The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-07-09
A WAsHINGTONIAN LETTER.
Relic of the Father Of His Country.
His Thoughts at Valley Forge IN INC
kDrinx Ofl77S.

cne nunuTtO ySsis ftSo 'fso'
Gen. Washington and his patriot army
encamped at Valley Forge, awaiting the
withdrawal of the British from Philadel-
phia, for which evident preparations
were making. While there and thus
waiting Washington wrote the following
letter to his friend Caesar A. Rodney,
governor of Delaware, and after de-
nouncing some SANDER among the many.
then current against him, copy OF
which it seems Gov. Rodney had sent
him, he discusses the military situation
with frankness, and then goes on to COM
plain of the dilatory action of that most
exasa:::..i;ns of bodies, the Cortineat'a!
congress Of that day, the progenltor OF
the body now vexing the nation by SLOW
ness and representation. The letter Is
an interesting one, and is in remarkable
state of preservation:
VALLEY FORGE, May IS, 1778.-DEAR
SIR-If anything Of greater moment
than declaring that every word contain
ed in the pamphlet you were obliglng
enough to send me was spurious had
occurred, should not have suffered your
favor Of the 9Th inst. to have remained
so long Observation-Disclosures letters
are written with great deal of art-the
intermixture of so many family circum-
stances (Which, by-the-by, wanted foun-
dalton in truth) gives an air of plausi-
bility, which renders the villany greater;
as the whole is contrivance to answer
the most diabolical purposes-who the
author of them is, l know not; from
information, or acquaintance, he must
have had some knowledge of the com.
ponent parts of my family, but has most
egregiously mistaken facts in several
instances, tho the design of his labours
is as clear as the sun in its meridian
brightness. ...
The favorable issue of our negotiations
with France is matter for heartfelt Joy
big with important eyents-and must,
| | should think, chalk out plain and
easy road to independence, from which,
I hope, we shall not depart from mis-
taken opinion on the one hand, that the
great work is already fnished-or, to
finish it, to adopt measures of precipita-
tion-that Great Britain would have
submitted to any indignity from France,
in order to wreak her vengeance upon
America, | have not the smallest doubt,
but since the declaration of the King Of
France, through the Marquis de Noailles,
they have no choice but war. But how
under the present circumstances they
will conduct it, is matter not so easily
understood, as all their ways have been
ways cf darkness-that they will be
under a necessity Of going up to the
Continent, or their Islands seems obvious
to me, if the accounts we have received
of the French force in the West Indies
are true-Halifax and Canada will, l
presume, be strengthened, and if they
can afford a garrison sufficient, they may
attempt to hold New York; unless every
idea of subjugating America is given up,
in that case their whole resentment will
be leveled at France.
The enemy arc making every prepar
ton for, and seem to be upon the point
of leaving Philadelphia-in my judg.
ment, and from my corresponding cir.
cumstances, | am convinced they are
bound to New York, whether by land OF
water, whether as place of rendezvous
or to operate on the North River, is lot
yet clear-our situation here on account
of the sick and stores is embarrassing, as
I dare not detach largely to harass the
enemy in the case of land move through
the Jersey before they have actually
crossed the Delaware, and then it will be
too late, as their distance to South
Amboy will be much less than ours, and
no water to obstruct; to which may also
be added the advantage of days march
which they must gain on us-were it moi
for the number Of our sick upwards Of
5000 in camp and security of our stores
which are covered by our present posi-
ton and strength, I could take such {
post in Jersey as would make their pas
sage through that State very difficult
and dangerous to them; but the imprac
+ ticability of doing this without exposing
this camp to insult and injury, is vel
known to them, and some part of theil
conduct justifes report that at al
, events they will aim blow at this army
before they go off. -.a
If Congress were fully impressed with
the disadvantages and real injury which
the service sustains for want Of the regi
ment regulations--the inconvenience to
and dissatisfaction of the officers, on &C
, count OF the uncertainty they are unde
with respect to their continuing or not
when the reduction of regiments ant
officers in each regiment are made,
| think they would not delay from day tt
J day for upward of three months meas
5 ure which few hours, if heartily Sc
about, would accomplish; but have *
often and so fully represented this mat
! ter that l shall give them no further
trouble on this head as body-happy
[ own, would it be if these regulation
! and our military arrangements were
made; it would be means Of relieving
me from number of perplexing appli
,, cations and the the service of mucl
, embarrassment. Hs
l am, d'rsir,
Yr most obed't ser't
| SD. GEO. WASHINGTON.
+. 81 observe what you say respect.
ing the recruits, rather draughts, in anG
from Virginia. l was never called or
by the state for officers, or directed by
Congress to send any to aid in this bust
ness, but thinking such measure might
be necessary, ! ordered the oficersof the
disbanded regiments and such as had
gone to Virginia on furlough, to cal
upon, and receive, the Governors orders
with respect TO the marching Of them to
camp. That something has been wrong
! in conducting the draughts, assembling
the men, etc., admits Of no doubt, fol
out of the 1900 ordered last fall and the
1000 this spring, we have received only
1912, which is SO horrible deficiency
that ! made representation thereof te
the State / most sincerely cOndole with