Your enemies in this quarter are leaving no means unessayed to blast your character, and impute to your appointment in that Department, a loss which, when rightly investigated can be imputed to very different causes. The friends to truth find an extreme difficulty to stem the torrent of calumny.

Be not surprised if you should be desired to attend Congress to give an account of the loss of Ticonderoga.2. . .

564. THE NEW YORK DELEGATES TO THE NEW YORK COUNCIL OF SAFETY.1

Honoure. Gentlemen

PHILAD. 29th. July 1777

We have the Honour of your favour of the 17th. Instant with the several Enclosures, to which we shall pay all due attention.2

We had flatterd ourselves that having happily accomplished the various matters given us in Charge by our late honourable Convention, our Anxiety relating to our own internal affairs woud have been for some time at least relievd. But the misfortunes in the northern Department, and the fresh attack which is made upon General Schuyler in consequence of them, renew our Difficulties. The Eastern States openly affirm that their Troops have no Confidence in General Schuyler and assign this as the Reason that they have not marched to his Assistance. They therefore insist that he as well as Genl St. Clair shall be recalled and General Gates again appointed to the Command: or that Congress must Take upon themselves all the Consequences which may attend a Refusal of this Proposition. You see Gentlemen the Delicacy of our Situation. If the Eastern Delegates carry their point the world is left to conclude not only that General Schuyler is unworthy of the Command; but that if the late change had not taken place, Ticonderoga, by the abilities of Genl Gates, might still have been preserved. In what Light your Delegates and the State by whose Authority they interposd, will be represented, on this View of the Case, is sufficiently obvious. But supposing General Schuyler, after this warm application for his Removal, should be continud in the Command; and the Eastern States be backward in supplying their Militia; and the Calamities of the Country in that Quarter encrease, Woud there, under these Circumstances, be any End to Clamour and Reproach? 3

3

It is not easy to determine the Line of Conduct we ought to pursue especially as we cannot be assisted by your advice, nor strengthend by your authority.

2 See the Journals, July 29, 30, August 1, 3, 4. Cf. nos. 553, 555, 556, 560a, 561, 562A, ante, 564, 565, 566, 568-572, 574, 578, post. [564] N. Y. State Lib., Revolutionary Papers, XI. 289 (in Duane's writing); ibid., Minutes of the Council of Safety, IX. 711 (copy); Jour. N. Y. Prov. Cong., I. 1033, II. 500. 2 Probably the letter spread on the minutes of the council of safety July 18 (Jour. N. Y. Prov. Cong., I. 1003). A letter to President Hancock is found in the minutes of the same day. It was this letter, doubtless, that was read in Congress July 28. 3 Cf. no. 556, 560a, 561, 562a, 563, ante.

We shall take the first opportunity to inform you of the Event: And in the mean time assure you that we are most respectfully

Honoure Gentlemen

Your most Obedient humble Servants

PHIL. LIVINGSTON

JAS. DUANE

WM. DUER

Honour Council of Safety for the State of New York

My Dear Sir,

565. JAMES LOVELL TO WILLIAM WHIPPLE.1

July 29th. 1777

Your ideas about Ticonderoga you will find by my letters of last Tuesday 2 are similar to those which we had here. But will you believe that the same obstinacy which withstood the sending Schuyler to Head Quarters in the Jersies 7 weeks ago, now also withstands calling him hither to give an account of our affairs in the Northern Department and of the causes of the relinquishment of Independence, to say nothing of the Western part. He writes that the Tories will all join Burgoyne and the timid Whigs and Six Nations of Indians and that the Eastern Militia will not stay with him; yet we are not to send a more fighting popular General in his place. Just such contradictory letters as you and your brother mention, we received here. If the Eastern States do not muster all possible proofs that they have done as well at least as others, a number in Congress with the Northern Council of War and Schuyler, and more than one in the Jersies, will cry out "New England alone is to blame "

In addition to the perplexities which I have before mentioned to you about French Treaties made by Deane we have a fresh quantity from the arrival of 2 Majors General two Brigadiers, 2 Lt. Cols. 2 Majors, 3 Captains and two Lts. created and ranked 7th. Nov last and Ist. of Decr. to whom have been advanced 16,000 livs. gratuity and half pay." Ought

4 See the Journals, July 29, 30, Aug. 1, 3, and nos. 565, 566, 568-572, 578, post. [565]1 Library of Congress, Force Trans., Whipple, p. 383; N. Y. Pub. Lib., Bancroft Coll., Langdon-Elwyn Papers (copy of part).

2 Tuesday was the 22d, but probably the letter of July 21 (no. 556, ante) is meant. The plural "letters may be an error of the Force copyist.

3 It would appear from this statement that the programme of the New England delegates was first to have Schuyler called to Philadelphia, but was afterward changed to have him sent to headquarters. Cf. no. 571, post.

4 Cf. nos. 556, 560a, 562a, 564, ante, and 566, 568-572, 578, post.

The reference is evidently to the group of French officers who came over with Lafayette, although the category here set down does not altogether accord with the lists in the Deane contracts, Dec. I and 7, 1776. See Wharton, Rev. Dipl. Corr., II. 218-221; Force, Am. Arch., fifth ser., III. 1089-1091; Kapp, Life of Kalb, pp. 296-297. Lafayette as well as Kalb is given the rank of major-general in the last-mentioned agreement. There are no brigadiers in either list.

Lafayette's party landed near Georgetown, South Carolina, June 13, and arrived in Philadelphia July 27. See Kapp, Life of Kalb, pp. 108-113; Tower, Lafayette in the Revolution, I. 171 et seq.; Lafayette, Mémoires, Correspondance, et Manuscrits (Brussels, 1837), I. 14, 15, 40, 42. See also Rutledge to Caswell, June 25, 1777, in N. C. State

not this weak or roguish man to be recalled; if as a corresponding Agent he did thus, what will not he think himself entitled to do as a Commissioner!"...

566. THOMAS BURKE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA.1 PHILADELPHIA, July 30th, 1777.

Dr. Sir:

.. No new accounts have arrived from the Northern Department since my last. Our affairs there give us great uneasiness. The loss was Records, XI. 502. Sparks, who probably obtained the facts from Lafayette himself, gives the following account of Lafayette's application to Congress:

"When Lafayette arrived in Philadelphia he put his letters into the hands of Mr. Lovell, Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs. He called the next day at the Hall of Congress, and Mr. Lovell came out to him and said, that so many foreigners had offered themselves for employment, that Congress was embarrassed with their applications, and he was sorry to inform him there was very little hope of his success. Lafayette suspected his papers had not been read, and he immediately sat down and wrote a note to the President of Congress, in which he desired to be permitted to serve in the American army on two conditions; first, that he should receive no pay; secondly, that he should act as a volunteer. These terms were so different from those demanded by other foreigners, and presented so few obstacles on the ground of an interference with American officers, that they were at once accepted. His rank, zeal, perseverance, and disinterestedness overcame every objection, and he was appointed a major-general in the American army more than a month before he had reached the age of twenty." Writings of Washington, V. 454 (Appendix I.). See the Journals, July 31; also no. 603, post.

The Chevalier Du Buyssons, one of the officers of Lafayette's party, gives in his journal the following account of the matter:

"We arrived on the 27th of July, in the morning. After having brushed ourselves up a little, we went to see the President of Congress, to whom we presented our letters of recommendation and also our contracts. He sent us to see M. Moose [Morris ?], a member of the Congress, who made an appointment to meet us on the following day at the door of the Congress; and in the mean time our papers were read and examined. The next day we were punctual in keeping our appointment, but we were made to wait a long time. Finally M. Moose appeared, with another member, and said to us, 'This gentleman speaks French very well, and he is intrusted with the matters that concern people of your nationality; hereafter your communications will all be with him.' He then went in, and the other member, M. [Mr. Lovell], talked with us in the street, where he left us, after having treated us, in excellent French, like a set of adventurers. He ended his speech by saying, 'Gentlemen, have you any authority from Mr. Deane? We authorized him to send us four French engineers; but, instead of that, he has sent us Mr. du Coudray and some men who pretend to be engineers but are not, and some artillerists who have never seen service. We then instructed Mr. Franklin to send us four engineers, and they have come. It seems the French officers have a great fancy to enter our service without being invited. It is true we were in need of officers last year, but now we have experienced men and plenty of them.'

"This was our first reception by the Congress, and we did not know what to think of it; indeed, it would be impossible for any one to be more stupefied than we were. Would it have been possible for M. de La Fayette, M. de Kalb, and M. de Mauroy, followed by ten officers recommended as we had been, and secretly approved, if not openly avowed, by the Government of France, to expect such a reception as this?

We determined to wait and to discover the cause of this affront, if possible, before making any complaint. We attributed it, and rightly, to the misconduct of certain of our compatriots who had preceded us; for we soon heard of the bad behavior of several of them, and the discredit which their actions had thrown upon letters of recommendation brought by them from our colonies, and we discovered that certain other things also had had an influence in this connection." Tower, Lafayette in the Revolution, 179-180; Doniol, Histoire de la Participation de la France à l'Etablissement des EtatsUnis d'Amérique, III. 215 et seq.

See the motions for Deane's recall, in a foot-note to the Journals (ed. Ford), under Aug. 5 (p. 605). It was not however until Nov. 21 that Congress resolved upon the recall. See the Journals, and no. 753, post.

[566]1 N. C. State Recs., XI. 549.

certainly occasioned by the want of sufficient well appointed force, and as the Eastern States were to supply the Troops for that station, they are very solicitious that it should be thought the fault of the officers, who in reality could not have done more than they did with the force in their hands. They are unwilling that it should be thought they have not the force they have always pretended to; and altho' it must be and is admitted they have exerted themselves as much as any State, yet they are very unwilling to admit that any of our misfortune has happened through a weakness which they only share in common with the rest. The result I suppose will be, that the officers must be unjustly disgraced. Upon the whole of our affairs, they bear rather a promising aspect, and could we, by general taxing, or any other means, establish the credit of our money, every campaign would give us more command of the war. I shall not trouble you, Sir, with any more at present. I have the honor to be with the greatest respect and esteem,

Your obt. Ser't.,
THOS. BURKE

Governor Caswell.

567. THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS (JOHN HANCOCK) TO THE MARYLAND ASSEMBLY.1

Gentlemen

PHILADA. July 31st. 1777.

The Congress have this day receiv'd intelligence that the fleet of the enemy, consisting of two hundred and twenty-eight sail have arrived at the offing in the capes of Delaware and are standing in for the bay with a fair wind. No doubt therefore can remain that the city of Philadelphia is the object of their destination and attack.

Upon this occasion their is no necessity of using arguments to animate you. it is sufficient to mention the importance of this city to all America, and that the preservation of it will be attended with the most extensive consequences in favour of our country. I must therefore most ardently entreat you to call out your militia with the utmost expedition, that they may be in readiness to repel any invasion of your state, or to assist in the defence of the state of Pennsylvania which is immediately threatened with an attack from the enemy. I beg leave to request your attention to the enclosed resolve of Congress on the subject, and your compliance with it."

2 See nos. 556, 557, 564, 565, ante, 568-572, 578, post.

[567]1 Md. Hist. Soc., Red Book, VI. 30; Mass. Hist. Soc., Hancock Letter-Book, VI. 239 (to Del., N. J., and Md.); Library of Congress, Papers Cont. Cong., no. 58, pt. II., p. 235. 2 See the Journals, July 30, 31. A despatch from Henry Fisher, July 30, to the state navy board of Pennsylvania, announcing the appearance of the fleet, is in Pa. Arch., first ser., V. 465; cf. ibid., V. 402, 458, 462, 467, 468, 471-475, 480, 482. See also Arch. of Md., XVI. 322, 324; also nos. 578, 587, post. Relative to the resolve of Congress recommending to the Pennsylvania authorities that proprietary officers be arrested, see Pa. Arch., first ser., V. 478-480, 484, 489, 490, 502, 503, 512. Cf. no. 586, notes 10, 13, post.

My dear Sir,

568. SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN.1

8

PHILADA., July 31, 1777

It is a long time since I had the Pleasure of a Letter from you. I have not heard your opinion of the Evacuation of T[i]conderoga.2 You are doubtless as much chagrind as I am. It is ascribd to different Causes. Congress is determind that the true Reasons shall be enquired into, and the Conduct of the General officers. Schuyler's Friends are endeavoring to clear him from all Blame, because, say they, he was not there. This is true. And as it was well known he had never been used to keep his own Person near his Army, perhaps it may be pertinently asked, Why he was pitched upon to take the Command. Your Delegates, I can assure you, were utterly against it. And, notwithstanding it was publishd in one of the Boston News papers, said to be warranted by a Letter from this City, that General Schuyler had the entire Confidence of Congress, there were five only of eleven States present, in favor of it. The Paper I think was of the 5th of June. I wish I could know who gave the Letter to the Printer. In order, I suppose, to give Credit to that Letter, there was another Publication in the Papers here, informing the World, that when he set off for the Northern Department, he was accompanied by the President and other Members of Congress, which I take for granted is true." These are trifling political Manuvres similar to those which we have formerly seen practicd in the Massachusetts Bay, when a Prop was wanted for a sinking Character. You may think them not worth your Notice; Excuse my troubling you with them. Cunning Politicians often make use of the Names of Persons, and sometimes of the Persons themselves, who have not the least Suspicion of it, to serve their own designs. When I mentiond five out of Eleven I should have explaind my self. There were five States for the Measure, four against it and two divided. Had not the State of Rhode Island been at that Juncture accidentally unrepresented, there would have been an equal Division, and the Measure would have been prevented. The most important Events may sometimes depend upon small Circumstances. Some Gentlemen of the State of N. Y. are exceedingly attachd to G. Schuyler. They represent him as Instar Omnium in

[568]1 Warren-Adams Letters, I. 344; Writings (ed. Cushing), III. 395.

2 See his letter to Warren, July 22, in Warren-Adams Letters, I. 343; also Warren's letters to John Adams, July 10, 11, Aug. 10, ibid., I. 340, 342, 347.

8 See the Journals, May 15, 22; cf. no. 553, ante.

* In the Independent Chronicle (Boston), June 12, 1777, is found the following "Extract of a Letter from Philadelphia, May 27": "General Schuyler will return to the Northern Department, possessed of the full Confidence of Congress, his Conduct has been fully enquired into, and the Congress have given very honorable Proofs of their good opinion of him." Cf. nos. 560A, 562A, ante.

5"On Wednesday last the Hon. Major General Schuyler left this city to repair to his command in the Northern department. The President and several Members of Congress accompanied him some miles out of town." Pennsylvania Evening Post, May 31, 1777. Wednesday was the 28th. See no. 504, note 3, ante.

6 The vote of May 22 in Schuyler's favor is mentioned by Lovell, in a letter of that date to Gen. Gates (no. 502, ante), as "5 to 4 and 2 divided". Cf. no. 515, ante, nos. 574, 585, post. Concerning that controversy, see nos. 453, 461, 472, 483, 495, 502, 511, 515, 517-520, ante.