| You are here: Home >> American Archives |
of peril and distress, find themselves unprovided with a more convenient and comfortable situation, that in such case, humanity, and the laws of hospitality, readily incline them to offer to their service a reasonable part of their property, and they are hereby cordially invited to a participation thereof. Resolved, unanimously, That the Sub-Committees be vigilant and active, within their respective jurisdictions, in discovering and detecting all inimical or disaffected persons to the American cause, and make information thereof, as speedily as may be, to the Chairman of this Committee. Resolved, That Mr. Purdie be forthwith furnished with a copy hereof, who is desired to publish the same in his Gazette. JOHN NASH, Chairman pro tem. GENERAL SCHUYLER TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
[Read November 30, 1775.] Ticonderoga, November 20, 1775. SIR: Yesterday I was honoured with your letter of the 9th instant, covering the resolutions of Congress of that date. You will perceive, by my last letters, that I had anticipated part of what Congress gave in charge to the Committee. I shall order the clothing to remain at Albany, as General Montgomery will provide the troops in Canada; and, indeed, the frost is so intense, that if it was necessary to send it to Canada, it is not likely I should be able to get it there, as the intercourse by water will soon cease, unless the weather should speedily turn more mild. Our Army in Canada is daily reducing; about three hundred of the troops, raised in Connecticut, having passed here within a few days; so that I believe not more than six hundred and fifty or seven hundred, from that Colony, are left. From the different New-York Regiments, about forty are also come away. An unhappy home-sickness prevails. Those mentioned above all came down invalids; not one willing to re-engage for the winter service, and unable to get any work done by them, I discharged them, en groupe. Of all the specificks ever invented for any, there is none so efficacious as a discharge for this prevailing disorder. No sooner was it administered, but it perfected the cure of nine out of ten, who, refusing to wait for boats to go by the way of Fort George, slung their heavy packs, crossed the lake at this place, and undertook a march of two hundred miles with the greatest good-will and alacrity. Captain Curtis and Captain Horton, to whom I had given enlisting orders, had not yet left the ground when the resolution of Congress came to hand. I have therefore countermanded the orders, and issued others conformable to those of Congress; and have ventured on the additional allowance of one-twelfth of a dollar per day, for billeting money, until they can get to such places where provisions can be issued to them, as the men cannot otherwise be subsisted. The most scandalous inattention to the publick stores prevails in every part of the Army. The tents are left laying in the boats; axes, kettles, &c., lost; and every thing running into confusion. The only attention that engrosses the minds of the soldiery is, how to get home the soonest possible. Nothing, Sir, will ever put a stop to this shameful negligence, but obliging the officers to pay for what is not accounted for, and let them deduct it out of the men’s wages. They cannot think this a hardship, as they were informed by me that every article that was issued to them should be returned into store, or properly accounted for. If they are suffered to do it with impunity this year, it will be the same next. I am, Sir, with great respect and esteem, your most obedient and very humble servant, PHILIP SCHUYLER. To the Hon. John Hancock, Esq., &c. COLONEL JOSEPH TRUMBULL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON. Lebanon, November 20, 1775. MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: The disease I have been afflicted with has given such a shock to my constitution as still disables me from travelling to Cambridge, where I want much to be; but sickness must be submitted to. I hope soon, now, to be able to travel, if the weather is tolerable. I have been making every necessary preparation, within my department, for the subsistence of the Army, and find I have got a good supply of flour at camp, and on the roads leading thereto; and have now given orders for all to stop twenty miles back from Cambridge and Roxbury, on the different roads, from whence it can be hauled at all times, and in the worst seasons. I am now also collecting pork and beef, agreeable to direction of Congress, to drive to and within twenty miles of camp, and there to be killed and salted; and have contracted to have it done so as to make the saving to the Continent full equal to my most sanguine expectations. This branch of business will make a heavy demand on the Paymaster, which I hope he is able to answer, as it would give great uneasiness to the farmers not to get their money on the delivery of their cattle and hogs, and me great trouble to have them to pay afterwards. On what your Excellency wrote me, when I drew last to pay my flour contracts, I took the liberty to write to the Delegates for this Colony what sums I should probably want, and the necessity of my being supplied, at the present season, which I hope will forward supplies of cash to the Paymaster, to answer the necessary demands on him. Some considerable sums of cash will be wanted for beef and pork, and to pay up the officers’ rations—those of them who are like to leave the service before I can come to camp—and I have directed Mr. Avery to apply to your Excellency for a warrant or warrants, as may be needed. Whatever sums your Excellency has or shall give warrants for, to him, I will be answerable for, and underwrite his receipts on my arrival. I have made out an estimate of the cost of a day’s ration,* which is annexed for your Excellency’s inspection and approbation, as a rule to pay the officers by. I am, with the greatest respect and esteem, your Excellency’s most obedient and most humble servant, JOSEPH TRUMBULL. His Excellency General Washington. GENERAL WASHINGTON TO JOSEPH REED. Camp at Cambridge, November 20, 1775. DEAR SIR: The hint contained in the last of your letters respecting your continuance in my family, in other words, your wish that I could dispense with it, gives me pain. You already, my dear Sir, know my sentiments on this matter; you cannot but be sensible of your importance to me; at the same time I shall again repeat, what I have observed to you before, that I can never think of promoting my convenience at the expense of your interest and inclination. You can judge that I feel the want of you, when I inform you that the peculiar situation of Mr. Randolph’s affairs obliged him to leave this place soon after you did; that Mr. Baylor, contrary to my expectation, is not in the smallest degree a penman, though spirited and willing; and that Mr. Harrison, though sensible, clear, and perfectly confidential, has never yet moved upon so large a scale as to comprehend at one view the diversity of matter which comes before me, so as to afford that ready assistance, which every man in my situation must stand more or less in need of. Mr. Moylan, it is true, is very obliging; he gives me what assistance he can; but other business must necessarily deprive me of his aid in a very short time. This is my situation; judge you, therefore, how much I wish for your return, especially as the armed vessels, and the capital change in the state of this Army about to *An Estimate of the cost of a day’s Ration, as allowed the Troops in the service of the UNITED COLONIES, NOVEMBER, 1775.
|