Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-24
it'sS had every sds1

Their armies were badly clad and badly provided with
stores They wero enlisted for very short terms ana
therefore badly disciplined and drilled The people Of
every colony were more or ss divided in opinion as to
the rghtuueas of the contest and some, as New York,
furnished as many troops to One side as the other.
The course of the contest su ,ientto have dis
couraged any but the mos. resolute natures.
The British had taken months for the most elaborate
preparation to subdue the colonies They supreme
by sea- Gen. Washington had concentrated his forces
at New York He had $1,000 men. The enemy had
"a 900. He undertook to defend Long Island, upon
which he erected defences and stationed troops. The
British landed troops turned his lt aank, routed his
array, and captured 1000 men. The remainder were
fortunate enough to escape to the maitland.
The American army was then in great part withdrawn
from the city, but such the terror inspired by the
superior military skill attributed to the British, that the
force stationed for the defence Of water battery He'd
from the bombardment OF the enemy and two orgades
sent to their aid were so infected with panic that they
reiterated without firing gun seeing the enemy, and
in spite of the remonsrances Of Gen. Washington and
their own officers
New York WAS then abandoned with the loss OF al
our artillery, much Of our army stores prOSi'iOn', tents,
a.
The American army behaved better at White Plains
But it was pursued by other disasters. Fort "ashing
son-rather az inst the advice OF Gen. Washington
was defended. The garrison made gallant defence
killing several hundred HeEsians bu. the British ad-
vaneed 10 three columns and drove the garrison within
the fort where It surrendered The British edptsd too
GousanS 6vs hundred men, Sth military stores, aud
rong positiOn This considered the greatest ca
uity of the war Fort Lee fell neIt-the troops were
-tbdravn, but oil the armament Gad supplies, iHeIU-
lug three hundred tents, fell into the hands Of TIE
sHsmy.
The ect of these blows falling with such weight and
rapidify. was intense The historian says the troops
Quilted the army ''by regiments half regiments, and
companies General Washington crossed into the Jer'
saws into which he was followed BY victorious enemy
He then headed az army Of only three thousand men" be-
sides some de6cbments under Lee and Others
New Jersey yielded without resistance, and no one
.bo looked on the ragged" handful Of Americans,
"a thew re,reated before the superior force OF the dsc
lined and appointed army which pursued them, coula
doubt that 'the contest approached its termination
lis unnecessary to follow the narrative OF reVerSes,
which ought to be read by every one and repuohshed
Tor the inspection Of the people
Washington. undismlyed, turned in his celebrated
night march across the Delaware captured 1000 men,
with arms aud stores, and returned in safety. But
nothing else occurred for months to break the current OF
British successss Their army embarked in the next cam
psp and for weeks Washington ignorant of their
destination To avoid the forts which he had erected on
the Delaware they BAD assembled the Chesapeake 70 march
overland upon Philadelphia Washington who bad
agsa recruited his temporary army, resisted their ad.
vance a, Brandywine Here lsyng force to threaten
the fords in 'front.' the enemy made dstoUr aud turned
our rioG. Rrnk The AlaicaDs, after short resist
anne withdrew. Washington made yet another stand
10 cave Philadelphia bu. violent rain so completely
irepched his men, that their uhols stock Of ammunition
"a, rendered un for use Hnd the army was compelled
70 fall back l. is stated that at this time there were
,carcly two guns of the clbrs in the army One
regiment reviewed niHsly Uskst' aud seven bdy0s''
Ou- night attack on Germantown was failure ana
The enemy held Philadelphia without farther moestauon
Their mex, Obi sct was to opsa the Delaware Wishing
,ou wished to pre- ve his forts. We strengthened and
threw mea into them The enemy were REFUSED In
and attack on one Of them. Then they brought their
hips to bear and "skse5" the forts until they were no
longer tenabe, and were abandoned. Washington
snsi Hsrsr aftsrtsrds haze rssistsd the Brtiih o"
ne ,r1t,r or near the vaer-i except the capture
ii CornWalliJ The British we're supreme on that Gle
nen In his own words 70 protect the coast fro" an
,asav entirely Of The ssd IS i@Prdefieabe'
b, Washington aever dsbanded his army, and his
victories were chiefly in the interior where the enemy
VAS compelled to pursue him on their theory Of sOlju-
CATION.
We look With apprehension upon the numerous eIpe-
.iOns Of our snemy How it with the invasion OF
our ancestorss large British army held New York
sd the Jerseys. Another lay unmol,s.ea at PhiadeE
min. Az expedition, under BIrEoyue, oamein from
Canada To the CONSERVATION Of al, Ticondtroga-re-
ported impreznabe-fe capture, due ia great part TO
n, shipping sLieh 3mpaniei BsrgoyHs. Oar stores
and artillery fell into the hands of the enemy Another
expedition advanced from the Canadian border It
composed of loyAst Canadians, with alags force Of
Iadass Yet Burgoyns was captured 9th hi' army,
,Ls ne srate4 to the Of Nee York, and the
Indian Expeditions cans to nAught.
We shall not at present take up the Southern cam
p,igu TO show Vrginil invaded, her clpiIa occupied
by the enemy, aud Carolina and Georgia incapable CT
-,.is.ancs We only remind our readers that in the
course CT the war; New Yok aud Philadelphia fell into
the hands of the enomy that Norfolk vas burned, and
Gu ,rleston and Savannah captured.
If IL we're within limits describe the condition CT
the army and county at that period our readers would
be aslonshed at the picture.
The Confederate Treasury was without money or Gre d.
it, The troops without arms ammunition or clothes
Toe peop without accumulated wealth or current tup-
I Is Of the most necessary character The country
divided in opinion. The temptations of safety and
comfort we're held out to the tmid and mercenary-