SIR,

TO SIR GUY CARLETON.

Head-Quarters, 22 June, 1782.

Your favor of the 20th of June I have had the honor to receive. Could I view your Excellency's proposal for a meeting, as intended to involve objects of a military nature, I should have no objection to complying with your request; but, if its purpose embraces (as would seem from your letter) only points of civil discussion, I conceive it wholly unnecessary for me to accede to it.*

66

* By the civil tribunals of New Jersey, two men, inhabitants of that State, who had joined the enemy after taking the oath of allegiance, and then were captured, had been condemned as guilty of treason. Sir Guy Carleton thought the proceeding very extraordinary, and a measure of the most fatal extremity." On this subject he requested a passport for General Robertson to go out and hold an interview with General Washington, or with some person whom he might appoint for the purpose. See his letter of June 20th, in the APPENDIX, No. IX.

The British general continued to use his endeavours to produce a conciliatory feeling in the people of the United States, and to open the way for a separate peace. On this subject M. de la Luzerne wrote as follows.

"Sir Guy Carleton attempted to commence a correspondence with Congress, but that assembly wholly declined his advances. He then wrote to some of the governors of the States, but their answers were equally pointed and repulsive. He next addressed himself to the people, not directly, but through the channel of the newspapers in New York; exhorting them to change their leaders and recall their present members of Congress, and speaking of the new disposition for reconciliation and peace on the part of the mother country; but all without effect. Another attempt is to humiliate Congress by representing them to be under the influence of France, and particularly of the French minister in the United States. But he has used another instrument more powerful than these. He treats all the Americans, who fall into his hands, with extreme kindness; exhorts them not to bear arms against Great Britain; admits freely into New York the wives of the captains of vessels, which have been taken and brought into that harbour, and at their solicitation releases their husbands. And he has even written to General Washington, that he will send back the captured Carolinians in the King's ships and at the King's expense; and that he would do all in his power to cause them to

As I had the honor in my last* of transmitting the circumstances relating to Hatfield and Badgely, and of informing you, that, finding them entirely in the hands of the civil power, it was not within my line to say any thing further on the subject; so, from the tenor of your letter, it becomes necessary for me now to be very explicit in mentioning to your Excellency, that, in matters of civil resort, I am not authorized, in any case, to make the least interference. The civil laws, within the several States, having been passed without any agency of mine, I am equally excluded from any part in their execution; neither is it to be supposed, that they are under any control or influence from me. The civil power, therefore, of the States only being competent to the discussion of civil points, I shall leave them wholly to their consideration, being determined to confine myself to the proper line of my duty, which is purely military.

Previously, therefore, to closing with your proposal, I have to request, that your Excellency will be pleased to declare, whether it was your intention that the gentlemen, whom you wished to meet together, should be convened in a military capacity only, and be confined solely to the discussion of military points. If so, I shall immediately on receipt of your answer nominate one or more gentlemen, who shall be authorized to attend. such persons as may be appointed on your part, at Dobbs's Ferry, and shall feel myself very happy, if, by a discussion of any military points, which may then be proposed, any measures can be adopted for humanizing,

forget their past injuries.” Philadelphia, June 14th.

MS. Letter from Luzerne to Vergennes,

* A letter of the 10th, enclosing the report of Chief Justice Brearley, of New Jersey, in the case of Hatfield and Badgely. See Sir Guy Carleton's reply to that letter in the APPENDIX, No. IX.

VOL. VIII.

40

AA

as much as possible, the calamities attendant on a state I have the honor to be, &c.

of war.

TO COUNT DE ROCHAMBEAU.

MY DEAR COUNT,

Newburg, 24 June, 1782.

I have looked with anxious impatience for those despatches from your court, the arrival of which to you was to be the basis of our interview at Philadelphia. I have been in such daily expectation of this event, that I have not ventured more than fifteen miles from this place, lest your summons should arrive here in my absence.

The season for operating in this quarter is flying away rapidly; and I am more and more embarrassed in determining on the measures, which are proper to be pursued. If the aids, which are designed for us by your generous nation, are sufficiently powerful, and arrive in season to warrant the enterprise against New York, not a moment should be lost in commencing your march this way. On the other hand, if the naval superiority, destined by his Most Christian Majesty for this coast, should be late in coming, or if, when it does arrive, our force should be judged inadequate to the siege of New York, and our arms are to be turned against Charleston, as the next object of importance, every step, which the French army under your Excellency's command might make this way, would not only serve to fatigue them, but the baggage, teams, and artillery horses, which are provided for the service of the campaign, would, by such a movement, be rendered unfit to perform a march to South Carolina, and every other expense incident to this manœuvre would be needlessly increased.

In this state of uncertainty, which may also be accompanied by unexpected embarrassments occasioned by the late events in the West Indies, I find myself at a loss to determine upon any thing, and could wish our interview to take place even under these circumstances, that we might, by a free intercourse of sentiments upon certain hypotheses, mature matters in such a manner, as to facilitate any operations to which our force shall be adjudged competent (having regard to the season), when the plans of your court are announced to us. If you approve of such a meeting before you receive your despatches, you have only to inform me of it, and I shall attend to your time at Philadelphia, or any other place, at the shortest notice.

I am at this moment on the point of setting out for Albany, on a visit to my posts in the vicinity of that place. My stay will not exceed eight or ten days, and will be shortened if any despatches should be received from you in the mean time.

I have the honor to be, &c.

TO BARON STEUBEN.

Head-Quarters, 9 July, 1782.

SIR,

In answer to your letter of yesterday's date, containing the following queries,

"Is the department of inspector-general necessary in the army, or is it not? Has this department been conducted during the course of five years agreeably to your wishes; and have the consequences resulting from my exertions as chief of the department answered your expectation?"

I give it as my clear opinion, that it has been of the

utmost utility, and continues to be of the greatest importance, for reasons too plain and obvious to need enumeration; but more especially for having established one uniform system of manoeuvres and regulations in an army, composed of the troops of thirteen States (each having its local prejudices), and subject to constant interruptions and deviations from the frequent changes and dissolutions it has undergone.

It is equally just to declare, that the department, under your auspices, has been conducted with an intelligence, activity, and zeal, not less beneficial to the public than honorary to yourself, and that I have had abundant reason to be satisfied with your abilities and attention to the duties of your office, during the four years you have been in the service.

I am, &c.

SIR,

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Newburg, 9 July, 1782.

Having found a moment's leisure to examine, myself, into the situation of affairs on the frontiers of this State, I have lately made a journey up the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers as far as Saratoga and Schenectady. Just before my arrival there, a party of three or four hundred of the enemy, consisting of British, refugees, and savages, had made an incursion down the Mohawk, attacked, and captured (after a gallant defence) a small guard of Continental troops, who were stationed at the only remaining mill in the upper settlements, which they also destroyed.

By a deserter from this party we are informed, that the enemy are taking post at Oswego, and are either rebuilding the old, or erecting new fortifications there.