serious alarm.

[Sidenote: Mutiny in the Jersey line.]

The dangerous policy of yielding even to the just demands of soldiers
made with arms in their hands, was soon illustrated. The success of
the Pennsylvania line inspired that of Jersey, many of whom were also
foreigners, with the hope of obtaining similar advantages. On the
night of the 20th, a part of the Jersey brigade, which had been
stationed at Pompton, rose in arms; and, making precisely the same
claims which had been yielded to the Pennsylvanians, marched to
Chatham, where a part of the same brigade was cantoned, in the hope of
exciting them also to join in the revolt.

General Washington, who had been extremely chagrined at the issue of
the mutiny in the Pennsylvania line, and who was now assured of the
confidence to be placed in the fidelity of the eastern troops, who
were composed of natives, determined, by strong measures, to stop the
farther progress of a spirit which threatened the destruction of the
army, and ordered a detachment to march against the mutineers, and to
bring them to unconditional submission. General Howe, who commanded
this detachment, was instructed to make no terms with the insurgents
while in a state of resistance; and, as soon as they should surrender,
to seize a few of the most active leaders, and to execute them on the
spot. These orders were promptly obeyed, and the Jersey mutineers
returned to their duty.

In the hope of being more successful with the revolters of Jersey than
he had been with those of Pennsylvania, Sir Henry Clinton offered them
the same terms which had been proposed to the mutineers at Princeton;
and General Robertson, at the head of three thousand men, was
detached to Staten Island with the avowed purpose of crossing over
into Jersey, and covering any movement which they might make towards
New York. The emissary, being in the American interest, delivered his
papers to the officer commanding at the first station to which he
came. Other papers were dispersed among the mutineers; but the mutiny
was crushed too suddenly to allow time for the operation of these
propositions.

The vigorous measures taken in this instance were happily followed by
such an attention on the part of the states, to the actual situation
of the army, as checked the progress of discontent. Influenced by the
representations of the Commander-in-chief, they raised three months'
pay in specie, which they forwarded to the soldiers, who rec