I am going tomorrow Morning on an Errand to Lord Howe not to beg a Pardon, I assure you, but to hear what he has to Say.1 He sent Sullivan here to let Us know that he wanted a Conversation with some Members of Congress. We are going to hear him, but as Congress have voted that they cannot Send Members to talk with him in their private Capacities but will send a Committee of their Body as Representatives of the free and independent States of America; I presume his Lordship cannot see Us, and I hope he will not, but if he should the whole will terminate in nothing. Some think it will occasion a delay of military operations, which they think We much want. I am not of this Mind. Some think it will clearly throw the Odium of continuing this War, on his Lordship and his Master. I wish it may. Others think it will silence the Tories, and establish the timid Whigs, I wish this also. But dont expect it.2 But all these Arguments and twenty others as weighty would not have convinced me of the Necessity, Propriety, or Utility of this Embassy, if Congress had not determined on it. I was totis Viribus against it, from first to last. But upon this Occasion N. H. C. and even V.3 gave Way. All sides agreed in sending me. The stanch and intrepid, I suppose, Such as were Enemies to the Measure as well as myself,4 pushed for me, that as little Evil might come of it, as possible. Others agreed to vote for me, in order to entice some of our Inflexibles to vote for the Measure. You will hear more of this Embassy. It will be famous enough.

Your Secretary will rip about this Measure, and well he may.5 21Nothing, I assure you but the unanimous Vote of Congress, the pressing Solicitation of the firmest Men in Congress and the particular Advice of my own Colleagues, at least of Mr Hancock and Mr Gerry would have induced me to have accepted this Trust.6

Received, another of your kind Favours on Monday last,1 for which I thank You, the Demands of my Regiment from the hourly Expectation of an Attack upon the Island of New York, gives Me only Time to say, that this Country is ondone, if a sufficient Bounty is not given to raise a Standing Army; ten Pounds N England Currency must at all Events be given, or Men will not be obtained. The Militia are not worth a farthing, in this Time of Extremity, the Militia are passing Home by Hundreds in a Drove, affrighted and scared out of thiere Wits; I am positive they have done this Army infinite Damage; for they tell Us all is gone and the Regulars must overcome Us; our Men are disheartned by such Language, to such a Degree, that it seems to Me Nothing but the immediate divine Impulses will again inspire them with Courage; for Heaven's Sake, for our Country's Sake and for Liberty's Sake, do let Us have an established Army; I ask it not for Myself, but for Posterity, that the Continent may not be sacrificed by having dependance on Men that will not defend it; You ask Me the Character of some Generals made in our native Country; I do not know the Men that the Massachusetts 22having made Brigadiers; but am told they are of indifferent Characters; I think that Colo. Little2 and Colo. Knox, woud both of them make tolerable good Brigadiers, they neither of them fully Answer the Character of great Generals but fully believe they are the best from our native Government of the established Regiments; Colo. Little is a Gentleman of Courage and Prudence, tis true he is not endued with all the Qualifications you seem to think, (and I think so too) that a General ought to possess, but such Genius' are rare to be found, and we must git the best we can; Colo. Varnum has resigned his Commission because he is not made a Brigadier;3 tis a pitty that if he does receive a Comission of that kind, that I must and shall resign; we all here know his Prudence and Steadiness of Conduct, and I never will risk my Reputation under him. He and Myself drew Lots for Rank at the Beginning of the War, which I obtained; this we did because our Government gave neither Rank, which was necessary in the Army; I had the Honor to be chosen to settle the Rank by General Washington, but was taken sick and Varnum took my Place, and because he had the Command of an Independant Company, notwithstanding I had a Majors Comission in the Militia at the Same Time, he got the Rank from Me; thus it happened that he was Seignior Colonel.

Wish this Letter so far as respects Colo. Varnum might be in Confidence. Have much more to write, but the Bearer is waiting. With great Esteem Am your most Hble Servt.4