everything I can say in their favour.... The good opinion your Lordship is pleased to form of the conduct and superior abilities of the British Artillery when engaged, does them the highest honour, and I have the pleasure to inform your Lordship, that both officers and men have been emulous during the course of the campaign in deserving it." The attack on the fort was too powerful to be resisted; so it capitulated. Lord Cornwallis, with a large body of men immediately crossed the North River, to attack Fort Lee, but it was abandoned by its garrison on the 18th November, and all the guns and stores fell into the hands of the English. The English now overran the Jerseys, and the following guns were present with the Royal Artillery during the raid: four light 12-pounders, fourteen 6-pounders, eight 3-pounders, and two 5½-inch howitzers. This was a very critical period for the American cause, almost as much so as after the Battle of Long Island. "During these operations, the New York Convention was greatly alarmed lest the numerous forces (_i.e._ loyalists) of the State should rise in arms, and openly join the British forces. Often obliged by the movements of the armies to change its locality, that body sat successively at Haarlem, King's Bridge, Philip's Manor, Croton River, and Fishkill; some of the time, to guard against surprise, with arms in their hands. A committee was appointed for inquiring into, detecting, and defeating conspiracies. That committee had funds at its disposal, a special armed force, and unlimited powers. Many Tories were seized by its orders and sent into Connecticut for safe-keeping, their personal property being forfeited to the use of the State.... Some of the New York Militia (in Washington's camp) refused to do duty. They were offered—they said—peace, liberty, and safety, and what more could they ask."[35] While not underrating the energy of a people who could attain their end in spite of such difficulties, it is healthy reading occasionally, in the midst of flabby orations as to the uprising of a united people, to examine passages like that just quoted. A large substratum of loyalty existed yet, which had to be kept down by a sort of reign of terror; and although, as we shall see, the loyal diminished greatly in numbers as the war went on, the fact remains that the rebellion was not a national conception, but a party manœuvre, which secured by dexterous management the assistance of many pure and noble men, and ultimately—assisted by war—received the co-operation of the mass of the people. The war bound the people together by an instinct of self-defence, apart from the reasons which had brought it about; and once committed to a cause, men are as ingenious in inventing, often unconsciously, arguments in its favour, as they are enthusiastic in defending their opinions.