Washington continues his Precautions-Sir Guy Carleton brings Pacific News-Dis- contents of the Army-Extraordinary Letter from Colonel Nicola-Indignant Re- ply of Washington-Joint Letter of Sir Guy Carleton and Admiral Digby-Junc- tion of the Allied Armies on the Hudson-Contemplated Reduction of the Army, 368 Discontents of the Army at Newburg-Memorial of the Officers to Congress-Anony- mous Papers circulated in the Camp-Meeting of Officers called-Address of Washington-Resolutions in Consequence-Letters of Washington to the Presi- dent-His Opinion of the Anonymous Addresses and their Author, News of Peace-Letter of Washington in Behalf of the Army-Cessation of Hostilities proclaimed-Order of the Cincinnati formed-Letter of Washington to the State Governors-Mutiny in the Pennsylvania Line-Letter of Washington on the Sub- The Army to be discharged-Parting Address of Washington-Evacuation of New York-Parting Scene of Washington with his Officers at New York-Washington Washington at Mount Vernon-A Soldier's Repose-Plans of Domestic Life-Kind Offer of the Council of Pennsylvania-Historical Applications-News of Jacob Van Braam-Opening of Spring-Agricultural Life Resumed-Recollections of the Fairfaxes-Meeting of the Order of Cincinnati-Tour of Washington and Dr. Craik to the West-Ideas of Internal Improvement-Parting with Lafayette, Scheme of Inland Navigation-Shares of Stock offered to Washington-Declined— Rural Improvements-The Tax of Letter-Writing-The Tax of Sitting for Like- nesses-Ornamental Gardening-Management of the Estate-Domestic Life-Visit of Mr. Watson-Reverential Awe Inspired by Washington-Irksome to him-In- stances of his Festive Gayety-Of his Laughing-Passion for Hunting revived- Death of General Greene-His Character-Washington's Regrets and Encomiums System-Washington heads the Virginia Delegation-Insurrection in Massachu- setts-The Convention-A Federal Constitution Organized-Ratified, Washington talked of for the Presidency-His Letters on the Subject expressing his Reluctance-His Election-His Progress to the Seat of Government-His Recep- LIFE OF WASHINGTON. CHAPTER I. SUFFERINGS OF THE ARMY AT MORRISTOWN-RIGOROUS WINTER-DERANGEMENT OF THE CURRENCY-CONFUSION IN THE COMMISSARIAT-IMPRESSMENT OF SUPPLIES-PATRIOTIC CONDUCT OF THE PEOPLE OF NEW JERSEY -THE BAY OF NEW YORK FROZEN OVER-LORD STIRLING'S EXPEDITION AGAINST STATEN ISLAND-KNYPHAUSEN'S INCURSION INTO THE JERSEYS CALDWELL'S CHURCH AT ELIZABETHTOWN BURNT-CHARACTER OF ITS PASTOR-FORAY INTO WESTCHESTER COUNTY-BURNING OF YOUNG'S HOUSE IN THE VALLEY OF THE NEPERAN. THE dreary encampment at Valley Forge has become proverbial for its hardships; yet they were scarcely more severe than those suffered by Washington's army during the present winter, while hutted among the heights of Morristown. The winter set in early, and was uncommonly rigorous. The transportation of supplies was obstructed; the magazines were exhausted, and the commissaries had neither money nor credit to enable them to replenish them. For weeks at a time the army was on half allowance; sometimes without meat, sometimes without bread, sometimes without both. There was a scarcity, too, of clothing and blankets, so that the poor soldiers were starving with cold as well as hunger. VOL. IV. -1 Washington wrote to President Reed of Pennsylvania, entreating aid and supplies from that State to keep his army from disbanding. "We have never," said he, "experienced a like extremity at any period of the war."* "For a The year 1780 opened upon a famishing camp. fortnight past," writes Washington, on the 8th of January, "the troops, both officers and men, have been almost perishing with want. Yet," adds he, feelingly, "they have borne their sufferings with a patience that merits the approbation, and ought to excite the sympathies, of their countrymen." The severest trials of the Revolution, in fact, were not in the field, where there were shouts to excite and laurels to be won; but in the squalid wretchedness of ill-provided camps, where there was nothing to cheer and every thing to be endured. To suffer was the lot of the revolutionary soldier. A rigorous winter had much to do with the actual distresses of the army, but the root of the evil lay in the derangement of the currency. Congress had commenced the war without adequate funds, and without the power of imposing direct taxes. To meet pressing emergencies, it had emitted paper money, which, for a time, passed currently at par; but sank in value as further emissions succeeded, and that, already in circulation, remained unredeemed. The several States added to the evil by emitting paper in their separate capacities: thus the country gradually became flooded with a "continental currency," as it was called; irredeemable, and of no intrinsic value. The consequence was a general derangement of trade and finance. The continental currency declined to such a degree, that forty dollars in paper were equivalent to only one in specie. *Life of Reed, ii. 189. |