GENERAL WASHINGTON TO JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON.

New-York, July 22, 1776.

DEAR BROTHER: Whether you wrote to me last, or I to you, I cannot undertake to say; but as it is some time since a letter has pissed between us, and as I expect every hour to be engaged in too busy a scene to allow time for writing private letters, I will lake an opportunity, by this day's post, to address to you a few lines, giving a brief account of the situation of affairs in this quarter.

To begin, then: We have a powerful fleet within full view of us, distant about eight miles. We have General Howe's present Army, consisting, by good report, of about eight or nine thousand men upon Staten-Island, covered by their ships. We have Lord Howe just arrived, and we have ships now coming in, which we suppose, but do not know, to be part of the fleet with the expected reinforcement. When this arrives, if the reports of deserters, prisoners, and Tories, are to be depended upon, the enemy's numbers will amount at least to twenty-five thousand men; ours to about fifteen thousand. More, indeed, are expected; but there is no certainty of their arrival, as harvest and a thousand other excuses are urged as the reasons of delay. What kind of opposition we shall be able to make, time only can show. I can only say, that the men appear to be in good spirits; and, if they will stand be me, the place shall not be carried without some loss, notwithstanding we are not yet in such a posture of defence as I could wish.

Two ships (the Phoenix, of forty-four guns, and the Rose, of twenty) ran by our batteries on the 12th, exhibiting a proof of what I had long most religiously believed; and that is, that a vessel, with a brisk wind and strong tide, cannot, unless by a chance shot, be stopped by a battery, unless you can place some obstruction in the water to impede her motion within reach of your guns. We do not know that these ships received any capital injury. In their rigging they were somewhat damaged, and several shot went through their hulls; but few, if any, lives were lost. They now, with three tenders which accompanied them, lie up the North or Hudson's River, about forty miles above this place, and have totally cut off all communication, by water, between this city and Albany, and between this Army and ours upon the Lakes. They may have had other motives inducing them to run up the river, such as supplying the Tories with arms, and the like; but such a vigilant watch has hitherto been kept upon them, that I fancy they have succeeded but indifferently in those respects, notwithstanding this country abounds in disaffected persons of the most diabolical dispositions and intentions, as you may have perceived by the several publications in the gazettes, relative to their designs of destroying this Army by treachery and bribery, which were providentially discovered.

It is the general report of deserters and prisoners, and a prevailing opinion here, that no attempt will be made by General Howe till his reinforcement arrives, which, as I said before, is hourly expected. Our situation at present, both in regard to men and other matters, is such as not lo make it advisable to attempt anything against them, surrounded as they are by water, and covered with ships, lest a miscarriage should be productive of unhappy and fatal consequences. It is provoking, nevertheless, to have them so near, without being able to give them any disturbance. Their ships that passed us are also safely moored in a broad part of the river, out of reach of shot from either shore.

Mrs. Washington is now at Philadelphia, and has thoughts of returning to Virginia, as there is little or no prospect of her being with me any part of this summer. I beg of you to present my love to my sister and the children, and compliments to any inquiring friends, and to do me the justice to believe that I am, &c.,

GO WASHINAGTON.

To John Augustine Washington, Esq.

BARON DE CALBIAC TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

New-York, July 22, 1776.

MY GENERAL: Though it is easy to see your Excellency, by the kind reception with which you entertain everybody, I have, with a good deal of repugnancy, imposed a law to myself, in discontinuing to go and present to you my humble duty—in the first place, by the reason of the difficulty that I have to make myself understood; and, secondly, in the apprehension to trouble you from your business.

In the mean while, a sentiment of patriotism obliges mo to trouble you again, being wounded by the sorrow in seeing my countrymen in the greatest want; and what afflicts me the most is, that it is no more in my power to do for them what I have done for the others: so that you will permit me to represent to your Excellency, that the good mind that led those gentlemen to serve under your orders, and lo help this Continent against her enemies, has determined them to leave their families, their country, and to despise all sorts of dangers, in order lo join you. You know, sir, that necessity has no law, and you must not be surprised if some Frenchmen have behaved so scandalously. I hope that you will be so good as to observe my representation; having the honour to be, of your Excellency, Mon General, the most humble and most obedient servant,

LE BARON DE CALBIAC.

P. S. The 6th June, 1776, four battalions of the regiment of Champagne arrived at Guadeloupe, to garrison that place, while the fleet and army of France go to Quebeck to retake Canada. This account I have just received from that Island.

JEDEDIAH HUNTINGTON TO GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL.

Camp, New-York, July 22, 1776.

HONOURED SIR: It passes for some apology in my own mind, for not writing so often as at some times I think I ought to, that, in the first place, my letters cannot carry news, because, in your publick station, you have the best and earliest from all quarters; in the second place, that the urgency of the publick affairs needs all your attention.

Since the British fleet placed themselves so near us as Staten-Island, the most of the principal inhabitants of the city have been moving away with their effects. The late adventure of the Phoenix and Rose determined all the hesitating to fly. I should be willing to part with all of them, unless we had some skilful assayist to separate the bad from the good.

Since the Declaration of Independence, I have often thought how anxious you would be that the leaders of the present day, though they themselves may not reap the fruits of their labours, should not spare any pains to have the foundations of the great Continental government well laid, and as well that of particular States, that publick virtue and liberty, which make the publick happiness, may be secured and perpetuated. It is plain to see, from a small acquaintance with the manners of this people, the pernicious influence of some overgrown estates. The landlords, though few in number, have the power of disobliging their numerous dependants, and therefore assume the right of dictating to them in their most interesting and tenderest concerns. Ought not or cannot a timely remedy be provided against the limitation of the descent of large tracts of land that carry such evil power with them?

General Sullivan is returned to this place; he did not meet a very cordial reception, I am told, from G. W. General Washington and the Adjutant-General of the British Army at Staten-Island had an interview at Colonel Knox's, near Fort George, last Saturday. The application was from their side, and very importunate. Our expectations were raised to look for something considerable; but it proved to be very frivolous—a proposition to exchange Master Lovell for Governour Skene, which heretofore they had refused to us. The General told him it could not be done without an order of Congress. The Adjutant-General wished for a familiar intercourse between the two armies, and that all proceedings be carried on on the highest principles of honour and humanity. Our General treated him rather coolly, and they parted soon.

A small party of the enemy landed on the Jersey side yesterday, under the protection of a tender. Our people repulsed them without firing but a few small-arms. What loss, or whether any, do not learn.

My love and respects to all, as is due. I remain, your affectionute son,

JEDH. HUNTINGTON.

P. S. The papers of this day do not contain the joyful news from South-Carolina; therefore I enclose you a handbill.

GENERAL GREENE TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Camp on Long-Island, July 22, 1776.

SIR: Colonel Hand reports this morning that the ships that came in yesterday have troops on board. They appear