Papers of John Adams, volume 4
1776-08-27
Whereas it is probable, that among the Officers of the foreign Troops, now in the Service of the King of Great Britain, there may be many, of liberal Minds, possessed of just Sentiments of the Rights of human Nature and the inestimable Value of Freedom; who may be prompted, by the Feelings of Humanity, and a just Indignation at the disgracefull service to which they are devoted by an infamous Contract between two arbitrary sovereigns and at the Insult offered to them by compelling them to War against an innocent People, who never offended them, nor the Nation to which they belong, but are only contending for their just Rights; to abandon renounce So dishonourable a service. Therefore Resolved that all such Officers who shall forsake abandon the Service
On 26 Aug. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and JA were appointed a committee to consider a letter of 22 Aug. from Col. James Wilson of the Flying Camp at Amboy, N.J. (
JCC
, 5:705). The letter noted previous efforts to encourage desertion and called for a new appeal that, unlike the others, would make a distinction between officers and men in the inducements proffered (PCC, No. 78, XXIII, f. 301). The committee met and produced a report that has not been found, since it was probably used as a printer's copy, and that was adopted on 27 Aug. The resolution of the congress took the form of an address to the officers of the foreign troops, calling on them to desert and offering land in varying amounts according to rank (
JCC
, 5:707–708). The appeal was immediately translated into German, printed, and distributed, probably under the direction of Franklin, but only a single copy of that document has been found. For Christopher Ludwick's efforts among Hessians, see Jonathan Bayard Smith to JA, 28 Aug., note 2 (below).
Although American attempts to encourage desertion have been well chronicled by L. H. Butterfield in “Psychological Warfare in 1776: The Jefferson-Franklin Plan to Cause Hessian Desertion” (Amer. Philos. Soc., Procs.
, 94 [1950]:233–241), some acknowledgment of JA's contribution to the appeal made to foreign officers is in order. The preamble printed here was not rejected but was substituted, with minor changes in word order, for the preamble in Jefferson's draft of the appeal. The latter called attention to the earlier appeal of 14 Aug., which had been directed to foreign soldiers 17generally, and offered the “blessings of peace, liberty, property and mild government, on their relinquishing the disgraceful office on which they had been sent hither” (Jefferson, Papers
, 1:509–510;
JCC
, 5:653–655). JA's language, beginning with the words “there may be many, of liberal Minds” continuing to “to renounce So dishonourable a service,” was adopted instead (
JCC
, 5:707–708). JA rekindled some of the fire that marked the earlier appeal to German soldiers.
-
JCC, 4:123).To consider letters from Washington, Schuyler, and Jonathan Trumbull. Reported and report tabled: 16 Feb.; Dft in Chase's hand ( JCC, 4:154–155; PCC, No. 19, VI, f. 189–191).Other duties assigned 5–7 March: to consider additional letters from Washington and one from Lord Stirling ( JCC, 4:185, 188–189). Letters discussed in committee of the whole, 13 March (same, 4:200–201). -
JCC, 4:147).To consider letters from Schuyler, Wooster, and Arnold. Other duties assigned 15 February: to consider additional letters from Schuyler and Wooster and one from Lee (same, 4:151). Reported and resolutions adopted: 17 Feb.; Dft not found (same, 4:157–159). -
JCC, 4:172, 173).To consider a letter from Lee and one from the Convention of New Jersey. Reported: 28 Feb.; Dft not found (same, 4:175). Report on New Jersey rejected: 1 March (same, 4:181, note 3). -
JCC, 4:182).To consider a memorial from Montreal merchants on Indian trade. Reported: 13 March; Dft not found (same, 4:200–201). Resolution adopted: 20 March (same, 4:219). -
JCC, 4:219–220). To confer with Major Elias Wrixon about his becoming chief engineer in Canada.Reported: 30 March, Dft not found (same, 4:242). Wrixon appointed: 12 April (same, 4:275). Wrixon declined: 29 April (same, 4:316). -
JCC, 4:293–294).To ascertain the value of gold and silver coins in relation to Spanish milled dollars. Reported and report tabled: 22 May; Dft in the hand of Wythe and others ( JCC, 4:381–383; PCC, No. 26, f. 1–5).Report recommitted and Thomas Jefferson added to the committee: 24 July ( JCC, 5:608). -
JCC, 4:298).To consider letters from the Committee of Safety of Maryland, Dr. Robert Boyd, the Committee of Inspection of Lancaster, Penna., the Commissioners to Canada, Washington, Schuyler, and the Committee of Inspection of West Augusta, Va. Reported and resolutions adopted: 23 April; Dft in Jay's hand ( JCC, 4:301–303; PCC, No. 21, f. 21–22). -
JCC, 4:307).To consider two letters from Washington. Reported and resolutions adopted: 26 April; Dft not found (same, 4:311–312). -
JCC, 4:321).To consider counterfeited bills of credit. Reported and report tabled: 7 June; Dft in Livingston's hand ( JCC, 5:426; PCC, No. 26, f. 7–10). See alsoJCC, 5:475–476. -
JCC, 4:324).To consider Peter Simon's petition. Reported and resolutions adopted: 22 May; Dft not found (same, 4:374–375). -
Richard Henry Lee, Edward Rutledge (JCC, 4:347).To consider the petition of John Jacobs and others. Report not found. -
JCC, 4:368).To consider South Carolina's resolutions with respect to battalions raised in that colony. Reported: 25 May; Dft not found (same, 4:393). Report recommitted: 7 June (same, 5:425). Resolutions adopted: 18 June (same, 5:461–463). -
JCC, 4:369–370).To consider letters from Washington containing copies of treaties between Britain and German states furnishing mercenaries, from William Palfrey (see No. VIII, above), and John Langdon and a petition from Boston; to publish parts of the treaties; to prepare an address to foreign mercenaries. 19Extracts from the treaties published in a supplement to the Pennsylvania Gazette, 24 May, and in other Pennsylvania newspapers (Washington,Writings, ed. Fitzpatrick, 5:57, note 66). -
JCC, 4:383–384).To consult with Washington, Gates, and Mifflin on means for advancing the American cause in Canada. Reported and resolutions adopted: 24 May; Dft in Harrison's hand ( JCC, 4:387–388; PCC, No. 19, VI, f. 169–171).Robert R. Livingston added to the committee: 24 May ( JCC, 4:388).Other duties assigned 24 May: to confer on measures to prevent enemy “communication with the upper Country from Canada” (same, p. 388–389). Reported and resolutions adopted: 25 May; Dft in Rutledge's hand (same, p. 394–396; PCC, No. 19, VI, f. 173–174). Reported further and resolutions adopted: 29 May; Dft in Lee's hand ( JCC, 4:399–402; PCC, No. 19, VI, f. 185–188). -
JCC, 4:391). (Subsequently, Committee of Conference.)To consult with Washington, Gates, and Mifflin on military planning for the forthcoming campaign and to consider reports on Washington's letters not yet dealt with and those referred to the committee of the whole (same, p. 391, 393). Reported and resolutions adopted: 30 May; Dft not found (same, p. 406–407). Reported and report referred to committee of the whole: 31 May; Dft in Duane's hand (same, p. 408; PCC, No. 19, VI, f. 197–199). Subsequent reports from the committee of the whole on 1, 3, 4, and 5 June ( JCC, 4:410–411, 412–414, 416; 5:417–419). -
JCC, 4:406).To consider a letter from a gentleman in Bermuda to a gentleman in Philadelphia. Reported and report tabled: 6 June; Dft not found (same, 5:421). -
JCC, 5:417).To consider how to deal with those giving intelligence and provisions to the enemy. (Subsequently, Committee on Spies.) Reported and resolutions adopted: 24 June; Dft not found (same, p. 475–476). Other duties assigned 14 June: to revise the articles of war for the consideration of the congress (same, p. 442). 20Reported and report discussed: 7, 19 Aug., 19, 20 Sept.; Dft not found (same, p. 636, 670, 787, 788–807). -
JCC, 5:429).To consider compensation owing to the secretary of the congress for his services. Reported and resolution adopted: 14 June; Dft not found (same, 5:442). -
JCC, 5:517–518).To recommend a design for a seal for the United States. Reported and report laid on the table: 20 Aug. (same, p. 689–691); Dfts printed in Jefferson, Papers, 1:494–497. -
JCC, 5:572).To report a resolution subjecting to confiscation on the seas the property of British subjects, especially those in the West Indies. Reported and report tabled: 19 July; Dft not found (same, p. 591). Resolution adopted: 24 July (same, p. 605–606). -
JCC, 5:609).To consider a petition from Samuel Holden Parsons concerning the murder of his brother. JA added to the committee on 16 Aug., the subject of the committee's deliberations having been mentioned to him in a letter from Parsons (same, 5:661; see also Parsons to JA, 24 July, and JA to Parsons, 3 Aug., below). Reported and resolutions adopted: 21 Aug.; Dft not found ( JCC, 5:692–693). -
JCC, 5:672).To consider a letter from Washington, of 18 Aug. enclosing his correspondence with Lord Drummond. Reported and report tabled: 22 Aug. (same, p. 696); Jefferson's Dft printed in Jefferson, Papers, 1:501–502, one phrase of six words contributed by JA. -
JCC, 5:694).To revise the resolutions and propose additional ones concerning places into which prizes could be carried. Report not found.