The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

,AT. 43.1 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 167
CHAPTER VIII.
Plans for an Attack on Boston. — Condition of the Army. -Dorchester
Heights fortified.-Evacuation of Boston.- Troops march to New
York.- Washington repairs to Congress. -His Views in Regard to
the State of the Country. - Machinations of the Tories, and Measures
taken to defeat them. - Declaration of Independence. — Arrival of
Lord Howe, with Proposals for a Reconciliation with the Colonies.Mode of addressing Letters to Washington attempted by the British
Admiral and General. —Strength and Condition of the two Armies.Battle of Long Island. — Remarks on the Battle.- Impression made
by it on the American Army and Public.
TOWARDS the end of December it was ascertained,
that General Howe was fitting out a part of his fleet in
the harbour of Boston for some secret enterprise. Its
destination could only be conjectured; but the season
of the year and other circumstances induced a belief,
that an operation at the south was in view. Fears
were entertained for New York, then in a defenceless
condition, feeble from the timid counsels of its provincial Congress, awed by a British man-of-war, and
distracted by the artifices of Governor Tryon, whose
presence and address had kept together on Long Island
a formidable body of Tories, some concealed, others
undisguised.
No efforts were to be spared to prevent the enemy
from gaining possession of so important a post as New
York, which, with Hudson's River, opened a direct
channel to Canada, through which an invading army
might pass, to the great injury of the interior country,
if not to the discomfiture of the army in the northern
department. In the present state of General Washington's forces, he could not send a detachment from
camp. As the most promising scheme that offered,