Thro' the hurry and confusion of one retreat after another I have omitted to answer your last favor.1 You are pleas'd to desire a list of the Officers from Massachusetts Bay noting such as bid fair to rise superior to the commonality. I have endevor'd to procure the whole list but in vain. The General sometime since order'd a list to be given in of the Officers of evry Regiment in Order to go to the War Office at Philadelphia. This must be more correct than any other that can be procur'd. The Character of Major Brooks is that of a sensible, brave, good officer, a man of reading and who will if God spares his Life be an ornament to his Country. Lt Coll Shepard is brave and clever but his view of things is not so extensive or his education equal to the other. Major Austin's Genius is equal to any science, but I am not so certain that his application is.2 If Austin could by any ways or means have infus'd into him certain principles of inflexible honor and sentiment, and a proportion of Judgement with his Genius, I think he would be one of the first Characters coming on the stage. These in my opinion would be essential of a Lieutenant Colonel Artillery. “If another Battalion of Artillery shall be rais'd who are to be the field Officers?” This sir will be difficult to answer without the Congress or the General know persons suitable for those Offices. I confess I do not, at least not in the army and there are so few inducements, excepting a Love to their Country which seems to go a precious little way thus I know not how we shall get them. There is but one Lieutenant Colonel to the present Battalion and but one Major altho the Congress allow of two of each. The Lt Colo is David Mason, who is but so so, the Major is an exceeding fine Spirited fellow (Crane)3 and were his education equal to his station he must cut 41An excellent figure. He was wounded some time ago in the foot so that he is disabl'd for the Campaign. Mason has been sick for Some time. I am alone and have been so for a long time. The petty business of paying the regiment which till Now has been I think impos'd upon me together with the arrangement, and disposal of all the Cannon and Stores and discipline of the regiment has so fully employ'd me that I have scarcely had time to take the common refreshing of nature. This I mean not by way of complaint for I rejoice exceedingly that I have been in the least Assisting my injur'd and insulted Country.

I am sorry to observe the same popular plan for raising a new Army still continuing—which will most assuredly give the continent the same unmeaning puppies for officers with which she has been curs'd. If the Congress do not administer a radical Cure they will in the end repent it. Military Accademies must be Instituted at any expence, We are fighting against a people well acquainted with the Theory and practice of War—brave by discipline and habit furnish'd with every implement of war necessary for any enterprize. What do we oppose to these? We oppose a —— Tho they are brave and furnish'd with all these matters yet from some causes They discover very little of the great or vast in their designs or executions. Otherways this army would have been annihilated. Had they at their head our amiable and worthy General I think poor America would have ere' now have felt the severely. We had one chance and only one for the defence of New York and that they completly put into our hands, and which some of our Genera most vilely miss'd improving. The ignorance of the Grounds and the not occupying the passes on that Island sufficiently has been the sole and only cause of our subsequent Retreats and —— had General Greene been fit for duty I flatter myself matters would have worn a very different appearance at present. These and other matters may form some very pertinent inquiries in some future day.

The enemy have now suffer'd us quietly to fortify heights which they cannot storm or take. When the Grounds on the other side Kings Bridge and above Morrisania shall be sufficiently fortified I think they will not be able to disposess us of the places where we now are. This will be a negative advantage and I hope some lapse in their Conduct will give some very capital and positive advantages. I am asham'd of this Letter it being written amid the Hurry interruption and Confusion of a tent. I 42am Dear sir Yours with the greatest affection and Respect Your most obt & hbl Servant4

I am much obligd to you for your two Letters of the 8th and 14th of this Month,1 which I receivd, together, by the last Post. The Caution given in the first of these Letters was well designd; and had it come to me as early as you had Reason to expect it would, I should have been relievd of a full fortnights Anxiety of Mind. I was indeed greatly “concernd” for the Event of the proposd Conferrence with Lord Howe. It is no Complement when I tell you, that I fully confided in the Understanding and Integrity of the Gentlemen appointed by Congress; but being totally ignorant of the Motives which inducd such a Measure, I was fearful lest we might be br'ot into a Situation of great Delicacy and Embarrassment. I perceive that his Lordship would not converse with you as Members of Congress or a Committee of that Body; from whence I concluded that the Conference did not take its Rise on his part. As I am unacquainted with its Origination and the Powers of the Committee, I must contemplate the whole Affair as a Refinement in Policy beyond my Reach, and content my self with remaining in the Dark, till I shall have the Pleasure of seeing you, when, I trust, the Mystery will be fully explaind to me. Indeed I am not so sollicitous to know the Motives from whence this Conference sprang, or the Manner in which it was brought up, as I am pleasd with its Conclusion. The Sentiments and Language of the Committee, as they are related to me, were becoming the Character they bore. They mannagd with great Dexterity. They maintaind the Dignity of Congress, and in my 43Opinion, the Independence of America stands now on a better footing than it did before. It affords me abundant Satisfaction, that the Minister of the British King, commissiond to require and fondly nourishing the Hopes of receiving the Submission of America, was explicitly and authoritatively assured, that neither the Committee nor that Congress which sent them had Authority to treat in any other Capacity than as Independent States. His Lordship, it seems, “has no Instruction on that Subject”; We must therefore fight it out, and trust in God for Success. I dare assure my self, that the most effectual Care has before this time been taken, for the Continuance and Support of our Armies, not only for the Remainder of the present, but for a future Year. The People will chearfully support their Independence to the utmost. Their Spirits will rise upon their knowing the Result of the late Conference. It has, you may depend upon it, been a Matter of great Expectation. Would it not be attended with a good Effect, if an Account of it was publishd by Authority of Congress? It would, I should think, at least put it out of the Power of disaffected Men (and there are some of this Character even here) to amuse their honest Neighbors with vain hopes of Reconciliation.

I wish that Congress would give the earliest Notice to this State, of what may be further expected to be done here for the Support of the Army. The Season is advancing or rather passing fast. I intended when I sat down to have written you a long Epistle, but I am interrupted: I have a thousand Avocations which require my Attention. Many of them are too trifling to merit your Notice. Adieu, my Friend. I hope to see you soon.