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.

10 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [LET. 49.
deem completely adequate to a speedy reduction of
the post.
The country in the neighbourhood of Penobscot is
too thinly inhabited to afford any resource of militia
there; and to assemble and convey them from remote places would announce your design, retard your
operations, and give leisure to the enemy to counteract you. Indeed, I would recommend, for the sake
of secrecy, to conceal your determination from the
State itself.- These hints you will be pleased to make
use of only so far as they appear to be well founded.
I have the honor to be, &c.*
TO THE MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE.
New Windsor, 11 April, 1781.
MY DEAR MARQUIS,
Your favor dated at Elk the 8th instant reached
me at ten o'clock last evening. While I give you
credit for the manceuvre by which you removed the
* The British had contrived to keep a fortified post at Penobscot,
which at this time contained a garrison of about three hundred and
fifty mefi. The Council of Massachusetts thought a good opportunity
now presented itself, while the British fleet was in the Chesapeake, to
employ the idle hours of the French in an enterprise against Penobscot.
Proposals to that effect were made through a deputation, and accepted.
M. Destouches agreed to furnish two sixty-fours, two frigates, and a
smaller vessel, and preparations were immediately begun. A land force
of six hundred men was offered by Count de Rochambeau, and also
four mortars, and four twenty-four-pounders. The Chevalier de Chastellux was to command. At first it was expected, that Massachusetts
would furnish militia; but this part of the plan was given up, and Count
de Rochambeau proposed to enlarge his force to eight hundred men.
After all the arrangements had been put in train, the project was finally
abandoned, in consequence of the apprehension of M. Destouches, that
a superior British naval force would come upon some parts of his squadron while in a divided state. - MS. Letters of Rochambeau and Destouches, A.pril 6th, 7th, 15th.