The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-05-30


Washington's intrenched position on
the hills of Brooklyn. where quite half
the American army lay. For a little
space he waited till his brother, Ad-
miral Lord Howe, should come to
act with him in negotiation and COM
mand.
Lord Howe Offers Pardon.
Lord Howe was authorized to offer
pardon for submission, and very hon
orably used month and more Of
good fighting time in learning that the
colonists had no desire to be pardon
ed mo doubt we all need pardon
from heaven for our manifold sins and
transgressions," was Governor Trum-
bulls Connecticut version of the gen.
eral feeling, "but the American who
needs the pardon of his Britannia
majesty is yet to be found"
On the 22d of August, accordingly,
General Howe put twenty thousand
men ashore at Gravesend Bay.
British Drive the CoIonists.
On the 9th, his arrangements for
an overwhelming attack succeeding at
every point, he drove the five thou
sand Americans thrown out to oppose
him back into their works upon the
heights, with loss of four hundred
killed and wounded and thousand
taken.
Still mindful of Bunker Hill, he
would not storm the intrenchments, to
which Washington himself had
brought reinforcements which swelled
his strength upon the heights to ten
thousand He determined, instead, to
draw lines Of siege about them, and at
his leisure take army, position, stores,
and ALL
Washington Decides to Retreat.
Washington, seeing at once what
Howe intended, and how possible 1t
was, decided to withdraw Immediately
before a fleet should be in the river
and his retreat cut off,
1t was mastery piece of work
| The British commander was as much
astonished to see Brooklyn Heights
empty on the morning Of August 80
as he had been to see Dorchester
Heights occupied that memorable
morning six months before.
Washington had taken ten thousand
men across that broad river, with all
| their stores and arms, in single
night, while small guard kept up a
sharp fire from the breastworks, and
no sound of the retreat reached the
dull ears of the British sentries.
Washineton's Army DemoraIized.
But the sharp fighting and bitter
defeat of the 9th had sadly, even
shamefully, demoralized Washington's
raw troops, and he knew he must
withdraw from New York.
All through September and part OF
October he held what he could of the
Island, fighting for it almost mile by
mile as he Withdrew-now cut to the
quick and aflame with almost uncon-
trollable anger to see what towards
his men could be; again heartened to
see them stand and hold their ground
like men, even in the open. The most
that he could do was to check and
thwart the powerful army pressing
steadily upon his front and the free
fleet threatening his TANKS.
He repulsed the enemy at Harlem
Heights September 16): he Kept his
the Americans were everywhere afoot;
the British held no posts in New Jer-
sey but Paulus Hook, Amboy, and
New Brunswick; and Washington had
issued a proclamation commanding all
who had accepted General Howe's Of
fer of pardon either to withdraw with
in the British lines or to take the oath
of allegiance to the United States.
Men loved to tell afterwards how
Frederick the Great had said 1t was
the most brilliant campaign of the
century.
Congress took steps before the win
ter was over to secure long enlist
ments, and substitute veritable army
for the three months levies with which
! Washington had hitherto been strug-
Cling to make shift.
Pledges His Private Fortune.
After. the affair at Trenton. Wash
ington had been obliged to pledge his
own private fortune for their pay to
induce the men whose terms of enlist
ment were to expire on New Years
day-more than half his force-to stay
with him but few weeks more, till his
plan should be executed. Now he was
authorized to raise regiments enlisted
till the war should end, and to exer-
else almost dictatorial powers in
everything that might affect the disci-
pine, provisioning, and success of his
army.
There was need, for the year wit
messed fighting Of tremendous conse-
Quence. 80