suspend your judgment, and which will redouble your esteem for him.

'America is most impatiently expecting us to declare for her; and France will one day, I hope, determine to humble the pride of England. We are not, I confess, so strong as I expected; but we are strong enough to fight. We shall do so, I trust, with some degree of success; and, with the assistance of France, we shall gain, with costs, the cause that I cherish, because it is the cause of justice, — because it honors humanity, — because it is important to my country, and because my American friends and myself are deeply engaged in it.

As to the army, I have had the happiness of obtaining the friendship of every individual: not one opportunity is lost of giving me proofs of it. I passed the whole summer without accepting a division, which, you know, had been my previous intention; I passed all that time at General Washington's house, where I felt as if I were with a friend of twenty years' standing. Since my return from Jersey, he has desired me to choose amongst the several brigades the division which may please me best; but I have chosen one entirely composed of Virginians. It is weak in point of numbers at present; just in proportion, however, to the weakness of the whole army, and almost in a state of nakedness. But I am promised cloth, of which I shall make clothes, and recruits, of which soldiers must be made, about the same period; but, unfortunately, the last is the most difficult task, even for more skilful men than me. The task I am performing here, if I had acquired sufficient experience to perform it well, would improve exceedingly my future knowledge.

I read, I study, I examine, I listen, I reflect; and the result of all is, the endeavor at forming an opinion, into which I infuse as much common sense as possible. I will not talk much, for fear of saying foolish things; I will still less risk acting much, for fear of doing foolish things; for I am not disposed to abuse the confidence which the Americans have kindly placed in me. Such is the plan of conduct which I have followed until now, and which I shall continue to follow; but when some ideas occur to me, which I believe may become useful when properly rectified, I hasten to impart them to a great judge, who is good enough to say he is pleased with them. On the other hand, when my heart tells me that a favorable opportunity offers, I cannot refuse myself the pleasure of participating in the peril; but I do not think that the vanity of success ought to make us risk the safety of an army, or of any portion of it, which may not be formed or calculated for the offensive.'

69

Lafayette's Mem. and Cor. vol. i. p. 130.

The Resolves below, received with the favor of the 20th' from Congress, it is thought proper to insert before the General's two letters of the 224 and 23d in answer to them, and to some other Resolves which precede them.

In order the better to understand these Resolves and letters, it should be previously known that, Nov. 28, Congress appointed a committee of three, forthwith to repair to the army, and, in a private confidential consultation with General Washington, to consider of the best and most practicable means for carrying on a winter's campaign with vigor and success, -an object which Congress have much at heart;' and it should be known also, that the Legislature of Pennsylvania had presented in Congress a Remonstrance against the army's going into winter quarters.

December 19. 'Congress resumed the consideration of the Report from the Committee sent to confer with General Washington, and the Remonstrance from the Council and General Assembly of Pennsylvania; and, thereupon,

'Resolved, That a copy of the Remonstrance be transmitted by express to General Washington, and that he be desired to inform Congress whether he has come to a fixed resolution to canton the army; and, if he has, what line of cantonment he has proposed; in particular, what measures are agreed on for the protection of that part of Pennsylvania which lies on the easterly side of Schuylkill, and of the State of New Jersey:

That General Washington be farther informed, that, in the opinion of Congress, the State of New Jersey demands, in a peculiar degree, the protection of the armies of the United States, so far as the same can possibly be extended, consistent with the safety of the army and the general welfare; as that State lies open to attacks from so many quarters, and the struggles which have been made by the brave and virtuous inhabitants of that State, in defence of the common cause, cannot fail of exposing them to the particular resentment of a merciless enemy?'

GENERAL WASHINGTON to the PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

HEAD-QUARTERS, VALLEY FORGE, 22 December, 1777. 'It is with infinite pain and concern, that I transmit to Congress the enclosed copies of sundry letters respecting the state of the Commissary's department. In these, matters are not exaggerated. I do not know from what cause this alarming deficiency, or rather total failure of supplies, arises; but, unless more vigorous exertions and better regulations take place in that line immediately, this army must dissolve. I have done all in my power, by remonstrating, by writing, by ordering the Commissaries on this head, from time to time; but without any good effect, or obtaining more than a present scanty relief. Owing to this, the march of the army has been delayed, upon more than one interesting occasion in the course of the present campaign; and, had a body of the enemy crossed the Schuylkill this morning, as I had reason to expect from the intelligence I received at four o'clock last night, the divisions

which I ordered to be in readiness to march and meet them could not have moved. It is unnecessary for me to add more upon the subject. I refer Congress to the copies, by one of which they will perceive how very unfavorable also our prospect is of having any considerable supplies of salt provisions for the ensuing year.

I would also take the liberty of reminding Congress of the necessity of filling, as soon as possible, the offices of Quartermaster and Adjutant-General. These posts are of infinite importance; and, without appointments to them, it will be impossible to conduct the affairs of the army. The first office is now suffering much for want of a head to direct the great business of it; and the latter will be in the same predicament in the course of a few days, by the departure of Colonel Pickering, who, since his appointment to the Board of War, has been waiting only for a successor.*

'Three o'clock, P. M. Just as I was about to conclude my letter, your favor of the 20th came to hand. It would give me infinite pleasure to afford protection to every individual and to every spot of ground in the whole of the United States. Nothing is more my wish; but this is not possible with our present force. * If that system of conduct is pursued by an army, which is most likely to give the most extensive security, it is all that can be done or expected from it.

'I assure you, Sir, no circumstance in the course of the present contest, or in my whole life, has employed more of my reflection or consideration, than in what manner to effect this, and to dispose of the army during the winter. Viewing the subject in any point of light, there was a choice of difficulties. If keeping the field was thought of, the naked condition of the troops and the feelings of humanity opposed the measure; if returning to the towns in the interior parts of the State, which consistently with the preservation of the troops, from their necessitous circumstances, might have been justifiable, the measure was found inexpedient, because it would have exposed and left uncovered a large extent of country; if cantoning the troops in several places, divided and distant from each other, then there was a probability of their being cut off, and but little prospect of their giving security to any part. Under these embarrassments, I determined to take post near this place, as the best calculated, in my judgment, to secure the army, to protect our stores, and cover the country; and for this purpose we are beginning to hut, and shall endeavor to accomplish it as expeditiously as possible.

'I have also, from a desire of preventing the enemy from an intercourse with the Delaware State, and from making incursions

* In a letter dated Oct. 8, General Mifflin, who had held the office of QuartermasterGeneral, expressed a desire to resign it. Congress accepted his resignation, Nov. 7; and immediately after, they elected him and Čolonel Pickering members of the Board of War.

there, detached General Smallwood with the Maryland forces to take post at Wilmington, which I had strong reason to believe the enemy intended. This, however, I cannot but consider as hazardous, and shall be happy if it does not turn out so. I have it also in contemplation to throw a bridge over the Schuylkill, near this place, as soon as it is practicable; by means of which I hope we shall be able in a great measure, with the aid of the militia, to check the excursions of the enemy's parties on the other side.

As to Jersey, I am sensible of her sufferings and exertions in the present contest, and there is no State to which I would more willingly extend protection; but, as I have observed, it is not in my power to give it, in that degree which seems to be wished and expected. I cannot divide the army (not superior, when collected, from sickness and other causes equally painful, to the enemy's force) into detachments, contrary to every military principle, and to our own experience of the dangers that would attend it. If this is done, I cannot be answerable for consequences. My feelings lead strongly to universal relief, but I have not the power to afford it; nevertheless, it has been and is still my intention, as soon as I have formed and secured this camp, to detach a small force to aid and countenance their militia. This is all, it appears to me, that can be done; and I hope the apprehensions in that quarter, for the greater part, will prove rather imaginary than well grounded, though I confess there are strong reasons to conclude, that the enemy will not be remiss in their acts of violence and injury there, or any where else.' 'I have the honor to be, &c.' Wash. Writ.

Sparks, vol. v. p. 192.

If any doubt exist, as to the justness of the strong representations by the Com mander-in-Chief concerning the extreme want of supplies, and the degree of suffering from that source, the following extracts of letters from two of his officers, Dec. 22, may contribute towards relieving such doubt.

From General Huntington.—' I received an order to hold my brigade in readiness to march. Fighting will be far preferable to starving. My brigade are out of provisions, nor can the Commissary obtain any meat. I am exceedingly unhappy in being the bearer of complaints to Head-Quarters. I have used every argu ment my imagination can invent to make the soldiers easy; but I despair of being able to do it much longer.'

From General Varnum. According to the saying of Solomon, hunger will break through a stone wall. It is therefore a very pleasing circumstance to the division under my command, that there is a probability of their marching. Three days successively we have been destitute of bread. Two days we have been entirely without meat. The men must be supplied, or they cannot be commanded. The complaints are too urgent to pass unno.

ticed. It is with pain that I mention this distress. I know it will make your Excellency unhappy; but, if you expect the exertion of virtuous principles, while your troops are deprived of the necessaries of life, your final disappointment will be great in proportion to the patience which now astonishes every man of human feeling.' Ibid. p. 193. Note.

GENERAL WASHINGTON to the PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

VALLEY FORGE, 23 December, 1777. 'SIR,- Full as I was in my representation of the matters in the Commissary's department yesterday, fresh and more powerful reasons oblige me to add, that I am now convinced beyond a doubt, that, unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line, this army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things: starve,-dissolve, or disperse in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can. Rest assured, Sir, this is not an exaggerated picture; and that I have abundant reason to suppose what I say.

'Yesterday afternoon, receiving information that the enemy in force had left the city, and were advancing towards Derby with the apparent design to forage, and draw subsistence from that part of the country, I ordered the troops to be in readiness, that I might give every opposition in my power; when, behold, to my great mortification, I was not only informed, but convinced, that the men were unable to stir on account of provision, and that a dangerous mutiny, begun the night before, and which with difficulty was suppressed by the spirited exertions of some of the officers, was still much to be apprehended for want of this article. This brought forth the only Commissary in the purchasing line in this camp; and, with him, this melancholy and alarming truth: that he had not a single hoof of any kind to slaughter, and not more than twenty-five barrels of flour! From hence form an opinion of our situation, when I add, that he could not tell when to expect any.

'All I could do, under these circumstances, was to send out a few light parties to watch and harass the enemy; whilst other parties were instantly detached different ways, to collect, if possible, as much provision as would satisfy the present pressing wants of the soldiery. But will this answer? No, Sir; three or four days of bad weather would prove our destruction. What, then, is to become of the army this winter? And if we are so often without provisions now, what is to become of us in the spring, when our force will be collected, with the aid perhaps of militia to take advantage of an early campaign, before the enemy can be reinforced? These are considerations of great magnitude, meriting the closest attention; and they will, when my own reputation is so intimately connected with the event and to be affected by it, justify my saying, that the present Commissaries are by no means equal to the exe