NOTES AND DOCUMENTS

T>r. ISerkenhout's Journaly 1778

When the British ministry decided to send another peace mission to America in 1778, it planned also to reinforce the offers to be made by sending along with the commissioners a number of "unofficial" propa- ganda agents. These agents were to be Americans then in or Englishmen with American friends, who were known to favor recon- ciliation with the mother country. On arrival in this country they were to scatter through the colonies, advertise the purposes of the peace commission and openly or deviously urge congressional acceptance of the new terms.1 Some received pay and free passage; others ap- parently only passage money and promises of rewards if successful.2 The peace commissioners consisted of the Earl of Carlisle, William Eden and George Johnstone. The Howe brothers were also named, but did not serve. Johnstone was obliged to withdraw from the com- mission because of a political blunder he committed, and Sir Henry Clinton, the military commander-in-chief, was substituted for Gen- eral Howe. They are better known in history books as the Carlisle commission. The first three sailed from England on April 16. One of the propaganda agents selected to assist in the work of the commission was Dr. John Berkenhout (1730?-!791). Of Dutch parentage, he had been educated in England and Germany. In 1760 he entered the to study medicine, but took his degree at Leyden in 1765. At Edinburgh, however, he made the acquaintance of of Virginia, who obtained his medical degree there in 1764. For the next dozen years, Berkenhout ostensibly practiced medicine in England, but he spent most of his time writing on medical topics and natural history.3 He also published a fBiografhia J^iteraria in 1777, of which Horace Walpole complained 1 B. F. Stevens, Facsimiles of Manuscripts in European Archives Relating to America, 1773-I7%3 (London, 1889), 824. 2 Ibid,, 424, 434. 3 Dictionary of National Biography, IV. 369.

79 80 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January that Berkenhout's method was to get others to write the biographical sketches for him.4 Berkenhout appears to have been employed by the government in 1777 to correspond with Arthur Lee in Paris on possible terms of accommodation with England.5 Lee communicated the contents of this exchange to Franklin and Vergennes.6 Nothing came of it, of course. It was Berkenhout's acquaintance with Arthur Lee, by which he planned to meet , that caused his inclusion in the peace delegation. On 18 April 1778, Lord George Germain, the colonial secretary, directed the lords of the admiralty to receive Mr. and Mrs. John Temple and Dr. Berkenhout and suite on board the J^ioness.1 Evidently it was first planned to send them in the same ship with the commissioners, but the idea was abandoned either for lack of room, or, more probably, because of its obviousness.8 The J^ioness sailed from Portsmouth on May 25 and arrived in New York early in August.9 The reception of the Carlisle commission, meanwhile, had not been up to the expectations of those gentlemen. They were somewhat peeved in the first place that they had been directed to land in Phila- delphia after Lord Germain had instructed Sir Henry Clinton to evacuate the city and return the army to New York.10 This oversight seemed to indicate that the ministry was not hopeful of results from the commission. Then the Continental Congress passed a resolution, consequent to Johnstone's inept attempt at bribery, refusing to deal with this member. Negotiations thus approached a standstill, and His Majesty's "Right Trusty and Right Wellbeloved Cousins" twiddled their thumbs in New York. There was little to do but try the effect of their propaganda agents on public opinion and hope for a favorable discussion of the peace offers. 4 Mrs. Paget Toynbee, ed., The Letters of Horace Walpole . . . (Oxford, 1904), VIII. 285, 313. 5 J. C. Ballagh, ed., Letters of Richard Henry Lee (New York, 1911), II. 135; Francis Wharton, The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States (Washington, 1889), II. 443. 6 Lee's Narrative, in Papers in Relation to the Case of Silas Deane (Philadelphia, 1885), 157. 7 Stevens, Facsimiles, 453. Mrs. John Temple was the daughter of James Bowdoin of Boston. 8 Stevens, Facsimiles, 419, 1077. 9 London Chronicle, May 26-28, 1778; Gaines' New York Gazette, August 10, 1778. 10 Stevens, Facsimiles, 74, 496, 509. 1941 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 8l Under these circumstances, Carlisle determined to get Berkenhout into Philadelphia to reach the ear of his friend's brother, Richard Henry Lee, one of the most influential members of Congress. Carlisle asked Eden his opinion of the move. Eden was against it:

As to Dr. B, neither knowing him, nor the manner in which it is proposed to use his services, I speak much in the dark. If he came to this country from a fair zeal for the public service, and has incurred expenses, I should be happy to find some mode of rewarding him, or of obtaining a due reward for him, whether we use his services or not. But I am by no means prepared to give my vote for sending a person of whom I have so little knowledge to Philadelphia in the present moment; for I do not know any possible good to result from such a measure that can in any degree balance the possible mischief.11

Nevertheless, Carlisle persisted in the notion, as appears from this note among his papers:

That Dr. B s[houl]d be sent to phi that 300 or 250 s[houl]d be given him, & that the journey w[oul]d consume about 16 days That the good proposed was to issue from the friendship between him & Batt.12

Next a pass was secured from Sir Henry Clinton to go through the lines into New Jersey. As Clinton was privy to the purpose of Berken- hout's journey, it may be questioned whether he was following the usages of warfare in granting a flag of truce to cover what was es- sentially a spying operation. It will be recalled that Sir Henry blundered on this very point of military law two years later, when he tried to shield Major John Andre's penetration of the American lines as a spy with a flag of truce. Berkenhout was doomed to failure in his mission, not merely be- cause of the attitude of Congress, but because of an incident that occurred before he even left England. A London newspaper under date of April 21 had published the fact that Dr. Berkenhout and John Temple were about to embark for America, "supposed to be sent on a private embassy to the Congress." The Tennsylvania Tacket had duly copied this item in its issue of July 16 for every congressman to see. Likewise, notice of Berkenhout's arrival in New York, which was mentioned in a New York paper, was reprinted in the Tacket of 11 Historical Manuscripts Commission, 15th Report, part 6, 360. 12 Ibid., 363; Stevens, Facsimiles, 85. The reference to Batt is probably a confusion in Carlisle's mind of Dr. Arthur Lee with Dr. William Batt (1744-1812), who had also studied at Leyden and doubtless was another friend of Berkenhout's. I am indebted for this very probable explanation to Carl Van Doren. 82 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January August 13. The only wonder is that Berkenhout could obtain a pass to enter Philadelphia, or could have remained at large in the city a day after making his name known. He embarked on his journey August 24 and on reaching the American lines applied to Brigadier General William Maxwell for a pass. He represented to Maxwell that he had "intelligence of much import for Congress."13 Later, when Richard Henry Lee confronted him with this statement, Berkenhout denied having said such a thing to Maxwell and suggested that the general must have misunderstood him.14 On his arrival in Philadelphia on August 27, Berkenhout im- mediately applied to Richard Henry Lee and reported in his journal that he had conversations with him and with other members of Congress. Maxwell sent along a letter to Lee, inquiring whether he had acted correctly in permitting Berkenhout to proceed. Lee replied on the twenty-ninth that Congress suggested only that he use his discretion in such cases. He also said that he remembered hearing his brother refer to Dr. Berkenhout sometimes as a physician; beyond that he knew nothing about the man.15 The representation Berken- hout made to Lee was that he intended to move his family to America and wanted advice on a good location in which to settle and practice medicine.16 For a week Berkenhout roamed the city unmolested, enlarging his acquaintance. Whose information finally brought his arrest is difficult to determine. Silas Deane was then in Philadelphia, and in addition to bearing no love for the Lees he knew from Arthur Lee's corres- pondence Berkenhout's official connections. Perhaps he informed the state officials of the man's presence. Perhaps it was the "anonymous correspondent" (was it Deane?) who inserted in the "Pennsylvania Tacket on September 3 an item pointing out the earlier references to Berkenhout in the Tacket and expressing the hope that Congress would disappoint him of his intention. Lee, who was surprised by this information, understood that it caused Berkenhout's arrest.17 Possibly someone else who met Berkenhout remembered those earlier news- 13 E. C. Burnett, ed., Letters of Members of the Continental Congress (Washington, 1923), III. 399. 14 Ibid,, 399. 15 Ibid., 388; Ballagh, op. cit.} I. 432. 16 Ibid., 399; Pennsylvania Packet, October 13, 1778. 17 Ballagh, op. cit., I. 459. 1941 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 83 paper items about his mission. Anyway, the Supreme Executive Coun- cil of Pennsylvania at length ordered his arrest on the third. The Council said it had received word from Benjamin Franklin of Berken- hout's voyage to America, but such a letter from Franklin has not been found. On the fourth Berkenhout addressed a letter to Congress complain- ing of his confinement, which was read on the fifth and ordered to lie on the table.18 The same day Henry Laurens wrote to General Max- well and asked him what pretensions of business Berkenhout gave when he applied for a pass.19 The Executive Council could prove nothing of a criminal nature against Berkenhout, although they knew he was too dangerous to remain at large. So on the fourteenth he was released on signing a parole and ordered to return at once within the enemy's lines. After his departure the Tennsylvania Tacket published this intriguing, Winchellian item, on September 17:

It is said that a lady, at whose house Dr. Berkenhout drank a dish of tea the afternoon of the day on which he left this city, made a certain gentleman believe that Dr. Berkenhout had communicated to her some secrets relating to Gen. Clinton's movements; and the said gentleman has circulated this story thro' the city with great industry.

From Berkenhout's journal it would appear that he was under escort from two o'clock, when he left the jail, until he boarded a sloop for Trenton, and had no time for tea with anyone. He returned to New York, having accomplished nothing for the commission by his journey. His usefulness ended, he was ready to return to England, probably to see what reward he could claim. Eden wrote to Lord Suffolk on 25 October 1778:

Dr. Birkenhoud desires some Letter from me; I have avoided giving Him any to your L[or]d[shi]p but have sent him to Ld. North and Ld. George.20

"Lord George" Germain was just the man to be impressed by Berken- hout. The doctor's journal showed his contempt for Sir William Howe's actions, and Germain was then anxious to extricate himself from all responsibility for Howe's indecisive campaigns. Here was 18 Journals of the Continental Congress (Washington, 1908), XII. 883. 18 Burnett, Letters, III. 401. 20 Stevens, Facsimiles, 540. 84 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January additional fuel for Germain's fire, by which he hoped to roast Sir William and purify his own conduct. Moreover, Berkenhout revealed that contempt for rebel military power which actuated Germain in most of his instructions to the commanders in the field. Small wonder then that his journal remained among Germain's papers or that Ber- kenhout received a pension from the government.21 On reaching England, Berkenhout again wrote to Arthur Lee in Paris on Christmas Day, indicating that he still hoped to be the means of opening negotiations with the American commissioners.22 Lee showed the letter and his proposed reply to Vergennes.23 Efforts were made by Silas Deane in Philadelphia to embarrass the Lees by publishing insinuations that Berkenhout had been intimate with Arthur Lee and that Richard Henry Lee knew his true mission to Congress. There were replies, denials and counter-accusations, but the Deane-Lee controversy is another story.

William <£. Clements J^ibrary HOWARD PECKHAM

Journal of an Excursion from 3\[e?v York to Thiladelfhia in the Year iyy8.24:

Sunday, the 24.th of August, with a pass from Sir Henry Clinton, I embarked in a Sloop, with a flag of truce, and landed the same evening at Elizabeth-town, in the province of New Jersey. The rebel-troops extreamly ragged. General Maxwell, after some hesitation, gave me a pass. [Aug.] 25/11 After dinner sat out for Brunswick, where I arrived late in the evening. A dismal town, but pleasantly situated. [Aug.] 26.th Travelled with three intelligent Americans. Dined at Prince-town, remarkable for its fine College, which is now an Hospital. Slept at Trenton on the Delaware. When General How was stopt by 21 Dictionary of National Biography, IV. 369. 22 Original in Arthur Lee papers, Harvard University Library; printed in Ballagh, op. cit., II. 137. 23 Wharton, op. cit., III. 15-16. 24 From the Germain Papers, volume 8, in the William L. Clements Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan. i94i NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 85 this river,25 in his march to Philadelphia, it was not fordable; but by means of pontoons, or rafts, it might have been passed with great facility. It is so narrow, that the opposite bank might have been effectually scowered by his cannon. Washington at [i. e. had?] not, at that time, 3000 men able to bear arms. The Quaker, who then acted as Quarter-master general,26 affirms that, the morning when the British Army was expected to pass the Delaware, being at breakfast with Washington, the General said, with a sigh, "Well, 'tis a noble cause lost! For my own part, I will retire to the banks of the Ohio, where I hope, the English will not think it worth their while to molest me."27 The same morning he wrote to Congress,28 that his next letter would probably inform them of his having disbanded his army. This I was told by Matlack,29 secretary to the Executive Counsel of Pen- sylvania. When Lord Cornwallis, with the flower of the British Army, lay at Trenton, with Washington in his front, a small rivulet between them, and the Delaware in Washingtons rear; that General had not more than 1500 men. He escaped in the night, leaving fifty men to keep up the fires in his camp, and by a very extraordinary march, was, before morning, in Cornwallis's rear at Prince-town, where he sur- prized a part of the British army.30 Recollecting that when people in England were astonished at General Howe's retreat from the Dela- ware, when he was almost in sight of Philadelphia, Washington's impregnable intrenchments was the only reason assigned for the retrog[r]ade march and subsequent circumnavigation of the British 25 Sir William Howe reached the Delaware River on December 8, 1776. J. C. Fitz- patrick, ed., Writings of Washington, VI. 339. 26 Thomas Mifflin (1744—1800) was quartermaster general at this time. 27 This statement comes third hand: from Timothy Matlack, who had it from Mifflin. Since it is entirely out of character with Washington's attitude as revealed by his letters of this month, it must be branded a fiction. The suspicion arises whether it may not have been started by Mifflin in late 1777 or early 1778 as part of the Conway Cabal against Washington. 28 There is no such letter in Fitzpatrick's edition of the Writings of Washington. The letters to Congress of this month reveal Washington as worried, but by no means discouraged. 29 Timothy Matlack (d. 1829) was appointed secretary of the Supreme Executive Council in March, 1777, which office he retained until 1782. He also served as a military officer for a short time and generally bore the reputation of a good patriot. Dictionary of American Biography, XII. 409. 30 This brilliant night march and morning attack by Washington occurred on January 3, 1777. The "small rivulet" was the Assunpink Creek. W. S. Stryker, The Battles of Trenton and Princeton (Boston, 1898), passim. 86 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January Army; I travelled in hourly expectation of being obstructed by these formidable intrenchments,31 and was impatient to contemplate their construction: but how was I astonished to find, that no such intrench- ments existed! How was I surprized, when convinced, that Washing- tons whole army scarce equalled General Howe's advanced Guard; that Washington had actually given up the game, and that the British troops might have marched triumphantly into Philadelphia without lett, hindrance, or molestation! My arrival at Trenton also brought to my recollection the surprize of Colonel Roll,32 with two Hessian regiments. I enquired of a very sensible inhabitant what was the cause of that disaster? He told me it was intirely owing to Roll's dispising his enemy,83 and disregarding all intelligence; he also rationally observed, that foreign troops ought not to have occupied an out-post, as they did not understand the language of the Country. [Aug.] 27.th Fell down the Delaware, in a Sloop to Philadelphia. Conversed with the passengers on board, and obtained a good deal of information concerning the disposition of the people in general. I sent General MaxwelPs pass, with a card, to Richard Henry Lee, one of the delegates for Virginia. He paid me a visit next day, accom- panied by one of his colleagues.34 He afterwards introduced me to Adams, and to several other members of Congress, with whom I fre- quently conversed, jointly and separately. The subjects of our con- versation were chiefly—The cause of their declaration of inde- pendance—Their treaty with France—Reasons why Britain ought immediately to make peace with America—State of the American 31 In a letter to the president of Congress on December 9, 1776, Washington com- mented on earthworks: "We have ever found, that Lines however Slight, are very formidable to them [the British] . . ." Fitzpatrick, Washington, VI. 339. 32 The surprise of Col. Johann Rail by Washington occurred early in the morning of December 26, 1776. Rail was killed and all three of the regiments surrendered, although about half of the men escaped in a retreat. Stryker, op. cit.} passim. 33 Compare with Berkenhout's despising of the enemy on page 90. 34 Lee's version is that after calling on Berkenhout with Col. Scudder, Berkenhout had visited him the next day. Later Lee introduced him to "a member from Boston." After this third encounter, Lee says he did not meet Berkenhout again until the morning of his arrest, when he saw him at a distance in a tavern. Ballagh, op. cit., I. 457; Burnett, op. ciL, III. 389. 1941 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 87 Army—Cause of their success—Governor Johnstones private let- ters ;35 his political opinions and conduct, &c. Sept/ 3»d Having now conversed with many of the Congress, and with the inhabitants at large, during a whole week, I was this day honoured with a visit from Nichola,36 the Town-major, who had orders to seize my papers and to conduct me to the Executive Council. I attended him to the State-house. This sage Council interrogated me concerning my business at Philadelphia—Whether I was not sent by the British Ministry, or by the Commissioners? They said, they had received intelligence from Doctor Franklin of my voyage to America. My papers were perused with great attention, by two of their Mem- bers, and, before their contents were known, my commitment was signed. This Executive Council was composed of men who, from their appearance and capacity, seemed such a club of tradesmen as com- monly assembly at an Ale-house, in the borough of Southwark. By virtue of this commitment, I was conducted to the New-Jail, and there delivered to the custody of a wretched fellow, whose aspect was sufficient to strike horror into the breast of a man of moderate resolu- tion. During my confinement, I was twice visited by a Doctor Rush,37 whom I had formerly seen at Arthur Lee's chambers in London. He was lately a Member of Congress. Under an American mask of sym- pathetic feeling for my situation, with uncommon loquacious plausi- bility, he expected to make some important discovery concerning the nature of my commission. From this Doctor I learnt the purport of some of the secret articles of the treaty with France. I was afterwards frequently visited by Matlack, Secretary to the 35 George Johnstone, former governor of West Florida, had blundered shortly after his arrival with the commission by attempting to bribe a member of Congress into helping with the reconciliation. Congress promptly passed a resolution of censure, and Johnstone withdrew from the commission. Dictionary of National Biography, X. 964. 36 Lewis Nichola or Nicolas (1717-1807) achieved some subsequent fame by sug- gesting to Washington in May, 1782, that the Continental soldiers take up a vast tract of land in the West and organize a new state with Washington as its constitutional monarch. 37 Dr. (1745-1813) was a member of Congress from 1776 to 1777, when he was appointed surgeon general of the Middle Department. He became involved in the Conway Cabal against Washington and returned to practice in Philadelphia early in 1778. Dr. Rush was in London in 1768 for post graduate training at a hospital there. Dictionary of American Biography, XVI. 227. 88 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January Executive Council. His character is that of a deep, shrewd fellow. He affected great openness, and ingenuous conversation. He said—"If I had any thing to propose, I might safely speak to him, without reserve ; if I wanted any information, he would frankly answer my questions j or, if there was any other person, any man of letters with whom I wished to converse, he should be immediately sent to me." In the last of these conversations, finding me rather less communicative than himself, and determining to try the effect of fear, he told me, that I must not be surprized, if still closer confinement should be thought necessary. He spoke with the jailor privately. I was then separated from the other English prisoners, and was ordered not to receive visits from any person whatsoever. Nevertheless I had orders, next morning, to prepare to quit the dominions of the united States at a moments warning. Sept.r I4.th Matlack called upon me about 12 o'Clock and requested me to sign the following paper: viz. "I John Berkenhout Doctor of Physic, do declare upon my honour, that I will immediately proceed, by the usual rout, to Elizabeth-town in the State of New-Jersey, and from thence within the British lines, and that I will not, from this time, untill my arrival there, do, or say any thing, which can, by any means, be construed, or understood to be injurious to the states of North America." After I had signed this paper, Matlack requested that I would pre- pare to depart at two o'Clock, at which time he returned and attended me to the Delaware, where I embarked on board a Sloop for Tren- ton. This Sloop was loaded with deals and Shingles for building stables at Trenton for Washingtons Light-horse. Matlack, previous to my departure, gave me a copy of the above paper, with the following pass. "The above mentioned Doctor John Berkenhout is ordered to return to the city of New York after having been some days past con- fined in this city, by order of the supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pensylvania." T.Matlack Philadelphia Septr 14th 1778. To all concerned.

This Matlack, I think, might be bribed, and I believe it not im- possible to open a secret correspondence with him. 1941 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 89 On my passage from Philadelphia to Trenton, whilst the vessel lay at anchor, I went on shore, on the Pensylvania side of the river in quest of provisions. Accidentally meeting with one Smith a Quaker, he asked me to dinner. There dined with us a Colonel Penrose38 of the Jersey Militia, who had been in almost every skirmish during the Campaign of 1777. I obtained some information from this Colonel. They asked me if I knew any thing of a Doctor Berkenhout, then under close confinement at Philadelphia? They said people were generally of opinion that he would be hanged. I travelled from Trenton with three rebel officers: they were Irish- men; their names Quin, King and Power.39 Quin has a company: he formerly rode private in Ligoniers Horse. These gentlemen being neither remarkable for wisdom nor sobriety, told me all they knew concerning the former and present state of their Army. They unani- mously confirmed the accounts I had before received of Washingtons perpetual danger, the incredible distress of his army and his constant inferiority in point of number. They assured me, that at one time last year, many of their officers were literally without shoes. On this road we passed a number of continental Waggons (so they are called) with flower and Rum for Washingtons Army. They have five thousand of these Waggons, the drivers of which, being taught the use of arms, act in the double capacity of Waggoners, or Soldiers as occasion may require. On my return to Elizabeth-town, I waited on General Maxwell with my pass. I sat with him near an hour. We drank grog} and talked of General Howes campaigns. Some of his maneuvres, he said, were well enough, but that he was certainly too indolent and too ignorant for the command of such an army. He assured me that the British Army were preparing to evacuate New-York, and added, I knew we should have no more fighting after Howe refused to give us battle 88 The New Jersey Historical Society has no record of such an officer. Berkenhout may mean Col. Joseph Penrose of Pennsylvania, who had resigned from the Continental Army early in 1777 but probably belonged to the Pennsylvania militia. It will be noted that Berkenhout was in Pennsylvania rather than New Jersey when he met the officer. 39 A Capt. Lt. William Power (d. 1835) °f Pennsylvania is listed in Heitman's Register of Continental Officers as belonging to the 2nd Continental Artillery. There are several officers listed by the name of King, but none by the name of Quinn who was in service at this date. 90 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January at Chesnut Hill.40 This Maxwell always commands the light troops. By his language he must be a Scotchman, or from the North of Ireland. Before the rebellion he was a farmer in New Jersey. He wears an old thread-bare blue coat, and a still shabbier hat. In England, one would take him for an invalided corporal of Artillery. Sept/ I9.th I came with a flag of truce to Staten Island, and thence to New York the same evening.

Reflexions The Executive Council, by which I was examined consisted of seven or nine of the lowest, most contemptible fellows I ever saw assembled, except at the Robin Hood.41 The members of the present Congress, are, in general, unpolished, illiterate, poor and of no character. Adams, and the two Lees of Vir- ginia have most influence. Washington is doubtless a man of some genius; but he owes his reputation to his opponant's want of abilities, or to something worse. Last winter Sir W. Howe commanded, at least, four times the number of the rebel army. If instead of remaining at Philadelphia he had marched Southwards, so as to have covered Pensylvania, most of the inhabitants of that Province would have declared for legal govern- ment, and would have elected a constitutional assembly. Washington must, in that case, have retreated Southward, in order to secure or destroy his magazines; and thus the provinces of New-York, New Jersey and Pensylvania, would have been effectually covered. Pensyl- vania alone would supply an army of 50,000 men, for any length of time, with every necessary of life. A great majority of the inhabitants are firmly attached to the King. That it is impossible to compel Washington to fight, is a very palpable, and hath been a very fatal mistake. He might, with much more facility, escape in an open country. In America, the roads in 40 Gen. Maxwell here refers to the indecisive brush at Chestnut Hill, just above Germantown, on December 6, 1777, when Howe made a feeble attempt to attack Wash- ington at Whitemarsh. But after reconnoitering the enemy position for four days, Howe retired into the pleasanter surroundings of Philadelphia for the winter. 41 The Robin Hood Club was a debating society in London notorious for its hetero- geneous membership and freedom of discussion. Other clubs looked down on it because of its lack of exclusiveness and the unpopularity of freethinking. R. J. Allen, The Clubs of Augustan London (Cambridge, 1933), 129-136. I94i NOTES AND DOCUMENTS 91 which an army can possibly march are few, therefore knowing the situation of his magazines, it is always easy to know what rout he will take. I speak with some degree of confidence: I was bred a Soldier. Most of the Americans with whom I conversed, on my journey through the Jerseys and at Philadelphia, lamented their separation from the mother Country, disapproved the declaration of inde- pendance, and detest their French alliance. The rebel army consists chiefly of Irish transports and of Officers from that country. If the natives of America were tempted with British establishment, and the friends of government properly supported and secured, an army might soon be raised sufficient to destroy Washington in one campaign. The Refugees which are now in England and at New York, a burthen to the nation, might, with very little expence, be so situated as to assist government in the present contest, and secure the future tranquility of America. The paper currency of the Congress is now at four and five to one. A little perseverance on the part of Britain will soon reduce it to nothing. They want men, and they will soon want subsistance. The Hessian troops are extreamly disliked by the Americans. Most of Polaski's cavalry42 are Hessian deserters. At Philadelphia there is not a single ship, or the least appearance of commerce, consequently wine and every other foreign article is extravagantly dear. The country people are by no means reconciled to paper money. If Washington be ever defeated and resolutely persued, his troops will disperse, and hide themselves in the woods. They are not as they have been represented, a respectable body of Yeomenry, fighting pro aris et focis; but a contemptible band of vagrants, deserters and theives. Gerard43 is dissatisfyed. Franklin deceived him. That Machiavel in craft and principle, assured him that the heads of the people were friends to France, and that the operations of the French fleet would be seconded by 8 0,000 men. 42 Count Casimir Pulaski (c. 1748—1779) was permitted by Congress to raise an inde- pendent corps of cavalry in 1778. Dictionary of American Biography, XV. 259. 43 Conrad Alexandre Gerard (1729-1790) was the first French minister to the United States. 92 NOTES AND DOCUMENTS January A pardon to all convicts would diminish Washingtons army. Com- missions to his officers and the command of as many more as each officer should bring over, with British and Irish establishment, would, I think, totally ruin his army. The minority are egregiously mistaken in supposing that the Congress acknowledge any obligation for their opposition to Ministry. They echo their speeches; but they mention the Speakers with contempt. In treating with America, nothing upon the great line of honour is to be expected. As Britain advances towards accomodation America will recede, in constant expectation of gaining still one point more. If Britain were so weak as to acknowledge their independance they have other claims which they would most impudently make, and which Britain, if she values her existance, must never grant. The insolence of these demagagues, who rule America, is intirely founded on their opinion of Washingtons superior talents. They are however jealous of his power, and are so extreamly fearful of the people, that the authority of Congress is constantly exerted in sup- pressing every publication calculated to undeceive them. Nothing would so effectually shake the resolution of the Congress, as unanimity in the British Parliament. Whenever these people are resolutely opposed, the[y] will be found pusilanimous and contemptibly abject. When Britain once resolves to conquer America, the business is done. Previous to this (pardon my presumption) I wish that Parlia- ment would resolve, not to treat with Congress on any terms what- soever.