Chapter II (Continue) Pages 21-24

The winter spent at Valley Forge was the acme of human misery and discouragement, received only by the heroic spirit manifested by officers and men alike and by the much-needed reforms in tactics, regulations and discipline introduced by Baron von Steuben, a veteran of the wars of Frederick the Great, (74) who had been appointed Inspector General.

The army numbered less than 10,000 but, as none of the battalions during the preceding year had been recruited to much more than one-third of their proper strength, Congress, in consequence of the report of a committee sent in January to examine into the conditions at Valley Forge, (75) recommended on February 6th that the States draft men for nine months, with the proviso that they could be replaced as fast as men enlisting for three years were received.(76) Notwithstanding this drastic measure, (77) the entire Continental force at the beginning of May numbered only about 15,000, (78) whereas the British had more than 33,000 effectives. (79) On May 7th the tattered troops were assembled on parade and the treaty of alliance with France was read amid wild enthusiasm.* (See note page 22) On the following day the council of war unanimously decided, in view of the slenderness of the force and the expectation of assistance, to remain on the defensive and to let events take their course.
                                                                            _______________________________

Page 22: enthusiasm* "On the seventh of May, at nine o'clock, a.m., the American army was on parade. Drums beat and cannon were fired, as if for some victory. It was a day of jubilee, a rare occurrence for the times and place.

"The brigades were steady, but not brilliant in their formation. Uniforms were scarce. Many feet were bare. Many had no coats. Some wore coats made of the remnants of their winter blankets. The pomp and circumstance of war, were wanting....

"There was no review by general officers, with a well appointed staff. Few matrons and few maidens looked on...The Treaty of Alliance was read, and in solemn silence the American army at Valley Forge united in Thanksgiving to Almighty God that He had given them one friend on earth.....

"Huzzas for the king of France, for Washington and the Republic, with caps tossed high in air, and a rattling fire through the whole line, terminated the humble pageant."__Carrington, pp. 404-405.

                                                                          __________________________________

Even before that time the officers had begun to resign their commissions in disgust, (80) and this state of affairs rapidly progressed to such an alarming extent that Congress was compelled on May 15th to pass a resolution giving to all officers serving to the end of the war half pay for seven years and a gratuity of $80 to non-commissioned officers and men. The enlistment of deserters, in order to fill the quote required by the resolution of February 6th, became so prevalent that Congress was obliged to denounce it, but the desire to get men so as to avoid the draft led to another expedient, and in Rhode island the proposal was made to enlist a battalion of slaves. (81) Another difficulty, almost as grave as the non-enlistment of recruits, militated against the maintenance of a proper army. Since the beginning of the Revolution paper money had been steadily issued, but by 1778 it had so depreciated in value that it had become literally impossible for officers to support themselves and their families on their pay indeed, as Washington declared, they were "sinking by sure degrees into beggary and want." (82) Nations collectively are fully equal to keeping up a protracted struggle, but individuals often shirk the privations and dangers of war.* (see note page 23) The bounties first offered by Congress and the States were tantamount to a confession of this truth, which was only too palpably confirmed by each subsequent campaign. Unable to check this calamity, Congress now endeavored to conceal it and on September 18th it resolved:

"That General Washington be authorized, if he shall judge it for the interest of the United States, to augment the Continental bounty to recruits, enlisting for three years or during the war, to a sum not exceeding ten dollars; and that he use his discretion in keeping the matter secret as long as he shall deem necessary." (83)

The story of the military operations that year can be told in a few words. Too weak to take the offensive, the American army cooled its heels in inactivity at Valley Forge until General Sir Henry Clinton, learning of the approach toward the Chesapeake of the Comte d'Estaing's fleet with French troops, (84) evacuated Philadelphia on June 18th and withdrew in the direction of New York. Washington instantly started in pursuit, intercepted his march and ten days later, at the battle of Monmouth by his skill turned the retreat begun by General Charles Lee into a substantial victory. (85) Clinton made his escape and reached his destination two days later, (86) followed to White Plains by Washington, (87) but active operations between these armies terminated with this engagement, and forces on both sides were transferred east of the Hudson.
                                                                      ________________________________________

Page: 23 dangers of war* "Men may speculate as they will: they may talk of patriotism; they may draw a few examples from ancient story, of great achievements performed by its influence; but whoever builds upon them, as a sufficient basis for conducting a long and bloody war, will find himself deceived in the end....I do not mean to exclude altogether the idea of patriotism. I know it exists....But I will venture to assert that a great and lasting war can never be supported on this principle alone. It must be aided by a prospect of interest, or some reward. For a time it may, of itself, push men to action, to bear much, to encounter difficulties; but it will not endure unassisted by interest."__Washington to John Bannister, April 21, 1778. Sparks, V, p. 323.

                                                                      _________________________________________

Agreeably to Washington's plan to capture Newport (88) while the French fleet remained in American waters, d'Estaing appeared off that place on July 29th and that same day General Sullivan occupied the northern end of Rhode Island, 989) but it was not until August 15th (90) that the bulk of his command advanced to the siege. (91) A week earlier Admiral Howe had set sail from New York, but a "tremendous storm" (92) dispersed both fleets and prevented any general action, the British barely getting back to New York, while the French returned to Newport badly crippled. In conformity with the explicit instructions received before leaving France, (93) d'Estaing sailed away to Boston on the 22nd to refit, his departure greatly discouraging Sullivan's troops and causing the militia to desert in large numbers. (94) The capture of Quaker and Turkey Hills on the 29th was but a momentary success, and the retreat begun next day was hastened by the arrival of 100 British ships bringing Clinton's army to the rescue of the garrison. Howe promptly sailed for Boston, (95) but, being unable to force d'Estaing into an engagement, returned to New York. A similar attempt by Admiral Byron a month later was frustrated by a severe storm. On November 3rd, d'Estaing set sail for the West Indies and the scene of land operations was transferred to South Carolina where a British force (96) under Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell captured Savannah on December 29th. (97)

Thus ended a year in which the only tangible success gained by the Americans was at Monmouth, in spite of their having more than 51,000 troops under arms, (98) opposed to a British force which never exceeded 34,000. (99)

FOOTNOTES ON CHAPTER II THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION: PAGES: 21-24 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1778

74. He arrived at Valley Forge on February 27th, 1778.

75. Carrington, p. 403

76. Upton, p.33.

77. The character of the men thus obtained was markedly inferior to the previous recruits__many of them being deserters.

78. At Valley Forge, 11,800__including the sick and those subject to call upon emergency; at Wilmington, 1,400; on the North River, 1,800. __Sparks, V, p. 360, footnote.

79. Washington estimated the total strength of the enemy at 16,000 (Sparks, ibid.) but, according to the original returns in the British Record Office, the effective British forces on March 26, 1778, were 33,576, divided as follows: at Philadelphia, 19,530; at New York, 10,456; in Rhode island, 3,770.

80. Vide Washington's letter to John Barrister, April 21, 1778. Sparks, V, pp. 321-322.

81. Free negroes had been accepted for service since the beginning of the Revolution. The enlistment of slaves was practiced both by the North and the South during the War of the Rebellion.

82. Washington to Benjamin Harrison, December 30, 1778. Sparks, VI, p. 152.

83. In conformity with a further resolution, $80,000 were placed in the hands of William Palfrey, Paymaster-General of the Army, to disburse these bounties.

84. This fleet, which carried 4,000 troops, sailed from Toulon on April 13th, but owing to contrary winds it did not pass Gibraltar until May 15th, reaching the Delaware Capes on July 8th, just too late to prevent Admiral Howe's escape.

85. The opposing forces were about equal. The British lost in killed, wounded and missing, 365; the Americans 362.

86. 800 Hessians deserted during this retreat. Clinton's losses from various causes from the time he evacuated Philadelphia until he reached New York "were little less than two thousand men."__Carrington, p. 458.

87. Arriving on July 22nd.

88. The British garrison consisted of 6,000 men under General Pigott, supported by seven frigates.

89. Sullivan unwisely detained the French fleet in the offing and neglected the proper military courtesies to his ally while he was maturing his plan for the land operations. Moreover, he had notified the French Admiral that he would not attack until August 10th. The precipitate landing of the Americans thus disconcerted the plans already agreed upon.

90. On August 5th, part of the French fleet entered Newport harbor.

91. According to the circular issued by Sullivan on July 23rd, his command consisted of 8,974 officers and men. The French troops numbered 4,000.

92. Stedman, II, p. 32.

93. D'Estaing's letter to Sullivan, August 20th, and his report to the President of Congress.

94. Carrington, p.453. D'Estaing's course gave rise to much indignation on the part of the American public and to the charge that he had basely deserted Sullivan__a charge utterly unjustified in view of his orders to make the port of Boston in case of severe injury by storm or in action.

95. Arriving on September first.

96. Numbering 3,500 men who left New York on November 27th under convoy of Commodore Hyde Parker, later the British commander at the battle of Copenhagen.

97. Upton, p. 34; Carrington, pp. 459-460.

98. 32, 893 Continentals and 18, 153 militia, a total of 51,046.__American State Papers, I (Military Affairs) and XII, p. 16; Upton, p. 34.

99. Original returns in the British Record Office, quoted by Carrington, footnotes on pp. 411 and 462.