TUESDAY, JANUARY 1.

1782.

At Philadelphia: Is entertained at a dinner, given in his honor, at the City Tavern, by "The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick."

"This brilliant entertainment was graced by the presence of the bravest and most distinguished generals of the allied army of America and France, Generals Washington, Lincoln, Howe, Moultrie, Knox, Hand, McIntosh, and Baron Steuben-Colonels Washington, Smith, Tilghman, and Count Dillon, a French officer of Irish descent, afterward much distinguished in the wars of the French revolution, and Count de la Touche. The French and Spanish ministers with their Secretaries, &c., were also present. Several of the First troop (members of the Society), Colonels Charles and Walter Stewart-Colonels Blaine and Johnston, with Robert Morris, Samuel Meredith, and Henry Hill, honorary members."-A Brief Account of “The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick," p. 49.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2.

At Philadelphia: "On Wednesday evening the 2d instant, Alexander Quesnay, esq. exhibited a most elegant entertainment at the playhouse, where were present his excellency general Washington, the Minister of France, the president of the State, a number of the officers of the army and a brilliant assemblage of ladies and gentlemen of the city, who were invited."-Freeman's Journal, January 9, 1782.

The entertainment was held at the Southwark Theatre, corner of South and Apollo (now Charles) Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets. "After a prologue suitable to the occasion, EUGENIE an elegant French comedy was first presented (written by the celebrated M. Beaumarchais) and in the opinion of several good judges was extremely well acted by the young gentlemen, students in that polite language. After the comedy was acted the LYING VALET a farce, to this succeeded several curious dances, followed by a brilliant illumination, consisting of thirteen pyramidal pillars, representing the thirteen States-on the middle column was seen a Cupid, sup

porting a laurel crown over the motto-WASHINGTON-the pride of his country and terror of Britain. On the summit was the word-Virginia-on the right-Connecticut, with the names GREENE and LA FAYETTE-on the left the word Pennsylvania, with the names WAYNE and STUBEN; and so on according to the birth place and state proper to each general. The spectacle ended with an artificial illumination of the thirteen columns." Alexander Quesnay de Glouvay, who had the direction of this "most elegant entertainment," was a French teacher; he resided in Second Street between Chestnut and Walnut Streets.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4.

At Philadelphia: "I have remained at this place ever since you left it, and am happy in having discovered the best disposition imaginable in Congress to prepare vigorously for another campaign. They have resolved to keep up the same number of corps that constituted the army of last year, and have urged the States warmly to complete them." -Washington to the Marquis de Lafayette.

"P.S.-January 5th. By advices just received from South Carolina, the enemy have evacuated all their posts in the State, and have concentrated their whole force in Charleston. Wilmington is also evacuated, and North Carolina is freed from its enemies. The disaffected part of the State are suing for mercy, and executing, it is said, some of their own leaders for having mis-guided them."

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22.

At Philadelphia: "To bring this war to a speedy and happy conclusion must be the fervent wish of every lover of his country; and sure I am, that no means are so likely to effect these as vigorous preparations for another campaign. Whether, then, we consult our true interest, substantial economy, or sound policy, we shall find, that relaxation and languor are of all things to be avoided.”. Washington to Meshech Weare, President of New Hampshire.

"The capture of Cornwallis," said Count de Vergennes in a letter to M. de la Luzerne, "should excite the ardor of the Americans, and prove to them that the English are not invincible. Great preparations should be made for the next campaign, that advantage may be taken of this loss on the part of the British. We earnestly desire that our allies may profit by it. The more they multiply their exertions, the more certain will be their success

in procuring the tranquillity of their country. But, if they return to their accustomed inactivity, they will give England time to repair her losses, as she seems determined to do, and to prolong the war, which it is for the interest of the United States to terminate as soon as possible."

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31.

At Philadelphia: "The broken and perplexed state of the enemy's affairs, and the successes of the last campaign on our part, ought to be a powerful incitement to vigorous preparations for the next. Unless we strenuously exert ourselves to profit by these successes, we shall not only lose all the solid advantages that might be derived from them, but we shall become contemptible in our own eyes, in the eyes of our enemy, in the opinion of posterity, and even in the estimation of the whole world, which will consider us as a nation unworthy of prosperity, because we know not how to make a right use of it."- Washington to Meshech Weare.

This, and the letter of January 22, were written as circular letters to the governors of the States. The first, relating to finance, contained arguments for raising money adequate to the public exigencies, particularly the payment and clothing of the troops; the second transmitted accurate returns of the number of men actually in service from each State, and urged the completion of the quotas according to the requisition of Congress. In both of them the Commander-in-Chief recommended prompt preparations for another campaign. A third letter was written May 4, in which, after expressing his disappointment at not receiving the number of men he had expected, and referring to the fact that not one penny in money for the service of the year had been paid by any State, he wrote, "While acting in my military capacity, I am sensible of the impropriety of stepping into the line of civil polity. My anxiety for the general good, and an earnest desire to bring this long protracted war to a happy issue, when I hope to retire to that peaceful state of domestic pleasures, from which the call of my country has brought me to take an active part, and to which I most ardently wish a speedy return, I trust will furnish my excuse with your Excellency and the legislature, while I request your pardon for this trespass."

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8.

At Philadelphia: Issues a proclamation, offering "free pardon to all deserters, as well those who may have joined

the enemy as others, who shall deliver themselves up to any Continental Officer on or before the first day of June next."

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9.

At Philadelphia: "I am apprehensive that your Excellency will think me unmindful of a most agreeable piece of duty, which I have been directed to perform by Congress. It is the presentation of two of the field-pieces taken at York, with an inscription engraved on them expressive of the occasion. I find a difficulty in getting the engraving properly executed. When finished, I shall with peculiar pleasure put the cannon into your possession."— Washington to Count de Rochambeau.

"Resolved, That two pieces of the field ordnance, taken from the British army, under the capitulation of York, be presented by the commander in chief of the American army, to count de Rochambeau; and that there be engraved thereon a short memorandum, that Congress were induced to present them from considerations of the illustrious part which he bore in effectuating the surrender.”—Journal of Congress, October 29, 1781.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18.

At Philadelphia: "The King's speech at the opening of the British Parliament is firm, and manifests a determination to continue the war, although there is no appearance of his having made any alliances. This I hope will prove to the States the necessity of complying with the requisitions. upon them for men and supplies. Every argument that I could invent to induce them to it has been made use of by me in two sets of circular letters."- Washington to General Greene.

MONDAY, MARCH 18.

At Philadelphia: "By late advices from Europe, and from the declarations of the British ministers themselves, it appears, that they have done with all thoughts of an excursive war, and that they mean to send but small, if any

further reinforcements to America. It may be also tolerably plainly seen, that they do not mean to hold all their present posts, and that New York will be occupied in preference to any other. Hence, and from other indications, I am induced to believe that an evacuation of the Southern States will take place."— Washington to General Greene.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21.

At Philadelphia: "On Thursday, the 21st inst., a Commencement was held in the hall of the university of this city [Fourth Street below Arch], before a very crowded and polite audience, consisting of the honourable members of the Supreme executive council of the state, the members of the assembly, his excellency general Washington, and his family, with the family of his excellency the French minister, the baron Stuben, and a large concourse of the most respectable citizens."-Freeman's Journal, March 27, 1782.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22.

Leaves Philadelphia: "Last Friday morning [March 22] his excellency general Washington left this city, attended by the hon. gen. vice president of the state [James Potter], gen. Reed, the late president, a number of gentlemen officers of the army, and also captain Morris's troop of city light horse."-Freeman's Journal, March 27, 1782.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23.

At Burlington, New Jersey: Inspects the Second Regiment of the Continental Corps of Artillery (Colonel John Lamb), stationed at Burlington and its vicinity.

On his way northward, Washington stopped at Morristown, New Jersey, several days, presumably to consult, if necessary, with General Knox and Gouverneur Morris, who had been appointed (March 11) to proceed to Elizabethtown, to meet other commissioners on the part of the British, to treat on the exchange of prisoners. The commissioners, however, did not meet until the 31st, the time having been deferred at the request of Sir Henry Clinton. The principal objects of the mission-a cartel for the gen