s one emanating from stern patriotism and self-devotion, but it appears
rather to have proceeded from sheer recklessness and bitter hatred to
the English. The New Englanders were not destroying their own houses
and property, but the houses and property of another people, and a rival
colony, regardless of all the fearful consequences resulting from the
act.

On the retirement of Washington to Kingsbridge, the British troops were
put on board the vessels again, with a view of landing at West Chester,
gaining the rear of the enemy's encampment, and enclosing him on all
sides within his fortresses. Washington perceived the necessity of
counteracting this project, and, immediately decamping with his whole
force, he took up a strong position, and occupied lines and works which
ran right across York Island; the strongest being at Kingsbridge and
Fort Washington. General Howe, with the main body of his army, marched
up York Island, and encamped in face of Washington's lines, his lines
also extending quite across the island, and being covered on either
flank by the British ships. While thus situate, on the 16th of
September, there was some skirmishing in the plain that lay between
the two camps, in which the Americans lost Colonel Knowlton and Major
Leitch, two of their best officers. The ill-success of the American
general, by this time, seems to have had a great effect upon the
disposition of his troops. Desertions were frequent, and as the time was
approaching when the period of service for which most of the Americans
had engaged would expire, Washington conceived that he should soon be
left without an army. He saw plainly that the boasts of the sons of
liberty, about flying to arms and fighting for their country without
pay or reward, were not to be depended upon; and he wrote to congress,
urging them to offer the troops good pay, in order that they might be
induced to remain in the camp to fight their battles. Congress voted, in
accordance with his recommendation, a bounty of twenty dollars per man,
and small portions of land to every officer and soldier who should serve
during the whole war. This, however, was not deemed sufficient, and
Washington again wrote to congress, asserting, not only that if the
offer were not raised, both officers and soldiers would leave the
service, but that they would universally, as many were already doing,
join the royal army. Congress again acceded to his wishes: they voted
an increase of pa