of _chevaux-de-frise_ round the fort;
and had constructed platoons and mounted his artillery. He, therefore,
returned fire for fire, and the American troops being chiefly militia,
or undisciplined recruits, soon grew weary of the business, and longed
to return. They were commanded by General Lovel, who perceiving that he
could not effect his object with such lovers of home, applied to General
Gates for a reinforcement of regular troops. A regiment was sent by
Gates; but before this force arrived Sir George Collier came to the
assistance of Maclean with a squadron and some land-troops; and the
Americans, leaving their works, ran to their ships, embarked, and
endeavoured to make for Boston harbour. But this was now impracticable.
Two of the largest vessels, in endeavouring to gain the open sea, were
intercepted, and one was captured; while the other ran on shore and was
blown up by her own crew. The other American ships entered the mouth of
the Penobscot River, where | they were abandoned by the Americans, both
soldiers and sailors, who landed and fled for their lives. Nearly all
the ships were captured or destroyed by the British sailors, who were
close in their wake; while the fugitives who had landed in a wild
country, had to traverse a pathless desert for upwards of a hundred
miles, before they could reach any human habitation. On their route a
quarrel took place between the seamen and landsmen, and a battle was
fought in which fifty or sixty lives were lost, and a great many more
perished from fatigue and famine. This exploit terminated Sir George
Collier's career. When he returned to New York he found himself
superseded by Admiral Arbuthnot, and he returned to England. The season
for action was not yet over, but a rumour that d'Estaing intended to
attack New York, compelled Sir Henry Clinton to forego all thoughts of
further operations, and he even withdrew the garrison from Rhode Island,
for the purpose of concentrating his force.

AMERICAN RETALIATION ON THE INDIANS, ETC.

During this year the Americans took a terrible revenge on their old
enemies, the Indians. At the head of 5000 men General Sullivan undertook
an expedition against the Indian tribes beyond the Mohawk River and
upon the upper course of the Susquehanna. In the month of August he
encountered a body of eight hundred savages and two hundred whites,
under Brandt, Butler, and others acquainted with the art of war; whom,
after a bloody conflict, h