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readiness as possible. I need not point out to you the importance of the island, and the inability of the Colony.
I am, in great haste, your very humble servant,
NICHOLAS COOKE.
His Excellency General Washington.
Captain Wallace hath hinted to some of his friends that he expects a reinforcement daily.
GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Cambridge, December 19, 1775.
SIR: Since writing you of this date, the letter herewith enclosed was put into my hands by Mr. Eustace, who is in part the subject of it. Thinking it necessary that you should be acquainted with the contents, and a safe opportunity offering by Mr. Irwin, I do myself the honour of enclosing it, to show more fully to Congress the views of Lord Dunmore.
I am, sir, your most obedient servant,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
To the President of Congress.
LORD DUNMORE TO GENERAL HOWE.
On board the Dunmore, off Norfolk, Virginia, December 2, 1775.
DEAR GENERAL: The bearer of this, whose name is John Eustace, is the son of an unfortunate widow gentle woman in this country. I have had the charge of him for these three years past, and have given him the best education this country could afford. He is a very good Latin scholar; of exceeding good spirit and quick parts; of excellent temper and good disposition; has conceived a great desire to go into the army. I have therefore to entreat you when an opportunity offers, to give him a commission, and I think he will do me no discredit, and you much service. If you are kind enough to employ him, I should be much obliged to you if you would recommend him to some prudent officer, who would take the trouble now and then to give him a little good advice; for the only fault I know in him (if fault it can be called in a boy) is that he is a little too volatile.
Pray spare us some troops, if you can possibly do it consistent with your orders; even the recruits of the Fourteenth Regiment would be of service to us. Those ordered from St. Augustine are not yet arrived, though hourly ex pected. Was the whole regiment here, I think we should be able to do some good. I have sent you a sloop with some Indian corn, oats, and a few Irish potatoes, all of which he told me (I mean Major Connolly) were much wanted. I could have sent you any quantity of oats, such as they are, if I could have got a larger vessel. I wish to God, I had some of your Light-Horse here. This is a fine country for them to act in, and food of all kinds in great abundance, for both men and horses. A winter campaign would reduce, without the smallest doubt, the whole of this Southern Continent to a perfect state of obedience. One essential service it would render you, which is, that I could supply your army and navy with every necessary of life, and that in the greatest abundance, which is more than any other Colony on the Continent could do.
I ever am, dear General, most sincerely yours,
DUNMORE.
To General Howe, Boston.
MEMORANDUM BY GENERAL WASHINGTON'S SECRETARY.
Cambridge, December 19, 1775.
To Jonathan Glover, Esq., Marblehead:
Ordered to deliver up the vessels sent into Marblehead by Broughton and Selman to their owners.
MAJOR-GENERAL HOWE TO THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH.
Boston, December 19, 1775.
MY LORD: I embrace the opportunity of an officer who has my leave to go to Britain in a private ship, suddenly ordered there, to acquaint your Lordship that I have ad vice of Colonel Eyre Massey being arrived at Halifax with his regiment, and that I have been induced, on this occasion, to countermand my orders for six companies of the Sixty-Fifth Regiment, now lying in Nantasket-Road, to proceed to that place.
There have not arrived any troops since my last by the Tartar frigate, leaving this the 16th instant; but the store-ships, (Thames, Laird; Friendship, Miller; Britannia, White; Generous Planter, Calse,) as per margin, have got in with most seasonable supplies, although the live stock met with worse fate than could have been suspected, from the great care that had been taken. As their cargoes are not yet landed, I cannot render a more particular account; but from all the reports received, the merchants employed have been most attentive to their engagements. I am concerned to inform your Lordship that I have the authority of the Rebel commander to believe Brigadier Prescott has fallen into the hands of the enemy; and report says that General Carleton, with the whole Province of Canada, has shared the same fate. Having no communication with Canada at present, I cannot determine upon the degree of credit this intelligence deserves, but am hopeful that the latter is not true. However, Mr. Washington, commanding the Rebel army, presuming upon the number and rank of the prisoners in his possession, has threatened retaliation in point of treatment to any prisoners of theirs in our power, and proposes an exchange, which is a circum stance I shall not answer in positive terms, nor shall I enter upon such a measure without the King's orders. Your Lordship has enclosed a publication, extracted from the minutes of the Continental Congress, in reference to His Majesty's Proclamation of 23d August last, on the principles of which Mr. Washington seems to have founded his threats.
The small quantity of salt provisions in store here has induced me to send an armed transport to St. Eustatia, for a supply of that article, understanding the markets there are glutted with provisions; by which means I flatter my self, should the victuallers ordered here be disappointed in making their voyages in time, that we shall secure a sufficient resource until some of them do arrive,
I have also, on consultation with the Admiral, ordered two transports to be fitted out with the utmost despatch, to sail under convoy of the Scarborough, man-of-war, and two armed schooners, with directions to have them loaded with rice at Savannah, by the assistance of Sir James Wright; and if, in going or returning, they should fall in with any ships having a quantity of this article on board, the Captain of the Scarborough will have orders to seize and send them here for the use of the garrison, navy, and inhabitants. In these ships I propose sending two hundred marines, under the command of a field-officer; and in the whole of this proceeding, I trust I shall have your Lord ship's sanction, being guided by motives arising from my regard to the interest and necessity of His Majesty's service. I have communicated to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, in a letter of this date, an exact account of all the steps I have taken relative to the aforementioned purposes.
I have the honour to be, &c.,
W. HOWE.
To Lord Dunmore.
TO THE EARL OF DARTMOUTH.
Maryland, December 20, 1775.
MY LORD: If constitutional allegiance to my King, a warm attachment to my country,* and the most sanguine emotions for peace and permanent union between the parent State and her Colonies, will sufficiently expiate for epistolatory freedom, permit a Minister of the King of Kings to address a Minister of the King of Great Britain, France, Ireland, and North-America; for it is the language of my soul, that the precious American jewel may speedily and immoveably be set in the most effulgent diadem.
Your Lordship sustains a two-fold character: a soldier of the Lord of Lords, and Secretary of State for the Northern Department, under our rightful Sovereign. High and honourable offices, indeed. But every soldier is not an in trepid warrior; or, as a noble lord once expressed it, "there are many professors, but few possessors;" nor is every servant of the Crown infallible. In both these, every man at best is but a fallible being. This doctrine your Lordship once loved, being then a real follower of the Lamb; for I well remember several opportunities, and the happy and precious, moments of each, when we bowed together at the
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