The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1778-01-14 00:00:00, page 1

For the New-Jersey Gazette.
From the original Letters of Monsieur De Lisle,
translated into English.
Reading, State of Pennsylvania, Nov. 28, 1777.
My dear Count,
GENERAL Howe has at last gained
possession of the city of Philadelphia,
but not without being obliged to fight
two battles for it. The forts on the
Delaware were gallantly defended.
Count de Donop, so wed known for
his exploits in the late war, fell in an unfuccefsful
attack upon Fort Mercer —a small unfinished work,
on the east fide of the Delaware. Fort Mifflin, on
Mhd-lfland, flood a furious attack from bombs and
artillery, for upwards of a month After every gun
on it was dismounted, 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 degree of con
duct that equalled the bravery with which it had
been defended. General Howe, it is true, forced
his way into the city of Philadelphia, but the city
owns his brother, Lord Howe, as its conqueror ; for
it could not have been taken without the abidance
of the navy of Britain. Had his Lordihip failed of
opening the navigation up to the city, the General
mult have decamped, or fallen into the hands of Ge
neral Washington.
I have taken some pains to make myfelf acquaint
ed with the character of General Howe, and to know
upon what springs his good fortune has turned in the
couffe of the last campaign. lam told that he is a
brave soldier, and an exact officer; but that he
possesses none of the talents of a great General. His
education was bender, and-his undAltanding is a
moderate one; but he has had prudence enough to
supply his deficiencies in both, by calling into the
cabinet Sir William Erfkinc, a Brigadier General and
Quarter-Master of his army. This Gentleman has
patfed through the regular stages of a military edu
cation, and served with great reputation in the last
war in Germany, under Prince Ferdinand. He is
indefatigable in bufine's —quick in expedients—bold
in his enterprizes—decifive in council—and intrepid
in artion. He is not only a favourite of General
Hole's, but is equally dear to all the officers in his
army. They fay of him, that he is “an angel in
'' the cabinet, ar.d a lion in the field."
The troops in General Howe's army being com
posed of Englilh, Scotch, Irish, and German corps,
full of a spirit of emulation, and this may be given
as another reason for their successes over the Ameri
cans. The Americans, it is true, are of different
States, but common danger has united them so close
ly, that the principle of emulation ads as yet but
feebly upon them. Perhaps the custom of blending
troops from different States into one command,
which I observed in some instances in the American
army, has contributed to prevent the grow th and o
peration of this principle among them.
The superior discipline of Howe's army has'had a
large shard in crowning it with success. By disci
pline I do not mean a faperior knowledge in the use
of arms, but a superior sense of order and subordi
nation among both officers and soldiers. Their whole
army, I have been told, is a compart piece of ma
chinery, put in motion only by the breath of the
Commander in Chief. I ani at a loss to account for
the want of an equal degree of order and subordina
tion in the American army—lt has been ascribed to
an excels of that spirit of liberty, which animates
both officers and soldiers; but I am far from enter
taining an opinion so degrading to the sacred cause
of America. I think I have discovered a degree of
docility and trartablenefs 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 history tells us of
freemen who deposed tyrants, and vanquished
whole armies of veteran mercenaries, by nothing else
but the perfection of their discipline.
But the principal advantage of General Howe's ar
my ,over General Washington, in the two battles
fought by them, must be ascribed to their being more
trained to the use of the bayonet. The American
army know their superior dexterity in firing well, and
rely entirely upon it . •The British army know it like-
[Vol. I.] THE [Numb. 7.]
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY, January 14, 1778.
wife, and dread it. , Hence in all engagements, the
Britifli soldiers rush on with the bayonet after one
fire, and seldom fail of throwing the Americans into
confufion. Habit, which forms men to any thing,
I am persuaded would soon render these brave peo
ple as firm at the approaches of a bayonet, as the
whiffling of a mulket-ball. General Lee, I have been
told, took great pains to eradicate the universal pre
judice he found among the Americans, in favour of
terminating the war with fire arms alone: " We
" must learn to face our enemies," said he, " man
" to man in the open field, or we never Ihall beat
" them." The late General Montgomery, who
served his apprenticelhip to the art of war in the
Britilh army, knew so well that nothing but the bay
onet would ever rout troops that had been trainedto
the use of it, that he once proposed in the Conven
tion of New-York, of which he was a member, that
directions Ihould be given, both in Europe and in
this country, to make all muskets intended for the
American soldiers two inches longer than the mus
kets now in use in the Britilh army, in order that
they might have an advantage of their enemy, in a
charge with bayonets ; for, said he, " Britain will
" never yield but to the push of the bayonet." It
gave me great pleasure to hear an old faying among
the French officers, that " Englishmen have no fto
" mach for the bayonet," confirmed by a Colonel
o^ a regiment in the American army. He told me
that in the battle of Germantown, he charged a large
body of the enemy with his Single regiment, and
drove them above a mile without firing a Single gun.
He would Lave driven them into Philadelphia, or cut
them to pieces, had he not been unfortunately or
dered to retreat, after the fate of the day turned in
favour of General Howe's army
The fame predilection to the use of fire arms which
I have mentioned among the American soldiers has
given General Howe several advantages over them
with artillery. The 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 musketry, that in one of their battles eleven
pieces fell into the hands of the enemy. The English
you know were no match for the French troops till
our nation taught them the arts of managing artillery.
The king of Prussia 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 ascribe
Howe's good fortune to the greater spirit of his sol
diers, 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 irrefifi'ible army
in the whole world than the troops now under the
command of General Washington. Howe's soldiers
are actuated by nothing but rage—and a lust for
plunder. Washington's are actuated only by courage
and a superlative love of their country.' Thev have
been defeated it is true, but they have never been
conquered. I have been often aflonifhed not only at
their patience, but at their chearfulnefs under cold
fatigue—and all the common hardships of a soldier's
life. Had Howe's army fuffcred only half as much as
these brave fellows have done, I am sure, from the
common character of European armies, their spirits
would have been broken long ago, and Howe would
have been left before this time with scarcely a regi
ment to cover his flight from this country.' Nor do
I think the balance is in favour of General Howe's
officers. You and I know of what fluff many of them
are made. Two scholars to a regiment is a rare fight
in the Britifli army. How many of them have we
• seen travelling with their interpreters, or, as they
are called in England, Bearleaders, through France,
. arid distinguishing themselves only by their debauche
ries. The American officers it is true, from the
nature of their education, appear to be less men of
the world. Some of them too have been reproached
with being tradesmen, but a tradesman in America is
quite a different creature from a tradesman in Europe.
Some of the belt families in this country bring up their
fens to trades, and, long before the present war,
tradesmen filled some of the nioft important offices
in government. I have been charmed to find many
of them whose manners were liberal—and whose
minds were enlarged with a considerable acquaint
•ance with politicks and history. But by far the
greatest part of the American officers are farmers and
farmers sons of independent or easy fortunes. Many
of them have been bred to the learned profeffions^
I have the pleasure of knowing some of them who
would not pass unnoticed in the politest court in
Europe. But I value them most for their braver,
an^zeal in the service of their country. They have
not been whipped from schools, nor driven by neces
sity into the army. Theif pay is no allurement to
them, for from the scarcity of goods, and'the depre
ciation of the money, it is hardly fufficient to sup
port them. They are above the common maxims of
your “ soldiers of fortune," and have no other with
but to establish the liberties and independence of their
country.
The taking of Philadelphia will probably make a
noise in Europe—but is has no bad effert upon the
minds of the people in America. They fay that
General Howe has only changed his prison from
Brunswick to Philadelphia, for at no time has he
possessed more territory here than he conld cover
with his out-posts. lam clearly of the opinion that
his taking Philadelphia will be a real advantage to this
country. It has long been the jakes of difaffedion
to the American cause, and the fanftuary of tories
and traitors who have fled from every other part of
the continent. I have constantly observed that Ame
rica acquires strength by the progress of Howe's
army—for where-ever he goes he confirms the timid
and the neutral characters in the cause of America,
and at the fame time like a good scavenger carries a
way all the tory filth with him that lies in his way.
I refer you to my letter of February last for an
account of General Washington, the amiable and
illuhrious commander in chief of the American army.
His perseverance and magnanimity have not forfaken.
him.
Adieu my dear friend, and believe me to be with
the greatest affection,
Your most sincere friend and
Most humble servant,
De LISL E.
" Bellum juftum, quibus nectfarium ; et quibus ni/t
in Armis fuftitia non Jit."
THE difeovery and settlement of America form a
remarkable epoch in the history of this globe—
The politician and philosopher in viewing these ex
traordinary events, and the rapid progrtfion oft
things in the new world, may with equal curiosity
indulge in the contemplation of the important effects
that will probably flow from causes of such a magni
tude. -History informs in what manner the states
and empires of the worlfl have undergone their seve
ral transformations—Commerce, and the arts, know
ledge and refinement, riches, strength and power
have been continually ihifting from nation to nation,
and from one country to another, in the old world,
in some places scarcely leaving a wreck behind.
In this country there, is a new and striking scene,
it is in its vernal state, and we are now beginning to
art our part, and have a place among nations. The
cruel policy of a Britilh king, like that of Philip the
lid of Spain with refpeCt to the low countries, has
obliged us to throw off all dependance, and set up
for ourselves.—There is not a case in all history so
much resembling ours as that I have just now men
tioned—the only difference is, that religion has no,
part in our quarrel—it formed a considerable part
m theirs.— r
When Philip attempted to enslave the provinces he
was told they had privileges which were rendered
facied by their importance and tlie long enjoyment
of them---they sent two noblemen into Spain to re
present their grievances and aik redress---No answer
was given, but an army of 12,000 veteran troops
undei the duke of Alva was sent into tlie low coun
tries with orders to use the utmost severity---This
monitor of cruelty boasted of his having put 18,000
ptilons to death by tlie hands of rhe publick execu
tioner. Prior arts of injustice, and the conduct
of this general, soon excited the Flemings to take
arms in the defence of their injured and oppressed
country.---The prince of Orange, firnamed' the Si
lent, was looked upon by the people as the fitted
mail to head them---He finds almost insurmountable
difficulties in railing an army—But his. reputation
and the cause he was engaged in procure him soldi
ers 1 hefe he fends into Friefland under the com
mand of his brother Count Lewis—His army is de-
NUMBER I.