The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PARTII.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 123
judged it safe and expedient to draw down at present,
is the three New Hampshire and fifteen Massachusetts
regiments, with Lee's and Jackson's, of the sixteen
additional regiments. But it is more than probable, that
General Gates may have destined part of these troops
to the reduction of Ticonderoga, should the enemy not
have evacuated it, or to the garrisoning of it, if they
should. In that case, the reinforcement will vary according to circumstances; but if possible let it be made
up to the same number out of other corps. If, upon
your meeting with General Gates, you should find that
he intends, in consequence of his success, to employ
the troops under his command upon some expedition,
by the prosecution of which the common cause will be
more benefited than by their being sent down to reinforce this army, it is not my wish to give any interruption to the plan. But if he should have nothing
more in contemplation, than those particular objects,
which I have mentioned to you, and which it is unnecessary to commit to paper, in that case you are to
inform him, that it is my desire that the reinforcements
before mentioned, or such part of them as can be safely
spared, be immediately put in march to join this army,
I have understood, that General Gates has already
detached Nixon's and Glover's brigades to join General
Putnam; and General Dickinson informs me, that by
intelligence, which he thinks may be depended upon,
Sir Henry Clinton has come down the river with his
whole force. If this be a fact, you are to desire General Putnam to send the two brigades forward with the
greatest expedition, as there can be no occasion for
them there.* I expect you will meet Colonel Mor" The British evacuated Forts Montgomery and Clinton, on the 26th
of October, and the same day proceeded down the river with their whole
force both of troops and shipping. In a letter from General Putnam to the