Notes and Queries, Number 177, March 19, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 177, March 19, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
Books and Odd Volumes wanted 298
Notices to Correspondents 298
Advertisements 299
* * * * *
Notes.
INEDITED LETTERS OF GENERAL GREEN AND OF WASHINGTON.
The letters of great men are always interesting, more particularly when
they are connected with important historical facts. I presume, therefore,
that those I subjoin from General Washington and General Green will not be
unwelcome to your readers. They were among the papers of an officer, long
deceased, who at the time was aide-de-camp to Sir Guy Carlton, the
commander-in-chief of our army in America; and were, I presume, intercepted
before they reached their respective destinations.
"_General Green to General Washington._
"Head Quarters on Ashley River,
May 31st, 1782.
"Sir,
"I had the honor of informing your Excellency, in a letter of the 19th
instant, that a dangerous spirit of discontent had been discovered in
the army, and of the measures I took to suppress it. I am happy to
inform you that this spirit seems entirely to have subsided, as the
persons who fomented it are removed at a distance from the troops: and,
as we have now a prospect of some cloathing, and more comfortable
supplies, I hope it will no more appear.
"Your Excellency has been informed of the late important and
interesting changes in the face of affairs.--The arrival of Sir Guy
Carlton, and the change of ministers and measures, will open a new
field of hopes for this country. How far we may be benefited by it, a
little time will determine; but it will inevitably be attended with one
bad consequence, as it will relax our preparation for a continuance of
the war, which, to me, appears extremely probable. General Leslie has
made overtures, and a proposition for a suspension of hostilities; I do
myself the honor to inclose you copies of his letter, and my answer on
the subject, from which you will see the ground on which it stands. I
wait most anxiously for advices from Congress or your Excellency, by
which my conduct in the business must be ultimately directed. I suppose
this measure has been adopted {278} by Sir Guy Carlton, and proposed to
your Excellency; but, as I am entirely at a loss to know on what
conditions, and what purposes it has to answer, I can form no
conclusive opinion on its propriety.
"I am sanguine that the operations against Jamaica will go on,
notwithstanding the late misfortune, which seems to be rather a
splendid than useful victory to the enemy. And as Count de Guichen, who
has arrived with a considerable squadron, and taken the command of the
combined fleets in the West Indies, is still much superior to the
British, we have good reason to hope the enterprise may succeed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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