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Peekskill and more to the Northward, that General Howe may ⚫ with more facility turn his arms against Philadelphia,—it has been determined unadvisable for us to move till we have further proofs of his intentions, and that our conduct must be governed by his. 'Our situation is truly delicate and embarrassing. Should we march to Peekskill, leaving General Howe on Staten Island, there will be nothing to prevent him passing to South Amboy, and pushing from thence to Philadelphia; or, in short, by any other route; though the marching such of his troops from the point opposite Amboy as were encamped there, and the sailing of the ships from Princess Bay yesterday morning, are circumstances indicating that an embarkation has or will take place. On the other hand, if the North River and the possession of the Highlands are his objects, our remaining here till his views are certainly known may subject us to a risk that we wish to avoid.

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Thus, let us examine the matter as we will, difficulties stare us in the face. We shall attempt to consult and do the best we As the enemy will adopt every stratagem and device to deceive and distract us, notwithstanding the present appearance in favor of their making an expedition up the North River, I doubt not but you will have the most vigilant look-outs kept along Delaware Bay, and proper expresses and signals for communicating the earliest intelligence. I think it would be highly expedient, that some sensible, judicious men should be employed in that business at this time, who would view things as they ought to be, and from whose accounts certain inferences and conclusions may be drawn, so as to form a proper line for our conduct. The most fatal consequences may flow from false information at this period. Things should be examined with all possible certainty. I shall not be surprised to hear of several ships appearing in or off Delaware, though General Howe's des tination should be elsewhere. Their fleet gives them the most signal advantages, and an opportunity of practising a thousand feints.

'I must earnestly request that you will send Mr. Stewart, the Issuing Commissary-General, to camp immediately. There is reason to apprehend the army will be in great distress and confusion for want of Issuing-Commissaries in three or four days. Those with Mr. Trumbull declare they will leave him, without they are put on a different footing from what they now are. I need not mention the consequences that will result from such an event, if there are not others here to supply their places.

'There is one thing more I would add, which is, that there are not more than forty thousand dollars in the military chest, and two months' pay due to all the army; except two or three regiments

Under the new establishment were appointed, June 18, Joseph Trumbull Commissary-General of Purchases, and Charles Stewart Commissary-General of Issues; also the four deputies in the former department, and the three in the latter.

which have just obtained warrants. I must entreat, that you will forward a supply directly to the Paymaster. Should we be obliged to move before the troops are paid, much uneasiness and murmuring will be the certain attendants, and, I fear, something worse. I have the honor to be, &c.'

Lond. ed. vol. ii. pp. 108, 109.

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Wash. Writ.

SAME to GOVERNOR TRUMBULL.

CAMP, AT MIDDLEBROOK, 2 July, 1777.

'SIR, I had last night the honor of your letter of the 27th of June. I am sorry it is not in my power to comply with your request for arms. Notwithstanding the many arrivals, there is scarcely a sufficiency to supply the demands for the Continental troops. What has become of them I am unable to conceive. Every State complains of a deficiency, and great part of their several quotas come into the field very indifferently furnished; and yet the public magazines are nearly exhausted. The importations, from time to time, far exceed the number of Continental troops raised to make use of them. These have not, and could not have been, all put into their hands; and yet there are very few of them now to be found undisposed of. If they are not, many of them, in possession of the militia, it is impossible to imagine where they are; as a very inconsiderable part of them have fallen into the hands of the enemy. The fluctuating state of the army, and the irregular manner in which the militia usually left the camp, rendered it impracticable to withdraw the arms entrusted to them at their coming out, and gave them a fair opportunity of appropriating them to themselves; which, every reason obliges me to believe, they did not fail to improve. It appears to me highly probable, that, upon a careful scrutiny, many individuals will be found in possession of more than their own use requires, and the surplus will fully answer the purpose you have in view.

'Since my last, the enemy, disappointed in their attempt upon our right, have made an experiment upon our left; and, frustrated in that also, have now abandoned the Jerseys, and encamped upon Staten Island. There is a great stir among their shipping; and, in all probability, their next movement will be by water, though it is impossible to decide, with certainty, to what place. But I last night received intelligence from General Schuyler, that General Burgoyne is beginning to operate against Ticonderoga and its dependencies. If it is not merely a diversion, but a serious attack, of which it bears strongly the appearance,

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next step of General Howe's army will be towards Peekskill, and very suddenly, if possible, to get possession of the passes in the Highlands, before this army can have time to form a junction with the troops already there. To guard against contingencies, I have ordered General Parsons's and General Varnum's brigades to

march off with all despatch towards Peekskill; and, when they have arrived at or near that post, a reinforcement of four of the strongest Massachusetts regiments will proceed thence immediately to Albany, on their way to Ticonderoga. I have also urged General Clinton, without loss of time, to call out a respectable body of the New York militia, to join General Putnam. I have the fullest confidence, that you will do every thing you can to second my endeavors, by forwarding as fast as possible the remaining troops of your State, or whatever else may be in your power. Our greatest exertions will be requisite to counteract the enemy in their first attempts, on which their success chiefly depends.

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'I have the honor to be, with great respect, Sir, &c.'

Wash. Writ.

Sparks, vol. iv. p. 476.

SAME to the PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

HEAD-QUARTERS, MORRISTOWN, 7 July, 1777. 'SIR, I was this morning honored with yours of the 5th, with sundry Resolves of Congress to which I shall pay due attention. 'No change has taken place in the situation of the enemy upon Staten Island since I wrote to you on the 5th; but I have this morning received an account from Elizabethtown, which mentions that a person had just come from the island, who informs that small craft are constantly plying between New York and the fleet, laden with officers' baggage and stores put up in packages, and marked with their names and regiments; and that transports are fitted up with stalls over their main decks for the reception of horses. This looks as if a longer voyage was intended than up the North River.

'I have given notice to all the Eastern States to be upon their guard, should the fleet put to sea, and steer that way; and I think the works upon and obstructions in the Delaware should be carried on with spirit, and completed as far as possible, lest they should visit that quarter. I think the Southern States should also be advised of the uncertainty of the next operation of the enemy, that they may also be making such preparations as they may judge necessary.'

July 9th. 'SIR,The enclosed copy of a letter from the Commissary-General of Provisions, and the information you will receive from Major Hoops, will convince Congress of the distress and confusion prevailing in that department. Without something is done in aid of Mr. Trumbull immediately, this army must be disbanded: if the present difficulties continue, it is impossible it can exist. I entreat Congress to take the matter under their most early consideration, and to make such provision as the exigency and importance of the case demand. I know not but we shall be obliged to move in the course of a few hours;

when, from the situation of things in this line, we shall have more to dread, than from the enemy.

Lond. ed. vol. ii. pp. 111, 112.

'I have the honor to be, &c.'

Wash. Writ.

SAME to the PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

POMPTON PLAINS, 12 July, 1777. 'SIR, When I had the honor of addressing you last, I hoped the intelligence received respecting our affairs in the Northern Department was not true, or at least that they were not so unfavorable as they were represented. But the enclosed copy of a letter from General Schuyler, which came to hand yesterday evening, confirms it, most unhappily for us, in its fullest latitude. This event, the evacuation of our posts on the Lake, among the most unfortunate that could have befallen us, is rendered more interesting by the manner in which it took place. I have no further information upon the subject than what the copy contains, and shall be happy to hear by my next advices, that the main body of the army, of whose situation General Schuyler knew nothing with certainty, have not become prisoners.

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'I should be extremely happy if our situation would allow me to afford him a large reinforcement of men; but I cannot with any degree of propriety, in the opinion of my general officers, send more to his aid at this time than a number of recruits on the march from Massachusetts, belonging to some of the regiments under his command, who amount to six hundred at least, and are now, I expect, pretty well advanced towards Peekskill. With this augmentation to what he already has, supposing General St. Clair and his force to have come in, and any number of militia to have turned out, he will have an army, equal, if not superior, to General Burgoyne's, according to the only accounts we have obtained. In my last I took the liberty of suggesting the propriety of sending an active officer to animate the militia that may assemble for checking General Burgoyne's progress, and mentioned General Arnold for that purpose. Being more and more convinced of the important advantages that will result from his presence and conduct, I have thought it my duty to repeat my wishes on the subject, and that he may, without a moment's loss of time, set out from Philadelphia for that purpose.

'Your letter of the 8th was duly received; and, agreeably to your request, I communicated to Generals Greene and Knox the Resolution of Congress respecting them and General Sullivan, the last of whom I have not seen since it came to hand.'

'I have the honor to be, &c.'

Lond. ed. vol. ii. p. 115.

Wash. Writ.

Sparks, vol. iv. p. 488.

The three letters mentioned in the Resolution here referred to being substantially alike, one of them is deemed sufficient, and that one is inserted before the Resolution it f.

GENERAL GREENE to the PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

CAMP, AT MIDDLEBROOK, 1 July, 1777.

SIR, A report is circulating here at camp, that Monsieur Ducoudray, a French gentleman, is appointed a Major-General in the service of the United States; his rank to commence from the 1st of last August. If the report be true, it will lay me under the necessity of resigning my commission, as his appointment supersedes me in command. I beg you will acquaint me with respect to the truth of the report, and, if true, enclose me a permit to retire. I am, with great respect, your most obedient, humble servant,

'N. GREENE.'

It appears that the letter of General Sullivan was read in Congress on the 3d, and those of Generals Greene and Knox on the 5th; and that on this day they were some time under debate. On the 7th, Congress passed the Resolution:

That the President transmit to General Washington, copies of the letters from Generals Sullivan, Greene, and Knox to Congress, with directions to him to let those officers know, that Congress consider the said letters as an attempt to influence their decisions, an invasion of the liberties of the people, and indicating a want of confidence in the justice of Congress; that it is expected by Congress, the said officers will make proper acknowledgments for an interference of so dangerous a tendency; but, if any of those officers are unwilling to serve their country under the authority of Congress, they shall be at liberty to resign their commissions, and retire.'

To the facts already disclosed respecting the case of Monsieur Ducoudray, may be added others from the Journal of Congress, which at the same time afford some light as to the grounds of that report at camp.

June 16. 'A memorial from Monsieur Ducoudray was read:

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Foreign Applications, who are directed to confer with Monsieur Ducoudray.

June 25. The Committee on Foreign Applications brought in their Report; 'Ordered, That the same be taken into consideration to-morrow.

June 28. Resolved, That Tuesday next be assigned for taking into consideration the Report of the Committee on Foreign Applications, respecting Monsieur Ducoudray. July 2. Congress took into consideration the Report on Monsieur Ducoudray's affairs; whereupon,

'The Committee on Foreign Applications laid before Congress the following papers,'-papers showing his agreement with Mr. Deane ;-whereupon, the subject of Mr. Ducoudray's affairs was referred to a committee of the whole Congress. After being some time under consideration on that day, it was postponed; but resumed, and 'some time' under consideration, on each of the successive days, 10th, 11th, and 12th; and again on the 15th, on which day it was decided as follows:

'Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed to confer with Monsieur Ducoudray; that they inform him, Congress cannot comply with the agreement he has entered into with Mr. Deane; but that, sensible of the services he has rendered these States, and having a favorable opinion of his merit and abilities, they will cheerfully give him such rank and appointments as shall not be inconsistent with the honor and safety of these States, or interfere with the great duties they owe to their constituents.'

Congress employed him in planning works for the defence of Philadelphia, and granted considerable sums of money for the support of himself and the gentlemen

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