. Howe followed and took New York, though tradition says that his presence at a luncheon party prevented his capturing a large detached force, he then defeated Washington in another battle, overran New Jersey, and occupied the country up to the river Delaware before going into winter quarters. The outlook was black for the colonists; but at the end of the year the American fortunes revived with a brilliant attack by Washington upon a Hessian regiment, which was cut to pieces on Christmas Day at Trenton, one of the advanced posts on the Delaware, whilst the Hessians were celebrating the occasion not wisely but too well.The third year (1777) witnessed a muddle which ended in a great disaster for the mother country. There were two plans proposed to the British Government for the year's operations. The first was that of Burgoyne, who was a member of Parliament and a playwright as well as a general, and who had been given command of the army of the north. He was to advance south from Canada and Howe was to advance north from New York. The two forces were to unite, hold the line of the river Hudson, and isolate the New England colonies. The other plan was that of Howe, who wanted to attack Philadelphia. Lord George Germaine agreed to both, but by a piece of gross carelessness did not - till too late - give Howe definite instructions so to arrange his attack upon Philadelphia as to be able to return in time to co-operate with the expedition from Canada (There is a story that a letter with such instructions had been drafted in time at the War Office, but that Germaine went out of town before it was fair-copied, and forgot to sign and send it). Consequently Burgoyne never obtained the expected help from the south on which his success depended. He took Ticonderoga, but his difficulties increased as he progressed. His Indian allies deserted because of the hunting season coming on. The country was thickly wooded and military supplies were inadequate. Finally, outnumbered by four to one, he had to surrender with four thousand men at Saratoga (October). That surrender was decisive in the history of the war. The nations of Europe had been looking with no friendly eye on Great Britain. A disaster of that magnitude converted their unfriendliness into hostility, and France, two months after she had heard of it, concluded an alliance with the "United States" (As the revolting colonies were called after the "Declaration of Independence" had been issued in the previous year). Meantime Howe had won Philadelphia, and defeated Washington once again at the battle of Brandywine, whose army was consequently reduced to the direst straits - but Howe's success lay lightly in the balance against Saratoga. |
Chronology |
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