Papers of John Adams, volume 5
1777-04-28
We are now very near the Month of May, and the Enemy, are in the Midst of Us. They have an Army, in Canada, another in Rhode Island another in New York and the Jersies, which will enable them to take the Field, much earlier, than they did last Year.
Where is our Army, to oppose them? General Washington, has but a Small one, with him. At Ticonderoga, by Letters received this day from General Waine who commands there, We have not a Thousand Men.1
We have been continually flattered, with Assurances that many Men were inlisted, and marched and marching to Ti. and to Morristown. But none of them, or next to none arrive. What Purpose can it answer to deceive Us? If the Massachusetts is exhausted, if it is discouraged, if it neither can nor will afford its Quota of Troops, in the Name of Truth and Candor let Us know it.
The Lassitude of that State, has a most pernicious Effect, upon all others. Our Weakness in every Quarter, encourages the Tories every where, induces Numbers to fly to How and inlist with him. It has a dismal gloomy Effect upon the Whiggs. It is transmitted to England, and encourages the Ministerial People, and disheartens opposition. It is transmitted all over Europe, by our Enemies, and cannot be contradicted by our Friends, and has a pernicious Influence upon our Affairs abroad.
We are gaping at France and Spain for Support, and are behaving in Such a manner, as to discourage them from attempting our Relief. Depend upon it they will never Aid Us, While they think We are despairing of our own Affairs.
168Not a Single Company from our state at Head Quarters. What are We to think?
Named commander at Ticonderoga by Gen. Schuyler after Gens. Gates and St. Clair left to join Washington, Wayne had written to the congress on 2 April, assessing his situation. JA's letter may have been provoked by Wayne's saying that he had written directly to the Massachusetts Council urging it to forward the state's quota of troops (Glenn Tucker, Mad Anthony Wayne and the New Nation, Harrisburg, Penna., 1973, p. 44, 47; PCC, No. 161, f. 205).
1777-04-29
There is a Letter from Dr. Lee, dated Bourdeaux Feb. 20th.1 which Says that he has a Letter from a confidential Friend2 which assures him that Ten Thousand Men, were obtained in Germany, and Vessell sent for them. That these with three Thousand British were to come out under Burgoigne. That Boston would certainly be attacked. That Howe would probably move towards Philadelphia. That Ministry depended much on beginning the Campaign early, and much upon the Divisions in Pensilvania.
The Reverse of affairs may have altered their Plan. But I thought it my Duty to transmit the Intelligence, whatever may be the Amount of it.
The surest Method of averting the Blow from Boston will be to quicken the March of your whole force to Peekskill. Depend upon it, if you do that, Howe must order all the Force to join him, or he will be extirpated. I am sir with great Respect, your most obedient humble servant
A letter from Lee to the Committee of Secret Correspondence printed in Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 2:272–273, gives the information here related, but its date is 18 Feb. Lee did write to his brother on the 20th, and JA very likely saw that letter and confused it with the earlier one. Lee's second letter from Bordeaux mentions twelve thousand Germans and Britons who will be sent against New England in the spring (MH-H:Lee Papers).
Very likely John Thornton, Arthur Lee's secretary, who was in the pay of Lord North and furnished the Americans with false information in return for information helpful to the British (Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 1:539).