As nothing worthy your Attention has occurred since I had the pleasure of seeing you at Philadelphia except what you must have had from better Authority, I need rather appologize for troubling you with this, than for not having sooner improved your kind invitation of writing to you; when I left Philadelphia I hoped for an Oppurtunity of visiting Boston, but the Enemy begining to move I have given up that hope for the present. The letters you committed to my Care I sent by Doctor Samuel Whitwell1 who promissed to deliver them.

All the Bedding, Medicines and hospital Stores belonging to the eastern Department, (except a few at Fish-Kills) are collected at this place; the Nurses are employed in cleaning and mending the Bedding, and the Mates in assorting and preparing Medicines against the Campaign opens, wether I or any other shall enjoy the benifit of it is not of much importance to the publick, if that is served I shall not think it labour lost; but I much wish some plan was settled and known for the military medical Department, it would promote the enlistment of Soldiers, and 148might prevent some inconveniences perhaps not at present thought of by the honourable Congress.

When Complaints began to grow loud last fall that the Sick were not properly attended to, the State of Connecticut sent Doctor Phillip Turner2 a Gentleman emminent in his profession to see that the sick of that State were taken care of, soon after his arrival in the Camp at New York he was by Doctor Morgan then Director General appointed a Surgeon in the general Hospital, with a recommendation from the Director General to the State of Connecticut for an additional pay from that State, which was complied with and two Dollars per Day added to his continental pay; a recommendation of the same kind to the Massachusetts Assembly was proposed to me but I declined it; Doctor Turner was from that Time consider'd by many as Director for the State of Connecticut 'tho one of the youngest Surgeons in the Hospital; these Circumstances are not mentioned with the least Design to reflect on any Gentleman, but to shew the expediency of the Continental Congress settling some general plan for the military medical Department, and the Danger of delay least the respective States should make distinct establisments for their own Troops; a Step which if taken will be attended with many inconveniences some of which are very obvious; the expence (which must I suppose be finally borne by the united States) being unknown may be immense, Gentlemen who entered the service with disinterested views may be supersceded by others who in the begining did not chuse to risque any thing, and perhaps would never enter the service if they could make as much in any other way; he must be more or less than man who can bear this and continue in the service—the Regiments of each State must be kept together during the time of their enlistment, or else detatched Regiments must for want of a general provision suffer more than they have ever yet done. And even supposing all the American forces were to be collected and continue in one place, the different provision made by the several States as they might be more frugally or liberally inclined would necessarily beget such Jealousy and Heart-burning, as no friend to America can ever wish to see take place. I am with the sincerest respect and Esteem Your obedient and most humble Servant

I had your Favour of 27 March by this Days Post. That this Country will go Safely through this Revolution, I am well convinced, but We have severe Conflicts to endure yet, and I hope shall be prepared for them. Indeed there is one Enemy, which to me is more formidable, than Famine, Pestilence and the sword, I mean the Corruption which is prevalent in so many American Hearts, a Depravity that is more inconsistent with our Republican Governments, than Light is with Darkness. If We can once give Energy enough to our Governments, and Discipline enough to our Armies to overcome this base Principle1 of Selfishness, to make the People feel themselves Citizens and soldiers, feel themselves the Children of the Commonwealth, and love and revere their Mother so much, as to make their Happiness consist in her service I shall think We have a Prospect of Tryumph indeed.

Your Design, sir of collecting Materials for an History of the Rise, Progress and Issue of the American Revolution, is liberal and generous, and as you will find it a laborious Undertaking, you ought to be encouraged and assisted in it. I should be very willing to contribute any Thing in my Power, towards So usefull a Work. But I must frankly tell you there is very little in my Power. So far from making Collections myself I have very often destroyed, the Papers in my Power, and my own Minutes of Events and their Causes. We are hurried away in such a Kind of Delirium arising from the Multiplicity of Affairs, and the Disorder in which they rise in Review before Us that I confess myself unable even to recollect the Circumstances of any Transaction with sufficient Precision to assist an Historian.2 There are Materials however in Possession of the Secretary of State, and others in the War Office, which will be preserved. The Mass Bay 150however was the first Theatre and your History should begin at least from the Year 1761.3

Your Correspondent, whoever he is, has a Talent at Panegyrick enough to turn an Head that has much less Vanity in it, than mine. Sometimes however the Extravagance of Flattery is an Antidote to its Poison. I shall not however be made to tremble to think of the Expectations that will be formed from me, by such wild Praises. No such Attributes belong to me: and I am under no concern about answering to what may be justly expected of me. Alass! Who is equal to these Things?

The Affair of the Treasury of H.C. is a delicate Business,4 and as I have no particular Connection with it, I believe it will be most prudent for me to mind my own Business, and give myself no Trouble about that.

Mr. Hastings's Petition will be attended to, I believe, and hope, and his allowance made more adequate to his Merit and services.

I hear a Committee is come to the Jersies, to know how many Troops are to be posted in our State. I hope, our State will not think of detaining any of them. For the Lands sake let Us have an Army this Year to oppose an Army, that the Campaign may be neither so disastrous, or so disgracefull as the last.

I should be glad to hear from you as often as your Leisure will Admit, and I am with Respect yours &c.