1780. in office. The charges were tranfmitted to the com mander in chief; and a court martial enfued. When the proceedings of the latter were before congrefs in August, a motion was made to infert after W. Shippen, thefe words" Excepting that part of the second charge relating to his fpeculating in hofpital ftores, on which the court judge him highly reprehenfible"-it was rejected; and it was refolved-" That the court martial having acquitted the faid Dr. Shippen, ordered that he be discharged from arreft." The day after that extraordinary resolve respecting gen. Gates, they re-elected the doctor director general of the hospital. On the 6th of September they recommended to the feveral states claiming the western country, to pass fuch laws, and give their delegates fuch powers as might effectually remove the only obftacle to a final ratification of the articles of confederation; and then refolved, "that the legislature of Maryland be earnestly requested to authorize their delegates in congrefs to fubfcribe the articles." In the beginning of October they refolved, " that the unappropriated lands that may be ceded to the United States, be disposed of for the common benefit of the United States, to be fettled and formed into distinct republican states.” About the fame time they publifhed, that the 11th and 12th articles of the treaty of amity and commerce with France were expunged and fuppreffed the ft of September, 1778, agreeable to their defire. The articles annulled were as followsarticle the 11th. It is agreed and concluded, that there fhall never be any duty imposed on the exportation of the molaffes that may be taken by the fubjects of any of the United States, from the islands of America,

which belong, or may hereafter appertain to his most 1780. christian majefty:-article the 12th. In compenfation of the exemption ftipulated by the preceding article, it is agreed and concluded, that there fhall never be any duties imposed on the exportation of any kind of merchandise, which the fubjects of his most chriftian majesty may take from the countries and poffeffions, present or future, of any of the Thirteen United States, for the use of the islands which shall furnish molaffes. On the 6th of October the prefident wrote a circular letter to the several states, in which, among other matters"It is recommended to the states, in the most preffing manner, to have their regiments completed, and in the field, by the first day of January next at furtheft." On the 16th congress refolved" that the thanks of congrefs be given to brigadiers Smallwood and Gift, and to the officers of the Maryland and Delaware lines, the differof artillery, col. Porterfield's and major Armftrong's corps of light infantry, and col. Armand's cavalry, for their bravery and good conduct displayed in the action of the 16th of Auguft." These thanks were not applicable to all with equal propriety. The implied cenfure caft upon Gates in the formation of the refolve and its total filence concerning him, was a ftigma that he ought not to have received, until he had been adjudged to have deferved it, putting all former fervices out of the question. It has been obferved, that after the difafter near Camden, whenever congress published the fucceffes and various operations of the troops, which he commanded, they fcarcely even mentioned his name; whether fuch omiffions were accidental or intended, his character was much injured by them. On the 21ft,

ent corps

1780. congrefs agreed, that the officers who continued in the service to the end of the war, fhould be entitled to half pay during life. At the end of the month baron Steuben was ordered to repair to the fouthern department; and major Lee's corps to proceed immediately to join the fouthern army. A few days after they promoted the major to the rank of lieutenant colonel. We now turn to view the scenes northward of Philadelphia.

Aug.

20.

General Washington's difficulties continued. He wrote from Orange-town on the 20th of Auguft, to Jofeph Reed, efq; whofe name has fo often occurred in different departments, and who is now prefident or governor of Pennsylvania-" With every exertion, I can scarcely keep the army in this camp, entirely continental, fed from day to day. 'Tis mortifying, that we should not at this advanced period of the campaign, have magazines of provision for even one half of the men neceffary for our intended operations. I have every affurance from the French land and fea commanders, that the fecond divifion may, without fome very unexpected accident, be daily expected. Should we, upon the arrival of this reinforcement, be found (after all our promifes of a co-operating force) deficient in men, provifion, and every other effential, your excellency can easily perceive what will be the opinion of our allies, and of all the world, and what will be the confequences in the deranged diftracted state of our affairs." In another of the fame date were thefe fentiments" To me it will appear miraculous if our affairs can maintain themselves much longer in their prefent train. If either the temper or the refources of the country will not admit of an alteration, we may expect foon to be reduced to the

humiliating condition of feeing the caufe of America 1780. upheld in America by foreign arms. It may easily be

fhown, that all the misfortunes we have met with in the military line are to be attributed to fhort inliftments. A great part of the embarraffments in the civil flow from the fame fource. The derangement of our finances is effentially to be afcribed to it. The expences of the war, and the paper emiffions, have been greatly multiplied by it. We have had a great part of the time two fets of men to feed and pay, the discharged men going home, and the levies coming in. The difficulties and coft of engaging men have increafed at every fucceffive attempt, till among the prefent. levies, we find there. are some who have received a hundred and fifty dollars in fpecie [331 15s. fterling] for five months fervice, while our officers are reduced to the difgraceful neceffity of performing the duties of drill fergeants to them. The frequent calls upon the militia have alfo interrupted the cultivation of their lands; and of course, have. leffened the quantity of the produce, occafioned a scarcity, and enhanced the prices. In an army fo unftable as ours, order and œconomy have been impracticable.The difcontents of the troops have been gradually matured to a dangerous extremity. Something fatisfactory must be done, or the army muft cease to exist at the end of the campaign: or it will exhibit an example of more virtue, fortitude, felf denial and perfeverance, than has perhaps ever been paralleled in the hiftory of human enthufiafm."

General Washington, in compliance with a prior appointment, fet out with his fuite, gen. Knox and the marquis de la Fayette, to meet count de Rochambeau

1780, in office. The charges were tranfmitted to the com mander in chief; and a court martial enfued. When the proceedings of the latter were before congrefs in August, a motion was made to infert after W. Shippen, these words" Excepting that part of the second charge relating to his fpeculating in hofpital stores, on which the court judge him highly reprehensible”—it was rejected; and it was refolved-" That the court martial having acquitted the faid Dr. Shippen, ordered that he be discharged from arreft." The day after that extraordinary refolve refpecting gen. Gates, they re-elected the doctor director general of the hospital. On the 6th of September they recommended to the feveral states claiming the western country, to pass fuch laws, and give their delegates fuch powers as might effectually remove the only obftacle to a final ratification of the articles of confederation; and then refolved," that the legislature of Maryland be earnestly requested to authorize their delegates in congrefs to fubfcribe the articles." In the beginning of October they refolved, "that the unappropriated lands that may be ceded to the United States, be difpofed of for the common benefit of the United States, to be fettled and formed into distinct republican states." About the fame time they published, that the 11th and 12th articles of the treaty of amity and commerce with France were expunged and fuppreffed the ft of September, 1778, agreeable to their defire. The articles annulled were as followsarticle the 11th. It is agreed and concluded, that there shall never be any duty imposed on the exportation of the molaffes that may be taken by the fubjects of any of the United States, from the islands of America,