Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-11
A GLOOMY OUTLOOK.
COLONEL JOHN TAYLOR TO EDMUND
PENDLETON IN THE YEAR 1777.
An Interesting Letter a. to the Condition
OF the American Army In New Jsrs
sey-serious Charges

The following letter, copied from the
time-worn original document among the
state archives in the Capitol, will prove
interesting reading:
~, 3....s.
To the Hon. Edmund Pendleton, Esquire,
Caroline County. Virginia"
ITO be taken out OF the mail ut Fredericksburg
anu given TO the New Castle rider"
"PRIScE Town. April 10. 1777.
"Hon'd Sir.-We have at length arrived
toa place called camp and are command
ed by man called najor-general, for
either Of which denominations there ap-
pears to be equal reason. From such an
exordlum you will naturally conclude that
We have been unfortunate, but you are
greatly deceived. for l do aver that the
loss OF 200 men and General Lincoln. said
to be surprised and taken last night at q
place about twenty miles distant from
TINS, Is less than we bad reason to expect,
and | shall consider the commencement OF
the campaign Is exceedingly fortunate. If
our dlmlnution of numbers should stop
there. You are perhaps. sir, the only man
to whom ] would express myself rs freely
As do and would not do 1t to you If |
did not suppose you had by this time
nearly recovered from your hurt, and also
OF this sort. with which l shall furnish
you, as confidential.
TIE LITTLE ARMY SCATTERED.
Know then, sir, that our little army. not
more than 1900 strong. are scattered over
the whole Jerseys at stations Immensely
| distant from each other: from Prince,
to Morristown, for instance. IS above
forty miles. and Princetown is within
seventeen miles Of the enemy. These little
cantOnments, on account OF their weak
| ness. are daily liable to surprise. and | ex-
poet nothing more than that they will play
back our own gam. upon US and unravel
our army without opposition. This, be-
lieve. is as strong post as any, and here
we have not (altho' Major-General Put.
| nam commanding more than 400 men. and
for these not more than 1000 rounds OF
ammunition, five TO man; so that II we
| are attacked safety can only be purchased
| at the expense of our honors, for we are
rot sufficiently strong to make such an
| opposition as to give Us an opportunity to
preserve that inestimable jewel at the ex-
pense of our lives.
THE DKsRRTIoNs ALARMING.
THE desertions from our army arc ia
| the last degree alarming, some companies
| having lost thirty-odd men. OF these
many 90 to the enemy, ard by desertlon
of theirs IAN accident watch rarely hap
pens we learn that thirty have come IN
with their arms Of q day. This misfortune
| is not likely TO stop because its causes can
, not be removed: the first that the northern
| troops are mostly composed OF foreigners
the second that the Congress have greatly
deceived the men in their enlistments;
explicit and frequent promises have been
made Of good aud speedy clothing. but we
ourselves, altho' we were amongst the
foremost of the troops, were detained
week after week, and at last sent of with
one sixth of our men naked and one third
without blankets, and what is tho mos.
monstrous of all Is that. altho' the reso-
! luton of Congress ran III the disunctiye
promising the men n suit of clothes OF
twenty dollars, yet they begin now To talk
OF making the men pay any additional
! price that they may cost over the twenty
dollars. which will, III my opinion, cause
nutIuy If 1t should tako place.
NORTHERN sOLDITEs MERCENARIEs.
Indeed, / find that soldiers here are
| sacrificed 10 the private emolument OF
| cOmmlesarics, quartermasters, surgeons,
physicians. barrack- and captains
| The low pay Of officers first led them &c
fraud IL order 10 support themselves. and
Were It now to be raised they would not
forego the habit they have acquired. The
armies OF the northern States arc really
mercenaries, and being foreigners have no
attac hmcnt to the country except what
accrues from the emoluments of the ser
vice. the high price of commodities having
made these contemplate the defence OF
| America must revert TO its original safe.
| guard-tO-wit: the yeOmanry; aud a. very
many of those of the middle States are
tories and the inhabitants of the extreme
States mostly undisclpiined. augur Ill o.
events at least until injury replete shall
| have put the match moro generally to the
hearts of our people. Hope for the best
but at the same time fear the worst.
wish-I wish from my soul We had more
Nrginias than one, but a. we have not th'
| honor of preserving America must be &c
| CURED by one alone. My honored SIR
| farewell. and believe ne to be your most
aiiectlonate nephew, JOIN lAiLoR.'