against any one part of it with equal facility. This renders our situation not very agreeable, though necessary. However, by incessant labor (Sundays not excepted), we are in a much better posture of defence now, than when I first came."- Washington to John Augustine Washington.

"It would be far beyond the compass of a letter, for me to describe the situation of things here on my arrival. Perhaps you will only be able to judge of it from my assuring you, that mine must be a portrait at full length of what you have had a miniature. Confusion and discord reigned in every department, which, in a little time, must have ended either in the separation of the army, or fatal contests with one another. The better genius of America has prevailed, and most happily the ministerial troops have not availed themselves of their advantages, till I trust the opportunity is in a great measure past over."-Washington to General Schuyler, July 28.

FRIDAY, JULY 28.

At Cambridge: "Our enemy continues strongly posted about a mile from us, both at Bunker's Hill and Roxbury, but we are not able to get any information of their future. intentions. Part of the riflemen are come in, and the rest daily expected.”—Washington to General Schuyler.

The Continental Congress resolved, on the 14th of June, that six companies of expert riflemen should be raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland and two in Virginia. On the 22d it was again resolved that two more companies should be raised in Pennsylvania, and that the eight together should make a battalion. The twelve companies were all filled with surprising celerity. One company arrived in Cambridge on the 25th of July, and eight others before the 14th of August, so that within two months after orders had gone out, the men had been enlisted and equipped, and the whole had marched from four to six hundred miles to camp. Captain Daniel Morgan, so much celebrated during the war, commanded one of these companies. He marched his men from Frederick County, in Virginia, nearly six hundred miles, in three weeks. These riflemen were enlisted for one year, and were the first troops ordered to be raised by the Continental Congress. The Pennsylvania battalion was commanded by Colonel William Thompson.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 3.

At Cambridge: A council of war held to take into consideration the discovery of the alarming fact, that the whole

stock of powder in camp, was only nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven pounds.

“August 5, 1775.—We had a general council the day before yesterday, and, to our great surprise, discovered that we had not powder enough to furnish half a pound a man, exclusive of what the people have in their horns and cartridge-boxes. The General [Washington] was so struck that he did not utter a word for half an hour. Every one else was also astonished."-Sullivan to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4.

At Cambridge: "I am now, in strict confidence, to acquaint you, that our necessities in the article of powder and lead are so great, as to require an immediate supply. I must earnestly entreat, that you will fall upon some measure to forward every pound of each in your colony, that can possibly be spared. . . No quantity, however small, is beneath notice, and, should any arrive, I beg it may be forwarded as soon as possible."- Washington to Governor Cooke, of Rhode Island.

"When our Army lay before Boston in 1775, our Powder was so nearly expended, that General Washington told me that he had not more than Eight rounds a Man, altho' he had then near 14 miles of Line to guard, and that he dare not fire an Evening or Morning Gun. In this situation one of the Committee of Safety for Massachusetts, who was privy to the whole secret, deserted and went over to General Gage, and discovered our poverty to him. The fact was so incredible, that Gen1 Gage treated it as a stratagem of war, and the informant as a Spy, or coming with the express purpose of deceiving him & drawing his Army into a Snare, by which means we were saved from having our Quarters beaten up. I was the Chairman of the Committee of Safety at Elizabeth Town [New Jersey], and had about Six or Seven quarter Casks of Powder, which on urgent application from Gen. Washington, were sent to Boston, with what could be spared from New York."-MS. of Elias Boudinot.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8.

At Cambridge: "I was yesterday [August 8] at Cambridge. Generals Washington and Lee inquired after you. I dined at General W's."-Henry Knox to Mrs. Knox, August 9.