would have disgraced the darkest era of the middle ages, Captain Asgill, a young man of high respectability, on whom the lot fell, would have met poor Huddy's doom, had it not been for the timely interposition of the King and Queen of France.

While General Heath remained with the main army, the absence of General Washington vested him with the supreme command. When that General returned from Philadelphia, where he had an interview with General Count Rochambeau, in July, the American army moved lower down the Hudson. A part which proceeded by water, disembarked, and encamped near Verplanck's Point; another part descended by land. A new order of battle was published, in case the enemy should come in contact, and the command of the left wing of the army was assigned to General Heath.

New Windsor was selected for the cantonments of the main army, during the ensuing winter. Towards the close of October, General Heath's division struck their tents, and moved to that destination. The army being now inactive, and there being no probability that they would be speedily attacked, General Heath, by leave of the commander-in-chief, proceeded, on the 5th of December, on a visit to his farm at Roxbury, and returned to head quarters at Newburgh on the 14th of April following. The contest was now drawing to a close. While Great Britain had to deplore the immense expenditure of blood and treasure in the fruitless pursuit of unjust power, the sturdy sons of the Western Hemisphere were amply gratified with the prospect of a speedy and honourable termination to the years of toil and privation, which they had experienced. News had been received, that peace had already been signed, and an order for the cessation of hostilities was daily expected in camp. The welcome tidings were at length confirmed, and published at head quarters on the 19th of April, 1783.

The privations of officers as well as privates in the American army, during the unnatural contest, had been great. The consummation of their wishes was now happily accomplished in the acknowledgment of Inde

pendence; but while they could felicitate themselves on the attainment of their most ardent wishes, their pecuniary embarrassments still continued, the constituted government of their country being altogether incompetent to pay them their just wages. Congress had passed a resolve, in order to reduce the army, with the greatest facility, empowering the commander-in-chief to grant furloughs to the troops engaged to serve during the war, and to a number of officers proportionate to the troops who might be thus dispersed, unaccompanied, however, with the means to enable them to arrive at their respective destinations. This, as might naturally have been expected, excited a considerable ferment in the army. With a view to suppress the storm which seemed ready to burst, a board of general officers was therefore called, of which General Heath was chosen president. A respectful address to the commander-in-chief was penned, setting forth the actual situation of the officers and men; the defalcation of Congress in complying with their engagements; the inability of the furloughed troops to reach their respective abodes without means; the degradation to which the officers were reduced; and their unwillingness to depart unless Congress should afford redress, and give them certificates of their arrears of pay. The address was couched in very respectful language, and transmitted to General Washington, signed by General Heath, as president of the board. It was directed to the commander-in-chief, because it only requested of him to use his influence to have their grievance removed. It breathed not the language of servility, because it asked for justice-not favours; nor did it exhibit that of the braggart, by the use of menaces to frighten Congress, to perform what otherwise the imperious dictates of justice, reason, and duty, demanded.

The reply of the commander-in-chief was highly satisfactory, as he assured them, that their wishes had already been anticipated by every exertion in his power, to have an amicable adjustment of their accounts, and as far as was practicable a relief of their immediate wants.—This is the era when the celebrated anonymous letters addressed to the army made their appearance, on the writer of

whom much obloquy has been-since thrown, very probably for party purposes. In that business, their author has never been treated by the parties concerned, with that candour, to which from his very meritorious services, he appeared to have been so well entitled.

About this time, the design for forming a military order was begun. Although its object was specious in the exterior, it savoured strongly of aristocracy. General Heath attended its meeting; exerted his influence to oppose its aristocratical features, and only subscribed to its funds for the charitable objects which were professed.

At a subsequent period of his life he was confirmed in his objections to the institution as it was then conducted, and ordered his name to be erased from the list of members; continuing, however, his subscription for the charities, which its constitution professed to be its main object.

A coincidence of dates in the chain of events, is, sometimes, remarkable. General Heath was the first officer who ordered and gave directions for the guard at Prospect-hill, in 1775, after the battle of the 19th of April in that year, and he was left the last general of the day in the main army to perform the duties affixed to that station, . in 1783.

On the 24th of June, General Heath received a letter from General Washington, dated the same day, taking an affectionate leave of him, which was couched in the strongest language of friendship. On the afternoon of that date, General Heath started for his residence in Massachusetts, and, upon his arrival, exchanged the garb of a soldier, for the habiliments of private life.

During the remaining years of his life, he often experienced the manifestations of the esteem in which he was held by his fellow-citizens, by their suffrages. In the year 1798, he published his memoirs. While they evince, in the manner of memorandum, a man of business, their want of method and arrangement exhibit the absence of the able penman.

The General; in the evening of his days, reposed in domestic felicity, enjoying the reward of a well spent life,

in the warm affection of a nation, for whose freedom he had so often risked his existence in the field of battle.

ANTHONY WAYNE.

THIS gentleman was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1745. He was bred to the profession of a surveyor, to the duties of which he attended for several years. But as soon as the clouds began to gather in the political hemisphere, he relinquished his private pursuits, and united his efforts with the patriots of 1774 and 1775, in warding off the impending storm. He was successively honoured with a seat in the legislature, until he vacated it for the more arduous toils of the tented field, by the acceptance of a colonelcy in the provincial army; and so great was his interest, that, in a few weeks, he raised a regiment in his native county.

He attended, with his regiment, the unfortunate General Thompson into Lower Canada, in 1776, and was present in the attack on Trois Rivieres, when that gallant officer was defeated and taken prisoner. After this disastrous event, he was peculiarly serviceable in securing the retreat of the American troops, which, by his judicious conduct and activity, he was able to effect with very little loss. On this occasion, he was slightly wounded. In the retreat, after the capture of Thompson, Colonel Maxwell was the commanding officer. This unfortunate expedition was planned and ordered by General Sullivan. Colonel Wayne afterwards served, with his regiment, in the northern army at Ticonderoga under General Gates, in the campaign of 1776. His talents as an engineer, his quickness of perception, and accurate estimation of heights and distances, with his other military qualifications, rendered him a most valuable officer.

In the beginning of the campaign of 1777, he was

raised to the rank of brigadier-general, and with his brigade was ordered to re-enforce General Washington, at

the head of Elk.

When

At the battle of Brandywine, General Kniphausen was posted at Chad's ford; as a feint, General Washington having stationed General Wayne, with an adequate force, as he supposed, to defend the passage of the ford. Cornwallis, as he had designed, succeeded in turning the right flank of the American army, Kniphausen crossed the ford and attacked Wayne with great vigour. He sustained the shock with much resolution; but, after a severe conflict, was obliged to give way to superior force, leaving in possession of the enemy, his intrenchments, battery, and cannon. On his retreat, Wayne passed the rear of the 10th Virginian regiment, under Colonel Stevens, who was severely engaged with the enemy from nearly an hour before the setting sun till dark.

Shortly after this, Wayne, with the advance of the Americans had a slight affair with the enemy, which would have ended in a general engagement, but for the timely interposition of a rain, which rendered both parties incapable of action.

General Wayne continued to hang on the rear of the English General, Howe. On the 19th, he received orders from General Washington to act to the greatest advantage against the rear of the enemy, in conjunction with General Smallwood and Colonel Gist, while he should cross the Schuylkill at Parker's ford, and endeavour to head the enemy and oppose him in front, thus exposing him to the disastrous effects of a double fire.

General Howe having learned the situation of the troops under General Wayne, which consisted of about fifteen hundred men, with a few pieces of cannon, he despatched General Grey, with the 2d regiment of cavalry, and a body of infantry, on the night of the 20th of September, who effected the object for which he was destined. It is said, but with what accuracy is not known, that the American general had timely warning of the attack. Be this as it may, Grey gained Wayne's left about one, A. M. on the 21st of September. Some out