"Long did I endeavor, with unfeigned and unwearied zeal, to preserve from breaking that fine and noble China vase, the British Empire; for I knew that, once broken, the separate parts could not retain even their share of the strength or value that existed in the whole, and that a perfect reunion of their parts could scarce ever be hoped for."

At a conference which took place between Lord Howe, representing England, and Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge, for the colonies, Lord Howe expressed a deep fraternal feeling for them saying, "If America should fail, I should feel and lament it like the loss of a brother.

Franklin bowed and calmly said: "We will do our utmost endeavor to spare your lordship that mortification."

The Franklin Story-Calendar, Wayne Whipple, November 13 to 26, 1910.

"Unpack His Heart with Words ?"

In the summer of 1776, at New York, when he was at the head of the Army of the Revolution, the following appeared among the General Orders of August 3d:

"The General is sorry to be informed, that the foolish and wicked practice of profane cursing and swearing, a vice heretofore little known in an American army, is growing into fashion; he hopes the officers will, by example as well as influence, endeavor to check it, and that both they and the men will reflect, that we can have little hope of the blessing of Heaven on our arms, if we insult it by our impiety and folly; added to this, it is a vice so mean and low, without any temptation, that every man of sense and character detests and despises it."

Is it probable, nay, is it possible, that the author of these orders ever lost or forgot the character and principles of his youth and manhood from which they came, so that in later years he became accustomed to

"unpack his heart with words, And fall a-cursing, like a very drab,"

or emphasize the utterances of excited passion with habitual profanity? I think not!

Libels on Washington, Geo. H. Moore, p. 6.

"George Washington, Esq., etc., etc."

"We expect a bloody summer in New York and Canada," wrote General Washington to his brother, after his return to New York.

British men-of-war began to arrive in New York Harbor and to land soldiers by thousands on Staten Island. General Howe and his brother, Lord Howe, on their arrival, found Washington in possession of New York and two small forts, named for the two generals, Washington and Lee, were built above the city on opposite sides of the Hudson, to prevent the British fleet from ascending that wide stream. But Washington's ever vanishing forces were inadequate to guard and hold New York and the surrounding country, separated as it was by great rivers. Lord Howe had come with full pardoning powers from King George. He tried to open communication with the commander-in-chief of the colonial army, sending a messenger with a letter addressed to "Mr. Washington. This General Washington's secretary refused to receive. Then an officer arrived at Washington's headquarters with a communication for "George Washington, Esq., etc., etc." Though the officer was received with careful courtesy this letter also was declined.

"But the etc., etc.,' implies everything," protested the bearer of it.

"It may also mean anything!" said Washington, laughing.

Then he added that the "pardoning power" of Lord Howe would be of no avail, for there was nothing to pardon, and, in fact, no pardon had been asked.

Of course, the form of address on a letter was a trifling thing-but Washington comprehended that he represented

the rising young republic, and England must be made to realize this. Lord Howe, at least, recognized Washington's character and the justice of his claim to courteous treatment, which Gage had been incapable of seeing, for he wrote back to England that they might as well give "General" Washington his proper title. But nothing came of the Howes' attempted negotiations to end the war.

Washington's army was now drawn from a wider range of territory than that of New England and the South. Of the difficulties besetting the young commander, John Adams once said:

"It requires more serenity of temper, a deeper understanding, and more courage than fell to the lot of Marlborough, to ride in this whirlwind."

The Washington Story-Calendar, Wayne Whipple, September 4 to 10, 1910.

CHAPTER XV

DEFEATS AND RETREATS

General Howe Turns the Tables

Howe and his brother were experienced military commanders. They had the aid of Clinton and Cornwallis, both of whom were good generals, and over thirty thousand well armed soldiers-men who fought for a living-while Washington had less than eighteen thousand, most of whom knew nothing of war, while many had no muskets to fight with. On the other hand, Washington had the advantage of position. He not only held the city and the forts on the Hudson, but he had possession of Brooklyn Heights on Long Island directly opposite the city on the south. General Howe, with his army, was on Staten Island. He saw that if he could take Brooklyn Heights, and plant his cannon there, he could drive Washington out of New York, just as Washington, by seizing Dorchester Heights, had driven him out of Boston.

General Putnam was in command of the Heights with a force of nine thousand men. Believing that the British meant to attack him, he sent about half his force to meet the enemy. The British, twenty thousand strong, or nearly five to one of the Americans, came across from Staten Island and landing on the southwestern shore of Long Island began their march toward the Heights. They soon met and defeated the little army sent against them, in what was called the battle of Long Island (August 27, 1776). They then got ready to besiege Putnam.

Putnam with his whole army would certainly have been captured if it had not been for Washington's energy and skill. During the night a dense fog came up. Washington

took advantage of it and succeeded in getting all the men across the river in boats to New York. In the morning, when the British commander stretched out his hand to take the "nest of rebels," as he called it, he got the nest indeed, but it was empty-the birds had flown.

The Leading Facts of American History, D. H. Montgomery, p. 170.

The Masterly Retreat from Long Island

The next day brought the heavy rain with which a merciful Providence almost invariably blesses the wounded and weary after a great battle. There was some skirmishing and cannonading, and an appearance of intention to carry the works by regular approach. A heavy fog enveloped everything on the 28th, but when it lifted for a moment there were business indications about the fleet off Staten Island. As there was nothing to prevent the ships doing in East River as the enemy had done between the two lines two days before, a council of war determined to evacuate the Long Island lines. In spite of the fog, all water craft on both rivers were brought around to the Brooklyn ferry landing by dark. On their arrival, they were manned by the Marblehead fishermen and sailors who composed an entire Massachusetts regiment, while Washington, who, like all other sensible men, had learned that the only way to have a thing done to suit him was to do it himself, superintended the embarkation. General Mifflin, with eight hundred fresh troops and the remnants of three regiments that had suffered severely in the recent engagement, manned the lines, while the remaining eight thousand men, with all their stores and impedimenta, retreated to the ferry, the rear being covered by a few light guns commanded by Captain Alexander Hamilton, who later became one of the biggest guns in the American political field.

Mifflin went back to the lines, and held them until his own retreat was ordered, when his detachment quietly