Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-07-14

the sometime distracted Congress
sustained him with unfinching firm
ness, and permitted his wishes to be-
come the guides of its action. His
lofty character, unimpeachabIe integ-
rity. and political sagaeity, probably
contributed as much to the success
of the Revolution as his unquestion-
ably great military talents.
In the spring of ITS the horizon
frightened. The patriots had a rep
resentative in France who was the
peer of Washin zton in everything
but military genius. This was Ben
ian. in Franklin, who, while retain
ing his republican simplicity of man
nerS. had so won the respect and ad-
miration of the Partisan Court and
of Continental Europe. that John
Adams said: "Not Lribnitz or New
ton, not Frederick or Yoltaire, had
a more universal reputation; and his
character was more beloved and es-
teemed than that of them all.
This truly great man had pleaded
our national cause with such states
man-like skill, that shortly after the
news of Burgoyne's surrender and
of Howe's inglorious and fruit
less occupation of Philadelphia, the
French Government had acknowl-
edged our national independence,
and promised To eventually support
it bv money, ships aud s"ldiers.
Russia and Prussia were friendly.
England, alarmed by our military
successes, was offering terms Of Goa
ciliation. She had sent Howe or
ders to evacuate Philadelphia, hold
New York and Rhode Island, and TO
make the campaign of l77s a series
of raids on the principal American
ports from Virginia TO Novia Scotia.
by means of the feet at his com
mand-orders which indicated ei h.
er ii<pair of success, or malice, or
both combined.
These facts revived the fainting
spirits of the people, and of the ar
(which was considerably strength
ened by new levies. Had his rein
fnrcements equaled lis demands,
Washington would have effcctually
crippled the army of seventeen thou
sand men which Sir Henry Clinton,
in obedience TO his orders, now un-
dertook to lead from rhilpdelphia
across New Jersey, to New York.
But, inferior as his forces were, he
followed the enemy, watching vigi-
lantly for an opportunity to strike
with effect, This came, in his judg-
ment, when Clinton reached Mon
mouth. He ordered the unpatriotic
General Lee (whose former insubor-
dination he had generously forgiven)
to attack the foe. But Lee was
treacherous, or cowardly, or both,
and he at first refused to obey the
order. But when his chief transfer
red the command of the division to
the heroic Lafayette, he, by con-
sent of the latter, undertook to lead
his troops into action. But his
movements We're so tardv and ineffi-
cient that, on the 2sth of June,
Clinton resumed his march. Lee
was ordered to attack his rear, but
he only made a feint at doing so.
Clinton, having profted by his de-
lay to get his baggage forward, sent
the flower of his army to attack Lee
This attack was met with such an
utter absence of generalship that
our troops quickly retreated in dis
order.
Fortunately, Washington came up
in time TO rally the fugitives, and
bring them into line, while his other
troops were forming on suitable
ground. His grand presence and
calm self-possession, as he rapidly
issued his orders amid shower of
bullets, reanimated the flying patri-
OTIS; they rallied brayely, and drove
back Clinton's cavalry. Greene's
division came into action, and by its
effective artillery fire beat back the
British from the right of our army.
When the English advanced again,
the impetuous Wayne met and re-
pulsed them with terrible slaughter.
Then the foe retired, bleeding at
every pore, into a position defended
on each flank by woods and swamps.
which could not be turned while day
light lasted. Our army, exhausted
by the intense heat and the tolls of
the fight, bivouacked on the field of