**************** & *******<********& XX PREFACE.. H AVING now arrived at the conclufion of our Twentieth Volume, we fhould have been difposed to have celebrated this year as a fort of jubilee, and feafon of felf-congratulation, if the awful afpect of the times had not forbidden every emotion bordering upon levity, and afforded matter of the moft ferious confideration and reflection to every member of the community. No circumftance of time, nor state of affairs, can, however, reprefs our gratitude, or restrain our acknowledgements to the Publick, for that continued favour, which, as it has during fo many years, conftantly increased with our labours, fo it has alone enabled us to encounter the arduous task of appearing annually before them in fo many fucceffive publications, upon each of which, their former efteem, and future approbation, were, of course, in fome degree hazarded. The importance and magnitude of our historical business have unhappily rifen to nearly the highest pitch at which they feem capable of arriving. We relate events, in which every member of this wide and divided empire is deeply interested; in which many thousands are immediately and perfonally concerned; and wherein its beft blood is too copiously fhed. The incidents are numberlefs, and the parties concerned in every incident numerous. It is not not easy to steer a fafe courfe of history, through the rage of civil conteft, and amidst the animofity and malignity of contending factions. Under thefe circumftances, we are obliged to as much caution as will not be injurious to truth. And whilft publick affairs continue of fuch extent and importance, and that materials of all kinds both political and military grow upon us in the manner they do at prefent, we shall be much more folicitous to fulfil our duty, and preserve our reputation with the Publick, by a due attention to the matter which we lay before them, than at all concerned as to the inconfequential circumstance of a later or earlier publication. Our Publisher has made an obfervation to us, which he says escapes moft readers, who have not fome acquaintance with what is technically termed the business of the prefs. He fays, that the Hiftorical Article is at prefent fwelled to fuch an extent, that if it were printed separately, and in the common mode of publication, it would fill a volume of nearly the fame fize, with that in which it is now included, whilft from the circumftance of clofe printing, and its being confidered only as a comparatively fmall part of a diffuse and large work, the dimenfions which it would acquire in its natural growth, are not perceived in its prefent contracted ftate. Under this confideration, the quantity of matter, independent of any merit in the arrangement or compofition, may account, if it does not atone, for the latenefs of our publication this. year. THE Retrospective view of American affairs in the year 1776. Preparation in Canada for the armament on Lake Champlain. State of the American force. Engagement near the ifle Valicour. Arnold retires; purfuit; overtaken; burns his weffels. Crown Point deftroyed and abandoned. General Carleton lands there with the army. Motives for not attacking Ticonderoga. General Carleton returns with the army to Canada. Situation of affairs to the fouthward. General Lee taken. Perfeverance of the Congrefs. Meafures for renewing their armies. Lands allotted for ferving during the war. Money borrowed. Addrefs to the people. Petitions from the inhabitants of New York, and from thofe of Queen's county in Long Island, to the Commiffioners. Critical ftate of Philadelphia. Congress retire to Baltimore. Divifions in Penfylvania. Defertions. Surprize at Trenton. Lord Cornwallis returns to the Jerfeys. Prevented from attacking the enemy at Trenton by impediments of fituation. General Washington quits his camp, and attacks Colonel Mawhood, near Princetown. Lord Cornwallis returns from the Delaware to Brunswick. Americans over-run the Jerseys. British and Auxiliary forces keep poffeffion of Brunswick and Amboy, during the remainder of the winter. Indian war. Articles of confederation and perpetual union between the thirteen revolted Colonies. TH HE efforts to remove thofe obstacles that had restrained the progrefs of the British arms on the fide of Canada, in the VOL. XX. 1777. fummer of 1776, were equal to the importance of the objects in view, and the greatnefs of the difficulties which were to be furmounted. [A] The |