[Sidenote:  January.]

On the night of the 14th of January, Lord Stirling moved over from De Hart’s point; and, detaching Lieutenant Colonel Willet to Decker’s house, where Buskirk’s regiment was stationed, proceeded himself to the watering place, where the main body was posted.  Notwithstanding the precautions which had been taken, the alarm had been given at each post, and the troops had saved themselves in their works; so that only a few prisoners were made.  Contrary to the intelligence previously received, the communication with New York was still open; and the works appeared too strong to justify the hazard of attempting to carry them by assault.

[Sidenote:  January 17.]

The object of the expedition being unattainable, Lord Stirling commenced his retreat, which was effected with inconsiderable loss.  A body of cavalry, which charged his rear, was repulsed; but, from the intenseness of the cold, and the defectiveness of his means to protect his men from it, some of them were frost bitten, and a few stragglers were made prisoners.

The excessive cold continuing, the rivers were soon afterwards completely blocked up.  Even arms of the sea were passable on the ice; and the islands about the mouth of the Hudson, presented the appearance of one whole and unbroken continent.  This state of things produced a great degree of suffering among all classes in New York.  The supplies usually received by water failed totally, and a great scarcity of provisions and of fuel was the consequence.  To increase this scarcity, the American troops on the lines were so disposed as to interrupt the communication between the country and the town; and these arrangements produced a partisan war, in which the advantage was rather on the side of the British.

In one of the most important of these skirmishes, Captain Roberts, of Massachusetts, with fourteen of his men, were killed on the spot; seventeen were wounded, of whom three died in a few days; and Lieutenant Colonel Thompson, of Massachusetts, who commanded the party, two captains, four subalterns, and ninety non-commissioned officers and privates were made prisoners.

The emission of the full sum of two hundred millions of dollars in continental bills of credit, which congress had solemnly resolved not to exceed, had been completed in November, 1779, and the money was expended.  The requisitions on the states to replenish the treasury by taxes were not fully complied with; and, had they even been strictly observed, would not have produced a sum equal to the public expenditure.  It was therefore necessary to devise other measures for the prosecution of the war.  During the distresses which brought the army to the brink of dissolution, these measures were under consideration.  So early as December, 1779, congress had determined to change the mode of supplying the army from purchases to requisitions of specific articles on the several states.  As