ing a third portion
of his troops, however, on that spot, Clinton passed over with the
rest to Stony Point, on the western shore, where, in two simultaneous
attacks, he carried Forts Montgomery and Clinton. This success obliged
the Americans to burn their navy, consisting of five ships, which
were lying in that part of the river, and which were defended by
a _chevaux-de-frise_, and by an immense boom, stretching from Fort
Montgomery, to an opposite point, called St. Anthony's Nose. A few miles
higher up the river was another strong place, called Fort Constitution,
and this was destroyed by the garrison, who fled as soon as they
learned the fate of Forts Montgomery and Clinton. About the same time, a
detachment of American loyalists, under Governor Tryon, destroyed a new
settlement, called Continental Village, and in which were barracks and
military stores. Having removed the boom, Sir James Wallace also, with
a squadron of small frigates, ascended up the river, and burned many
American vessels. Clinton was everywhere victorious; and on the 13th
of October, the very day on which Burgoyne made his first overture for
capitulation, General Vaughan landed a detachment at Esopus Creek, which
was not more than thirty miles from Burgoyne's encampment at Saratoga.
Vaughan carried fire and destruction before him: he reduced two
batteries, and a row-galley, stationed at the mouth of Esopus Creek;
and then ascending the creek about five miles, he destroyed the town
of Esopus, together with a vast quantity of stores and provisions,
collected for the use of General Gates's forces. Clinton, however, was
still upwards of one hundred miles from Esopus Creek, and he was beset
by General Putnam's forces, which had increased from 2000 to 6000 men.
He was in this situation when Burgoyne capitulated, and then Gates was
enabled to detach more troops to the aid of Putnam. The English general
therefore recalled Vaughan; destroyed all the forts he had taken;
re-embarked his men, and returned to New York. The main design of his
diversion had failed, and it chiefly served to prove, that had Howe
co-operated with Burgoyne, and have sailed up the Hudson during
the summer months, the campaign in this quarter, instead of being
disastrous, would have enhanced the glory of the British arms.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

The British parliament assembled on the 18th of November. The
all-engrossing topic of the king's speech was the war with America. In