MY DEAR SIR,
I have devoted part of this night to review your letters, and to give
them some kind of answers. I can only mention ideas. I leave you to
dilate them.
The bearer is one of the sentries who was partly the occasion of the
late misfortune. I have reproved them severely, which I hope will have
the desired effect. For the future, order the sentry who does not fire
the alarm one hundred lashes, and the like number to any who shall
part with his arms without its being wrested from him by the enemy;
and a reward of twenty dollars to any non-commissioned officer or
soldier who shall bring in such arms. Publish this in orders.
I am fully sensible of your embarrassments and difficulties, for want
of vigilant officers and discipline. Be it your honour to surmount
them. Accept of my thanks for your attention to the service. Order one
pound and a half of flour or bread, and the like quantity of meat, to
each man, till the first of April. The duty is hard, and exercise
increases the appetite. Will it not advance the service to send you
down some biscuit? Give Commissary Leake no rest without vegetables.
His guard will be relieved by a militia one. How many sergeants'
parties have you? Your guard and that of the commissary will be taken
from the brigades, as 120 from Paterson's is to 60 from the others. In
returns, designate the strength from each brigade. The regiments whose
men have no bayonets, some means will be devised to furnish them.
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