Philadelphia, 7 July, 1776.
I have this moment folded up a magazine and an Evening Post, and sent
them off by an express who could not wait for me to write a single line.
It always goes to my heart to send off a packet of pamphlets and
newspapers without a letter, but it sometimes unavoidably happens, and I
suppose you had rather receive a pamphlet or newspaper than nothing.
The design of our enemy now seems to be a powerful invasion of New York
and New Jersey. The Halifax fleet and army is arrived, and another fleet
and army under Lord Howe is expected to join them. We are making great
preparations to meet them by marching the militia of Maryland,
Pennsylvania, and New Jersey down to the scene of action, and have made
large requisitions upon New England. I hope, for the honor of New
England and the salvation of America, our people will not be backward in
marching to New York. We must maintain and defend that important post,
at all events. If the enemy get possession there, it will cost New
England very dear. There is no danger of the small-pox at New York. It
is carefully kept out of the city and the army. I hope that your brother
and mine too will go into the service of their country at this critical
period of its distress.
Our army at Crown Point is an object of wretchedness enough to fill a
humane mind with horror; disgraced, defeated, discontented, dispirited,
diseased, naked, undisciplined, eaten up with vermin, no clothes, beds,
blankets, no medicines, no victuals but salt pork and flour. A chaplain
from that army preached a sermon here the other day from "Cursed is he
that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully." I knew, better than he
did, who the persons were who deserved these curses. But I could not
help myself, nor my poor country, any more than he. I hope that measures
will be taken to cleanse the army at Crown Point from the small-pox, and
that other measures will be taken in New England, by tolerating and
encouraging inoculation, to render that distemper less terrible.
I am solicitous to hear what figure our new Superior Court made in their
eastern circuit; what business they did; whether the grand juries and
petit juries were sworn; whether they tried any criminals, or any civil
actions; how the people were affected at the appearance of Courts again;
how the judges were treated; whether with respect or cold neglect, etc.
Every colony upon the continent will soon be in the same situation. They
are erecting governments as fast as children build cob-houses; but, I
conjecture, they will hardly throw them down again so soon.
The practice we have hitherto been in, of ditching round about our
enemies, will not always do. We must learn to use other weapons than the
pick and the spade. Our armies must be disciplined, and learn to fight.
I have the satisfaction to reflect that our Massachusetts people, when
they have been left to themselves, have been constantly fighting and
skirmishing, and always with success. I wish the same valor, prudence,
and spirit had been discovered everywhere.