uld have succeeded, but for several obstacles wholly unexpected. The
stone building known as the "Chew House" offered a stubborn resistance
and defied the cannon fired against it. The delay caused by the attempt
to reduce it gave the enemy time to rally. Besides, the dense fog
disorganized the attack, and more than once bodies of Americans fired
into one another. On the verge of victory, a retreat was ordered and the
Americans fell back, after having suffered a loss of 1,200 men. Congress
on the approach of the enemy fled to the little town of York,
Pennsylvania.

WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE.

While the British were holding high revel in Philadelphia, the
Continentals shivered and starved at Valley Forge, twenty miles away.
Thousands of the men were without shoes and stockings. In each log hut
were twelve privates, who had scarcely any bedding, and who kept from
freezing at night by the mutual warmth of their bodies. The farmers of
the neighborhood were so unpatriotic that Washington was often compelled
to take straw and grain from them by force, giving in return an order
upon the government for the property thus used. It is said that Isaac
Potts, a Quaker at whose house Washington made his headquarters, was
passing through the woods one day, when he heard the voice of some one
in prayer. Peering among the trees he saw Washington on his knees,
beseeching the help of heaven in the struggle for liberty. When Potts
returned to his home and related the incident to his wife, he added that
he could no longer doubt the success of the Americans, since he had
heard Washington praying for it.

[Illustration: WASHINGTON AT VALLEY FORGE.]

It has been shown that one of the most important campaigns planned by
the British was that of invading New York from Canada. If successful,
New England would be cut off from the other States and forced to submit.
Formidable preparations were made for this movement. An army of more
than 7,000 British and Hessian troops, in addition to a corps of
artillery, was placed under the command of General Burgoyne, who was
accompanied by several members of Parliament, who had crossed the ocean
for the pleasure of witnessing the overthrow of the rebellious
Americans. The route was from Canada by way of Lake Champlain to Albany,
where the army was to be joined by a strong force to be sent up the
Hudson from New York. Clinton failed to carry out his part, because of
the delay in sending to him from London