which you referred my attention. I shall duly regard them, and attempt their execution as far as I am able.

By virtue of the discretionary power that Congress were pleased to invest me with, and by advice of such of my General Officers as I have had an opportunity of consulting, I have ordered the two remaining regiments in the Massachusetts-Bay to march immediately for the defence of this place, in full confidence that nothing hostile will be attempted against that State in the present campaign. I have written to the General Court of Massachusetts-Bay, and transmitted a copy of the resolve for employing the Eastern Indians; entreating their good offices in this instance, and their exertions to have them forthwith engaged and marched to join this Army. I have desired five or six hundred of them to be inlisted for two or three years, if they will consent to it; subject to an earlier discharge, if it shall be thought necessary, and upon the same terms of the Continental troops, if better cannot be had, though I am hopeful they may.

In my letter of yesterday, I mentioned the arrival of part of the Connecticut Lighthorse, to assist in the defence of this place, and my objection to their horses being kept. Four or five hundred of them are now come in; and, in justice to their zeal and laudable attachment to the cause of their country, I am to inform you they have consented to stay as long as occasion may require; though they should be at the expense of maintaining their horses themselves. They have pastured them out about the neighbourhood of King's Bridge, (being unwilling to send them away,) at the rate of half a dollar per week each, meaning to leave it entirely with Congress either to allow or refuse it, as they shall judge proper. I promised to make this representation, and thought it my duty; and will only observe, the motives which induced them at first to set out were good and praiseworthy, and were to afford the most speedy and early succour, which they apprehended would be wanted before the Militia arrived; their services may be extremely important, being most of them, if not all, men of reputation and property.

The subject of the enclosed copy of a letter from Governour Trumbull, I beg leave to submit to the consideration of Congress; they will perceive from his representations, the disquieting apprehensions that have seized on the minds of the people since the retreat of the northern Army, and how exposed the northern frontiers of New-York and New-Hampshire are to the ravages and incursions of the Indians. How far it may be expedient to raise the battalion he conceives necessary to prevent the calamities and distresses he points out, they will determine upon what he has said, and the necessity that may appear to them for the measure; what I have done being only meant to lay the matter before them, in compliance with his wishes. 1 have also enclosed a memorial from the Surgeon's Mates, setting forth the inadequacy of their pay to their services and maintenance, and praying that it may be increased. I shall observe that they have a long time complained in this instance, and that some additional allowance may not be unnecessary.

As I am truly sensible the time of Congress is much taken up with a variety of important matters, it is with unwillingness and pain I ever repeat a request after having once made it, or take the liberty of enforcing any opinion of mine after it is once given; but as the establishing of some office for auditing accounts is a matter of exceeding importance to the publick interest, I would beg leave once more to call the attention of Congress to an appointment competent to the' purpose. Two motives induce me to urge the matter: first, a conviction of the utility of the measure; secondly, that I may stand exculpated if hereafter it should appear that money has been improperly expended, and necessaries for the Army obtained upon unreasonable terms. For me, whose time is employed from the hour of my rising till I retire to bed again, to go into an examination of the accounts of such an Army as this, with any degree of precision and exactness, without neglecting other matters of equal importance, is utterly impracticable. All that I have been able to do—and that, in fact, was doing nothing—was, when the Commissary, and Quartermaster, and Director-General of the Hospital (for it is to these the great advances are made) applied for warrants, to make them at times produce a general account of their expenditures. But this answers no valuable purpose. It is the minutia that must be gone into; the propriety of each charge examined, the vouchers looked into; and with respect to the Commissary-General, his victualling returns and expenditures of provisions should be compared with his purchases, or otherwise a person in this department, if he was inclined to be knavish, might purchase large quantities with publick money, and sell one-half of it again for private emolument, and yet his accounts on paper will appear fair, and be supported with vouchers for every charge.

I do not urge this matter from a suspicion of any unfair practices in either of the departments before mentioned; and sorry should I be if this construction was put upon it, having a high opinion of the honour and integrity of these gentlemen. But there should nevertheless be some control, as well upon their discretion as honesty; to which may be added, that accounts become perplexed and confused by long standing, and the errors therein not so discoverable as if they underwent an early revision and examination. I am well apprized that a Treasury Office of Accounts has been resolved upon, and an Auditor-General for settling all publick accounts; but, with all deference and submission to the opinion of Congress, these institutions are not calculated to prevent the inconveniences I have mentioned, nor can they be competent to the purposes, circumstanced as they are.

We have intelligence from a deserter that came to us, that on Wednesday morning the Asia, Chatham, and Greyhound, men-of-war, weighed anchor, and, it was said, intended to pass up the North River above the city, to prevent the communication with the Jerseys. They did not attempt it, nor does he know what prevented them. A prisoner belonging to the Tenth Regiment, taken yesterday, informed that they hourly expected Admiral Howe and his fleet. He adds that a vessel has arrived from them, and the prevailing opinion is, that an attack will be made immediately on their arrival.

By a letter from General Ward, I am informed that the small-pox has broken out at Boston, and infected some of the troops. I have written him to place the invalids under an officer, to remain till they are well, and to use every possible precaution to prevent the troops coming from thence bringing the infection. The distresses and calamities we have already suffered by this disorder in one part of our Army, I hope will excite the utmost care that they may not be increased.

I have the honour to be, with sentiments of the greatest esteem, sir, your most obedient servant,

GO. WASHINGTON.

To the Honourable Continental Congress.

Lebanon, July 4, 1776.

SIR: The retreat of the northern Army, and its present situation, have spread a general alarm. By intelligence from Major General Schuyler, received last evening, I have reason to conclude that they are now at Crown-Point and Ticonderoga, in a weak state, and under the necessity of an immediate reinforcement to enable them to make a stand, and preventing the enemy from passing the lake and penetrating into the country. The prevalence of the small-pox among them is every way unhappy; our people in general have not had that distemper. Fear of the infection operates strongly to prevent soldiers from engaging in the service; and the battalions ordered to be raised in this Colony fill up slowly. Are there no measures may be taken to remove the impediment? May not the Army soon be freed from that infection? Can the reinforcements be kept separate from the infected? Or may not a detachment be made from the troops under your command, and the Militia raising in the several Colonies and ordered to New-York of such men as have had the small-pox, to be replaced by the troops raising for the Northern Department? Could any expedient be fallen upon that would afford probable hopes that this infection may be avoided, I believe our battalions would soon join the northern Army. I shall omit nothing in my power to expedite them.

The retreat of the Army from Canada exposes the northern frontiers of New-York and New-Hampshire to the ravages of the Indians, who will doubtless be spirited up to fall upon them. Some of the settlements on Onion River, I am informed, are breaking up and removing, and the whole filled with the most disquieting apprehensions. Some powder and lead, upon application, has been supplied them from this Colony; but the settlers there, from their infant state,