My dear Sir

158. ELBRIDGE GERRY TO SAMUEL ADAMS.1

PHILADELPHIA Octr 4th 1776.

The post just going out affords me Time only to acknowledge the Receipt of your agreable Favour of Sepr 23d.2.

With Respect to the two affairs which you allude to the C is not finished, the other is and persons appointed to carry it into Execution. Doctor F and Mr. J of Virginia are well [?] and We have had late accounts from Mr. D—— of Connecticut. of Connecticut. The plan which you desire to have a Copy of would be no Ways useful at present, as It must undergo great Alteration.

Great Delays have taken place in the marine Department. I am sure it is high Time to adopt a Plan for a Board of Admiralty that can be obliged to attend to the business. . . . . the Indian and our [?] Department are firm without effeminacy or the least Disposition for Wavering. Some others have the Disorders mentioned in Mr. Adams famous Letters."

6

The Officers of the Army in general are not equal to their Appointments, and from hence it is that our Soldiery is disorderly and undisciplined. It is therefore recommended by Congress to the several States in officering the new Army, that they pay a particular Regard to Merit and Qualifications in their Appointments. It is agreed on all hands

[158] MSS. of the late William D. Ely of Providence.

2 Although Gerry's letter contains no address, internal evidence shows that it was written to Samuel Adams, then in Boston. A letter from Adams to Gerry, dated Sept. 23, found in Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, II. 447, contains the inquiry to which Gerry evidently alludes in the second paragraph of his letter: "I should have been glad to have known what situation the two capital affairs were in, which were on the carpet when I left you."

The Confederation. The "other" affair is the plan of foreign treaties. See no. 146, note 2, ante.

4 The reading may be erroneous, but it is more probable that Gerry is using a deliberately chosen cryptical mode of expression. At all events he evidently means to inform Adams that Franklin, Jefferson, and Deane have been chosen commissioners to the court of France (see the Journals, Sept. 26).

5 See the Journals, Dec. 26.

Possibly the reading should be " war Department". Gerry was however a member of the treasury board, and his reference may be to that department.

John Adams's letters of July 24, 1775, to James Warren and to his wife. See vol. I. of these Letters, no. 244.

Adams resumed his seat in Congress Oct. 24. See his letter to Samuel Mather, Oct. 26, in Writings (ed. Cushing), III. 316.

[159] R. I. Arch., Letters to the Governors (1776), p. 76; Staples, R. I. in Cont. Cong., p. 88.

2 See the Journals. Oct. 8. Cf. nos. 147, 148, 150, ante, and nos. 160, 164, 165, 166, 170, post.

that our men will make good soldiers when they have good officers.

The committee who were appointed to inspect the State of the Army, etc., at Haerlem, have returned and represented Things in a more favorable Light than We had used to view them. Methods are taking that the Army shall be better disciplined and provided in every Respect than it hath been. Although We have some good Officers in some of the principal Departments; yet in others there is great Want of Skill and Abilities. The Quartermaster General Moyla[n] was perswaded by the Commee to resign and Brigadier Genl Mifflin to accept that office with the Rank and Pay of Brigadier General. This Appointment will give great Satisfaction to the Army; for Genl Mifflin is not only well acquainted with the Business of the Office; but he hath Spirit and Activity to execute it in a proper Manner. 3

Dear Sir.2

160. CAESAR RODNEY TO JOHN HASLET.1

PHILA Oct. 6. 1776.

. If Health and Weather permits, I Set out this day for Kent, and don't intend to return to Congress soon again, at least not in the present Reign. My Domestick business will Employ me all the remaining part of this fall, let Matters here turn out hereafter as they may..

I suppose by this time you have seen the plan published by Congress for Establishing an Army. By this Plan You'l find a bounty of twenty Dollars and one hundred Acres of Land to Each Soldier that will Enter. There is also a Bounty in Land to the Officers. You will no doubt wonder that the Congress have not Raised the pay of the Officers. I confess it is Strange that they have not. But depend upon it (between you and I) their pay will be raised very soon, and very Considerably too.* This for your private Satisfaction therefore not to be mentioned Yet. Your private Satisfaction, Did I say? in this I may be wrong, not knowing whether you may find yourself disposed to Enter the List during the War; or Whether if you were so inclined, as the Congress have left it to the several Assemblies to appoint all the Officers, Except General Officers, You'd have any Chance in the Nomination, Even if you deserved it ten times as much more as I think you Do. However time will inform us more of these Matters.

P. S. Don't suppose from what I said They have left me out of Congress. They have not.

3 Cf. nos. 147, 156, ante.

[160] Copied from the original, then in possession of Mr. Stan. V. Henkels of Philadelphia. Henkels, Catalogue, no. 1236, item 88.

2 Colonel John Haslet of Delaware, to whom this letter was addressed, was killed at the battle of Princeton, Jan. 3, 1777.

3 See the Journals, Sept. 16. Cf. nos. 147, 148, 150, 159, ante, and nos. 164, 165, 166, 170, post.

4 See the Journals, Oct. 7, 8, Dec. 21. Cf. nos. 164, 166, post.

Dear Sir

161. JOSIAH BARTLETT TO JOHN LANGDON.1

PHILADELPHIA Octobr 7th 1776

As I have not been able for some time to attend the marine Committee I last Saturday took the liberty to show Mr Morrice2 your letters Concerning the Conduct of the Providence Committee about Guns and soon found Mr Hancock thro the multiplicity of Business had not laid the affair before the Marine Committee Mr Morrice resented their Conduct extremely and Desired liberty to lay the letter before Congress but as I was uncertain but some bad Effect might arise from laying it before the whole Congress I Declined it He then Desired liberty to lay it before the Marine Committee to which I Consented He said he would Do his utmost that your ship should have them Guns at Providence and without paying that Enormous price for them I am in hopes them guns will be ordered for your ship and one of theirs ordered to wait till guns can be sent from here where, they are Contracted for at 35 and 40 pound this money pr tun 3

3

I believe (inter nos) your letters to the President Concerning marine affairs have not been laid before the Committee nor much attention been paid them the great and important Business in which he is Constantly employed and the almost immense number of letters which he is Constantly receiving on the most interesting subjects makes it impossible for him to attend to them all and lesser matters must be neglected I sincerely wish he did not belong to the Marine Committee but would Confine himself to the affairs of Congress which is Business abundantly sufficient to employ the time of any one human being.*.

Dear Sir

162. WILLIAM WILLIAMS TO JOSEPH TRUMBULL.1

PHILADELA 7 Octo 1776

I recd your favr of the 1st Inst and observe the Contents have also shewn it to my Colleagues, and Mr G. and H.2 but have not had Time to consult much upon it. I think tis not best to move the matter you insist on without a previous Consultation, and finding our Strength, when I will

[161] Hist. Soc. of Pa., Dreer Coll., Signers, I. 35; Brotherhead, Book of the Signers, p. 97. 2 Robert Morris.

See the letters of the marine committee, Oct. 9, to Stephen Hopkins, the committee at Providence (2), Nathaniel Falconer, and John Langdon, in Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., II. 954-956.

"Last Saturday I received yours of the 14th instant, and am very sorry for your bad success in procuring guns for the frigate. You say you have mentioned the affair to the President, and I hope some order will be taken about it, but what, I know not. I have not been able to attend either the Marine or Secret Committee for some time past, and Congress but little." Bartlett to Langdon, Sept. 30, Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., II. 602. See also Bartlett's letters to Langdon, Sept. 9, 16, 23, Oct. 15, ibid., II. 253, 350, 459, 1063, and to Whipple, Sept. 10, 14, ibid., II. 272, 323; also no. 174, post. [162]1 Conn. Hist. Soc., Joseph Trumbull Papers. Addressed, "To Colo. Joseph Trumbull, Commissary General of the Army of the United States etc. at Harlem ". 2 Gerry and Hooper? Cf. no. 175, note 4, post.

attempt. we have a Club once a week, but am not certain They are all fit to be consulted in this matter. I truly fear what will be the result of the motion in the House, am not without hopes of Success, but am extreemly unwilling you shod leave the Service. there are strange Mortals in Cons. be assured, tis hard to say what some of Them aim at, but easie to say a number invariably hate and persecute every N Engld. man, and can embroil Matters exceedingly. I expect to leave Them soon as Mr Sherman returns or before. it will be pleasure to me to get away, and it wod give me inexpressible Satisfaction to leave the great Affairs of America in better Hands. but these are dangerous hints. the Salvation of the Country depends on the Character of Congress. excellent Men there are, too, and the great Affairs generally are well determined, tho some times with great Altercation. I hope to see you in abt. a fortnight. the Affair of Salt We have moved, and not without opposition (from its being wanted for the navy) have got a Resolve that the Con1 Agents deliver you or order what They have etc. the moment I cod I desired the Presit. to send you the Copy etc. as I have frequently done before. he assured me he wod but always seems to be half offended that I shod doubt his Care in all those Things. he says he has sent the other order for purchasing etc.

have nothing lately of the Scolding about the Vegetables. this Militiae are got back to their dens, and pamperd their Guts, and are perhaps more easie. this Province have a fixed hatred of N. E. and every thing that belongs to it, but Money, and that is all the God they worship. I fully agree their Troops have done more mischief than ever they did or will do. good. Have heard nothing said about a Contract at N York, and I think there will not, at least till the Comte. returns from Ty. I shall not be unmindful of your affair, but I dread the Clamour to be raised by it. I know so perfectly the rancor of some against you as of N. E. and an honest Man, and the pleasure They wod have to get rid of you, and give yr. birth to a southern or middle Colony man. and the Distress and Confusion of the army in Consequence of it, wod give me great pain. Congress have refused Schylers Resigna and sent him high Compliments and assurances of their great esteem, and resentmt. of malicious Clamours. etc. etc. in a Lettr. late fr. him he expresses his surprize that he shod be forbid to interfere in yr supplies and says he has interfered no more than he thot the Good of the Service requird, and that he will forever do." I believe if Genl. Washington shod write so contemptuous a Letter, he wod come near to be broke, but if Schy' shod damn the Congress and the

The allusion is probably to the augmentation of Trumbull's compensation. See especially nos. 164, 166, 175, post. Cf. vol. I. of these Letters, nos. 410, 417, 446, 689. 4 See the Journals, Oct. 5, and no. 145, ante; also nos. 166, 172, 331, post.

5 See no. 145, ante, and nos. 166, 266, post.

6 Cf. nos. 124, 145, ante, and nos. 164, 165, 172, 175, post.

7 See the Journals, Oct. 2; cf. nos. 145, 155, ante, 163, post.

8 See Schuyler's letter to Congress, Sept. 25 (read Oct. 4), Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., II. 525.

Cause, it wod not be resisted by some. Such Letters as this must be burnt. I have no Time to add but that I am with much affection and good Will yr. affect. Frd. and Bro'.

W. WILLIAMS

do you know any thing abt. my Kinsman, Col Wards Adjutant.

163. THE NEW YORK DELEGATES TO THE NEW YORK CONVENTION.1 PHILADELPHIA, October 7, 1776.

Gentlemen:

The Committee of Congress to whom your papers respecting General Schuyler were committed, have reported, we hope to your satisfaction. Mr. Rutledge informs us that he had transmitted a copy to Robert R. Livingston, Esq., and a certified copy shall be sent you per post, which will probably come to your hands before this letter.❜

On the 5th instant we were going to move Congress, that they would direct General Washington to propose to General Howe the exchange of Brigadier-General Woodhull for Brigadier-General McDonald, when a Pennsylvania newspaper of same date was handed to us, by which it would appear that Brigadier-General Woodhull had taken such a part as would put it out of our power to move for his exchange. Should be glad you would inform us if there be any truth in this conjecture, and direct us as to our conduct therein.

We are respectfully, gentlemen, your very humble servants,

To the honourable the Convention of New-York.

FRA. LEWIS,

PHIL. LIVINGSTON,
WM. FLOYD.

[163] Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., II. 926; Jour. N. Y. Prov. Cong., II. 320; N. Y. State Lib., Revolutionary Papers, VIII. 59.

2 See nos. 149, 155, ante.

Shortly after the battle of Long Island Brig.-Gen. Nathaniel Woodhull was taken prisoner and received wounds from which, when this letter was written, he had already died (Sept. 20). See Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., II. 170, 701, 894, 934, III. 203, 240; Jour. N. Y. Prov. Cong., I. 630, 671; also Washington's Writings (ed. Sparks), IV. 128, 142. The circumstances of the capture and wounding of General Woodhull have given rise to much controversy. See B. F. Thompson, History of Long Island, p. 503; Hist. Mag., V. 140-142, 172-176, 204-211, 229-236 (a series of letters by James Fenimore Cooper, Lorenzo Sabine, Henry Onderdonk, jr., and H. C. Van Schaack, reprinted from the Home Journal, 1848); Onderdonk, Revolutionary Incidents of Suffolk and Kings Counties, pp. 30-41; and Long Island Hist. Soc., Memoirs, II. 288-310, 422. The newspaper item alluded to by the New York delegates is probably one found in the issue of the Pennsylvania Ledger of Oct. 5, under the following caption:

FROM THE CONNECTICUT GAZETTE.

The following papers were a few days since brought from
Long Island, and are given to us for publication.

The papers consist of four orders signed by Oliver De Lancey. The pertinent one is the following:

Sir,

"JAMAICA, Sept. 21, 1776.

I am ordered by his Excellency the Honorable William Howe, Esq; General and Commander in Chief of his Majesty's forces in North America, from Nova Scotia to the Floridas, on the application of the county of Suffolk, by Nathaniel Woodhull and Samuel Philips, who have signified to him that the inhabitants of said county are desirous of laying down their arms and again becoming loyal and obedient subjects, that for the peace