212 Fighting round New York. [me more attempt at a peaceable settlement. Lord Howe was sent out with a fleet to co-operate with his brother's army; but the two brothers were at the same time appointed commissioners to treat for peace. Franklin was their personal friend, and they began by sounding him on the subject. His answer was that, in his belief, nothing short of independence and indemnity for all injury done in the war would induce America to make peace. The Americans showed no wish to negotiate ; and the only effect of this commission was somewhat to delay military proceedings, in which speed was all important. Howe's first move was to secure New York, and with it the command of the Hudson. Washington, apprehending this, had posted his army in front of the city on a line of heights which runs nearly the whole way across Long Island. The position was well chosen, save that the American army, numbering about 15,000 men, was hardly large enough to guard it. On August 27, 1776, Howe attacked, and after some hard fighting routed the Americans ; but deterred, as some have thought, by recollections of Bunker Hill, he forbore to assault the enemy's lines. The American loss had, however, been heavy ; and two days later Washington evacuated his position and transported his whole army with their equipage across the East river, which separates Long Island from New York. The retreat was covered by a heavy fog ; but even so, to have effected it wholly without loss does the greatest credit to Washington's power of organisation and command. Yet it is almost certain that if the pursuit had been followed up with energy, or if Howe had only utilised his command of the East river, and posted men-of-war there, the whole American army must have been captured or destroyed. With a British fleet in the East river and a British army occupying Long Island, it was clearly impossible for Washington to hold New York ; and the town was evacuated on September 15. Again Howe threw away an opportunity by the slackness of his pursuit. Washington now posted himself on high ground to the north of New York. Thence too after some hard fighting he was dislodged, while at the same time the British position was strengthened by the capture of two American forts a few miles above New York, one on each bank of the Hudson. Washington now crossed the Hudson into New Jersey, hotly pursued by the ablest and most energetic of Howe's lieutenants, Lord Cornwallis, whose attempts to bring him to action were however baffled by dexterous and rapid movements. In November Howe carried his whole army across the Hudson and posted them in winter quarters. He was blamed for dispersing his troops in small cantonments instead of at once occupying Philadelphia. It is possible that the difficulty of transporting supplies may have been a sufficient reason for this ; but there was assuredly no excuse for entrusting Trenton, an important post, to the Hessians, whose ignorance
