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.

PARTII.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 245
assurances from the officers, it is said, that the men
should not be drawn from that quarter. This circumstance, added to the disturbances by the Indians, and
the exposed situation of their families, has been the
cause of great desertions, and is at present the source
of much uneasiness, and the more so, as part of the
regiment was never marched from thence. I think the
whole should be united either here or there, and wish
Congress to direct me upon the subject. At the same
time that their case, if truly represented, seems to be
hard, and to merit the indulgence they claim, I would
observe, that the twelfth regiment from the western
parts of the same State, and the eighth and twelfth
Pennsylvania regiments from the frontier counties of
this, have similar pretensions, and might become uneasy, and apply for a like indulgence.
Agreeably to the directions of Congress, I shall send
a major-general to Rhode Island, though the number of
officers here of this rank, from one cause and another,
is greatly reduced, and more so than it ought to be in
point of policy. Our loss of matrosses the last campaign, in killed and wounded, was considerable; and it
has not been a little increased this winter by desertions
from Colonel Procter's corps. From these circumstances, we are very weak in this line; and I request that
Congress will be pleased to order Colonel Harrison's
regiment of artillery to march from Virginia as early as
the roads will admit, and join this army.
I have the honor to be, &c.*
* General Varnum suggested that a battalion of negroes might be raised
in Rhode Island. The idea was communicated to Governor Cooke, who
laid the subject before the Assembly. He reported the following result
to General Washington. " Liberty is given to every effective slave to
enter into the service during the war; and upon his passing muster he
is absolutely made free, and entitled to all the wages, bounties, and
encouragements given by Congress to any soldier enlisting into their
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