"Sam": or The history of mystery./ By C. W. Webber.

" SAM:" OR, THE HISTORY OF MIYSTERY.
were this generous succour of our ally to arrive, I should
find myself in the most awkward, embarrassing and painful
situation. ThIe general and the admiral, from the relation
in which I stand, as soon as they approach our coast, will require of me a plan of the measures to be pursued; and these
ought, of right, to be prepared; but circumstanced as I am,
I cannot give them conjectures. From these considerations,
I have suggested to the committee, by a letter I had the
honor of addressing them yesterday, the indispensable necessity of their writing again to the States, urging them to give
immediate and precise information of the measures they
have taken and of the result. The interest of the States,
the honor and reputation of our councils, the justice and
gratitude due our allies, a regard to myself-all require that
I should, without delay, be enabled to ascertain and inform
them what we can, or cannot undertake. There is a point
which ought now to be determined, on which the success of
all our future operations may depend, which for want of
knowing our prospects, I am altogether at a loss what to do
in. For fear of involving the fleet and army of our allies
in circumstances which, if not seconded by us, would expose
them to material inconvenience and hazard, I shall be compelled to suspend it, and the delay may be fatal to our
hopes.
Beside the embarrassments I have mentioned above, and
on former occasions, there is another of a very painful and
humiliating nature. We have no shirts, from the best inquiry I can make, to distribute to the troops, when the whole
are in great want, and when a great part of them are absolutely destitute of any at all. Their situation too with
respect to summer overalls, I fear, is not likely to be much
better. There are a great many on hand, it is said, in
Springfield, but so indifferent in their quality as to be
scarcely worth the expense of transportation and delivery.
For the troops to be without clothing at any time, is highly
injurious to the service and distressing to our feelings; but
the want will be more peculiarly mortifying when they come
to act with those of our allies. If it is possible, I have no
doubt immediate measures will be taken to relieve their distress. It is also most sincerely to be wished that there could
be some supplies of clothing furnished for the officers
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