the Congress, as I am of opinion the allowance is inadequate to their rank and service, and is one great source of that familiarity between the officers and men, which is so incompatible with subordination and discipline. Many valuable officers of those ranks, finding themselves unable to support the character and appearance of officers, I am informed, will retire as soon as the term of service is expired, if there is no alteration.

For the better regulation of duty, I found it necessary to settle the rank of the officers, and to number the Regiments; and as I had not received the commands of the Congress on the subject, and the exigence of the service forbade any farther delay, the General Officers were considered as having no Regiments—an alteration which I understand is not pleasing to some of them, but appeared to me and others to be proper, when it was considered that by this means the whole Army is put upon one footing, and all particular attachments dissolved.

Among many other considerations which the approach of winter will demand, that of clothing appears to be one of the most important; so far as regards the preservation of the Army from cold, they may be deemed in a state of nakedness. Many of the men have been without blankets the whole campaign; and those which have been in use during the summer are so much worn as to be of little service. In order to make a suitable provision in these articles, and at the same time to guard the publick against imposition and expense, it seems necessary to determine the mode of continuing the Army; for should these Troops be clothed under their present engagement, and, at the expiration of the term of service, decline renewing it, a set of unprovided men may be sent to supply their places. I cannot suppose it to be unknown to the honourable Congress that in all armies it is an established practice to make an allowance to officers of provisions and forage proportionate to their rank. As such an allowance formed no part of the Continental establishment, I have hitherto forbore to issue the orders for that purpose; but as it is a received opinion of such members of the Congress as I have had an opportunity of consulting, as well as throughout the Army, that it must be deemed a matter of course, and implied in the establishment of the Army, I have directed the following proportion of rations, being the same as allowed in the American Armies last war: Major-General, fifteen; Brigadier-General, twelve; Colonel, six; Lieutenant-Colonel, five; Major, four; Captain, three; Subaltern, two; Staff, two. If these should not be approved by the honourable Congress, they will please to signify their pleasure as to the alterations they would have made in the whole or in part.

I am now to inform the honourable Congress that, encouraged by the repeated declarations of the Canadians and Indians, and urged by their requests, I have detached Col. Arnold, with one thousand men, to penetrate into Canada by way of Kennebeck River, and, if possible, to make himself master of Quebeck. By this manœuvre I proposed either to divert Carleton from St. John’s, which would leave a free passage to General Schuyler, or, if this did not take effect, Quebeck, in its present defenceless state, must fall into his hands an easy prey. I made all possible inquiry as to the distance, the safety of the route, and the danger of the season being too far advanced, but found nothing in either to deter me from proceeding, more especially as it met with very general approbation from all whom 1 consulted upon it. But that nothing might be omitted to enable me to judge of its propriety and probable consequences, I communicated it, by express, to General Schuyler, who approved of it in such terms that I resolved to put it in immediate execution. They have now left this place seven days, and, if favoured with a good wind, I hope soon to hear of their being safe in Kennebeck River. For the satisfaction of the Congress, I here enclose a copy of the proposed route, No. 3. I also do myself the honour of enclosing a manifesto, which I caused to be printed here, and of which Col. Arnold has taken a suitable number with him; this is the enclosure, No. 4. I have also forwarded a copy of his instructions, No. 5; from all which I hope the Congress will have a clear view of the motives, plan, and intended execution of this enterprise, and that I shall be so happy as to meet with their approbation in it.

I was the more induced to make this detachment, as it is my clear opinion, from a careful observation of the movements of the enemy, corroborated by all the intelligence we receive by deserters and others, (of the former of whom we have some every day,) that the enemy have no intention to come out until they are re-enforced. They have been wholly employed, for some time past, in procuring materials for barracks, fuel, and making other preparations for winter. These circumstances, with the constant additions to their works, which are apparently defensive, have led to the above conclusion, and enabled me to spare this body of men, where I hope they will be usefully and successfully employed.

The state of inactivity in which this Army has lain for some time by no means corresponds with my wishes, by some decisive stroke, to relieve my Country from the heavy expense its subsistence must create. After frequently reconnoitring the situation of the enemy in the Town of Boston, collecting all possible intelligence, and digesting the whole, a surprise did not appear to me wholly impracticable, though hazardous. I communicated it to the General Officers some days before I called them to a council, that they might be prepared with their opinions; the result I have the honour of sending, in the enclosure, No. 6. I cannot say that I have wholly laid it aside; but new events may occasion now measures. Of this I hope the honourable Congress can need no assurance, that there is not a man in America who more earnestly wishes such a termination of the campaign as to make the Army no longer necessary.

The season advances so fast that I have given orders to prepare barracks and other accommodations for the winter. The great scarcity of tow cloth in this Country, I fear, will totally disappoint us in our expectations of procuring hunting shirts. Governour Cooke me few or none are to be had in Rhode-Island, and Governour Trumbull gives me little encouragement to expect many from Connecticut.

I have filled up the office of Quartermaster-General, which the Congress was pleased to leave to me, by the appointment of Major Mifflin, which I hope and believe will be universally acceptable.

It gives me great pain to be obliged to solicit the attention of the honourable Congress to the state of this Army, in terms which imply the slightest apprehension of being neglected. But my situation is inexpressibly distressing, to see the winter fast approaching upon a naked Army; the time of their service within a few weeks of expiring, and no provision yet made for such important events; added to these, the military chest is totally exhausted; the Paymaster has not a single dollar in hand. The Commissary-General assures me he has strained his credit, for the subsistence of the Army, to the utmost. The Quartermaster-General is precisely in the same situation; and the greater part of the Troops are in a state not far from mutiny, upon the deduction from their stated allowance. I know not to whom I am to impute this failure; but I am of opinion, if the evil is not immediately remedied, and more punctuality observed in future, the Army must absolutely break up. I hoped I had expressed myself so fully on this subject, both by letter and to those members of the Congress who honoured the camp with a visit, that no disappointment could possibly happen. I therefore hourly expected advice from the Paymaster that he had received a fresh supply, in addition to the one hundred and seventy-two thousand Dollars delivered him in August, and thought myself warranted to assure the publick creditors that in a few days they should be satisfied. But the delay has brought matters to such a crisis as admits of no farther uncertain expectation. I have therefore sent off this express, with orders to make all possible despatch. It is my most earnest request that he may be returned with all possible expedition, unless the honourable Congress have already forwarded what is so indispensably necessary.

I have the honour to be, with the most sincere respect and regard, Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

[No. 1.]

In Provincial Congress, Watertown, May 12, 1775.

Resolved, That the following establishment be made for ten Companies of Matrosses: Captain, six Pounds ten Shillings per month; Captain-Lieutenant, five Pounds ten Shillings; First Lieutenant, four Pounds ten Shillings;