The Freeman's journal, or, New-Hampshire gazette — Portsmouth, N.H., 1778-03-10 00:00:00, page 2

from the original Letters of Monsieur DE
LISLE, translated into English.
Reading State of Pennsylvania, Nov. 28, 1777.
My Dear Count,
G Eneral Howe has at last gained possession
of the city of Philadelphia, but not with
out being obliged to fight two battles, for it.
The forts on the Deleware were gallantly de
fended. Count de Donop, so well known for
his exploits in the late war, fell in an unluc
cefsful attack upon Fort Mercer—a small un
finifhed work,on the east fide of theDeleware.
Fort Miftlin,on Mud-Ifland,flood a furious at
tack from, bombs and artillery, for upwards of
a month. After every gun on it was dis
mounted, and the works torn and burnt in
such a manner, that no covering was to be
had for the men, it was evacuated with a de
gree of condu& that equalled the bravery with
which it had been defended. General Howe,
it is true, forced his way into the city of Phi
ladelphia, but the city owns his brother,Lord
Howe, as its conqueror; for it could not have
been taken without the assistance of the navy
of Britain. Had his Lordship failed of open
ing the navigation up to the city, the General
mutt have decamped, or fallen into the hands
of General Wilhington.
I have taken some pains to make myfelf
acquainted with the character of General
Howe, and to know upon what springs his
good fortune has turned in the course of the
I fall campaign, lam told that he is a brave
[foldier, and an exadt officer ; but that he pos
sesses none of the talents of a great General.
[His education was flender,and his underhand
king is a moderate one ; but he has had pru
raence enougli to supply hisdeficiences in both,
by calling into the cabinet Sir Will. Erlkine,
L Brigadier General and Quarter- Master of
his army. This Gentleman has passed through
the regular stages of a military education, and
served with great reputation in the last war
in Germany, under Prince Ferdinand. He is
indefatigable in business — quick in expedi^
ents—bold in his enterprizes — decifiye in
council—and intrepid in a&ion. He is not
only a favourite of General Howe's,but is equ
ally dear to all the officers in his army. They
fay of him,that he is "an angel in the cabi
net, and a lion in the field."
The troops in General Howe's army being
compiled of English, Scotch, Irish, and Ger
man corps, full of a spirit of emulation, and
this may be given as another reason for their
fucceffcs over the Americans. The Ameri
cans, it is true,are of different States,but com
mon danger has united them so closely, that
the principal of emulation adds as yet but fee
bly upon them. Perhaps the custom of blend
ing troops from different States into one com
mand, which I observed in some instances in
the American army, has contributed tope
vent the growth and operation of this princi
ple among them.
The superior difciplihe of Howe's army has
had a large share in crowning it with success.
By discipline I do not mean a superior know
ledge in the use of arms, but a superior sense
of order & subordination among both officers
& foldiersTheir whole army! have been told,
is a compact piece of machinery, put in moti
on by the breath of the commander in chief.
Jam at a lots to account for the want of an
equal degree of order and subordination in the
American army—lt has been ascribed to an
excels of that spirit of liberty, which ani
mates’both officers and soldiers; but I am far
from entertaining an opinion so degrading to
the sacred cause of America. I think I have
difeovered a degree of docility and tra&able
nefs in the Americans, which I never before
saw in any other people. If the cause which
has been assigned, was a just one, it would be
more uniform in its effects ; but hiflery tells
us ot Freemen who deposed tyrants, and van
quished whole armies of veteran mercenaries,
by nothing else but the perfection of their
discipline.
But the principal advantage of Gen. Howe's
army over General Washington, in the two
battles fought by them, muff be ascribed to
their being more trained to the use of the
bayonet. The American army know their
superior dexterity in tiring well, and rely in
tirelyupon it ; CT he British army know it
likewise, and dread it. Hence in all engage
ments, the British soldiers rush on with bayo
nets after one lire, and seldom fail of throw
ing the Americans into confufion. Habit,
which forms men to any thing, I am pur-,
fuaded would soon render these brave people
as firm at the approaches of a bayonet, as the
whirling of a mulkctball. General Lee,
I have been told, took great pains to eradicate
the universal prejudice he found among the
Americans, in favour of terminating the war
with fire arms alone: "We muff learn to
face our enemies," laid he, " man to man
in the open field,or we shall never beat them."
The late General Montgomery, who served
iris apprenticeship to the art of war in the
British army, knew so well that nothing but
the bayonet would ever rout troops that had
been trained to the use of it, that he once pro
posed in the convention of New York, of
which he was a member,that directions fhdu'd
be given, both in Europe and this country,to
make all muskets intended for the American
•soldiers two inches longer than the mulkeis
now in use in the British army, in orderthat
they might have an advantage oftheirenemy,
in a charge with bayonets ; tor, laid he/'Bri
" tain will never yield but to the push of the
" bayonet." It gave me great,caiure to hear
an old faying among the French officers, that
" Englishmen have no floraach for the bayo
net,"confirmed by a Col. of a regiment in the
American army. He told me that in the bat
tle of Germantown, he charged a large body
of the enemy with his single regiment, and
drove them above amile without firing a sin
gle gun. He would have driven them into
Philadelphia, or cut them to pieces, had he
not been unfortunately ordered to retreat, af
ter the fate of the day turned in favour of
General Howe's army.
The fame predile&ion to the use of fire arms
which I have mentioned among the Ameri
can soldiers has given General Howe leveral
advantages over them with artillery. Ihe
Americans it is true have an excellent train
in their army,and some able artillery officers,
but unfortunately it is so feebly supported by
the mufkefry,that in one of their battles, ele
ven pieces fell into the hands of the enemy.
TheEnglifh you know were no match for the
French troops,till our nation taught them the
arts of managing artillery. The King of Frui
fia I have been told relies chiefly upon field
pieces, and has prophesied that in the next
century all wars will be terminated by them.
I have conversed with some individuals who
afcribeHowe's good success to the greater spi
rit of his soldiers, and to the superior talents of
his officers. But this is far from being true.
On the contrary I believe there are not finer
materials for an irresistible army in the whole
world than the troops now under the com
mand of G. Washington. Howe's soldiers arc
actuated by nothing but rage—and a lust for
plunder. Washington's are actuated only by
cpurage and a superlative love of their coun
try. They hive been defeated it is true, but
they have never been conquered. I have been
often astonished not only at their patience,but
at
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Printing-Office, and they will be leave them the at to
found the fame, is desired has White. —Whoever and
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Portsmouth, Feb. hanfomely lewarded. 20.
T, OS L
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LETT, BE TO
smaller Quantityf be the Hhd. Barrell, by Sold, to cr
WENTWORTH. SUPPLY CLAP, GEORGE or
soon enquireo. apply'd Also, some for COTTON, if ;
Sugars excellent Hbds few of A
Portsmouth, 1778, March 2.
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