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.

PART II.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 381
I observe what you say respecting the recruits, or
rather drafts, from Virginia. I was never called upon
by the State for officers, or directed by Congress to
send any to aid in the business; but, thinking such a
measure might be necessary, I ordered the officers
of the disbanded regiments, and such as had gone to
Virginia on furlough, to call upon and receive the governor's orders, with respect to the marching of them
to camp. That something has been wrong in conducting the drafts, and assembling the men, admits of
no doubt; for, out of the fifteen hundred ordered last
fall, and the two thousand this spring, we have received only twelve hundred and forty-two, which is
such a deficiency, that I have made a representation
thereof to the State. I am, &c.
TO MAJOR-GENERAL GATES.
Valley Forge, 25 May, 1778.
SIR,
I was yesterday favored with yours of the 21st instant. The enemy have been constantly busy since
my last in embarking their cannon and stores. I do
not yet find, that any troops have gone on board.
They give out, that they mean to attack this army before they go off, but I rather think, if they move at all
by land, it will be across Jersey. In this uncertainty,
I cannot alter my position, until they change theirs.
I hold the army ready to move at the shortest notice
towards the North River, should circumstances require
it. In the mean time, I would have you make yourself as respectable as possible, by stopping all the recruits, and calling in as many militia as you can feed.
I cannot account for the evacuation of Kingsbridge and