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.

514 WASHINGTON'S WRITINGS. [APPENDIX.
the pleasure to inform you, that I hope an end has been put to
desertion.
"On my arrival on this side of the Susquehanna, I issued an
order to the troops, wherein I endeavoured to throw a kind of
infamy upon desertion, and particularly to influence their affections. Since that, desertion has been lessened. Two deserters
have been taken up, one of whom is hanged to-day, and the other
(being an excellent soldier) will be forgiven, but dismissed from the
corps, as well as another soldier, who behaved amiss. To these
measures I have added one, which my feelings for the sufferings
of the soldiers, and the peculiarity of their circumstances, have
prompted me to adopt.
" The merchants of Baltimore have lent me a sum of about two
thousand pounds, which will procure some shirts, linen over-alls,
shoes, and a few hats. The ladies will make up the shirts, and the
over-alls will be made by the detachment, so that our soldiers have
a chance of being a little more comfortable. The money is lent
upon my credit, and I become security for the payment in two
years' time, when, by the French laws, I may better dispose of my
estate. But before that time I am to use my influence with the
French court, in order to have as soon as possible this sum of
money added to any loan Congress will have been able to obtain
from them.
" In case you are told, my dear General, that my whole baggage has been taken in the Bay, I am sorry I cannot discountenance the report; but, when the mention of papers and maps shall
be made, do not apprehend any thing bad to my papers, nor to the
maps you have put in my possession. Nothing has been lost but
writing-paper and printed maps. The fact is this. When at York,
I had some Continental soldiers and my baggage to send up in a
safe barge and an unsafe boat. I of course gave the barge to the
soldiers, who lately went to Annapolis. The baggage was put into
the boat, and has not been since heard of; but, being aware of the
danger, I took with me by land every article, that, on the public
account, was in the least valuable.
"By a letter from Baron Steuben, dated Chesterfield CourtHouse, the 10th of April, I find that General Phillips has at Portsmouth fifteen hundred or two thousand men added to the force
under Arnold. Proper allowance being made for exaggerations, I
apprehend that his whole army amounts to two thousand five hundred men, which obliges me to hasten my march to Fredericksburg
and Richmond, where I expect to receive orders from General