small pieces of cannon brought in on board the brig Hannah, together with a half barrel of powder said to be on board, (which vessels were brought into this harbour by Captain Manly,) and also for some shot for the above said small cannon, which will, we think, contribute much to the safety of the interest of the United Colonies, as also of this town in particular, and will be gratefully received by your most humble and obedient servants,

Committee of Correspondence of Beverly.

To his Excellency General Washington.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

[Read December 19, 1775.]

Cambridge, December 11, 1775.

SIR: Captain Manly, of the Lee, armed schooner, has taken and sent into Beverly two prizes since I last wrote to you, which was the 7th instant. One of them is the ship Jenny, Captain Forster, who left London late in October. He has very unfortunately thrown all his papers overboard; is not yet arrived at camp; if he does before I close this, I will let you know what information I get from him. His vessel is loaded with coal and porter; of the latter, about one hundred butts. The other is a brigantine from Antigua, called the Little Hannah, Robert Adams master. Her cargo consists of one hundred and thirty-nine hogsheads of rum, one hundred cases of Geneva, and some other trifling articles. Both cargoes were designed for the use of the army and navy at Boston. I have great pleasure in congratulating you on this success.

The numbers inlisted last week are: . . . . . men. If they go on at this slow rate, it will be a long time before this army is complete. I have wrote to the Governours of Connecticut and Rhode-Island, also to the Convention of New-Hampshire, on this subject. A copy of my letter to them I have the honour to enclose here-with; a letter to the same purport I sent to the Legislature of this Province.

The militia are coming in fast. I am much pleased with the alacrity which the good people of this Province, as well as those of New-Hampshire, have shown upon this occasion. I expect the whole will be in this day and to-morrow, when what remains of the Connecticut gentry, who have not in-listed, will have liberty to go to their fire-sides.

The Commissary-General is still, by his indisposition, detained from camp. He committed an error when making out the ration list; for he was then serving out, and has continued so to do, six ounces, per man per week, of butter, though it is not included in the list approved of by Congress. I do not think it would be expedient to put a stop thereto, as every thing that would have a tendency to give the soldiery room for complaint, must be avoided.

The information I received, that the enemy intended spreading the small-pox amongst us, I could not suppose them capable of. I now must give some credit to it, as it has made its appearance on several of those who last came out of Boston. Every necessary precaution has been taken to prevent its being communicated to this army, and the General Court will take care that it does not spread through the country.

I have not heard that any more troops are arrived at Boston, which is a lucky circumstance, as the Connecticut troops, I now find, are for the most part gone off. The houses in Boston are lessening every day. They are pulled down either for fire-wood, or to prevent the effects of fire, should we attempt a bombardment, or an attack upon the town. Cobble-Hill is strongly fortified, without any interruption from the enemy. Colonel Enos has been tried and acquitted. Upon what principle, you will see by the process of his trial, which I now send you. As the time of Colonel Enos's engagement was near expired, a doubt arose whether he could then be tried by a court-martial. This it was which occasioned his trial to come on before Colonel Arnold's evidence could be had.

This is what at present occurs from, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

GEORGE WASHINGTON

To the Honourable John Hancock, Esq.

P. S. The weekly returns of inlistments not being yet received for more than ten regiments, amounting to seven hundred and twenty-five men, I cannot fill up the blank in this letter; but this, added to the former, makes, in the whole, five thousand two hundred and fifty-three.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Cambridge, December 5, 1775.

SIR: I have of late met with abundant reason to convince me of the impracticability of recruiting this army to the new establishment, in any reasonable time, by voluntary inlistments. The causes of such exceeding great backward-ness I shall not undertake to point out; sufficient it is to know that the fact is so. Many reasons are assigned; one only I shall mention, and that is, that the present soldiery are in expectation of drawing from the landed interest and farmers a bounty equal to the allowance at the commencement of this army, and therefore they play off. Be this as it may, I am satisfied that this is not a time for tri-fling, and that the exigency of our affairs calls aloud for vigorous exertions.

By sad experience it is found that the Connecticut troops have deserted, and are about to desert the noble cause we are engaged in; nor have I any reason to believe that the forces of New-Hampshire, this Government, or Rhode-Island, will give stronger proofs of their attachment to it, when the period arrives when they may claim their dismission. For after every stimulus in my power has been thrown in their way, and near a month's close endeavour, we have inlisted but about five thousand men; fifteen hundred of which are to be absent at a time on furlough, until all have gone home, in order to visit and provide for their families. Five thousand militia, from this Government and the Colony of New-Hampshire, are ordered to be at this place by the 10th instant, to relieve the Connecticut regiments, and supply the deficiency which will be occasioned by their departure, and of those on furlough. These men, I am told by officers who have been eye-witnesses to their behaviour, are not to be depended upon for more than a few days, as they soon get tired, grow impatient, ungovernable, and of course leave the service. What will be the consequence, if the greatest part of the army is to be composed of such men? Upon the new establishment, twenty-six regiments were ordered to be raised, besides those of the artillery and riflemen. Of these, New-Hampshire has three, Massachusetts sixteen, Rhode-Island two, and Connecticut five. A mode of appointing the officers was also recommended, and as strictly adhered to as circumstances would admit of. These officers are now recruiting, with the success I have mentioned.

Thus, sir, have I given you a true and impartial state of our situation, and submit it to the wisdom of your and the other three New-England Colonies, whether some vigorous measures, if the powers of Government are adequate, ought not to be adopted, to facilitate the completion of this army, without offering a bounty from the publick, which Congress have declared against, thinking the terms, exclusive there-of, greater than soldiers ever had. I have laid the matter before Congress by this conveyance; but the critical situation of our affairs will not await their deliberation and re-commendation. Something must be done without further delay.

I am, sir, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To the Hon. Jonathan Trumbull, Esq., Governour, &c.,

Proceedings of a General Court-Martial of the line, held at Head-Quarters, Cambridge, by order of his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq.,Commander-in-Chief of the Forces of the UNITED COLONIES, DECEMBER 1, 1775.

Brigadier-General Sullivan, President; Colonel Bridge, Colonel Sargent, Colonel Greaton, Lieut. Colonel Cleaveland, Lieut. Colonel March, Lieut. Colonel Read, Lieut. Colonel Brewer, Lieut. Colonel Vose, Major Poor, Major Wood, Major Woods, Major Johnson.

William Tudor, Judge Advocate.

The Court, being duly sworn, proceeded to the trial of Lieutenant-Colonel Enos, of the Twenty-second Regi-