During the winter and spring, the skirmishes were frequent, and often with benefit to the American troops. They began to acquire confidence, and the conviction that, man for man, on fair terms, they were a match for either British or Hessians, and did not care which invited a fight. Washington issued a counter-proclamation to that which Howe promulged when the American army advanced into New Jersey; and then, all offensive operations of the British army came to a sudden halt. The eminently impartial Italian historian, Botta, thus sums up his description of this offensive movement: “Washington, having received a few fresh battalions, and his little army having recovered from their fatigue, soon entered the field anew, and scoured the whole country as far as the Raritan. He even crossed the river and entered the county of Essex; made himself master of Newark, of Elizabethtown, and finally of Woodbridge; so that he commanded the entire coast of New Jersey in front of Staten Island. “He so judiciously selected his positions, and fortified them so formidably, that the royalists shrunk from all attempts to dislodge him from any of them.”... “But the British army, after having overrun, victoriously, the State of New Jersey quite to the Delaware, and caused even the City of Philadelphia to tremble for its safety, found itself now restricted to the only posts of Brunswick and Amboy, which, moreover, could have no communication with New York, except by sea. “Thus, by an army almost reduced to extremity, Philadelphia was saved; Pennsylvania protected; New Jersey nearly recovered; and a victorious army laid under the necessity of quitting all thoughts of acting offensively, in order to defend itself.” CHAPTER XVI. THE AMERICAN BASE OF OPERATIONS ESTABLISHED.—THE SECOND NEW JERSEY CAMPAIGN. The narrative of Washington’s career as a Soldier, up to the time when he foiled the best efforts of Howe and Cornwallis to capture his weary band of Continentals and militia, has been a continuous story of love of country and devotion to her brave defenders. The most assiduous care for their discipline, their health, their moral deportment, and their loyalty to duty, has been the burden of his soul. Pleading, remonstrance, and even reprimand, however earnest and pungent, have never worn a selfish garb, nor breathed of arrogance or fitful temper. Presumptuous denunciations by his chief antagonist have never impaired the dignity of his carriage, his felicity of utterance, nor the serenity of his faith.