rn
the left of Washington's position, get to the heights, take possession
of the passes, and oblige him to abandon that stronghold where he had
hitherto been so secure. Washington, however, had timely notice of his
movements, and penetrating his design, regained his fortified camp at
Middlebrook, and secured the passes of the mountains. He then detached
a body of light troops under Brigadier-general Scott, together with
Morgan's riflemen, to hang on the flank of the enemy and watch their
motions.

Cornwallis, in his circuitous march, dispersed the light parties of
the advance, but fell in with Lord Stirling's division, strongly
posted in a woody country, and well covered by artillery judiciously
disposed. A sharp skirmish ensued, when the Americans gave way and
retreated to the hills with the loss of a few men and three
field-pieces; while the British halted at Westfield, disappointed in
the main objects of their enterprise.

Perceiving that every scheme of bringing the Americans to a general
action, or at least of withdrawing them from their strongholds, was
rendered abortive by the caution and prudence of Washington, and aware
of the madness of attempting to march to the Delaware, through a
hostile country, with such a force in his rear, Sir William Howe broke
up his head-quarters at Amboy on the last of June and crossed over to
Staten Island on the floating bridge, and it was soon apparent that at
length the enemy had really evacuated the Jerseys.

The question now was, what would be their next move? A great stir
among the shipping seemed to indicate an expedition by water. But
whither? Circumstances occurred to perplex the question.

Scarce had the last tent been struck, and the last transport
disappeared from before Amboy, when intelligence arrived from General
St. Clair announcing the appearance of a hostile fleet on Lake
Champlain, and that General Burgoyne with the whole Canada army was
approaching Ticonderoga. The judgment and circumspection of Washington
were never more severely put to the proof. Was this merely a diversion
with a small force of light troops and Indians, intended to occupy the
attention of the American forces in that quarter, while the main body
of the army in Canada should come round by sea and form a junction
with the army under Howe? But General Burgoyne, in Washington's
opinion, was a man of too much spirit and enterprise to return from
England merely to execute a plan from which no h