The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-08-12
CONTINUED
Improve on Acquaintance.

blaCkneSS IN the OLD days at WlnCnes-
ter. on the wild frontier. but he bad
expected to find better spirit and
discipline in the New England levies.
His first disgust. however. soon
wore of. He was not Flow to see how
shrewd and sturdy these uncouth, in.
tractable ploughboys and farmers
could prove themselves upon occa-
sion.
Material for q Good Army.
IT have a sincere pleasure in OBJ
serving" he wrote to congress. that
there are materials for a good army,
a great number of able-bodied men.
active, jealous in the cause, and of
unquestionable courage"
There was time enough and to spare
in which to learn his army's quality.
Our lines OF defence are now COM
pleted." he could tell Lund Washing
ton on the goth Of August, las near 30
at least as can be-we now wish them
to come out as soon as they please;
but they discover no inclination to
quit their own works of defense; and
as IL is almost impossible for US to
get at them. We do nothing but watch
each others motions all day at the
distance Of about a mile"
An Immense Correspondence.
He could even turn away from
military affairs to advise that spin
ming should go forward with all pos
sible despatch" on the estate at home.
and to say, 81 much approve of your
sowing wheat In clean ground. al
though you should be late In doing
IT,"
Once more he settled to the old ia
miiiar work. this time upon a great
scale. OF carrying a difficult enterprise
forward by correspondence. Letters
to the Continental Congress at Phila-
dephia, letters to the provincial con-
crosses of the New England colonies.
letters to subordinate sometimes in
sbordlnate) officers at distant posts
letters to intimate friends and In
fluential men everywhere, settin =
forth the needs and situation OF the
army. advising mea sures of organi2a-
ton. supply. and defense. pointing out
means that might be used and mis-
takes that must be avoided, command
ing. dissuading. guiding. forecasting.
poured steadily forth from those busy
headquarters, where the commander
in-chief was always to be found. in
tent. deeply employed, calmly impera-
tive. never firing. never hesitatiny =.
never storming, leader and master
of men and affairs.
Washington was in his prime, and
all the forty-three years of his strenu-
GUS life he had been at school to learn
how such task as this was to be per
formed.
He had found the army not only
without propc' discipline and equip
ment, but actually without powder;
and the winter had come and was
passing away before even that pri-
mary and perilous need could be sup
piled.
The men of that extemporized army
had been enlisted but for a few
months service. When their brief
terms of enlistment ran out they in
Nntinently took themselves on; and
N'ashington's most earnest appeals to
the continental and provincial con-
crosses to provide for longer enlist
ments and an adequate system of re-
Nruitment did not always suffice to
prevent his force from perilously
dwindling away under his very eyes.
Providence Favors the Patriots.
II was a merciful providence that
disposed the British to lie quiet in Bos-
ton.
Such authority as he had. Washing
ton used to the utmost. and with a
diligence and foresight which showed
all his old policy of Thorough.
Under his orders a few fast vessels
were fitted out and armed as priva-
teers at the nearest safe ports. Mar
put aboard them for crews. and the
enemy's supplies were captured upon
the seas and brought ovsrland-the
much-needed powder and all-into the
American camp. while men-of-war
which might have swept the coast
lay just at hand in the harbor.
Keeping Things Stirred Up.
No opportunity was missed either To
disturb the British or to get what the
army needed; and the ministers al
home. as we'll as the commanders In
Boston, grew uneasy and apprehensive
In the presence Of so active and watch
full an opponent.
He was playing the game boldly
even bit desperately at times. More
than once, as the slow months of siege
dragged by. he would have hazarded
q surprise and sought to take the city
by storm, had not the counsel OF his
officers persistently restrained him.
Fighting In the North.
Only In the north was there such
fighting as he wished to see.
Montgomery had pushed through the
forests and taken Montreal (Novem
Der 18th. 1775). At the same time
Washington had sent a force OF some
twelve hundred men. under Benedict
Arnold. to see what could be done
against the little garrison at Quebec
The Journey had cost Arnold four hun
dred men; but with what he had left
he had climbed straight to the
Heights OF Abraham and summoned