prize into your hands without much honor to yourselves.

Your progress through the Jerseys was accidental; you had it not even
in contemplation, or you would not have sent a principal part of your
forces to Rhode Island beforehand. The utmost hope of America in the
year 1776, reached no higher than that she might not then be
conquered. She had no expectation of defeating you in that campaign.
Even the most cowardly Tory allowed, that, could she withstand the
shock of that summer, her independence would be past a doubt. You had
then greatly the advantage of her. You were formidable. Your military
knowledge was supposed to be complete. Your fleets and forces arrived
without an accident. You had neither experience nor reinforcements to
wait for. You had nothing to do but to begin, and your chance lay in
the first vigorous onset.

America was young and unskilled. She was obliged to trust her defence
to time and practice; and has, by mere dint of perseverance,
maintained her cause, and brought the enemy to a condition, in which
she is now capable of meeting him on any grounds.

It is remarkable that in the campaign of 1776 you gained no more,
notwithstanding your great force, than what was given you by consent
of evacuation, except Fort Washington; while every advantage obtained
by us was by fair and hard fighting. The defeat of Sir Peter Parker
was complete. The conquest of the Hessians at Trenton, by the remains
of a retreating army, which but a few days before you affected to
despise, is an instance of their heroic perseverance very seldom to
be met with. And the victory over the British troops at Princeton, by
a harassed and wearied party, who had been engaged the day before and
marched all night without refreshment, is attended with such a scene