Heavy cannon, ordnance stores, and ammunition, to a pretty large amount, are now forwarding. General Knox, in whose immediate province these arrangements are, and who knows the whole of our resources, is making every exertion to furnish a competent supply, and will be on the spot to remedy every deficiency, as far as the circumstances will possibly admit. Having also from the first moment been extremely anxious respecting the supplies of the army, (in which I comprehend not only provisions of the bread and meat kind, but also forage and the means of transportation,) I had written pressingly to the governors of Maryland and Virginia on that subject previous to the receipt of your favor of the 21st of August. I have since reiterated my entreaties, and enforced, in the strongest terms I was capable of using, the requisitions for specific supplies made by Congress, and now again called for by the superintendent of finance from the states of Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland; and, as to the supplies of Pennsylvania, we are to look for them from the financier himself. I hope and trust the efforts of these States and of Virginia will be uncommonly great, and proportionate to the magnitude of the object before us.

In order to introduce some kind of system and method in our supplies, to know with certainty what may be depended upon, and to put the business in the best possible train of execution, I shall send forward the heads of departments, as soon as their presence can be dispensed with. I have spoken to the surgeon-general respecting hospital stores and medicines. All that can be done will be done in that department. As to clothing I am sorry to inform you, that little is to be expected, except in the article of shoes, of which a full supply will be sent on.

In my progress to the southward, I shall take care, as far as practicable, to make all the arrangements necessary for the operation in view, and to impress the executives with an idea of the absolute necessity of furnishing their quotas of supplies regularly; as we have no other resources to rely upon for the support of the army, and especially, as I am very apprehensive, that a quantity of fifteen hundred barrels of salted provisions, which I had ordered to be shipped under convoy of the Count de Barras, did not arrive in time for that purpose.

But, my dear Marquis, I am distressed beyond measure to know what has become of the Count de Grasse, and for fear that the English fleet, by occupying the Chesapeake, towards which my last accounts say they were steering, may frustrate all our flattering prospects in that quarter. I am also not a little solicitous for the Count de Barras, who was to have sailed from Rhode Island on the 23d ultimo, and from whom I have heard nothing since that time. Of many contingencies we will hope for the most propitious events. Should the retreat of Lord Cornwallis by water be cut off, by the arrival of either of the French fleets, I am persuaded you will do all in your power to prevent his escape by land. May that great felicity be reserved for you.

*

*This felicity it was his good fortune to realize. The British commander sought for an opportunity to escape into North Carolina, but the address and vigilance of Lafayette disconcerted all his schemes. After Cornwallis had arrived at York, and commenced his fortifications, Lafayette asked Colonel Barber if he knew of a trusty, capable soldier, whom he could send as a spy into Cornwallis's camp. He answered that there was one in the New Jersey line by the name of Morgan, who was in all respects suited to such an enterprise. The general sent for him, and told him that he had a very difficult task to propose to him, which was, that he should pretend to desert, go over to the British camp, and enlist as a soldier. Morgan answered, that he was

You see how critically important the present moment is. For my own part, I am determined still to persist, with unremitting ardor, in my present plan, unless some inevitable and insuperable obstacles are thrown in the way. Adieu. I am, &c.

SIR,

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Chester, 3 o'clock, P. M., 5 September, 1781.

With pleasure I do myself the honor to transmit to your Excellency the enclosed copy of a letter from

ready to do any thing in the service of his country, and to oblige his general, but that his feelings revolted at such a proposal. He must assume the character of a spy, and, if detected, he would not only lose his life, but bring a lasting disgrace upon his name. He desired the reputation of a good soldier, and a zealous, true lover of his country, but he could not endure the thoughts of being a spy. After some conversation, however, he told the general that he would go, on one condition, which was, that, in case any disaster should happen to him, the general should make the true state of the case known, and have the particulars published in the New Jersey gazettes, that no reproach might come upon his family and friends for his supposed misconduct. To this the general assented.

Morgan joined the British camp and enlisted. Lafayette left every thing to his discretion, but told him that he wished intelligence of important movements, and moreover desired the impression particularly to be given, that he had boats enough to transport all his army across James River. Morgan had been a little time in camp, when Lord Cornwallis sent for him and asked him many questions. Tarleton was with him at the time, and inquired of Morgan among other things how many boats General Lafayette had on the river. He said he did not know the exact number, but he had been told there were enough to carry over all the army at a moment's warning. "There!" exclaimed Cornwallis to Tarleton, "I told you this would not do;" from which it appeared, that they had this project in view.

The French fleet in the mean time arrived.

General Lafayette had

been out to reconnoitre, and when he returned he found six men in the British uniform and one green-coated Hessian at his quarters; and among them was Morgan. "Well, Morgan," asked the general, with surprise,

I

General Gist. It announces the safe arrival in the Chesapeake of Admiral de Grasse with twenty-eight ships of the line. On this happy event I beg your Excellency to accept my warmest congratulations. shall proceed, with all possible despatch, forwarding as I go the troops and stores, with all the expedition in my power. On my arrival at the Head of Elk, if I do not find water-craft sufficient to embark the whole of the stores and troops, I shall forward on the former by water, with as many troops as can go by that conveyance, and march the others by land.

I have the honor to be, &c.*

"whom have you got here?" "Five British soldiers, who have deserted with me, and a Hessian whom we captured at the out-post," was his reply. He went on to say, that, as the French fleet had arrived, and he presumed his services could no longer be of any use to his general in the British camp, he had returned, and these deserters and this prisoner were the fruits of his expedition.

The general sent for Morgan the next day, and told him that his conduct had been in the highest degree meritorious, and that he proposed to make him a sergeant. Morgan listened to the proposal, and said he was highly gratified to have pleased his commander, but declined the promotion. He added, that he believed himself a good soldier, but that he was by no means certain he should make a good sergeant; that he joined the army from a principle of duty and patriotism, because he believed his country needed his services, and the same motives induced him to prefer a station where he was satisfied he should be the most useful. The general then offered him money, but this he refused also, saying his circumstances were such at home, that he did not need money. "What then can I do for you?" inquired the general. "I have one favor to ask," replied Morgan; "during my absence some person has taken my gun; I set a great value upon it, and, if it can be restored, it will give me particular pleasure." The gun was described, and the general issued an order requiring it to be returned. This was all the reward, that Morgan could ever be prevailed on to accept.

The above anecdote was related to me by General Lafayette himself, nearly fifty years after the event, with much warmth of feeling and admiration of the soldier's magnanimity.

* An animated account of the effect, which this intelligence produced on the French officers, is given by the Abbé Robin. The French army had entered Philadelphia in the morning of that day, amidst the accla

SIR,

TO COUNT DE GRASSE.

Head of Elk, 6 September, 1781.

I have been honored by your Excellency's favor of the 2d instant, and do myself the pleasure to felicitate you on the happy arrival of so formidable a fleet of his Most Christian Majesty in the Bay of Chesapeake under your Excellency's command. This happy event I hope will be improved to the most salutary purposes for the united interests of both

nations.

Expecting to have the honor of a personal interview with your Excellency almost as soon as this will reach your hand, I shall not, in writing, give you the trouble of a particular detail of my designs. I will only inform you that the van of the two armies, the French and Americans, consisting of about two thousand men, (there not being transports for the whole) will embark in about two days, and will fall down the Chesapeake

mations of the people. On every side were demonstrations of joy. After the spectacle was over, the officers dined with the Chevalier de la Luzerne. While they were at table, a messenger arrived with a letter to the Chevalier containing the news. - Nouveau Voyage, p. 90.

The Abbé Robin landed at Boston in June with the reinforcement detached from the squadron of M. de Grasse. He joined Rochambeau's army, and marched with it to Virginia. The next year he published in Paris the result of his observations in America, embracing military operations, the situation and appearance of the country, and the character, manners, and habits of the people. His book is entitled Nouveau Voyage dans l'Amérique Septentrionale, en l'Année 1781. Some of the Abbé's sketches are lively and spirited. A good temper is visible in all his remarks. His prevailing foible may be ascribed to his former secluded mode of life. The novelty of the scene seemed to fill him with a wonder similar to that, which we may suppose to have been experienced by the companions of Columbus on their first visit to the New World. The Abbé's astonishment at common things sometimes reaches so high, as to become a hazardous experiment on the gravity of his readers.