stock of powder in camp, was only nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven pounds.

" August 5, 1775.—We had a general council the day before yesterday, and, to our great surprise, discovered that we had not powder enough to furnish half a pound a man, exclusive of what the people have in their horns and cartridge-boxes. The General [Washington] was so struck that he did not utter a word for half an hour. Every one else was also astonished."-Sullivan to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 4.

I

At Cambridge: "I am now, in strict confidence, to acquaint you, that our necessities in the article of powder and lead are so great, as to require an immediate supply. must earnestly entreat, that you will fall upon some measure to forward every pound of each in your colony, that can possibly be spared. No quantity, however small, is beneath notice, and, should any arrive, I beg it may be forwarded as soon as possible."- Washington to Governor Cooke, of Rhode Island.

"When our Army lay before Boston in 1775, our Powder was so nearly expended, that General Washington told me that he had not more than Eight rounds a Man, altho' he had then near 14 miles of Line to guard, and that he dare not fire an Evening or Morning Gun. In this situation one of the Committee of Safety for Massachusetts, who was privy to the whole secret, deserted and went over to General Gage, and discovered our poverty to him. The fact was so incredible, that Gen1 Gage treated it as a stratagem of war, and the informant as a Spy, or coming with the express purpose of deceiving him & drawing his Army into a Snare, by which means we were saved from having our Quarters beaten up. I was the Chairman of the Committee of Safety at Elizabeth Town [New Jersey], and had about Six or Seven quarter Casks of Powder, which on urgent application from Gen. Washington, were sent to Boston, with what could be spared from New York."-MS. of Elias Boudinot.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8.

At Cambridge: "I was yesterday [August 8] at Cambridge. Generals Washington and Lee inquired after you. I dined at General W's."-Henry Knox to Mrs. Knox, August 9.

"Cambridge, August 9, 1775.-We waited on General Washington, who I have the pleasure to inform you is much beloved and admired for his polite condescention and noble deportment. His appointment to the Chief Command has the general suffrage of all ranks of people here, which I think is no bad omen.". -Letter from a Philadelphian, Pennsylvania Gazette, August 23.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15.

At Cambridge: "I am glad to relieve you from your anxiety respecting troops being sent from Boston to Quebec. These reports, I apprehend, took their rise from a fleet being fitted out about fourteen days ago to plunder the islands in the Sound of their live stock; an expedition, which they have executed with some success, and are just returning... To-morrow I expect a supply of powder from Philadelphia,* which will be a most seasonable relief in our present necessity."- Washington to General Schuyler.

In consequence of the resolve of Congress (June 27), General Schuyler was at this time making preparations to advance into Canada from Ticonderoga, and take possession of Fort St. Johns and Montreal. But falling seriously ill, on the 15th of September, when on the point of investing St. Johns, he was forced to transfer the command to General Richard Montgomery, and return to Albany. He, however, continued his exertions in raising troops, and forwarding supplies to the army.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20.

At Cambridge: "The design of this express is to communicate to you a plan of an expedition, which has engaged my thoughts for several days. It is to penetrate into Canada, by way of Kennebec River, and so to Quebec by a route ninety miles below Montreal. I can very well spare a detachment for this purpose of one thousand, or twelve hundred men, and the land-carriage by the route proposed is too inconsiderable to make an objection."- Washington to General Schuyler.

The detachment to penetrate into Canada was placed under the command

* " August 17th.-Six or seven tons of powder arrived from the southward."-Heath's Memoirs.

of Colonel Benedict Arnold, with instructions (September 14) to use all possible expedition, as the winter season was advancing. It was composed of ten companies of musketeers from New England and three companies of riflemen from Virginia and Pennsylvania, in all eleven hundred men, the riflemen being commanded by Captain Daniel Morgan. On the morning of November 14, the little army, which, in consequence of the frightful sufferings of the men, had dwindled to seven hundred and fifty (two hundred under Colonel Enos having returned to avoid starvation), climbed the heights of Abraham; Arnold, however, finding it utterly impossible to attack the city, retreated to Point aux Trembles, twenty miles above Quebec, to await the approach of the troops under General Montgomery, who, after capturing Forts Chambly and St. Johns, had taken possession of Montreal, November 13. The junction was made December 1, and the combined forces, amounting only to nine hundred men, arrived in sight of Quebec on the 5th. In the unsuccessful assault of December 31, in which General Montgomery was slain, Arnold received a wound in the leg.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 29.

At Cambridge: "We have only 184 Barls. of powder in all (including the late supply from Philadelphia), wch is not sufficient to give 25 muskets cartridges to each man, and scarcely to serve the artillery in any brisk action one single day."- Washington to Richard Henry Lee.

"The word Powder in a letter, sets us all a tiptoe, we have been in a terrible situation, occasioned by a mistake in a return; we reckoned upon three hundred quarter casks and had but thirty-two barrels—not above nine cartridges to a man to the whole army, but the late supply from Philadelphia has relieved us. All our heavy artillery was useless, and even now we are compelled to a very severe economy."-Joseph Reed to Mr. Bradford, August 24.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31.

At Cambridge: "Last Saturday night [August 26] we took possession of a hill [Plowed Hill, Mount Benedict], considerably advanced beyond our former lines; which brought on a very heavy cannonade from Bunker's Hill, and afterwards a bombardment, which has been since kept up with little spirit on their part, or damage on ours."Washington to the President of Congress.

"August 26th.-The Americans broke ground on Plowed Hill, in front of Bunker's Hill, without molestation."-Heath's Memoirs.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11.

At Cambridge; A council of war, held to consider whether it was expedient to make an attack upon the troops at Boston by means of boats, in co-operation with an attempt upon their lines at Roxbury. It was unanimously agreed, that "it was not expedient to make the attempt at present, at least."

In communicating this decision to Congress, Washington wrote: "I cannot say that I have wholly laid it [the attack] aside; but new events may occasion new measures. Of this I hope the honorable Congress can need no assurance, that there is not a man in America, who more earnestly wishes such a termination of the campaign, as to make the army no longer necessary."

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.

At Cambridge: "Sep. 18. To the Exps of myself and Party in reconnoitring the South & West Shore of Boston Harbor.. £16. 6. 4."- Washington's Accounts.

"Oct. 2.-To Expens. at Mystick.. £2. 6. 4."—Washington's Accounts.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3.

At Cambridge: A council of war, held on this and the following day, to consider the treachery of Dr. Benjamin Church, director-general of the hospital.

Dr. Benjamin Church, who had been a prominent patriot, was discovered in an attempt to hold a correspondence with the enemy. The matter, after being considered in council, was referred to Congress, who, on November 6, directed that he should be closely confined in a jail in Connecticut. He was imprisoned at Norwich, but was released in May, 1776, on account of declining health, and afterwards obtained permission from the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, in whose charge he was, to visit the West Indies; the vessel in which he sailed was never heard of. Dr. Church was the first traitor to the Revolutionary cause.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4.

At Cambridge: "General Gage is recalled from Boston,

and sails to-morrow; he is succeeded by General Howe. We have had no material occurrences since I had the pleasure of writing to you last. Our principal employment now is preparing for winter, as there seems to be no probability of an accommodation, or any such decision as to make the present army less necessary."- Washington to General Schuyler.

General Gage sailed for England on October 10; he did not return to America.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5.

At Cambridge: "The enemy in Boston and on the heights at Charlestown (two peninsulas surrounded in a manner by ships of war and floating batteries) are so strongly fortified as to render it almost impossible to force their lines, which are thrown up at the head of each neck; without great slaughter on our side, or cowardice on theirs, it is absolutely so. We therefore can do no more, than keep them besieged, which they are, to all intents and purposes, as close as any troops on earth can be, that have an opening to the sea."- Washington to Robert Carter Nicholas.

"Oct. 6.-To Expens. of myself & Party visitg the shores about Chelsea. £8. 5. 6."-Washington's Accounts.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13.

At Cambridge: "Since finishing our lines of defence, we, as well as the enemy, have been busily employed in putting our men under proper cover for the winter. Our advanced works, and theirs, are within musket-shot of each other. We are obliged to submit to an almost daily cannonade without returning a shot, from our scarcity of powder, which we are necessitated to keep for closer work than cannon-distance, whenever the red-coat gentry please to step out of their intrenchments."- Washington to John Augustine Washington.