VII. 1775. bounty. A soldier's pay did not satisfy them, as they CHAPTER could obtain better wages in other employments, without the fatigue and privations of a camp. Congress had declared against bounties, and they could not be offered, unless the colonies should choose to do it individually on their own account. At the end of the year, when the old army was dissolved, the whole number of the new establishment was nine thousand six hundred and fifty. More than a thousand of these men were absent on furloughs, which it had been necessary to grant as a condition of reënlistment. This result was peculiarly discouraging. "It is easier to conceive than describe," said General Washington, "the situation of my mind for some time past, and my feelings under our present circumstances. Search the volumes of history through, and I much question whether a case similar to ours is to be found; namely, to maintain a post against the flower of the British troops for six months together, without powder, and then to have one army disbanded and another to be raised within the same distance of a reinforced enemy." His immediate safety, however, was secured by the addition of five thousand militia, who soon came in, and were to remain till the middle of January. And the advanced state of the season rendered it improbable that the enemy would undertake sudden enterprises. When General Washington accepted the appointment of Congress, he supposed it would be in his power to visit his family in the winter, and attend for a short space to his private affairs. This was found impracticable, or at least inconsistent with the duties of his charge; and Mrs. Washington joined him at head-quarters in December, where she remained till the next spring. This was her practice during the war. She passed the winters with her husband in camp, and returned at the opening of the campaigns to Mount Vernon. His large estates were consigned to the care of a superintendent, Mr. Lund Washington, in whom he had State of the army at the end of the year. Mrs. Washhim at head ington joins quarters. VII. 1775. His private affairs. CHAPTER Confidence, and who executed the trust with diligence and fidelity. Notwithstanding the multitude of public concerns, which at all times pressed heavily, and which he never neglected, the thoughts of General Washington constantly reverted to his farms. In the midst of the most stirring and eventful scenes of the war, he kept up an unremitted correspondence with his manager, in which he entered into details, gave minute instructions, and exacted in return frequent and full reports of the particulars relating to the culture of his lands, their products, the condition of the laborers, and every transaction of business. From the beginning to the end of the Revolution, Lund Washington wrote to the General as often at least as two or three times a month, and commonly every week, detailing minutely all the events that occurred on the plantations, his purchases, sales, and payments of money, the kinds and quantity of produce, occupations of the laborers, and whatever else could tend to explain the precise condition and progress of the business in his hands. These letters were regularly answered by the General, even when the weight and embarrassment of public duties pressed most heavily upon him, and full instructions were returned for regulating the plans and conduct of the manager. Hardly any copies of this description of letters were recorded, if retained, and the originals have been lost or destroyed. But Lund Washington's letters are preserved, and they give evidence of the extraordinary attention bestowed by the Commander-in-chief on his domestic affairs, though several hundred miles from home, and bearing a burden of public cares, which alone was enough to distract and exhaust the firmest mind. Letter to his manager, di An extract from one of his letters on these topics will show a trait of character, and the footing on which he left his household at Mount Vernon. "Let the hospitality of the house, with respect to the recting acts poor, be kept up. Let no one go hungry away. If any of this kind of people should be in want of corn, supply their necessities, provided it does not encourage them in of hospital ity. Dec. 26. VII. 1775. idleness; and I have no objection to your giving my CHAPTER money in charity, to the amount of forty or fifty pounds a year, when you think it well bestowed. What I mean by having no objection is, that it is my desire that it should be done. You are to consider, that neither myself nor wife is now in the way to do these good offices. In all other respects, I recommend it to you, and have no doubt of your observing the greatest economy and frugality; as I suppose you know, that I do not get a farthing for my services here, more than my expenses. It becomes necessary, therefore, for me to be saving at home." CHAPTER VIII. 1775. prise of General Howe. CHAPTER VIII. Plans for an Attack on Boston. Condition of the Army. Dorchester Troops march to New York. - Washington repairs to Congress. His Views in Regard to the State of the Country. Machinations of the Tories, and Measures taken to defeat them. - Declaration of Independence. - Arrival of Lord Howe, with Proposals for a Reconciliation with the Colonies. — Mode of addressing Letters to Washington attempted by the British Admiral and GenStrength and Condition of the two Armies. Battle of Long IslRemarks on the Battle. - Impression made by it on the American Army and Public. eral. TOWARDS the end of December it was ascertained, that General Howe was fitting out a part of his fleet in the harbor of Boston for some secret enterprise. Its destinaSecret enter- tion could only be conjectured; but the season of the year and other circumstances induced a belief, that an operation at the south was in view. Fears were entertained for New York, then in a defenceless condition, feeble from the timid counsels of its provincial Congress, awed by a British man-of-war, and distracted by the artifices of Governor Tryon, whose presence and address had kept together on Long Island a formidable body of Tories, some concealed, others undisguised. General Lee sent to take the command in No efforts were to be spared to prevent the enemy from gaining possession of so important a post as New York, New York. Which, with Hudson's River, opened a direct channel to In Canada, through which an invading army might pass, to January 8. ing scheme that offered, General Lee was despatched, with instructions from the Commander-in-chief to raise volunteers in Connecticut, hasten forward to New York, call to his aid other troops from New Jersey, put the city VIII. in the best posture of defence which his means would CHAPTER permit, disarm the Tories and other persons inimical to the rights and liberties of America, and guard the forti- 1776. fications on Hudson's River. Lee's opera York. The duty was delicate in itself, and difficult in the General execution, requiring energy and firmness, tempered with tions in New a moderation seldom conspicuous in the character of General Lee. In this instance, however, he was judicious and successful. A committee from Congress met him at New York, by whose prudence his exuberant ardor was restrained, and who, by bracing up the civil authorities with a little more courage, brought about a coöperation favorable to vigorous measures. The alarm for the safety of New York was premature. The fleet from Boston, having on board several regiments under the command of General Clinton, sailed to North Carolina, in the prosecution of a plan previously formed in the British cabinet, at the recommendation of Governor Martin, for making a descent upon that colony. Meantime General Washington became more and more impatient to make an attack on Boston. He summoned a council of officers on the 16th of January, to whom with strong arguments he urged the necessity of such an attempt before the enemy should be reinforced, and requested their opinion. They agreed that the attack ought not to be deferred a moment after there should be a fair hope of its succeeding; but, with the force then in the field, they believed it impracticable. That his feelings were keenly affected by his situation, is apparent from the tone of a letter written at the time. "Could I have foreseen the difficulties," said he, "which have come upon us; could I have known that such backwardness would have been discovered by the old soldiers to the service, all the generals upon earth should not have convinced me of the propriety of delaying an attack upon Boston till this time." He alludes here to the soldiers of the first army, who had refused to enlist, and gone home, in much greater numbers than he had anticipated. An attack on commended, proved by a Boston re but disap council of war. January 16. |