I communicated to my son your Excellency’s intention (as handed to me by Colonel Reed ) of giving him the command of one of the vessels, which he seems much pleased with; hope his conduct will meet your Excellency’s approbation; he therefore waits for directions.

I am, respectfully, your Excellency’s most obedient humble servant,

JOHN GLOVER.

To his Excellency General Washington.

REV. DR. ELEAZER WHEELOCK TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Dartmouth College, October 15, 1775.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: Presuming the nature and importance of the subject will apologize for this interruption, I make bold to propose to you, whether the sending an experienced and well accomplished missionary into Canada (and if may be in character of chaplain to your forces there) may not answer very valuable and good purposes at this juncture, viz: to facilitate and effect the union of that Colony with the other Colonies; and in case this design of your forces there should be successful, make it yet more extensive, by the union of the Indian tribes therein, confirm their friendship to these Colonies, as well as increase it to this seminary, and lay them under stronger bonds, by giving them fresh assurance of the well-being of their children with me, and bringing a number more from these and (if it may be) from remoter tribes to this school, &c., &c. The Rev. Mr. Ripley, who is now a tutor of this college, and has been employed in several missions, is well acquainted with and is high in the affection and esteem of several of those tribes, and is the most suitable man I know, while Mr. Dean is otherwise employed among the Six Nations, to be sent on such an errand; is willing to undertake it, provided he may only be supported therein.

And the present course of Providence appears so encouraging, and the prospects of his usefulness therein so inviting, that I am near determined to send him as missionary at my own risk, as soon as may be. I am sorry I could not have an opportunity for your Excellency’s advice and direction in the affair, before the season advanced so far as to make his delay dangerous. However, if you shall approve of it, and think it worthy your encouragement, I shall likely have an opportunity to transmit to him, by the post, whatever recommendation of the design, or instructions, you shall please to give him in the prosecution thereof.

My heart and prayers are with you and for you; and I am, honoured Sir, with much duty and esteem, your most obedient and very humble servant,

ELEAZER WHEELOCK.

His Excellency General Washington.

P. S. I enclose my last Narrative, and shall endeavour to give you an account of occurrences since my last, as soon as I am favoured with an opportunity and leisure for it.

GENERAL GAGE TO LORD DARTMOUTH.

At Sea, October 15, 1775.

It will give me pleasure, as I think it my duty, to send your Lordship every hint or intelligence that can be of use at this important crisis; nor am I disposed to do it in a secret manner, as it behooves every man, in such times as these, to declare his sentiments openly. People agree, now, that there has been a scheme for a revolt from the Mother Country, long conceived, between those who have most influence in the American councils, which has been preparing the people’s minds, by degrees, for events that at first view they regarded with horrour and detestation. If the Boston Port Bill had not furnished a pretext for rebellion, something else would have brought it forward. Unfortunately, few could believe it possible for them to prevail with the people to rise, and to the last the friends of Government assured them it was only threats and menaces, meant to intimidate. Misfortune has arisen from this incredulity; for the Rebels have been prepared to exercise their plan, while the Government, not apprehensive of so general a revolt, has been unprepared to oppose it. The conduct of the leaders on the 19th of April evinced their intention to begin hostilities; and had they not commenced then, they would only have been deferred. Your Lordship has a perfect idea of the transactions of that day, which were so far unlucky as it put an immediate stop to supplies of every kind. Otherwise, our magazines would have been better filled.

I am convinced that the promoters of the rebellion have no real desire of peace, unless they have a carte blanche. Their whole conduct has been one scene of fallacy, duplicity, and dissimulation, by which they have duped many well inclined people. Your Lordship will judge if the last petition of the Congress to the King is to be relied upon; and yet we are told that this petition was obtained by the most moderate of the members with great difficulty, and after very long debate. There has been much heat and division in the Congress, and a jealousy of the New-England members; and I am told it was owing to jealousy that Washington was appointed to the command of the Rebel Army, in which there is much discontent. Lee is neither respected nor esteemed among them, though it is said that he is supported by the Boston rulers in opposition to Washington; and that he is for making an attack, without delay, upon the troops; but that the rest think it too desperate an undertaking. The Rebel forces are well fed, but in general ill clothed and badly paid, though paper money has been issued to them lately. The credit of the paper is now kept up by force, and I have not heard that any plan has been fixed upon to redeem it.

They give out that they expect peace on their own terms, through the inability of Britain to contend with them; and it is no wonder that such reports gain credit with the people, when letters from England and English newspapers give so much encouragement to rebellion. Many people are of the opinion that the Rebels will not hold together another year; but, though the Country will be very greatly distressed, and the people tired of the work, I will take the liberty to say, that from their presumption, arrogance, and encouragement from England, we can rely on nothing but our force to procure even decent terms of peace; and that if it was ever necessary to obtain peace through the means of war, it is highly so in the present juncture. I transmit to your Lordship a packet of letters that were picked out from a number of papers scattered about Cushing’s house. They contain no intelligence of present transactions, but show the nature of the correspondence that the two Lees, Dr. Franklin, and others, kept up with the leaders of this rebellion.

COLONEL BENEDICT ARNOLD TO COLONEL ROGER ENOS.

Third Carrying-Place, October 15, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I forgot to desire you to send on the yoke of oxen to Dead River as soon as can be, as I intend killing them there for the whole detachment. Your proposal in regard to Mr. North will be agreeable to me, if it is so to the detachment; but I am at a loss whether they will be fond of having an officer introduced, not belonging to the detachment. When we arrive at the Dead River, will determine that matter, where you will hurry as fast as possible. There I design holding a council of war, and expect particular advice from Canada.

I am, Sir, your most humble servant,

B. ARNOLD.

Lieutenant-Colonel Enos.

COLONEL BENEDICT ARNOLD TO COLONEL ROGER ENOS.

Third Carrying-Place, October 15, 1775.

DEAR SIR: Yours of yesterday was this moment delivered to me. I had just wrote you in regard to Mr. North, and to forward on the oxen, &c. When I left the carrying place, I expected to have found some subaltern unwell, who might have been detained with fifteen or twenty men who were feeble, and not so well able to proceed, yet capable of taking care of the sick, provisions, &c. If none such is sent back before you leave the carrying place, you must order some subaltern to remain there, and have a batteau at each lake. Give him orders to send the sick down, and take particular care of the batteaus left behind. The three first divisions have twenty-five days’ provision, which will carry them to Chaudiere Pond and back, where we shall doubtless