Colonel Enos’s character greatly suffers, we think it our duty to certify, that some of us, from our own personal knowledge of the military abilities of Colonel Enos, and others of us from information, are fully convinced that he is a gentleman fully acquainted with his duty as an officer, a man of fortitude and prudence, and, in our opinion, well calculated to sustain, with honour, any military character; and, from the fullest inquiry, we are satisfied that (whatsoever different representations may be made) in returning to camp, with the division under his command, he is justifiable, and conducted as an understanding, prudent, faithful officer, and deserves applause rather than censure; and we can safely recommend him as a person worthy to bemployed in any military department.

Now, let Dr. Smith, of Philadelphia, display the malignity of his heart in another funeral oration, in attempting to stab my reputation, and render me infamous in the view of the world.  However, I will venture to assert, that if ill-nature, and a fondness to raise his reputation on the ruin of his fellow-men, are as discernible in his other political writings as in this oration, so far as it respects my character, he is one of the most dangerous writers, and, perhaps, the most consummate villain, that walks on the face of God’s earth. Ignorance of my real character, and of the grounds and reasons of my conduct in returning from the expedition to Canada, was no warrant for such indecent freedom as he has used in his malicious, though feeble attempt to ruin my reputation.  He ought to have waited till a true and impartial history of the facts had enabled him to talk on the subject with propriety, and not have uttered things at random; and, for the sake of furnishing matter for declamation, have undertook, with such violence, to blacken the character of an innocent man.

ROGER ENOS.

New-London, May 31, 1776.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO THE GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS-BAY.

Cambridge, November 29, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: The necessity of giving furloughs to the soldiers of the present, who enlist into the new Army, (by way of encouragement, and to afford opportunity of providing necessaries for themselves and families,) was so strongly impressed upon me, that I have consented to fifty of a Regiment being absent at a time.  This will be a reduction of at least fifteen hundred men from the strength of our lines. To this I am to add that, contrary to my expectations and assurances given, I now find that the Connecticut Regiments cannot be induced to stay beyond their limited term.  Such a considerable diminution of our force, at a time when so capital a change is taking place, in the face of an enemy increasing in strength, cannot but be attended with extreme hazard, if some expedient is not fallen upon to supply the deficiency.

I have summoned the General Officers to meet at Head-Quarters, at eleven o’clock, to-morrow, to advise what is to be done in this emergency; and should be glad to be aided by a member or two of your Court, at this consultation, as I think our situation critical, and delays dangerous.

In perusing a resolve of your honourable body, I perceive it to be determined that your troops are to be paid by the lunar, or twenty-eight days to the month, from the time of their enlisting to the first of August; upon which I cannot help observing, as rny opinion, that it will throw the rest of this Army into disorder; and that as the Continental Congress have, in explicit terms, resolved that it is the calendar month they mean to pay by, that the difference between the two must be considered as a Colonial, not a Continental charge.

I am, &c.,

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To the Hon. James Warren, Esq., Speaker, &c.

ROBERT H. HARRISON TO THE COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS-BAY.

Cambridge, November 29, 1775.

SIR: I am to inform you, by command of his Excellency General Washington, that he this day wrote and sent a letter, by Mr. Adjutant Gibbs, to Watertoiun, for you, upon business of importance, which Mr. Gibbs, through mistake, gave to the honourable the Speaker of the Assembly. His Excellency begs the favour of you to have inquiry made after the letter, that you may get it in time for the business to which it relates. I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant,

ROBERT H. HARRISON, Aid-de-Camp.

The Hon. James Otis, Esq., President of the honourable Council of the Massachusetts-Bay.

P. S. It was delivered to the Hon. William Cooper, Esq., Speaker pro tempore.

The Committee of both Houses, appointed to take into consideration his Excellency General Washington’s Letter, dated November 29, 1775, to the General Court, report, as their opinion, that a Committee be immediately appointed to wait on him, and, with the General Officers, to devise some method whereby the deficiency in the Army, which may be caused by the Connecticut forces leaving the service, and the furloughs granted to part of the forces enlisted for the next year, can be supplied, and make report.

And whereas his Excellency, in the last paragraph of the same letter, mentions that he cannot help observing, as his opinion, that our paying our men by the lunar, and not by the calendar month, will throw the rest of the Army into disorder: We also report, that a Committee be appointed to draught a letter to his Excellency, in answer to the said paragraph of his letter, showing the reasons of our conduct in thus paying our men—that it is not an innovation; and that we hear it with concern, that while we are doing justice to our men, by complying with our contract with them, that it should produce disorder in the Army— and report.

B. LINCOLN, per order.

In Council, November 30, 1775: Read and accepted; and thereupon

Resolved, That Joseph Palmer, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to wait upon his Excellency General Washington, and, with the other General Officers, to devise some method whereby the deficiency in the Army, which may be caused by the Connecticut Forces leaving the service, and the furloughs granted to part of the forces enlisted for the next year, can be supplied, and make report. And, also, that Benjamin Lincoln, Esq., with such as the honourable House shall join, be a Committee to draught a Letter to his Excellency General Washington, in answer to the last paragraph in his said Letter, showing the reasons of this Colony’s paying their men by lunar months; [A] that it is not an innovation; and that it is matter of concern to this Court, that while we are doing justice to our men, by complying with our contract with them, that it should produce disorders in the Army. [B]

Sent down for concurrence.

PEREZ MORTON, Deputy Secretary.

In the House of Representatives, November 30, 1775: Read and concurred, with the amendment, viz: dele from