hington's
camp; the officers and men alike being dissatisfied with the treatment
which they received from congress. They were on the point of starvation;
and though they had long endured their hardships, on the night of the
1st of January, the Pennsylvania line, which was hutted at Morris Town
in the Jerseys, turned out to the number of 1300 men, and declared that
they would march to the seat of congress, and either obtain redress or
return to their homes. After committing some excesses on those officers
who opposed their movement, the men marched to Princeton. They were
followed on the next day by General Wayne and his staff, with many
officers who were supposed to possess their confidence, in the hope that
they would be able either to bring them back to their duty, or to sow
dissensions among them. Wayne came up with them near Middle Brook; but
the demands of the revolted troops were such as he could not grant; and
he therefore referred them to congress. The men continued their march to
Princeton for that purpose; and while there, emissaries arrived from
Sir Henry Clinton, with tempting offers to them, and with the suggestion
that they should take up a position behind the South River, when he
would soon cover them with detachments from the royal army in New York.
The mutineers, however, showed themselves true to the cause of liberty,
for they not only rejected Clinton's tempting offers, but communicated
them to General Wayne, with assurances that, though they had left the
American camp, they would never go over to the British. At the same time
they seized Clinton's emissaries, and kept them in their own hands; they
refused to leave Princeton; resolved that none of their former officers
should enter their camp; and ordered Lafayette and others, who had
presented themselves as mediators, to return immediately. Soon after, a
committee of congress, the governor of Pennsylvania, and a part of his
council came into the neighbourhood of Princeton to negociate with
the revolters. A conference took place between the sergeants of
the revolted troops and the committee; when the latter offered these
propositions:--That congress would discharge all those who had enlisted
for three years; and that they would give immediate certificates for
the depreciation on their pay, settle their arrears as soon as they were
able, and furnish the men with such clothing as they required forthwith,
The sergeants agreed to distribute these propositio