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 A MERICAN REVOLUTION. 297
resolution of Congress for that purpose. If they remain
within reach of that part of the enemy's force, which
are at Newport, I think it-more than probable, that they
will make an effort to rescue them.
You will exert yourself in forwarding on the recruits
for such of the Massachusetts regiments as are with the
army. They need not remain to be inoculated, as that
can be done conveniently upon their arrival in camp,
and the doctors say the men will be much healthier
through the campaign, than if they had been inoculated
at home and marched immediately upon their recovery."
I am particularly pressing in this matter, because I
have many reasons for thinking, that General Howe
means to call in reinforcements and attack us before
we receive ours. Four regiments are actually embarked at New York, and accounts from Rhode Island say
they are about evacuating Newport.
Some little time past, I wrote to the President and
Council of Massachusetts, informing them that several
of the towns had hired British deserters, and sent them
on by way of substitutes. Since writing that letter,
eleven of these people have come from one district,
and I doubt not many more will follow. I shall be
obliged to send them back, or they will most certainly,
as they ever have done, desert again to the enemy and
carry off their arms. I desired the Council to put a
stop to this practice, and I beg you will mention it to
them, and point out the injury it does the service. By
a late resolve of Congress, there is an absolute prohibition to the enlistment of deserters, it being better to
be deficient in the quota, than to have such men.
I am, &co
VOL. V. 38