WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON
until spring. He issued repeated calls for troops,
and in order to keep up appearances continually
harassed the enemy. In January, 1777, he issued
a proclamation requiring those inhabitants who
had subscribed to Howe's declaration to take the
oath of allegiance to the United States, but his
action, through necessaay for dividing the pa-
triots from the Tories, was questioned in Congress,
and he was accused of violating civil rights. The
question of appointing foreigners to commissions
in the patriot arm%' was condemned by Washing-
as unfair to the native officers. In May he took
up a strong position within ten miles of New
Brunswick in order to watch Burgoyne's opera-
tions, and on May 31 a fleet of one hundred ships
left New York and Howe entered New Jersey,
followed by Washington, who baffled the invasion
at every point, obliging Howe to evacuate and
withdraw to New York, from whence, on July
23, he set sail for Delaware, aiming an attack on
Philadelphia. Washington gathered his forces
and marched south, and on September 11 the
British advanced to Chad's Ford, where Washing-
ton's main army was posted, cut off his right
wing, and caused him to beat a hasty retreat.
This defeat caused the American troops to lose
courage, and the army was held together with
difficulty. Howe took possession of Philadelphia
and encamped his main army at Germantown.
On October 3, Wasliington with 8000 men, routed
the enemy at Germantown, but reinforcements
being delayed, a panic took place among the raw
troops, and they fell back in the very moment of
victory. In 1777 Burgoyne was sent to invade
Canada by way of Lake Champlain, and Wash-
ington concentrated his attention on Howe in
Philadelphia to prevent a junction of the two
British armies. The loss of Fort Ticonderoga
was a severe blow, but he bent every nerve to
arouse New England and get out her militia, and
in consequence the New Englanders defeated
one of Burgoyne's divisiors at Bennington, and
the New Yorkers, another at Oriskany and Fort
Schuyler; and outnumbered and beaten Bur-
goyne surrendered at Saratoga. In the mean-
time, Washington had repulsed the British at
Fort Mercer, but a combined land and naval at-
tack caused him to abandon control of the Del-
aware, and long delayed reinforcements arriving
from the north, he took a secure position at
White Marsh, where he remained refusing Howe's
oflfer of battle, awaiting an attack by the latter
general, in spite of urging from the public and
army to attack Philadelphia and repeat the vic-
tory at Saratoga. But Washington liad no other
army to fall back on, and if he had risked an at-
tack without success, no American army would
have remained. Consequently he worried Howe's
flank; cooped him up in Philadelphia, and in the
words of Franklin, " Philadelpliia had taken
Howe." About this time a plot was set on foot
by the followers of General Gates for the over-
throwal of Washington, and in consequence of
the duplicity of Gates, Washington did resign
from the secretaryship of the board of war, but
in February' the cabal had fallen to pieces, and
Gates was sent to his command in the north.
During the winter of 1777 Washington withdi'ew
his army to Valley Forge, within striking dis-
tance of Philadelphia. The army was now in a
destitute state, with literally no supplies, and
was obliged to seize by force the articles of food
and clothing necessary for existence. Mrs. Wash-
ington was in camp with her husband. She
had ridden behind liim on his bay charger from
the deserted encampment at White Mai-sh to the
new camp at Valley Forge. The dwelling of
Isaac Potts the Quaker preacher furnished her
shelter, but not shared by lier husband who lived
with the officers and men under his command.
Mrs. Washington gathered in her small rooms
the wives of the other soldiers and their days
were spent in providing clothing for the des-
titute soldiers, and these she distributed to
the most needy with her own hands. As the
spring opened, congress began to realize the wis-
dom of Washington's policy of organizing a per-
manent Continental army, and under Baron
Steuben a rigid discipline was introduced, and
Greene was appointed quartermaster-general. On
May 11, 1778, Sir Henry Clinton relieved Howe
at Philadelphia, and with 10,000 men started on
the march to New York. The American army
now numbered 13,000 men at Valley Forge, and
Wasliington broke camp and went in pursuit of
Clinton. An attack was ordered on the British
rear-guard by a large division under General Lee
on May 27th, but owing to the latter general's
hesitation, Clinton was enabled to mass his best
troops under Cornwallis, and meet the American
advance at Monmouth, and the American army,
demoralized, retreated. Washington riding up
at this juncture met Lee and the main body in
full retreat, and after rebuking that general, ral-
lied the broken troops and drove Cornwallis back.
Clinton, however, got into New York during the
night, having lost about 2000 men. On May 4,
1778, congress had ratified the treaty and alliance
with France made by Fi'anklin, and on July 14,
D'Estaing arrived with the French fleet. Wash-
ington immediately communicated his plans to
the allies, but D'Estaing too late to cut off
Lord Howe at the Delaware, could not get his
ships over the bar at New York, and when ready
to unite with General Sullivan in driving the
Britisli from Rhode Island, Lord Howe appeared
with his squadron off the harbor. In endeavoring
to give the enemy battle, both fleets were driven
