to have no more care taken of them; this must hurt the service upon the new establishments. Majors Price and Gist, and capt. Stone, are in the Jerseys, very sick, and col. Ware and myself are very unfit for duty, though we attend it; many more officers are very unwell.

'I am, very respectfully, your obedient and very humble servant, W. SMALLWOOD.'

Letter from General Washington to Thomas Johnson, Esq., Governor of Maryland.

'HEAD-QUARTERS, VALLEY FORGE, 17th May, 1778. 'My Dear Sir,-From a number of concurring circumstances, there is reason to believe that the enemy mean to evacuate Philadelphia.

'It is necessary, therefore, to draw together as great a force as can be provided for, with the utmost expedition. But as several of our out-posts, covering magazines and the like, cannot be recalled without a body of militia to act in their room, I am obliged to request of the neighbouring States a reinforcement for this and other purposes. The requisition of congress extends to 5000 militia from the Jerseys, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

'A large compact body of regulars are wanted, and several valuable intentions to be attended to at the same time. 'General Smallwood, who lays at Wilmington, covers a quantity of stores at the head of Elk. If he is withdrawn, the enemy may destroy our magazine at that place.

'I would imagine that five hundred militia of your State would be a sufficient security, and proper restraint upon the enemy on that quarter. I would, therefore, beg of you to embody and send forward five hundred of your militia, equipped, and the most contiguous to the head of Elk. You may probably find it most convenient to send them by companies.

"The most expeditious way is certainly the best, and the sooner they get to the head of Elk, the sooner shall I have it in my power to recall the garrison from Wilmington,

and complete such a body of continental troops as may enable me to act according to conjunctures.

'I rely upon your particular assistance on this critical occasion, and am,

'Dear sir, with respect and esteem,

'Your ob't and very humble servant,

'His Excellency Thomas Johnson,

་

'Go. WASHINGTON.

'Governor, &c. Maryland, at Annapolis.'

Letter from General Washington to Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer and William Fitzhugh, Esquires.

HEAD-QUARTERS, MIDDLEBROOK, 10th April, 1779. Gentlemen, I have been duly honoured with your letter of the 26th ultimo and its enclosures.

'The length of time in which the rank has been fluctuating and undecided, by producing, in some measure, a number of claims, gives apprehension of complaint, from whatever mode may be now adopted for determining the several disputes.

'However, to afford the utmost latitude for their consideration, I have ordered a board of general officers to sit, to hear and report on respective claims, precedencies, and the rank of the whole line, which I hope will enable me to complete a final arrangement, as much as possible to the general satisfaction.

"The officers cannot but be pleased in the provision which you have made them, not only for the prospect of ease which it promises, but that honourable distinction of past services, when they shall resume the happy character of citizen.

'I am, gentlemen, with the greatest regard, your most obedient and humble servant, G. WASHINGTON.

(Public service.)

'Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Esq., President of the Senate, and William Fitzhugh, Esq., Speaker of the House of Delegates, at Annapolis.'

Letter from General Washington to Governor Lee.

'HEAD-QUARTERS, MORRISTOWN, 24th January, 1780.

'Sir, I have been honoured with your excellency's letter of the 26th December, and its inclosures. The immediate attention of government to the distresses of the army, and the effectual assistance promised from the operation of the act, cannot but claim the acknowledgments of every good citizen.

'I flatter myself from your exertions, and those of the other States from which we derive our supplies, that we shall not again experience a like evil.

'I have the honour to be, &c.

'G. WASHINGTON.

Thomas Sim Lee, Esq. Governor, &c. at Annapolis.'

Letter from the same to the same, dated

'February 19th, 1780. 'Sir,-About the latter end of December last, I had the honour to receive a letter from his excellency governor Johnson, dated the 27th October, in which he proposes an arrangement for the three companies of artillery, belonging to the State of Maryland, and asks my opinion upon it. As general Knox, being at the head of the artillery, is consequently best acquainted with its interior circumstances, and can best judge of the operation of any arrangements which might take place, I communicated the letter to him to know his sentiments. His answer you will find in the enclosed extract. I beg leave to add that the mode he recommends appears to me well calculated to do justice to the State, to the officers of the three companies, and to promote the general good of the service.

'It is essential to have the corps that compose the army upon our formation, regulated by general principles. The contrary is productive of innumerable inconveniences.

This makes me wish the idea of erecting the four com

panies into a separate corps under the command of a major, may be relinquished.

'If the plan now proposed is agreeable to the views of the State, I shall be happy its intentions may be signified as speedily as possible to congress, that the incorporation and arrangement may be carried into execution.

'I have the honour, &c.

'G. WASHINGTON.'

Letter from the same to the same, dated

March 26th, 1780.

'Sir,-Your excellency will have received, I presume, before this, a transcript of an act of congress of the 25th of last month, calling on the several States for specific quantities of provisions, rum and forage for the army, and directing the articles of supplies to be collected and deposited at such places in each of the States as should be judged most convenient by me. In the case of a defensive war like ours, which depends almost wholly on the movements and operations of the enemy, it is difficult, if not impracticable, to fix on places of deposite for stores, which may not be rendered improper by subsequent events, and all we can do upon such occasions, is to collect them where it shall appear from a comparative view of circumstances, that they will be probably secure, and most likely to facilitate the purposes intented. I have considered the point with respect to the supplies required of your State, and I beg leave to inform your excellency, that it appears to me, that they should be deposited in the following places, and in the proportions set against each respectively, viz:

'As to the beef, the time and place of delivery, and the proportion from time to time, must of necessity be governed by the occasional requisitions of the commissarygeneral.

'I have the honour to be, &c.

'G. WASHINGTON.'

Letter from General Washington to Philip Schuyler, John Matthews, and Nathaniel Peabody, Committee of Congress. 'HEAD-QUARTERS, SpringfiELD, June 11th, 1780.

'Gentlemen,-It appears to me to be a very eligible step, at the present juncture, to reiterate our instances with the several States, to engage them to press the measures recommended in your former letter. Not only the time is sliding away very fast, every moment of which ought to be improved for the intended co-operation, but the movements of the enemy demand every exertion in our power for the purpose of defence.

"There can now remain no doubt that Charleston and its garrison have fallen. There is every reason to believe that Sir Henry Clinton, with the whole or the greatest part of his force will shortly arrive at New York.

'The expectation of the French fleet and army, will certainly determine the enemy to unite their forces. General Knyphausen still continues in the Jerseys, with all the force which can be spared from New York; a force greatly superior to ours.

'Should Sir Henry join him, the superiority will be decided, and equal to almost any thing the enemy may think proper to attempt. It is true they are at this time inactive, but their continuance where they are, proves that they have some project of importance in contemplation. Perhaps they are only waiting till the militia grow tired and return home, (which they are doing every hour) to prosecute their designs with less opposition.

'This would be a critical moment for us. Perhaps they