m was
Thaddeus Kosciusko, a military engineer from Warsaw (Poland). Washington
asked him, "Why do you come?" "To fight for American Independence," he
said. "What can you do?" asked General Washington. "Try me!" was the
brief reply. Washington "tried him," and he proved a valuable help
throughout the Revolution. Another who volunteered his services was
Washington's devoted friend, the young French nobleman, the Marquis de
Lafayette. Though scarcely twenty years of age, Lafayette loved human
liberty more than home and friends and the easy life of the French
court, and at his own expense, he fitted out a ship, loaded with
military stores, and sought to aid the Americans in their struggle.
Washington loved him for his fine spirit, charming manner and soldierly
bearing. He became a member of the Commander's family and his name is
honored by every American.

The year 1777 was a very hard and trying one. Washington's forces were
too weak to fight regular battles with the British. He used every device
to make General Howe think he had a strong army, and at the same time,
tried to convince Congress that he could not act for want of men and
supplies. The British kept him guessing about what they would do next.
Would they attack Philadelphia or the fort on Lake Champlain? He did not
dare to withdraw troops from either place to strengthen the other.

General John Burgoyne, one of Howe's lieutenant-generals, arrived from
England in the summer of 1777. He landed at Quebec and marched with
eight thousand men, British, Germans and Indians, to Fort Ticonderoga.
The garrison of thirty-five hundred men surrendered. Valuable stores
were taken and the presence of this new army discouraged the Americans.
But Washington only said, "We should never despair. If new difficulties
arise, we must only put forth new exertions." He could not leave his own
position, but he showed the greatest wisdom in arranging and locating
the forces in the North. He sent his valued Virginia riflemen, under
Colonel Daniel Morgan, to help fight Burgoyne's Indians.

For months, Washington had watched the British fleet in New York harbor
and now it put to sea with eighteen thousand men on board. Would it go
to Boston or to Philadelphia? Washington led his army toward
Philadelphia, believing this would be the British point of attack, and
soon after, the fleet appeared while Washington was camped at
Germantown, near Philadelphia. The fleet sailed away, however, without