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officer of celebrity. The day had been excessively hot, and numbers, both British and Americans were found among the dead without wounds, who had fallen victims to the heat.

The Americans made about an hundred prisoners; and nearly a thousand privates, mostly Germans, deserted the British standard, on the march through New Jersey.

Congress highly approved of the conduct of the Commander in Chief in bringing on the action of the 28th, and was gratified with its issue. In a resolution, which passed that body unanimously, their thanks were given to General Washington "for the activity with which he moved from the camp at Valley Forge, in pursuit of the enemy; for his distinguished exertions in forming the line of battle; and for his great good conduct in the action." He was requested" to signify the thanks of Congress to the officers and men under his command, who distinguished themselves by their conduct and valour in the battle."

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Although the Commander in Chief disapproved of the retreat, yet could the proud spirit of General Lee have patiently borne what he considered as a reprimand on the field of battle, it is probable that an explanation mutually satisfactory might have taken place. General Washington continued him in command on the day of action, after his retreat, and discovered no disposition to take public notice of it. But the irritable and lofty spirit of Lee urged him to write the next day two offensive letters to General Washington, in which, assuming the language of a superior,

he demanded satisfaction for the insult offered him on the field of battle. On deliberation, the Commander in Chief informed him" that he should have an opportunity to justify himself to the army, to America and the world, or of convincing them, that he had been guilty of breach of orders and misconduct before the enemy." General Lee, expressing his desire for a court martial in preference to a court of inquiry, was arrested upon the following charges,

1. For disobedience of orders in not attacking the enemy on the 28th of June agreeably to repeated instructions.

2. For misbehaviour before the enemy on the same day, by making an unnecessary, disorderly and shameful retreat.

3. For disrespect to the Commander in Chief, in two letters.

The high colouring of the second charge was in consequence of complaints entered by Generals Wayne and Scott, against General Lee, which on investigation appeared to have been founded in their misapprehending his movements. Lord Sterling presided at the court, which found him guilty of all the charges, but softened the language of the second, and found him guilty of misbehavionr, by making an unnecessary, and in some few instances a disorderly retreat. The court sentenced him to be suspended from his command for one year.

Congress, with some hesitation, almost unanimously approved the sentence.

The suspension of General Lee was highly satis

factory to the army. They keenly resented his abuse to the Commander in Chief, and his continuance in commission probably would have produced great inconvenience.

Scarcely had Sir Henry Clinton reached New York, when a French fleet appeared off the Chesapeak, under the command of Count d'Estaing. He had been eighty-seven days in crossing the Atlantic. Had his passage been an ordinary one, he would have found Lord Howe in the Delaware, and the capture or destruction of the British fleet in that river, and probably of the army in Philadelphia, must have been the consequence. Count d'Estaing being disappointed at the Delaware, sailed along the coast to Sandy Hook. General Washington moved his army to the White Plains, that he might be in a situation to cooperate with the French Admiral against New York.

In the mean time, Sir Henry Clinton employed his whole force to strengthen his lines. The French Admiral finding an attack upon New York impracticable, a conjoint expedition was planned against Rhode Island.

At the critical moment when the success of the uuited action of the French and American army was reduced to a moral certainty, Count d'Estaing sailed out of the harbour of Newport to fight Lord Howe. Being overtaken by a violent storm, his fleet was greatly damaged, and he though it advisable to repair to Boston harbour

to refit.

In consequence of the harbour of Newport be

ing opened to the British, General Sullivan, the commanding officer upon Rhode Island, was compelled to retreat. He and his general officers had remonstrated against Count d'Estaing leaving Newport, and in the moment of disappointment and irritation at the failure of the expedition, General Sullivan in orders, used expressions, which were construed into a severe reflection upon the French Admiral and other marine officers, and which they resented.

General Washington, alarmed at the probable consequences of a misunderstanding and jealousy between the French and Americans, so soon after the alliance was formed, and in the very commencement of their united operations, immediately adopted measures to prevent them. In letters to Generals Heath and Sullivan, he communicated the mode of conduct which he wished might in this delicate transaction be pursued.

To Heath, who commanded in Boston, he expressed his apprehension that resentment of the conduct of the Count might prevent the proper exertion to repair and victual the French fleet, and he urged Heath to counteract such prejudices.

"It will certainly be sound policy to combat the effects, and whatever private opinions may be entertained, to give the best construction of what has happened to the public; and at the same time, to exert ourselves to put the French fleet, as soon as possible, in a condition to defend itself, and be useful to us. The departure of the fleet from Rhode Island is not yet publicly announced

here; but when it is, I intend to ascribe it to necessity produced by the damage received in the late storm. This, it appears to me, is the idea which ought to be generally propagated. As I doubt not, the force of these reasons will strike you equally with myself, I would recommend to you to use your utmost influence to palliate and soften matters, and to induce those, whose business it is to provide succours of every kind for the fleet, to employ their utmost zeal and activity in doing it. It is our duty to make the best of our misfortunes, and not suffer passion to interfere with our interest and the public good."

To General Sullivan he mentioned "his apprehension that should the expedition fail, in consequence of being abandoned by the French fleet, loud complaints might be made by the officers employed on it. Prudence," he said " dictated the propriety of giving this affair the best appearance, and of attributing the withdrawing the fleet from Rhode Island, to absolute necessity. The reasons," he added, " for this line of condnct, were too obvious to need explanation. That of most importance was that their enemies, both internal and external, would seize the first cause of disgust between the allies, and endeavour to convert it into a serious rupture."

When the General received the resolution of Congress, directing him to take every measure in his power to prevent the publication of the protest entered into by General Sullivan and his officers, he communicated the resolution, and with it the following letter. "The disagreement between

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