Philadelphia, Tuesday, 2 September, 1777.
I had, yesterday, the pleasure of yours of----, from Boston, and am
happy to find that you have been able to do so well amidst all your
difficulties. There is but one course for us to take, and that is to
renounce the use of all foreign commodities. For my own part, I never
lived in my whole life so meanly and poorly as I do now, and yet my
constituents will growl at my extravagance. Happy should I be indeed, if
I could share with you in the produce of your little farm. Milk, and
apples, and pork, and beef, and the fruits of the garden would be luxury
to me.
We had nothing yesterday from the General. Howe's army are in a very
unwholesome situation. Their water is very bad and brackish. There are
frequent morning and evening fogs, which produce intermittent fevers in
abundance. Washington has a great body of militia assembled and
assembling, in addition to a grand Continental army. Whether he will
strike or not, I can't say. He is very prudent, you know, and will not
unnecessarily hazard his army. By my own inward feelings, I judge, I
should put more to risk if I were in his shoes, but perhaps he is right.
Gansevoort has proved that it is possible to hold a post. Herkimer has
shown that it is possible to fight Indians, and Stark has proved that it
is practicable even to attack lines and posts with militia. I wish the
Continental army would prove that anything can be done. But this is
sedition at least. I am weary, however, I own, with so much insipidity.
St. Leger and his party have run away. So will Burgoyne. I wish Stark
had the supreme command in the northern department. I am sick of Fabian
systems in all quarters. The officers drink, A long and moderate war. My
toast is, A short and violent war. They would call me mad and rash,
etc., but I know better. I am as cool as any of them, and cooler too,
for my mind is not inflamed with fear nor anger, whereas I believe
theirs are with both. If this letter should be intercepted and
published, it would do as much good as another did two years ago.