Intelligence was now received that the French admiral, Count D'Estaing, had appeared off the coast of Virginia with a fleet of twelve ships of the line and six frigates, having on board a res pectable body of land troops. The original plan of these allies had been to attack the British naval force in the Delaware, and to unite with Wash ington in a general assault upon the lines at Phila delphia. A passage unusually tempestuous and protracted defeated this well conceived operation, and probably saved the whole power of the British commander.
The chief anxiety of Congress was to secure the immediate co-operation of the European re-inforce mem. The American General despatched Colonel Laurens to the French fleet, for the purpose of communicating all necessary information, and con certing the plan of movements with the conven tional signals. Colonel Hamilton proceeded after wards on the same mission, and it was determined that an attack should be made on the British force at Newport, in Rhode Island, by the French in concert with an American army under Greene, Sullivan and Lafayette. Lord Howe sailed with his fleet to relieve General Pigot in his dangerous position, and thus every appearance seemed to in dicate the approach of a decisive conflict. Some unfortunate differences upon points of military etiquette, arising between D'Estaing and Sullivan, prevented the immediate disembarkation of the French troops: the two fleets, alter a series of manoeuvres, were dispersed by a tempest, at the very moment of engagement, and the next commu nication announced the intention of the allies to sail to Boston. The Americans were, in conse quence, obliged to break up their positions and raise the siege; an operation which was not per formed without some sharp though indecisive com bats. • The effects of these operations upon the feelings of the army and the people, created more dis quietude in the mind of Washington, than even the failure of an expedition, in which success had been confidently and proudly expected. Animosities had arisen between the military officers of the allied powers, tending to jeopard every enterprise undertaken in concert; while the discontent of the people had risen to such a head as to leave it doubt ful whether the damages of the fleet could be re paired in Boston. The French also had their complaints of alleged injuries: " They arc a people," as was observed in a letter of the com mander•in-chief to Sullivan, "old in war, very strict in military etiquette, and apt to take fire when others seem scarcely warm." Washington devoted his whole mind to the conciliation of these difficulties, and with the aid of Congress, his la bours were finally crowned by the complete resto ration of that harmony which was so essentially necessary to success.
On the third of November, Count D'Estaing sailed with all the French forces for the West Indies: whither he was followed by five thousand men under General Gray, with a strong convoy. In the month of December the continental troops retired into hut cantonments in Connecticut—on both sides of the North river about West Point—and at Middlebrook. Their condition with respect to clothing was much improved by supplies from France, and they were thus enabled to disregard other inconveniences. Some few skirmishes had occurred between parties of both armies. The British succeeded in surprising Colonel Baylor's cavalry at Taupaun, where the bayonet was used with inhuman severity: Count Pulaski was also unexpectedly attacked in Jersey, and sustained some loss. On the part, of the Americans, a body of chasseurs and yagers under Donop was defeated by Colonel Richard Butler. A British force com manded by Colonel Campbell, sailed under the es cort of Commodore Hyde Parker, to act the southern states, where the climate admitted of military operations: but the garrison left in New York was still too strong to encourage any enter prise against that important position. \Vashing ton proceeded to Philadelphia, to hold a personal conference with Congress on the general state of the army and the country. An expedition pro jected against Canada was abandoned in deference to his opinion, and all recommendations emanating from him commanded the most respectful con sideration.
The preparations for the campaign of 1779 were commenced under unfavourable auspices, in conse quence of the languor which began to spread itself over the whole nation. A general belief prevailed that the alliance with France had secured our in dependence, and that all painful exertions were therefore rendered unnecessary. This delusion never extended itself to the mind of the commander in-chief, who saw plainly how remote was the prospect of any peace that exacted so much from the powerful empire of Great Britain. In a pri vate letter to one of his friends, he thus expressed himself, "I have seen without despondency, even for a moment, the hours which America has styled her gloomy ones; but I have beheld no day since the commencement of hostilities, when I have thought her liberties in such imminent danger as at present." "Do not, from a mistaken opinion that we are to sit down under our vine and our own fig tree, let our hitherto noble struggle end in ignominy." The usual difficulties pre sented themselves, in relation to bounties, enlist ments and state quotas; and yet such was the inert ness of Congress, that all measures were yet to be adopted for raising men, when the army should have been in full and active operation.