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1780. which he reckoned would place under Cornwallis's orders full 11,306 effective rank and file, including Lef

lie's corps.

General Washington made a propofition to Sir H. Clinton for the exchange of a number of officers, which was not acceded to. A general exchange being what the other fincerely wifhed, a propofition to that purpose was returned. The British gen. Phillips, and the American gen. Lincoln, were employed for the fettling of a cartel. The former fuppofed, that the reason why the Americans declined the exchange of privates, was unwillingness to throw into the hands of their enemy, in the middle of an active campaign, fuch a reinforcement as they would receive by an exchange of all the privates. To obviate this, difficulty, Phillips mentioned, that the exchange of the privates might be postponed to some future day that might be agreed on. Lincoln, on the 25th of September, expreffed his defire in writing, that this might remove the objections which had existed against an exchange of privates. He wrote on October the 1st to the Maffachusetts and the South Carolina delegates, and to gen. Sullivan, now one of the New Hampshire representatives in congrefs-" The enemy have made a propofition for a general exchange. I think policy, juftice and humanity demand it on our part. I cannot but hope you will be with me in opinion: if fo the propofition will have your fupport and intereft." At length an exchange of all officers, prifoners of war, on both fides, including fuch as were upon their paroles in New York or in Great Britain, was fettled. The exchange comprehended also an equivalent of British and German foldiers, prifoners of war, for thofe Americans that were

at New York. In the course of the negotiation, an in- 1780. effectual effort was made on the part of the British for the release of the privates of the convention troops.

On the 3d of November it was refolved, "That Nov. congrefs have a high fenfe of the virtuous and patriotic 3. conduct of John Paulding, David Williams, and Ifaac Van Vert: in teftimony whereof, ordered, that each of them receive annually two hundred dollars in fpecie, or an equivalent in the current money of these states during life; and that the board of war be directed to procure for each of them a filver medal, on one fide of which shall be a fhield with this infcriptition FIDELITY, and on the other the following motto, VINCIT AMOR PATRIÆ, and forward them to the commander in chief, who is requested to prefent the fame, with a copy of this refolution, and the thanks of congrefs for their fidelity, and the eminent service they have rendered their country." The next day they recommended to the feveral ftates to levy a tax equal to fix millions of filver dollars, to be paid partly in specific articles, and the refidue in gold or filver, or bills of credit, emitted purfuant to the refolution of the 18th of March last. On the 28th, they had before them an account of major Tallmadge of the light dragoons, having furprised and taken fort St. George on Long Island, with the garrifon; they extolled the enterprife as planned and conducted with wisdom and great gallantry, and executed with intrepidity and complete fuccefs by the officers and foldiers of his detachment. Such commendations not only reward, but excite to military adventures. The major croffed the found to the island with 80 men; left 20 to guard the boats, made a circuitous route of 29

#780. miles to the fort, and reduced it almost instantly.

The enemy had & killed and wounded. He captivated 1 lieut. colonel, 1 captain, and 55 privates; deftroyed 400 tons of hay, and returned without further lofs than one private wounded. Congrefs have at length determined upon having a permanent army. They ought before to have gotten rid of an error, which the experience of all mankind has exploded, viz. the carrying on a war with militia, or which is nearly the fame, temporary levies. America has been amufed almoft out of her liberties. The behaviour of the militia upon one and another occafion, has been unreasonably extolled, by men who judge only from the furface, by others who had particular views in mifreprefenting, and by vifionary men whofe credulity eafily fwallowed every vague story, in fupport of a favorite hypothefis. Some of the firft generals in the American fervice, are ready folemnly to declare, that they never were witneffes to a fingle instance during this conteft, that can countenance an opinion of militia or raw troops being fit for the real business of fighting. How little dependence can be had upon fupplies by new levies, the laft campaign may serve to show.

By a return on the 16th of Auguft it appeared, that gen. Washington had received from New Hampshire to Pennsylvania inclufive, no more than 6,143; and that the deficiency within the fame circuit was 10,397. Rhode Inland was the leaft deficient in proportion to its numbers, and Pennsylvania the moft. Maffachusetts had in the army double the number of any other of the ftates north of Maryland. What few troops the general had with him, pleafed him however by the rapid progress they made in military difcipline.

Dec.

The abfolute neceffity of a large and immediate fo- 1780. reign aid of money, for the continuance of the war, came at length under the ferious confideration of congrefs. Gen. Washington was fo ftrongly convinced of its being an object of the utmost importance, that he gave his fentiments upon it to the minifter of France in the moft explicit manner. The recommendations of congrefs for fpecific articles were not fufficiently operative. On the 9th of December the general faid-" It is happy 9, for us, that the feafon will probably compel both armies to continue in a state of inactivity, fince ours is fo much reduced by discharging the levies which compofe a confiderable part of it, even before their time of service was expired. This expedient we were forced to adopt, from the prefent total want of flour, and the precarious profpect of a fupply of that article." Had it not been for a most vigorous ftep that the American gov. Clinton ventured to take, the army must have difbanded for want of bread, as the magazines were exhaufted, and transportation by land was impracticable had there been any thing to act upon. The governor feized several hundred barrels in the hands of private merchants, which they had purchafed up to exchange for other articles. Gen. Washington, while travelling in the neighbourhood of Pitt's Town, fell in with a parcel of cattle that were going to be flaughtered and falted. Befide being immenfely poor, they were fo fmall, that they would not average 175 lbs. the nett quarters. ceed a hundred weight, and others were mere calves. These pass by the head, and the state or states that furnish them will have the reputation of fupplying. that number of merchantable bullocks, when the fact is, that

Some could not ex

1780, next fummer a starving man would scarcely eat the beef they were about to put up, after the falt had extracted the little fat and juices that were in it. The general faw about a hundred, and his information extended to about 800 more of the fame kind in the neighbourhood. He directed the commiffary to select the best for falting, and to let the other be eaten, as it would be a waste of falt, barrels and time, to put the fame up. Many other inftances of a fimilar impofition to what has been related might be given *.

The generous exertions of the American daughters of liberty in Philadelphia and the neighbourhood, to befriend the continental soldiers, are a perfect contrast to it. Mention was made of them in my last letter, p. 376. Their donations purchased a sufficient quantity of cloth, and their hands made the fame into two thousand one hundred and seven shirts, which were delivered to the perfon appointed to receive them by gen. Washington. Pennsylvania furnished the whole quantity, except seventy-feven, which were the produce of the Jerfeys. The daughters of this last state made a further present of three hundred and eighty pair of stockings t.

The board of loyal refugees at New York have for many months back poffeffed fomething like a fleet of small privateers and cruisers; by the aid of which they have committed various depredations, and great exceffes in different places, from peculiar perfonal animofity; and thereby have irritated their adverfaries to retaliate in like manner. Thus the feelings of humanity have been fufpended on both fides; fcenes of waste and havock + The general's

* The general's letter of Dec. 26, 1780. papers.

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