The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1779-05-11 00:00:00, page 1

TUESDAY, May u 1779, f HE (Nw,% 74 %
CONNECTICUT CQURA NT,
AND THE
WEEKLY INTELLIGENC E R.
From the London Evening Post.
^^FRINTE R,
SI R,
GENERAL Clinton's retreat through
the Jerseys having been much can
vassed, and almost universally admired, as
a most unexampled display of Generalship,
I could not help smiling at the ignorance,
ftupidi:y, and folly of this devoted nation.
To judge from appearances, one would
fuppolc Common Sense had accompanied
Liberty in her flight, and was never again
to re-assume her empire over the sons of
Britain. But, Si r , I would not with to
take any merit from General Clinton. I
will fuppofehim able, collected, and clever,
a good man. lacknowledge my ignorance
of his character in every department. I
will therefore look upon him as refpe&able
in all. What I aim at, is a generous in
vestigation of this' unparallelled feat of
foldierfhip, so vauntingly echoed by every
mieifterial hireling, and so ably supported
by every infatuated son of party, and by
condefeemding to compare it with General
Washington's, shew it in his true colours,
as unworthy of either our admiration or
commendation.
We are given to understand by General
Clinton's letter, that aided by amafterly ar
rangement of several ships belonging to
Admiral Howe's squadron, he crossed the
Delaware uninterruptedly on the 18th of
June; that with 14 to 16,000 troops, the
flower of the British and German forces,
commanded by able and experienced offi
cers, well found in arms, camp equipage,
and every other necessary, and supported
by a numerous and excellent train of artil
lery, he courageously determined to pro
ceed to New York through the jerseys;
and in his way repel, by the superior val
our of his troops, and his own ability, any
efforts that might be made to impede him in
his march. F> w difficulties obftru&d
him until the 28th, when General Wash
ington having coHeded his troops, and a
numerous militia, shewed an intention of at
tacking him in the plains below Freehold,
The intrepidity of his men, however,
overcame every difficulty, and their ex
ceflive fatigue, with the uncommon heat
pf the weather, alone prevented him
from puffing the affair any farther.
That at length he arrived fafe at New-York,
with theineonfiderable loss of 113 privates,
,pd about 150 wounded. Permit me here
to congratulate him on his success, and to
wish that he may never be put to so hardy
an enterprise, least some untoward event
might biaft his laurels, and rob him of bis
well- earto dfame !
Let us now have a retro feed to General
Washington's conduct, in traveling near
ly the fame ground. 'After his defeat on
Long IQand, in which his loss was very
HARTFORD: Printed by HUPSON and GOODWI N, NEAR THE GREAT BRIDGE.
take advantage of the lead error of foux
pas. Genera! Howe knew he abilities of
General Washington, and confequen ly
moved with such caution, as has induced
his countrymen to stigmatize him with the
most difhonourable appellations, to chal
lenge him with a want of spirit, and an
unjuftifiable degree of foolish timidity.
Had he, however, a&edotherwife, he would
probably have given more room for public
censure. Ido not wish to exculpate Ge
neral Howe; I assure you, Sir, I have no
such favourites. I am only defirows of
painting truth in all her native simplicity,
and the superiority General Washington
possesses over both General Howe and Ge
neral Clinton, in mlifary knowledge.
But let us now, Sir, admire rhe wisdom
impartiality and refinement of delicacy,
which once so strongly charafterifed this
nation, and which has been io frequently,
and so nobly displayed, during this unhap
py contest. You may recoiled, without
much difficulty, that after the affair of
Long Island, the evacuationof New- York,
and when General Washington was mak
ing his extraordinary and wonderful re
treat, that popular clamours were then at
thJr summit, and every American univer
sally regarded as a pakroon. Every coffee
considerable, and his being driven out of
New-, oik, he began his retreat over the
Whi:e Plains, prefled hard by General
Howe, with a high spirited army, elated
by past victories, and the well founded
hopes of future conqurft ; and at the fame
time ftimulared to action, by a contempti
ble opinion of their enemy, their own
prowess, a rooted antipathy, and the prof
pe6t of acquiring wealth. Behold rhe Bri
tish army compleady accoutred, with a
foperfluity of every necessary, c m,land
ed by experienced officers in full pursuit
of half their number of difeirited militia,
daily diminishing, without arms, without
ammunition, eloathing, rents, artillery, or
a single necessary. In this critical dilem
ma, let us view our Fabius surmounting
every difficulty, his own spirit unsubdued,
and busily employed in buying up that
of the army. His active valour, and ge
nuine patriotism, was not to be funl< by a
train of misfortunes, and he gallantly re
folyed to stem the impetuous torrent, with
the Imall remains of his forces, now redu
ced to 1500 men, with which be crossed
the Delaware, and kept at bay the whole
of General Towe's arrp. On the wholeothis
march, which took himupnear three weeks,
with such unexampled good conduct, his
little force was 10 divided and formed, and
the communication so artfully supported,
that the chain was never once broken, but
was regulated with such eminent wiidom
and unparailelled fore fight, judgment, and
prudence, that he was ever out ot reach of
his enemy, and at the fame time ready to
refined, and the behaviour of gentlemen
too elevated for convaffing the b!#c^ Ingra
titude of American retx llica, io tyrt^
the language of parliament, and th: vio
lent imprecations of an infatuated mob^
were in the fame elegant strain, as uncon
nected with generous liberality, as patriotic
disinterestedness. Why were we cowa r ds ?
Btcaufe an army, never exceeding Bqoq
run, and commanded by unexperienced
officers, a mere militia, hazily collected,
and aim ft without discipline, would not
be permitted to face twice their number of
experienced lro<ps, led on by vete an com
manders. Wa> the fate of American li
berty to be hazarded on a fi wle afliqn,
and against so vait a superiority ; and waq
the policy and unexampled General,jp 9
hourly displayed in that long and dghprrouj
retreat^ to be stiled pufil animity ? W>uiq
one think it possible for party zeal to f>efr
ftaually blind cur realon, as to make us
bitterly condemn on the one fide, what wf
extol as incomparable on the other I G-ne,
ral Wafhuigton purfyed General Clinton
with an equal, or very trifling superiority
of troops, a g eat part of them militia.
General Waftyngton could not divine Ge
neral Clinton's real, positive intentions,
whereas General Howe knew, that the A
mericah army could ha^e no other object
but Philadelphia. General Wafnirgtoq
had no ahifance from (hipping, ; bp Ge
neral Clinton acknowkdges he received
great and eff 6bulp r ct 6b mfrom tar na
vy in„ crossing th. Deiawa , and t the
end of his march, by embarking at Sandy-
Hook. In the action of the 28 \ the
12,000 men which General Clinton 11 Sti
ers to have driven back, pr>ves by the
* See Mr. Wombwell'* fpeecU in the Howfe^f
^mnons.
house politician had fabricated a pjan fo£
the future government of IM Co^onie^ t^
be enforced by g powerful ftapdipg ¥"§%
The most galling chains were |V^% r?T
ged for our fu^dion. Decimation \ya§
too lenient, and, if possible. we ^er^ fa
be deprivtdof the blcffing< of light anq^ir.
All the fouices of wealth and increase were;
to be flopped; and as the greatest of curses,
Scotland's rapacious clans were to take pofc
session of our cultivated fields, and despoil
us of our eftat-s. At this period, every
American of feeling and honour, who va
lued the privileges of mankind, and whq
had virtue to support and defend the jus
tice of his country's efforts, was expelkq
all society, and ftigmatifed with, the mo^
opprobrious and unmanly epithets. ^ W^
" were a continent ot rebels and cowards
" who would talk manfully when free
" from danger, and run lurtily at the I aft
" appearance of it."* Both Haufes of
Parliament resounded with our pifgractg
and their most able Senators defended t^
the lowest abuse. Good language yy^ toq