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. 255
as the above is, could impress you with so ill an opinion
of my honor and honesty.
If it be possible, that Colonel C., -for my belief is
staggered, not being conscious of having given the least
cause to any one, much less to that gentlemen, to reflect
so grossly, — I say, if it be possible, that Colonel C.
could descend so low as to be the propagator of this
story, he must either be vastly ignorant of the state of
affairs in this county at that time, or else he must
suppose, that the whole body of inhabitants had combined with me, in executing the fraud. Or why did
they, almost to a man, forsake their dwellings in the
greatest terror and confusion; so that, while one half of
them sought shelter in paltry forts, of their own building, the other fled to the adjacent counties for refuge,
numbers of them even to Carolina, from whence they
have never returned?
These are facts well known; but not better known,
than that these wretched people, while they lay pent up
in forts, destitute of the common support of life (having
in their precipitate flight forgotten, or rather been unable to secure, any kind of necessaries), did despatch
messengers of their own (thinking I had not represented
their miseries in the piteous manner they deserved),
with addresses to your Honor and the Assembly, praying relief. And did I ever send any alarming account,
without also sending the original papers, or the copies,
which gave rise to it?
That I have foibles, and perhaps many of them, I shall
not deny. I should esteem myself, as the world also
would, vain and empty, were I to arrogate perfection.
Knowledge in military matters is to be acquired by
practice and experience only; and, if I have erred, great
allowance should be made for the want of them; unless
my errors should appear to be wilful; and then, I con