Papers of John Adams, volume 5
We had a Court Martial set at Chatham last Week for the Trial of a Colo. Buckner of the 6th. Virginia Battalion in the Continental Service, accused of Misbehaviour and Cowardice.1 The Court after a hearing of two Days found him guilty “of misbehaving before the Enemy, and of deserting his Post and Party in Time of Action.” And sentenced him to be cashiered, and rendered incapable of ever holding any military Office in the American Service. In Obedience to the Articles of War and the Sentence of the Court I have transmitted a Copy of the Charge, and the Judgement of the Court to a Printer in Virginia to be published. This must effectually damn his Character in that State. The shamefull Cowardice of this Man has been a most mortifying Stroke to the whole Corps of Virginia Officers, as he has shewn the World that a Man may be a Coward and yet come from Virginia.
Yesterday all the New England Troops who agreed to tarry for 6 Weeks from 1st. Jany. were discharged, the Time being expired, and we have now only southern Regiments on this Side Hudson's River. By far the greatest Part of the Men who tarry'd are from the Massachusetts State. It is a Pity that these poor Fellows whose Services and Hardships have been great, should now go home without being paid what was promised them, but the Pay Master has no Money, and they accuse the General Officers of deceiving them. This is not the first Complaint of the States badly paying their Troops. They say that though Congress may not be able to cloathe them, they ought, because they can,2 regularly pay them.
Two Hessian Deserters came in to Day. They confirm, what we had before learnt from Prisoners and Deserters that their Army are growing very sickly. That they are badly fed, and 85worse paid. That they are much in Want of Forage, and that the Severity of their Duty has produced a Spirit of Discontent throughout their Army.
If Reinforcements speedily come in, Mr. Howe will not be able to make very distant Excursions from Brunswick. If we can but get 20,000 Men together by 1st. of Apl. the British Army will hardly cross the Deleware next Summer. From the Accounts in the Eastern Papers,3 Appearances in Europe are exceedingly favourable. Should France make a Diversion in our Favour in the Spring, next Campaign I believe will fix America forever independent of the Smiles or Frowns of Great haughty Britain. I am with every Sentiment of Esteem & Respect Your Friend & hble Servt.
On 23 Jan. an advance party of Col. Mordecai Buckner's battalion engaged a British force protecting a wagon train moving from Brunswick to Amboy. The Americans fought well, inflicting heavy casualties, but Buckner failed to bring up the main force in support. Washington thought his punishment was mild (
Writings, ed. Fitzpatrick, 7:66, 152).
Comma supplied.
For example, the Independent Chronicle on 16 Jan. quoted a commander at Halifax as saying that war with France was inevitable. On 23 Jan. the paper quoted foreign reports of an alliance with Spain and the sending of a Spanish fleet to America. The following week reports from St. Eustatius told of a large French fleet gathering in the area of Guadeloupe and Martinique, “so that there is now a very fair appearance of our being speedily succoured by the French nation.” And a report from London was carried that said in part, “It is now no longer an idle rumor that we are on the eve of a War with France . . . in all probability a Declaration of Hostilities will take place in a few days.”
I hope you will pardon me for not writing to you oftner of the state off affairs in the army of our Victories and Defeats Advances and Retreats but I have many things to Alledge in Excuse. I don't Recollect that I am a Letter in Debt to you as I think I have punctually answered yours.1 I have ever been so full of Business that I could find no time to write but still I have a more weighty Reason which is that I cannot give an Account of a Victory or Defeat where I was an Actor without saying something for or against myself and I have a great Aversion to writing against myself and to write in Favor, would be evidence of a very surperiour? suspicious Kind. Indeed I always had an Aversion to fighting upon Paper for I have never yet found a man well 86vers'd in that kind of fighting That would pratice any other; perhaps you may want to know how your Men (the yankees) Fight. I tell you Exceeding well when they have proper Officers; I have been much pleased to see a Day approaching to try the Difference between yankee Cowardice and Southern valour. The Day has or Rather the Days have Arrived and all the Generall Officers Allowed and do Allow that the yankees Cowardice assume the Shape of True valor in the field and tho Southern Valor appears to be a Composition of boasting and Conceit; Genll. Washington made no Scruple to say publickly that the Remains of the Eastern Regiments were the Strength of his Army though their Numbers were Comparitively speaking but small. He calls them in Front when the Enemy are there; he sends them to the Rear when the Enemy Threaten that way; all the Generall Officers allow them to be the best of Troops. The Southern Officers and Soldiers allow it in time of Danger but not at all other times.
Believe me Sir the yankees took Trenton before the other Troops knew anything of the matter more than that there was an Engagement and what will still Surprise you more the Line that Attack'd the Town Consisted but of Eight Hundred yankees and there was Sixteen Hundred Hessians to Oppose them. At Prince Town when the 17th. Regiment had thrown 3500 Southern militia into the utmost Confusion a Regiment of yankees Restor'd the Day (this Genll. Mifflin Confessed to me) though the Philadelphia paper tell us a Different story, it seems to have been Quite forgot that while the 17th. Regiment was Ingaging those Troops that 600 yankees had the Town to take against the 40th. and 55th. Regiments, which they did without Loss owing to the Manner of Attack but enough of this. I don't wish to Reflect but beg leave to assure you that News papers and Even Letters dont always speak the truth. You may venture to Assure your Friends that no men fight better or write worse than the yankees of which this Letter will be good Evidence. Dear Sir I am with much Esteem your most obedient Servt.
PS When I wrote the Letter of which the foregoing is a Copy I thought it too bad for you to read. I Desired my Aid DeConge to copy it but unluckely he writes worse than myself. I hope you can read it if not there will be a Saving of time on your part. Especially if you Burn at first view. I am yours as above
The most recent extant letter known to the editors from Sullivan to JA was that of 4 May 1776 and of JA to Sullivan, that of 23 June 1776. Both are printed in vol. 4.