attempt to co-operate with Burgoyne.[123] At last the defences of the
river were destroyed, and communication was established between the army
and the fleet. Washington retreated to Valley Forge, about twenty-five
miles from Philadelphia, and there put his army into quarters. During
the winter his troops suffered terribly from lack of clothing and
provisions. By Christmas nearly 3,000 were unfit for duty because they
were "barefoot or otherwise naked". They deserted in parties, a large
number came to the British quarters, and scarcely a day passed without
the resignation of an officer. In February, 1778, there was almost a
famine in the camp, and Washington feared a general mutiny and
dispersion.[124]

Meanwhile the British were in comfortable quarters in Philadelphia.
Howe's object was attained; but though the capture of their capital
discouraged the Americans, the loss of Philadelphia is not to be
compared with the loss of a capital of an organised state; it did not
paralyse an administrative machinery or lessen the means of resistance.
Howe's anxiety for its capture largely proceeded from his expectation
that it would be followed by a rising of the loyalists; he placed too
high a value on professions of loyalty and on loyalist support. In
itself the place was important; it was the largest of the American
towns, and it opened communication between the northern and southern
provinces, though so long as an insurgent army existed in Pennsylvania,
an invader could not safely take advantage of its position. British
officers marvelled that Howe did not attack Washington while his army
was in so miserable a state. His inactivity cannot be defended
satisfactorily. He was looking forward to be relieved of his command; he
was disgusted by the inadequate response made by the government to his
repeated demands for large reinforcements; he informed Germain that
without 10,000 more troops the war would not be ended in the next
campaign, and on October 22 wrote resigning his command. He allowed the
discipline of his army to become lax. The winter was spent in idleness
and dissipation. A bank at faro was opened, and many officers were
ruined by gambling. All ranks were demoralised, and sober townspeople
who had welcomed the arrival of the troops were disgusted by their
disorderly behaviour. The only fruit of Howe's victories during the
campaign of 1777 was the acquisition of good winter quarters at
Philadelphia, and that he purchas