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. 63
or be obliged to recall part of their force from the
southward to defend it. Should the latter happen, you
will be most essentially relieved by it. The French
troops will begin their march this way as soon as certain circumstances will admit. I can only give you the
outlines of our plan. The dangers, to which letters are
exposed, make it improper to commit to paper the
particulars; but as matters ripen I will keep you as
well informed as circumstances will allow.
A detachment of between fifteen hundred and two
thousand men sailed from New York about the 13th of
May. I advised Baron Steuben of this, and desired
him to communicate it to you. I presume they will
either stop in the Chesapeake Bay or Cape Fear River,
unless the operations of the Spaniards in the Floridas
should call for reinforcement to that quarter. But I
can hardly flatter myself, that they will attend to the
preservation of St. Augustine. We are told that Pensacola has fallen.
The Marquis de Lafayette informed me, that about
eight hundred recruits would be ready to march from
Virginia by the latter end of May. I-have no certain
accounts from Maryland lately; but I was told by a
gentleman from thence, that about four hundred might
be expected to march in April. I make no doubt but
you are kept regularly advised by the superintending
officers. I have not heard, that General Wayne had
left Yorktown, but I have reason to believe he has
gone before this time. If no fresh discontents arise
among those troops, the detachment with Wayne will
be a most valuable acquisition to you. They are chiefly
the old soldiers, and completely furnished with everv
necessary. I am, &c.*
* Wayne's detachment marched from Yorktown, in Pennsylvania, on
the 26th of May.