good morals, as well as good government and hopes of permanent peace, must
be founded; and to convince the student in political science, that the
theoretical question of the future advancement of human society, till
states as well as individuals arrive at universal civilization, is held in
dispute and still unsettled only because we have had too little experience
of organized liberty in the government of nations to have well considered
its effects.

I cannot expect that every reader, nor even every republican reader, will
join me in opinion with respect to the future progress of society and the
civilization of states; but there are two sentiments in which I think
all men will agree: that the event is desirable, and that to believe it
practicable is one step towards rendering it so. This being the case, they
ought to pardon a writer, if not applaud him, for endeavoring to inculcate
this belief.

I have taken the liberty, notwithstanding the recency of the events,
to make some changes in the order of several of the principal battles
described in this poem. I have associated the actions of Starke, Herkimer,
Brown and Francis in the battle of Saratoga, tho they happened at some
distance from that battle, both as to time and place. A like circumstance
will be noticed with respect to Sumter, Jackson of Georgia and some others
in the battle of Eutaw. I have supposed a citadel mined and blown up in
the siege of York, and two ships of war grappled and blown up in the naval
battle of Degrasse and Graves. It is presumed that these circumstances
require no apology; as in the two latter cases the events are incidental to
such situations, and they here serve the principal purpose, being meant to
increase our natural horror for the havoc and miseries of war in general.
And with regard to the two former cases we ought to consider that, in the
epic field, the interest to be excited by the action cannot be sustained