CHAPTER

XIII.

1781.

Mutiny of the Pennsylvania troops.

January 1.

CHAPTER XIII.

Mutiny of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Troops. - Agency of Washington in procuring Supplies from France. Limited Powers of Congress. Operations of the Enemy in the Chesapeake. - Detachment to Virginia under Lafayette. General Washington visits Count de Rochambeau at Newport. Condition of the Army. Interview between the American and French Commanders at Weathersfield. · Plan of Operations. A Combined Attack on New York proposed. . Junction between the American and French Armies. Intelligence from Count de Grasse in the West Indies changes the Objects of the Campaign. — Successful Operations of Lafayette against Cornwallis. - The combined Armies cross the Hudson and march to Virginia. - The Fleet of Count de Grasse enters the Chesapeake. — Siege of Yorktown. Capitulation. -The American Army returns to Hudson's River; the French remains in Virginia.

ces.

THE year 1781 opened with an event, which filled the country with alarm, and threatened dangerous consequenOn the 1st of January a mutiny broke out among the Pennsylvania troops, stationed near Morristown, and about thirteen hundred men paraded under arms, refused obedience to their officers, killed one captain, mortally wounded another, and committed various outrages. The mutineers marched in a body towards Princeton with six fieldpieces, avowing their intention to proceed to Philadelphia, and demand from Congress a redress of their grievances. They complained that their pay was in arrears, that they were obliged to receive it in a depreciated currency, that many of the soldiers were detained beyond the term of their enlistment, and that they had suffered every hardship for the want of money, provisions, and clothing. By the prudence and good management of General Wayne, who took care to supply them with provisions on their march, they were kept from plundering the inhabitants and other excesses. He sent the intelligence of the revolt by an express to General Washing