Chapter I: Front Matter

THE
HISTORY
OF THE
RISE, PROGRESS, AND ESTABLISHMENT
OF THE
INDEPENDENCE
OF THE
United States of America:
INCLUDING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE LATE WAR,
AND OF THE
THIRTEEN COLONIES,
FROM THEIR ORIGIN TO THAT PERIOD.

BY WILLIAM GORDON, _D. D._

_Qiud verum*** curo, et rogo et omnis in hoc sum._
HORAT. 1 Ep. 1 Lib.

THE THIRD AMERICAN EDITION.

VOL. II.

_NEW-YORK_:
PRINTED FOR SAMUEL CAMPBELL, NO. 124, PEARL-STREET,
BY JOHN WOODS.
M.DCCC.I

THE GENERAL CONTENTS
OF THE SEVERAL LETTERS IN VOL. II.

LETTER I. P. 11–42.

New-Hampshire convention take up civil government, p. 11. The critical situation of the American army before Boston, p. 14. General Lee is sent on to New-York, p. 15. The inhabitants of Tryon county disarmed, p. 16. General Montgomery killed in an attack upon Quebec, p. 22. Preparations for taking possession of Dorchester Heights, p. 25. The Americans possess themselves of the same, p. 26. General Howe resolves upon evacuating Boston, p. 28—evacuates it, p. 30. The hardships experienced by the inhabitants of the town, p. 33. Norfolk in Virginia, burnt, p. 35. The North-Carolina insurgents subdued, p. 36. The acts of congress, p. 38. Commodore Hopkins’s naval expedition, p. 40.

LETTER II. P. 42–61.

The general voice of the Europeans rather favorable to the Americans, p. 43. A dreadful tempest on the coasts of Newfoundland, p. 45. General Conway opposes administration, p. 47. The duke of Grafton unexpectedly quits it, p. 48. Governor Penn examined before the house of lords, p. 50. The address of the representatives of Nova-Scotia to the king and parliament, p. 52. The bill for prohibiting all intercourse with the Thirteen United Colonies strenuously opposed, p. 53. Sir Peter Parker and earl Cornwallis sail for America, p. 55. The British king’s treaties with the German princes, p. 56—protested against, p. 58. Lord Howe and general Howe constituted his majesty’s commissioners for restoring peace to the colonies, p. 59. The sentiments of the French relative to the American contest, p. 61.

LETTER III. P. 61–92.

The blockade of Quebec continued, p. 62. The Americans conclude upon retreating from before it, p. 63. The American fort at the Cedars surrendered, p. 65. General Thomson goes against the British at Three-Rivers; is defeated and taken, p. 66. The Americans retreat from Canada, p. 68. Capt. Mugford takes the Hope, ordnance store ship, p. 71. The British ships of war are driven from Nantasket, p. 72. A number of highlanders, with lieut. col. Campbell, taken in Boston Bay, p. 74. Measures taken to draw the New-Yorkers into independency, _ibid._ Acts of congress, p. 75. Resolutions respecting independency moved and seconded in congress, p. 77. Mr. Payne’s pamphlet stiled Common Sense, p. 78. A scheme for destroying general Washington’s army at New-York, p. 79. Sir Peter Parker and general Clinton’s design against Charleston, in South-Carolina, p. 80. Pennsylvania and Maryland agree to independence, p. 87. The declaration of independence, _ibid._

LETTER IV. P. 93–106.

Lord Howe arrives off Staten-Island, and sends a letter to George Washington, esq. p. 94. General Howe lands the royal army on Long-Island, p. 97—surprises and defeats the Americans, p. 98. The Americans conclude upon evacuating the island, p. 101. The wretched state of the armies under generals Washington and Gates, p. 104.