Your's of the 2nd. Instant1 I received last Night for which I am obliged to you. If any Information I can give will contribute to your Satisfaction or my Country's Good I am happy in furnishing what falls in my Observation. I agree fully with you that you was in the dark as to some Facts relative to the Transactions on Long Island and am fully Satisfied you Still remain so, or you could not suppose the Surprize there was in the Day Time; to give you a clear Idea of the Matter I must Trouble you with a Description of that part of the Country where the Enemy Landed and encamped and the Intervening Lands between that and our Lines. From the Point of Land which forms the East Side of Narrows runs a Ridge of Hills about N. E., in Length about 5 or 6 Miles covered with a thick Wood, which terminate in a Small rising Land near Jamaica, through these Hills are three Passes only, One near the Narrows, One on the Road called the flatbush Road, and One called the Bedford Road, being a cross Road from Bedford to Flatbush which lies on the Southerly Side of these Hills; these Passes are through the Mountains or Hills easily Defensible being very Narrow and the Lands High and Mountainous on each Side; these are the only Roads Which can be passed from the South Side the Hills to our Lines except a Road leading round the Easterly end of the Hills to Jamaica; on Each of these Roads were placed a Guard of 800 Men, and East of them in the Wood was placed Col. Miles with 48his Battalion to guard the Road from the South of the Hills to Jamaica and watch the Motion of the Enemy on that Part with Orders to keep a Party constantly reconnoitering to and across the Jamaica Road: the Sentinels were so placed as to keep a Constant Communication between the Three Guards on the 3 Roads. South of these Hills lies a large Plain extending from the N River Easterly to Rockaway Bay perhaps 5 Miles and Southerly to the Sound, bounded on the N by the Hills, on the South by the Sound; those Hills were from Two to three Miles and an half from our Lines.2 The Enemy landed on this Plain and extended their Camp from the River to Flatbush perhaps 3 or 4 Miles. On the Day of the Surprize I was on Duty and at the first Dawn of Day the Guard from the west Road near the Narrows came to my Quarters and informed me the Enemy were advancing in great Numbers by that Road. I soon found it true and that the whole Guard had fled without firing a Gun. These (by way of Retaliation I must tell you) were all New Yorkers and Pensylvanians; I found by fair Day Light the Enemy were through the Wood and descending the Hill on the N Side on which with 20 of my fugative Guard being all I could collect I took Post on a Height in their Front at about half a Mile Distance, which halted their Column and gave Time for Ld. Sterling with his Forces to come Up; thus much for the West Road; On the East next Jamaica, Col. Miles Sufferd the Enemy to march not less than 6 Miles till they came near Two Miles in Rear of the Guards before he Discoverd and gave Notice of their Approach, this Also was in the Night and the Guard kept by Pensylvanians altogether, the N England and N Jersy Troops being in the other Two Roads thro which the Enemy did not attempt to pass. We were surprized, our Principal Barrier lost by that Surprize, but as far as the Cover of the Night is an Excuse we have it. The Landing of the Troops could not be prevented at the Distance of 6 or 7 Miles from our Lines, on a Plain, under the Cannon of the Ships, just in with the Shore: Our unequal Numbers would not Admit Attacking them on the Plain when landed. When our Principal Barrier was lost, our Numbers so much inferior to the Enemy, they not disposed to Storm our Lines but set down to make regular Approaches to Us, were part of the Reasons which induced a Retreat from thence and a Consequent abandoning New York. Our Sentinels and Guards in my Opinion were well Posted, they might have been better, too great Security I tho't 49Prevailed with some leading Officers; but I Still am of Opinion if our Guard on the West Road and Col. Miles on East End of the Hills had done their Duty the Enemy would not have passed those important Heights without such very great Loss as would obliged them to abandon any further Enterprize on the Island. We are now in a good Situation, most of our Army can act together, the Enemy's are in Detachments which cannot support each other, no Situation more Advantageous for an enterprizing Genius to exert itself to the best Purposes: Long Island I think afords a fine Field for the Purpose. I wish Permission could be obtaind to make the Attempt; tho I cannot Claim to have much military Knowledge, I think I could have tolerable success in such an Adventure. Some Small Enterprize to be undertaken at this Time if it ended Succesfully would greatly incourage our Soldiery who are led to think the Fortune of the Campaign rather against Us. Tis not my Part to arraign the Conduct or Abilities of my Superior Officers, you created them and therefore have a Right to examine and censure where needed. I cannot agree with you in Opinion of the Advantages arising from frequent calling the Militia; they ever have and it may always be expected they will be Uneasy, restless and discontented. They leave their Business in a most unsettled perplexing Situation when called out Suddenly and must be very great Sufferers in their Private Property, their Minds are always at Home, in their Shops and on their Farms; this renders them low Spirited, a Dejection fast Seises them, Sickness and Death are the Consequences, and the Country will be disheartned; the only Purpose a Militia can serve (at least under present Regulations), is on some Sudden Invasion to Assemble and repel the Enemy and return to their Business again, but should never be long continued out at One Time.

I wish a Suit of Cloths annually may be added to the Incouragement now offerd the Soldiery to be raised in the new Army. The inhanced Price of Clothing makes the Wages small compard with the first Establishment.

I hear the Army are in future to be Supplied by Contract, I cannot think it a proper Measure, tis making it the Interest of One Man to be guilty of all Kinds of Fraud the Mind can invent; I am sure great Complaints will be made for want of proper Supplies; besides Why should this be Put into a new Channel when 'thas done very well in the Old, and why should thirteen United 50Colonies wish to throw a Loss if any should be on One Man? A Resolve I Observe fixes Rations at 8/19 of a Dollar; why should 2d. or 3d. per Diem be taken from a Soldier and put into the Pocket of a Contractor for no other Crime than easing him of the Burthen of purchasing the Articles to be supplied?

I have never heard the Result of my Application to Congress about the Trial of the supposed Murtherer of My Brother.3 I wish to know whether any Determination is made thereon.

I hope None of our Supreme Council will entertain the Tho'ts of Negotiating with Howe or making any Terms with Great Britain again; we shall ultimately Succeed, when the Period of our Deliverance will arrive is Uncertain, but our Duty must be to press forward with full Determination never to recede but if necessary with our Blood to seal the Righteousness of our Cause. Tho we may be laid in the Dust before the Scence closes our Children will bless Us and follow the Steps we have trodden till Victory crowns our Exertions and delivers our Country from Slavery. I am Sr. yr. most hl Servt

There is no measures conceivable to me that can save this Country from utter ruin but the raising an Army to serve during the present War which to all appearance will be yet of very considerable duration. I therefore am much pleased that the Congress are taking measures to that purpose and wish their present measure may prove Effectual but am constrained to say that there is not in my mind the shadow of a probability of their raising ten thousand men on the proposed Establishment. In the first place our young Men have very early in Life, pleasing Ideas of Mariage and Settlement. Each one by that time Sixteen Years are told by him proposes the Manner of business he intends to pursue. The obtaining a Family and the becoming a Freeholder at least, perhaps an Officer in Goverment attracts all his Attention, and is the pole Star of his pursuit. They therefore will not Engage for an indefinite Term of Time, and those who are En-51gaged in the Family way are by no means willing to inlist for a Term the End whereof they are not able to see. Indeed few Americans would choose the Life of a Soldier and be willing to be bound during Life. The Easy acquisition of real Estate in this Country will never admit of such a Temper of mind. Therefore it appears to me that an Inlistment for three or five years provided the War continues so long will be a more probable way of obtaining this Army than the way proposed.

In the next place the Wages and bounty ordered by Congress Affords but very Little Encouragement or when we consider that the persons who are to Engage for forty shillings per Month have near one half of them large Families to Support and the other half can have three pounds at home a good bed to lodge in a good House to Cover them and be free from dangers it must appear that nothing but Love to their Country and a total disregard to their own Interests and health can induce them to try the service. There is a great cry About the depreciation of money, this afford me no The Idea1 the Necessities of Life take their price but not their value from money. When there is just money enough for a medium goods bear a price equal to their value, but when there is a great Flood of money either by Emission of paper, or the importation of Silver then the price of Goods will much exceed their intrinsic worth. And such is the Case now that Goods of every kind are set at such sums that 40/ will not purchase near half so much at home as it would in April 1775 nor one third part so much (if reports are true) in the Camp. Then how is it possible that the Soldiery should live upon the proposed Wages. The Kings troops have 6d a Day with such deductions as makes it no better than 4d but having their Cloathing found them and the Necessaries of all kind given freely and what they see cause to purchase at a very cheap rate their Encouragement by far exceeds that which you have Offerred. As to twenty Dollars bounty it will not purchase Shirts Breeches and Stockings to set out with. And as to your 200 Acres of Land there is not one in America but who knows he may in any of the New Townships in this Country have 200 Acres of Land for settleing it. I therefore can not do myself Justice without telling You that it is my serious Opinion that You are in a very poor way of raising an Army.

It is to be plain the General voice that the Congress Starves the Cause. While the British Seamen on Board public Ships of 52War have all they take ours is to have but a Small Share. Therefore the men go on Board privateers where they are in Little danger from fighting and get more of the prizes they take. Upon my word Gentlemen I am fully perswaded that your Ships are in a likely Way to Lay by some Time yet.

This letter is wrote in haste as well as zeal and you will therefore excuse inaccuracies. I am Genl with much Esteem your very Hble Servt