chances, in our favour; I do insist upon it, that these chances render it our duty to adopt the measure, as, by procrastination, our ruin is inevitable. Should it now be determined to wait the result of a previous formal negotiation with France, a whole year must pass over our heads before we can be acquainted with the result. In the mean time we are to struggle through a campaign, without arms, ammunition, or any one necessary of war. Disgrace and defeat will infallibly ensue; the soldiers and officers will become so disappointed that they will abandon their colours, and probably never be persuaded to make another effort.

But there is another consideration still more cogent. I can assure you that the spirit of the people cries out for this Declaration; the military, in particular, men and officers, are outrageous on the subject; and a man of your excellent discernment need not be told how dangerous it would be in our present circumstances, to dally with the spirit, or disappoint the expectations of the bulk of the people. May not despair, anarchy, and finally submission, be the bitter fruits? I am firmly persuaded that they will; and, in this persuasion, I most devoutly pray that you may not merely recommend, but positively lay injunctions, on your, servants in Congress, to embrace a measure so necessary to our salvation.

Yours, most sincerely,

CHARLES LEE.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO GENERAL LEE.

New-York, May, 1776.

MY DEAR LEE: Your favour of the 5th ultimo, from Williamsburgh, the first I have received from you since you left this city, came to my hands by the last post. I thank you for your kind congratulations on our possession of Boston. I thank you for your good wishes in our future operations, and hope that every diabolical attempt to deprive mankind of their inherent rights and privileges, whether made in the east, west, north, or south, will be attended with disappointment and disgrace, and that the authors in the end will be brought to such punishment as an injured people have a right to inflict.

General Howe's retreat from Boston was precipitate beyond anything I could have conceived. The destruction of the stores at Dunbar's camp, after Braddock's defeat, was but a faint image of what was seen at Boston: artillery carts cut to pieces in one place, gun-carriages in another; shells broke here, shot buried there; and everything carrying with it the face of disorder and confusion, as also of distress.

Immediately upon their embarkation, I detached a brigade of five regiments to this city, and upon their sailing, removed with the whole Army hither, except four regiments at Boston and one at Beverly, Sic., for the protection of those places, the stores and barracks there, and for erecting works for defending the harbour of the former. Immediately upon my arrival here, I detached four regiments, by order of Congress, to Canada, (to wit: Poor's, Patterson's, Greaton's, and Bond's,) under the command of Brigadier Thompson; and since that, by the same authority, and in consequence of some unfavourable accounts from that quarter, General Sullivan and six other regiments (namely, Stork's, Read's, Wayne's, Irvine's, Winds's, and Dayton's) have moved off for that department; the last four regiments are from Pennsylvania and New-Jersey. The first brigade arrived at Albany on the 24th ultimo, and were moving on when accounts came from thence on the 27th. The other brigade must all be at Albany before this, as some of the regiments sailed ten days ago, and the last four and the winds very favourable. This has left us very weak at this place; whilst I have my fears that the reinforcement will scarce get to Canada in time, for want of teams to transport the troops, &c, to Fort George, and vessels to convey them on after-wards.

We have done a great deal of work at this place. In a fortnight more, I think the city will be in a very respectable posture of defence. Governour's Island has a large and strong work erected, and a regiment encamped there. The point below, called Red Hook, has a small, but exceedingly strong barbette battery; and several new works are constructed, and many of them almost executed at other places.

General Ward, upon the evacuation of Boston, and finding that there was a probability of his being removed from the smoke of his own chimney, applied to me, and wrote to Congress, for leave to resign. A few days afterwards, some of the officers, as he says, getting uneasy at the prospect of his leaving them, he applied for his letter of resignation, which had been committed to my care; but, behold lit had been carefully forwarded to Congress, and, as I have since learned, judged so reasonable, (want of health being the plea,) that it was instantly complied with. Brigadier Frye, previous to this, also conceiving that there was nothing entertaining or profitable to an old man, to be marching and countermarching, desired, immediately on the evacuation of Boston, (which happened on the 17th of March.) that he might resign his commission on the 11th of April. The choice of the day became a matter of great speculation, and remained profoundly mysterious till he exhibited his account, when there appeared neither more nor less in it than the completion of three calendar months, the pay of which he received without any kind of compunction, although he had never done one tour of duty, or, I believe, had ever been out of his house from the time he entered till he quitted Cambridge.

So much for two Generals. I have next to inform you, that the Paymaster-General, Colonel Warren, not finding it convenient to attend the Army, from the various employments and avocations in which he was engaged, also resigned his commission, and is succeeded by your old aid, Palfrey.

When I was speaking of the distressed situation of the King's troops, and the Tories, at their evacuation of Boston, I might have gone on and added, that their misfortunes did not end here. It seems, upon their arrival at Halifax, that many of the former were obliged to encamp, although the ground was covered deep with snow; and the latter to pay six dollars a week for sorry upper rooms, and stow in them men, women, and children, as thick, comparatively, as the hair upon their heads. This induced many of these gentry to return and throw themselves upon the mercy and clemency of their countrymen, who were for sending them immediately back, as the most proper and severest punishment they could inflict; but death being preferred to this, they now wait in confinement any other that may be thought due to such parricides.

All the ships-of-war have left this place, and gone down to the Hook, except the Asia, which lies five miles below the Narrows, and about twelve or fourteen from hence. I could have added more; but my paper will not admit of it. With compliments, therefore, to the gentlemen of my acquaintance with you, and with the most fervent wishes, for your health and sucess,

I remain, your most affectionate,

Go. WASHINGTON.

To Major-General Lee.

THOMAS BURKE TO GENERAL LEE.

Tyaquin, North-Carolina, June 11, 1776.

SIR: This moment yours of the 1st instant came to my hand. The note enclosed, directed to the commanding officer of the corps of Virginia forces intended for the station of Hillsborough, I will use my best endeavour to transmit, as soon as I cap learn who he is, or for what part of Virginia they are ordered; of both I am now entirely uninformed, having heard nothing of such destination until I received your letter. If I can get no information in my neighbourhood, I will send your note to the commanding officer of Halifax, or of Mecklenburgh County, who, being stationed contiguous to this, are most likely to have received orders to march hither.

I cannot say, sir, that I rejoice that the enemy have abandoned their design on this Colony. Their force could not have effected much against us; but they may prove troublesome to some of our southern neighbours, who are probably not so well provided for defence as we are.

I beg leave, sir, to wish you all possible success in your generous efforts, for the defence of the undoubted rights of mankind. Had the scene of action been where we first, expected it, I intended to have put myself, as a volunteer, under your command, and to have contributed my little assistance towards that success which, I am assured, would have attended your command. Remote as the scene may be, I shall not hear absence from it with much patience, and, were it not almost ruin to my private affairs, no cam-