Chapter II (Continue) Pages 24-27

Not a month had elapsed before Congress, in its anxiety over the diminishing number of recruits, empowered Washington (100) to give a bounty not to exceed $200 to each able-bodied veteran who would re-enlist and to each new recruit who joined "for the wager." Within two months (101) it reiterated this resolution and transferred the bounty to the State for whose contingent the recruit was enlisted.

On March 29th, it fixed the Continental establishment at 88 battalions, (102) recommending that Virginia and north Carolina raise as many battalions of regulars as possible for the defense of the Southern States, with the proviso that their term was to be limited to one year and that they were not to be forced to serve north of Virginia.  On top of these concessions, it granted a bounty of $200 to these one-year troops. (103) The States promptly outbid Congress, New Jersey offering $250 to each recruit in addition to the $200, the clothing and land allowed by Congress, while Virginia (104) made the bounty $750, one suit a year and 100 acres of land, incidentally confiscating the bounty and clothing given by Congress. (105) These enormous bounties to new recruits produced such intense dissatisfaction among the soldiers who had already done considerable service that Washington's suggestion that they be given a gratuity of $100 (106) was promptly complied with by a resolution of Congress. (107)

The continued depreciation of the Continental currency wrought increasing distress among the officers (108) and, as the half-pay for seven years to those who served until the end of the war (109) was manifestly insufficient, a recommendation was made to the States to grant half-pay for life to officers remaining in service until the conclusion of hostilities, as well as proper rewards to the soldiers. (110) In other words, in order to have sufficient officers to command the troops, Congress found itself forced to advocate that they too be given a bounty in the shape of half-pay for life. (111) The claim of the officers was ignored by the States, (112) but in proportion as the bounties for the soldiers was augmented the character of the recruits obtained became increasingly inferior, until Washington declared in disgust that, in any operation against the enemy's force in New York and Rhode Island, "double the number is the least it could be undertaken with, and this would be far from giving a certainty of success." (113)

Abundant proof of the utter futility of the system in which Congress persisted is to be found, not only in his judgment, but in the number of troops under arms that year. They amounted to 26,790 Continentals and 17,485 militia, a total of 44, 275, (114) as against less than 35,000 British, (115) and the results achieved were virtually nil. In the North, the Americans were restricted through weakness to a defense almost purely passive. New Haven and other towns in Connecticut were sacked by a force under General Tryon, (116) but this loss was recouped by the storming of Stony Point by "Mad Anthony" Wayne ten days later, (117) the seizure of valuable stores and the destruction of the fortifications erected there by the enemy, followed by the capture of Paulus Hook in August. (118) In the South the fall of Savannah (119) was but the precursor of the complete evacuation of Georgia and the restoration of the Royal government. (120)

On March 3rd, General Ashe and his 1,500 North Carolina militia were soundly beaten at Briar Creek, and the next two months were confined to unimportant movements and skirmishes on the part of General Lincoln and the British commander, General Prevost. In May an expedition under General Matthews plundered the coast of Virginia, laid waste both Norfolk and Portsmouth, destroyed 100 vessels and returned within a month with abundant booty. (121) Congress was apparently blind to the desolation entailed by a strong invasion of the Southern States, while Washington was powerless to furnish any assistance so long as Clinton continued to occupy New York. General Greene applied for command in the South, but, in spite of Washington's approval, Congress refused to grant it, and Lafayette, seeing no active service in prospect, returned to France. (122)

During the latter part of the summer a plan was formulated to re-take Savannah, and Comte d'Estaing, who had meanwhile captured New Grenada and fought a successful action with Admiral Byron, concurred in the scheme and on September 8th appeared off Savannah with a fleet of 33 ships and 6,000 troops. Eight days later the British garrison (123) was summoned "to surrender to the arms of the King of France" and the place was invested. D'Estaing, in trepidation over the approaching stormy season and the rumors of the coming of the British fleet, urged immediate action and on October 9th a vigorous assault was made, but Prevost had gained sufficient time to strengthen the defenses (124) and the allied forces (125)suffered a costly repulse. The French Admiral sailed away, (126) and Lincoln was compelled to abandon the siege. Two months later Sir Henry retaliated by leaving a small garrison in New York and by sailing (127) for Charleston with over 7,500 men. (128) Washington, upon learning that Clinton was embarking a large force of troops and believing that their destination was either South Carolina or Georgia, promptly ordered the Virginia and north Carolina Troops of the Continental Army to march south, while he went into winter quarters, for the main part in New Jersey, the headquarters being established at Morristown for the second time. (129)

FOOTNOTES ON CHAPTER II THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION: PAGES: 24-27 THE CAMPAIGN OF 1779

100. On January 23rd, 1779.

101. March 9th.

102. The apportionment of these 88 battalions among the States is given by Upton, p.39.

103. The resolution ran thus:
"That a bounty of two hundred dollars out of the Continental Treasury shall be granted to each recruit who after January 23d hath enlisted or shall enlist during the war, or in case the State shall have granted as great or greater bounty the said two hundred dollars for each recruit shall be passed to the credit of the State for whose quota he shall be raised."

104. On May 3rd.

105. Virginia reserved to herself the bounty and clothing given by Congress, which was tantamount to confiscating them.

106. Contained in his letter of June 9, 1779, to the Board of War.__Sparks, VI, footnote pp. 198-199.

107. On June 22nd.

108. See above, p. 22. In January, 1779, paper currency advanced from seven to one as compared with specie to nine to one; by the end of the year it stood at forty-five to one.

109. Recommended by the resolution of May 15, 1778. See above, p. 22.

110. Resolution of August 17th, which further instituted the pay-ment of pensions to widows of officers and men killed in service.

111. Upton, p.43.

112. So much to that, on October 21, 1780, Congress deemed it urgent to repeat its resolution.

113. Washington to the Committee of Congress, January 15, 1779.__Sparks, VI, p. 160.

114. American State Papers, XII, p. 17; Report of General Know, Secretary of War, American State Papers, Military Affairs, Vol. I; Upton, p.40.

The quotas required amounted to 38,624. Only two-=thirds were furnished to the Continental Army, the strength of which was 10,000 men less than the preceding year.

115. The maximum of the British effective strength that year was reached on December 1st. In New York and its dependencies were 28,756 troops; in Georgia, 3,930; in west Florida, 1,787, a total of 34, 473.__ Original returns in the British Record Office.

116. It numbered 2,600 men, who were convoyed from New York by Sir George Collier's fleet. It landed at New Haven on July 5th, spent four days in destruction, crossed to Huntington, Long Island, for stores, returned on the 11th, destroyed Norwalk and was back in New York on the 13th.

117. July 16th.

118. On August 19th, by a force of 400 under Major Henry Lee. Paulus Hook is situated opposite New York where Jersey City now stands.

119. On December 29, 1778. See above, p.24.

120. July 20, 1779.

121. This expedition consisted of 2,000 troops and 500 marines. It sailed from new York late in April and reached Hampton Roads on May 9th.__Carrington, p.466.

122. Carrington, p.465.

123. "The whole British force in Savannah, including a few militia, some Indians and three hundred negroes, was two thousand eight hundred and fifty."__Lossing, II, p. 739, footnote 1.

124. Memoirs of Generals Lee and Moultrie.

125. 2,823 French and 2,127 Americans, a total of 4,950.

126. On October 29th.

127. December 26th.

128. 7,500 was the number reported in London and given by Carrington, pp. 483, 494-495. The convoy consisted of 14 ships under Admiral Arbuthnot.

129. Upton, p. 39; Carrington, pp. 476-483; Lossing, II, pp. 734-739.