will give the marching orders to the Colonels commanding the divisions.

The Field-Officers of Regiments and Captains of Companies will be answerable for any damage done to the Barracks, upon their men’s removing out; therefore it behooves them to see no wanton destruction is committed, as they will be charged with a sum sufficient to pay for repairing the mischief done.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 30, 1776.

A detachment from the Regiment of Artillery to be ready to march on Monday morning, with the Brigade under Brigadier-General Greene.

The Colonels commanding the Regiments of this Brigade may each of them receive a warrant for five hundred Pounds, lawful money, upon application at Head-Quarters.

A General Court-Martial to sit Monday morning, in Boston, in the Court-House, to try such prisoners as shall be brought before them. All evidences and persons concerned to attend the Court.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, March 31, 1776.

Larned’s, Parsons’s, Huntington’s, Ward’s, and Wyllys’s Regiments, are to march at sunrise next Thursday morning; the whole to be commanded by Brigadier-General Spencer. The remainder of the Regiment of Artillery, (except the Company that is to remain in Boston,) with such pieces of artillery and stores as Colonel Knox shall think necessary, are to march with the above Brigade. The Quartermaster-General’s Assistant to pay particular attention to the providing the teams for the Regiments, and the Artillery above-mentioned. The commanding Officers of these five Regiments may each of them have a warrant for five hundred Pounds, upon application at Head-Quarters, and they are to credit the Pay Abstract, for the month of February, for that sum.

All the Ammunition, and other articles which have been delivered to the Regiments of Militia, out of the Continental Stores, are to be carefully returned, or the value will be deducted out of the Pay Abstract. The Assistant Quartermaster-General and Commissary of Stores are to take care that this order be fulfilled.

Head-Quarters, Cambridge, April 1, 1776.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO JOSEPH REED.

Cambridge, April 1, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Your letter of the 15th ultimo contained a very unfavourable account of the Carolinas; but I am glad to find, by the subsequent one, that the prospect brightens, and that Mr. Martin’s first attempt has met with its deserved success. The old proverb, of “the first blow being half the battle,” cannot better apply than in these instances; the spirits of the vanquished being depressed in proportion as the victors get elated. I am glad to find my camp equipage in such forwardness. I shall expect to meet it, and I hope you, at New-York, for which place I am preparing to set out on Thursday or Friday next.

The accounts brought by Mr. Temple, of the favourable disposition in the Ministry to accommodate matters, does not correspond with their speeches in Parliament. How, then, does he account for their inconsistency? If the Commissioners do not come over with full and ample powers to treat with Congress, I sincerely wish they may never put their feet on American ground, as it must be self-evident, in the other case, that they will come over with insidious intentions to distract, divide, and create as much confusion as possible. How, then, can any man (let his passion for reconciliation be ever so strong) be so blinded and misled as to embrace a measure evidently designed for his destruction? No man does, no man can wish the restoration of peace more fervently than I do; but I hope, whenever made, it will be upon such terms as will reflect honour upon the councils and wisdom of America. With you, I think a change in the American representation necessaiy. Frequent appeals to the people can be attended with no bad, but may have very salutary effects. My countrymen, I know, from their form of Government and steady attachment heretofore to royalty, will come reluctantly into the idea of independence; but time and persecution bring many wonderful things to pass; and, by private letters which I have lately received from Virginia, I find “Common Sense” is working a powerful change there in the minds of many men.

The four thousand men destined for Boston on the 5th, (if the Ministerialists had attempted our works on Dorchester-Heights, or the lines at Roxbury,) were to have been headed by General Putnam. But he would have had pretty easy work of it, as his motions were to have been regulated by signals, and those signals by appearances. He was not to have made the attempt unless the town had been drained, or very considerably weakened in its force.

I am, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL SULLIVAN.

Cambridge, April 1, 1776.

DEAR SIR: Enclosed you have a copy of a letter I received from Governour Cooke, to the contents of which I refer you.

General Greene will march with his Brigade, this day, for Providence; and if I find that the enemy are at Rhode-Island, I will soon join him. Governour Cooke will forward this to you, and will inform you whether this alarm is wellfounded or not. If it is, you must repair to Providence with the troops under your command. If it is not, you will proceed on your march to New-York

I am, sir, yours, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

To Brigadier-General Sullivan

ADDRESS OF THE SELECTMEN OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY: The Selectmen of Boston, in behalf of themselves and fellow-citizens, with all grateful respect, congratulate your Excellency on the success of your military operations in the recovery of this town from an enemy, collected from the once respected Britons, who, in this instance, are characterized by malice and fraud, rapine and plunder, in every trace left behind them.

Happy are we, that this acquisition has been made with so little effusion of human blood, which, next to the Divine favour, permit us to ascribe to your Excellency’s wisdom, evidenced in every part of the long besiegement.

If it be possible to enhance the noble feelings of that person who, from the most affluent enjoyments, could throw himself into the hardships of a camp to save his country, uncertain of success, it is then possible this victory will heighten your Excellency’s happiness, when you consider you have not only saved a large, elegant, and once populous city, from total destruction, but relieved the few wretched inhabitants from all the horrors of a besieged town, from the insults and abuses of a disgraced and chagrined army, and restored many inhabitants to their quiet habitations, who had fled for safety to the bosom of their country.

May your Excellency live to see the just rights of America settled on a firm basis, which felicity we sincerely wish you; and, at a later period, may that felicity be changed into happiness eternal.

Selectmen of Boston.

To His Excellency George Washington, Esq., General of the United Forces in America.

HIS EXCELLENCY’S ANSWER.

GENTLEMEN: Your congratulations on the success of the American arms, gives me the greatest pleasure.

I most sincerely rejoice with you on your being once more in the quiet possession of your former habitations; and (what greatly adds to my happiness) that this desirable event has been effected with so little effusion of human blood.

I am exceedingly obliged by the good opinion you are pleased to entertain of my conduct. Your virtuous efforts

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