New-York tribune., 1879-05-06

asserts, TO put an end to the American war. Yet
every opportunity was neglected. During his com
mand, rebellion instead of being suppressed was
cherished The army he had to deal with in 1875
and l777 was 90 much in want of discipline. of
arms, of clothing of ammunition, that in several
instances, he might easily have brought the rebel
| lion to close His Summers were consumed IN
expensive and useless operations, while the Winters
passed away in luxury and dissipation Had he
been consigned to the grave, instead of beng sent
| to America, long series of dishonor would have
| been saved to this country.
| The official intrigue and corruption which pre-
vailed in the command of Sir William Howe. as
described by the historian almost beyond prece-
| dent, even in the records of military contractors
| On one OCCASION after the battle of Brooklyn, a
| number of horses and wagons had been furnished
by loyal subjects, the requisition of quarter
master. Many of the wagons were ruined, and many
! of the horses were killed or disappeared Few OF
| them, in fact were ever returned to Long Island.
| The Quartermaster refused to pay for the loss.
Repeated applications were made by the sufferers
| for redress, but without effect To some OF the
claimants. the quartermastcr made fair promises
others he met with curses, and turned them ont OF
| the house; but not a penny was ever received by
| the losers. The quartermaster pocketed the whole
| On subsequent campaign, there was similar de-
mand for wagons and horses. But 1t was met with
universal clamOr. The people remembering the
wrongs they had suffered, refused to comply with the
demand. At length il was agreed that the horses and
wagons should be delivered at certain price Tor
| their use, while in actual service Upon the close
| of the campaign, the owners applied for the re-
turn of the horses and wagons, and payment for
! their use But they were met by the quarermaster
With the assertion that they had been purchased,
and that he was ready to pay for them at
their valuation. This made q great noise,
and caused much clamor, and some threats But
| the quartermaster was DexOrabe. There was no
| civil law, and the owners were without redress.
| Tenders of the appraised value were made, and the
most INDECENT among them thOught IL prudent to
accept the cash. But the wealthy farmers scorned
the proposal refused the sums offered. and deter
mined to prosecute for justice whenever the Kings
| Courts should be opened. The fortune of the
| ouartermaster was made, and he returned TO Eng
! land nabob of the West having pOckcted, at
least threc-quarters of million of dollars BY the
transaction. This slashing business continued un-
til the arrival of Sir Guy Carleton, who soon put an
end to all further plumber and pecuatOn during the
continuance of the army in America. Similar trans
| actions are related at length by the author, who
| estimates the amount of money raised by Great
Britain for the support of the war; which was "swal-
lowed up by these bloOd-sucking harpes" as not
Many of the brief biographical portraitures which
abound in the work, though not free from the per-
sOna prejudces of the writer, possess considerable
interest, as illustrations of the character and pas
sions of the Revolutionary era. The references to
Washington, for the most part, are respectful in
| tome though not of an appreciative spirit. may
be seen in the following extract from the meagre
| and unsatisfactory sketch Of his lIfe:-
After the peace of 1868. he married the widow Of a
|
self down quietly upon his own estate. where he lived
til the late American CONNEXIONS commenced He was
delegate from Virginia at the first Congress, In IVA
He took this occasion, violent ana active part
against Great Britain. When this Congress was dis
solved ho returned home. was appointed chairman OF
the Committee of the county IN which he resided, and
enforced the resolutions ana recomnendalons OF Com
| gress with high hand. Some who refused obedience
imprisoned; He even levied taxes upon the lnhaDitants
and ordered them collected and paid by dnt OF his own
arbitrary mandates with being advertised III the public
papers enemies to America and the rights OF man
certain banishment, the destruction of property and
the ruin OF families OF wlves ana OF en- ufen
May, 1878. Colonel Washington was again sent as one
of the delegates from Virginia. War declared
against Great Britain. an army ordered to be raised
and Washington was commissioned by Congress as
| General. He repaired to Boston. where the British
Army then lay. and with the assistance Of numerous
visions, that General Howe, VINO then had the com
| Washington, with the rebel army, went to New-lo k
| General Howe also went there IN June, 1776. Upon
| Long Island August, the two armies met, and
Washing ton was totally defeated He abandoned Long
ih uner mari Of that island He was repnlsed at the
White Plains, in Westchester Comfy, and absolutely
ferreed through NewJersey, nor dd he stop m he got
TO Philadelphia. The British not passing the Delaware
and gong into quarters he collected some troops from
the southwark recrossed the Delaware at trenton the
latter end of December, l776, surprised ana made
prisoners OF about 600 Hessisns laden with plunder
| under the command OF drunken colonel. He carried
his prisoners to Philadelphia returned to New-JeTscy
and Princeton was defeated by Colonel Mawhood,
upon which he preclpltaely retired, and by forced
march through the country, arrived at and took pos
ber l777, he totally defeated at Brandywine. In
October folio wing he met with the same fate at German
town. and July, 177S, he Jared In the manner at
ccnsie N mountains IN the Hicbands on the west
| side Of the Hudson. I'm the province of New-HOrk In
1871, he passed the river and junction was formed
seur Rochambeau, from Rhode Island, at the White
Plains. The allied army now paraded about the lines
al Kngsbridge to the great terror Of the British Gen
eTal III NeW-YOrK; Out nothing was done, hte skiL-
mishing between small parties now and t9en excepted:
In September, the allies passed inc hudson, went
through Jerseys PennSy lyania, Mary land and en-
tered Virginia where being joined by corps under tue
MARQUIS DE Lafayette the uil u OF the country, and
French army brought from the West indies, by the
Compile DE Grasse under tine command Of Monsieurde ST.
simon, WIN he assistance OF INC ffchch meet nc lnd
siege 10 Yorktown and Gloucester and IN about
month compelled Lord COrnWailis. Who commanded
there to captulate upon honorable terms. Washing
after this returned 10 the Highlands IN the province
of New-YOIk where he continued until in
mon tIe most irnOmRous terms oeded thirteen col
Oncs rebels, with tract Of land not included in
any OF their grants COmpreDcndng more square acres
than hall Europe sacrificed all loyal subjects by
giving away their esaes, and recognizing The rebel
| Acts or AttGnders without term. condition. a
stipulation favor Of the poor Loyallsts. Can Wash
| iug,On be called the cOnqucrOr Of America? BY no
| means. America was conquered in the British Para-
| ment. Washington Herer cOald have conquered it.
British generals nerr did their duty The friends OF
the rebel chief say he has virtues suppose he has,
| say. Curse mis- virtues they've undOne his coui-
Try"
The notices Of Sir William johnson, who became
celebrated among the New-YOrk Indians prior to
the Revolution. as a patriarch by adoption, are in
more lively vein, and betray certain degree of
descriptive power. At the close Of the French
IL Id