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THE LEE PAPERS. 261

tirely protected from the annoyance of the enemy's cannon ; and, of course, well calculated for the respiration of a body of troops, such as mv detachment was, fatigued, (but not dispirited) by action, and the excessive heat of the weather ; here they might have taken breath ; here they might have been refreshed, and, in a very short time, refitted at least to act as a line of support, which was all that, in these circumstances, could be necessary. I proposed to the General to form them as such, but was precipitately ordered, (and, I confess, in a manner that extremely ruffled me) to three miles distance in the rear. Thus, in my opinion, was a most glorious opportunity lost ; for what followed on both sides was only a distant, unmeaning, inefficacious cannonade ; and what has been so magnificently stiled a pursuit, was no more than taking up the ground which the British troops could not possibly, and were not (their principle being retreat) interested to maintain.

P. S. A thousand wicked and low artifices, during my trial, were used to render me unpopular. One of the principal was, to throw out that I had endeavoured, on every occasion, to depreciate the American valour, and the character of their troops. There never was a more impudent falsehood ; I appeal to my letters addressed to Mr. Burgoyne—to the whole tenor of my conversation, both previous and subsequent to the commencement of the present war, and to all my publications. It is true, I have often heavily lamented, as to me it appears, the defective constitution of the army ; but I have ever had the highest opinion of the courage and other good qualities of the Americans as soldiers ; and the proofs that my opinion was just, are numerous and substantial. To begin with the affair of Bunker's hill. I may venture to pronounce that there never was a more dangerous, a more execrable situation, than these brave and unfortunate men (if those who die in the glorious cause of Liberty can be termed unfortunate) were placed in ;