halted upon a narrow neck of land, while the
artillery was lifted into boats, and conveyed on board the fleet.
As soon as this was done, brigade after brigade fell back to the
water's edge and embarked, till finally all, except the light
troops, were got off. These being left to cover the embarkation,
were extended across the entire space which but a little before
contained the whole army; but as no attempt was made to molest
them, they had only the honour of being the last to quit the
shore.

Were I to enter into a review of the military proceedings in this
expedition, I should be condemned to repeat, almost word for
word, the remarks which I ventured to make upon the operations
previous to the capture of Washington. On the present occasion,
however, neither hesitation nor precipitancy was displayed by the
British General. He threw his valuable life away, indeed, by
exposing his person unnecessarily in a trifling skirmish; but who
will blame a soldier for excess of courage, or a leader for
excess of alertness? Like other able men, he was unwilling to
trust to the report of his subalterns, when it was in his power
to ascertain what he sought to know by personal observation; and,
like other brave men, he would not be deterred from prosecuting
his design by the apprehension of danger. In the plan of the
expedition here, he displayed both skill and resolution.
Instead of wasting time by an attempt to ascend the river, he
chose to land where he was least likely to meet with immediate
opposition; and such was the celerity of his motions, that, had
he lived, the chances are that we should have fought two battles
in one day. But of what a man might have done, I have nothing to
say; let me rather do justice to his successor and his advisers.
Of these latter, there is one whom it would be improper not to
mention by name--I mean Lieutenant Evans, Deputy-Assistant
Quartermaster-General. The whole arrangement of our troops in
order of battle was committed to him; and the judicious method in
which they were drawn up, proved that he was not unworthy of the
trust. With respect to the determination of the council of war,
I choose to be silent. Certain it is, that the number of our
forces would hardly authorise any desperate attempt; yet had the
attempt been made, I have very little doubt that it would have
been made successfully.

On the part of the Americans, again, the same blunders were
committed which marked their pr