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 I.] THE FRENCH WAR. 187
can answer while we act defensively, is to have no more
than three or four large, strong forts, built at convenient
distances, upon our frontiers; in which strong garrisons
must be maintained, that parties able to cope with the
enemy may be sent out, and these parties kept in constant succession ranging and scouring the country.
Here a difficulty will arise, as others will in every defensive plan, that can be offered. How are these ranging parties, sent out in this manner, and probably
remaining on the scout from ten to fourteen days, to be
supplied with provisions, the inhabitants being so thinly
settled, and the forts so far extended? The difficulty
is great, yet not sufficient to render this plan inferior to
the former. For in the other case, when the enemy is
heard of, the garrison can only send out parties, more fit
to reconnoitre than oppose. These parties, if they
prove too small (which in all probability they may), are
certain of falling a prey to the enemy, whose numbers
cannot be known until thus proved. I could urge many
things more on this head, but believe it useless. What
I have already said, I hope, is sufficient to give your
Honor a hint of the matter, and that is all I aim at. We
may form many schemes to defend ourselves, but experience will show, that none but removing the cause of the
difficulties will prove effectual. Unless the Assembly
concerts some measures to augment their force, the country, I fear, must inevitably fall. The frontiers, within
twelve months, have been totally deserted for fifty miles
and upwards from north to south, and all below that distance greatly thinned by the removal of numbers; occasioned in some measure by Maryland and Pennsylvania
giving ground so much faster than we do, which exposes
a very fine country of ours on that side, as low as Monocosy in Maryland, several miles on this side of the
Blue Ridge.