WINNOWINGS IN AMERICAN HISTORY. REVOLUTIONARY NARRATIVES. No. V. 5o x 57 Ex Safaris SEYMOUR DURST When you leave, please leave this book Because it has been said "Sver'thing comes t' him who waits Except a loaned booh." WINNOWINGS IN AMERICAN HISTORY. REVOLUTIONARY NARRATIVES. No. V. 250 copies printed. No. l 4_ Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library The Present State of the American Rebel Army, Navy, and Finances. Transmitted to the Brit- ish Government in Octo- ber, 1780 BY BENEDICT ARNOLD. EDITED BY PAUL LEICESTER FORD. BROOKLYN, N. Y. : Historical Printing Club. 1891. 236 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/presentstateofamOOarno N O T E. Arnold fled from West Point ort September 25, 1780, and reached New York on the following day. Between that day and October 7, he drew up the paper here printed and enclosed it to Lord George Germain, with the following letter: New York 7111 October 1780. My Lord, Conscious of the rectitude of my Intentions (whatever Constructions may have been put on my Conduct,) and convinced of the benevolence and goodness of your Lordship, I am em- boldened to request Your Interest and Intercession, that I may be restored to the favor of my most gracious Sover- eign; In the fullest Confidence of his Clemency, I most cheerfully cast my- (5) 6 self at his Feet, imploring his Royal Grace and Protection. I have that Confidence in the Good- ness of Sir Plenry Clinton, That His Majesty will not remain long, unin- formed that some considerable time has elapsed, since I resolved to devote my Life and Fortune to his Majesty's Service, and that I was intent to have Demonstrated my Zeal by an Act, which had it succeeded as intended, must have immediately terminated the unnatural Convulsions that have so long distracted the Empire. Your Lordship will perceive by the enclosed address to the Public, by what principles I have been and am now actuated, to which I shall at pres- ent only add my most sacred Assur- ance that no endeavors of mine shall be wanting to confirm the Profession I make of an unalterable Attachment to the Person, Family and Interests of my Sovereign, and the Glory of his Reign. I enclose another Paper with some imperfect Notes, but will do my- self the honor by the next Conveyance 7 to transmit Your Lordship a more full and perfect State of Matters than in my present Confusion and Circum- stances I am able to do. I shall endeavour to merit your Lordships Patronage by my Zeal and Assiduity in His Majesty's Service. I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect My Lord Your Lordships Most Obedient and most humble servant B. Arnold. The Right Hon"* Lord George Germain. This paper is printed from the orig- inal in the English State Paper Office, and so far as I have been able to discover, has never been printed or quoted before. If these statements represent his true opinion of the condition of Amer- ican affairs, his treason is easily ex- plained. Paul Leicester Ford. 97 Clark St., Brooklyn, N. Y. The Present State of the American Rebel Army, Navy, and Finances, with some Remarks, The present operating Force under the immediate Command of general Washington as stated by himself to a Council of general Officers the 6 th ult° mounts to 10,400 men One Battalion of Contin 1 , troops at Rhode Island 500 Two State Regiments of Contin 1 Militia at North Castle 500 1 1 ,400 About one half of these Troops are Militia, whose time of service expires on the first day of January next, which (9) IO will reduce the Army engaged for the war to less than Six Thousand men, exclusive of the Troops in the South- ern Department under General Gates, who may amount to eight hundred or a thousand regular troops, besides Militia; about 350 Light Horse are included in the above Calculation. All these troops are illy clad, badly fed, and worse paid having in general two or three years pay due to them. Many of the best officers of the Army have resigned, and others are daily following their Example, through Dis- gust, necessity, and a Conviction that the Provinces will not be able to Es- tablish there Independence. There has long subsisted a Jealousy between Congress and the Army. The former have been Jealous of the 1 1 Power of the latter, and the latter have thought themselves neglected, and ill treated by the former, who have ex- cluded the Army from every Appoint- ment of honor, or profit in the Civil Line. The Common Soldiers are ex- ceedingly disgusted with the Service, and every effort to recruit the Army (except by Temporary Draughts of Militia) has hitherto proved ineffect- ual. Congress and General Washing- ton last Spring made the most press- ing Demands on the Colonies to fur- nish a Body of Troops to complete the Army to 35,000 men, every Argument was urged to enforce the Demand, among others that it would enable General Washington (in conjunction with the French Troops) to oblige Sir Henry Clinton to evacuate New York 12 — and thereby put a Period to the War: The Colonies promised to Comply with the Requisition, every effort was used, but without Success. The Body of the People heartily tired of the war refused to Inlist Voluntar- ily, and not more than one-third of the men ordered to be Draughted, ap- peared in the Field. The Distress and Discontents of the People are daily increasing, and the difficulty of Re- cruiting the Army another year will undoubtedly be greater than ever. The Navy is reduced to three Fri- gates, and a few small vessels, who are generally in Port, for want of hands to man them. The Treasury is entirely empty and the finances are at the lowest Ebb. The Public Debt inclusive of Paper *3 emitted by Congress, and the Colons ies, Loan Office Certificates, and Ar- rears due to the Army, Commissaries and Quarter Masters amounts to up- wards of Four hundred Million of Paper Dollars. Congress have lost all Confidence and Credit with the People, who have been too often de- ceived and duped by them to pay any regard to their promises in future, the different Provinces have very little more Credit with the People than Congress. Their late Emissions of Paper for the payment of which they have given every possible Security, can hardly be said to have any Cur- rency, and is Depreciating Rapidly. As the result of their Distresses the Eyes of the People are in general opened, they Feel their Error and '4 look back with Remorse to their once happy Condition, and most ardently wish for a reconciliation on Terms safe and honorable to both countries. Many would Return to it with implicit Confidence. Some doubt the Suffic- iency of the Powers of the present Commissioners to Offer or Accept Terms for an Established accomoda- tion. It would serve very good uses if the commissioners have Authority for it, to Signify, that the Colonies upon returning to their obedience, shall be restored to their Antient G n- dition with Respect to their Charter, Rights, and Privileges, Civil and Re- ligious, free from British Taxation, and to Invite to Negociation for Gen- eral Regulations. It will increase the i> umber of Advocates for the reunion. But the best step is to Vest Com- missioners with Decisive Powers on such Settlement as Great. Britain may be willing to Establish. There will always be Jealousies seen while a Power is Reserved to Great Britain to approve or disapprove, what Her Commissioners have done. With power in a Sett of Commissioners to bind the Nation as firmly as she would bind herself, by Future Acts of Parlia- ment, I am of opinion that a Pacifi- cation would immediately take place. But should the Artful and Design- ing who have assumed the Reins of government, continue to have suffic- ient Influence to mislead the Minds of the People, and continue the Opposi- tion to Government, I am Clearly of Opinion that, an addition of Ten 16 thousand Troops to the American army (including those who may be on their way to America) will be a suffic- ient Force under the Direction of an Officer of the Experience and abilities of Sir Henry Clinton to put a period to the Contest in the Course of the next Campaign. I have forgot to mention that the want of Provision in the Army is not owing to the Scarcity of Provision in the country, But to the weakness of the Usurpation in every Colony, with- out Money or Credit Supplies must be Collected by Force and Terror, wher- ever the Army are they take without opposition. But this force acts against Itself by Creating internal Enemies, and by making Friends to Great Brit- ain. It is One of the Principal Saps 17 hourly undermining the Strength of the Rebellion. N. B. In the foregoing Estimate the French Troops at Rhode Island who amount to about 5000 Effectives are not Included. B. Arnold. WINNOWINGS AMERICAN HISTORY. PUBLISHED BY THE HISTORICAL PRINTING CLUB. 97 Clark St., Brooklyn, N. Y. Report on the Management of the Estates Sequestered in South Carolina, by Or- der of Lord Cornwallis, in 1780-1782. IT JOHN CRUDEN, PAUL LEICESTER FORD. BROOKLYN, N. Y. : Historical Pmm*~ Cixt. 1890. Revolutionary Narratives No. I. Minimo, pp. 27. Only 250 copies printed. Paper, uncut, . . .75. Half vellum paper, bds, gilt top, uncut, . . $1.00. Among the endeavors to re-establish the civil gov- ernment in the Southern States, after their virtual reconquering in the campaign of 1779-S0, was in- cluded an organization intended to till the lands of those engaged in open Rebellion against Great Brit- ian. For this purpose, the negroes who had been stolen or escaped to the British lines were set to work on these plantations, under the management of John Cruden, a Charleston Merchant. Of the success of the attempt we have here his report, which is now for the first time printed from the original, and which is a document of very considerable Revolutionary and state interest. My Services and Losses in aid of the King's Cause during the American Rev- olution. STEPHEN TUTTLE, BROOKLYN, N.V.I 1890. Revolutionary Narratives No. 11. Minimo, pp. 24. Only 250 copies printed. Paper, uncut, .75. Half vellum paper, bds., gilt top, uncut, . . $1.00. Stephen Tuttle, a resident of northern New York, was a prominent Loyalist who held office before the Revolution under the King's Government, and was active in his assistance to that side during the war. He narrowly escaped being hung by Arnold, and gave secret aid during the Burgoyne Campaign to the British. Finally he fled to Canada, in 1779, and his property was confiscated by the Americans. He filed a statement of his services and losses with the Eng- lish Government, which is here reprinted. My Services and Losses in 1 ! Mnl 11 1 inii 1 ]'\ \:ippati\'pc licYUiuiiuuun i> ui 1 all v t>o aid of the King's Cause during the American Rev- olution. No. III. IT ISAAC WILKINS, Minimo, pp. 23. ItafBEX or the New You Assooiv, ftc, Ac, &c Only 250 copies printed. Paper, uncut, . . .75. BROOKLYN, N. Y.: Half vellum, paper, Ms, Historical Prikttng Ciuik 1850. gilt top, uncut, . . $1.00. Isaac Wilkins was one of the ablest loyalists in New York, and played a most important part in the beginning of the Revolutionary contest. To his pen have been referred the famous A. W. Farmer tracts, and his motion against the Continental Association in the New York Assembly had a far-reaching effect. Compelled to fly by an armed force, he sought refuge in England, where his services were recognized by a pension from the government. This memorial to the English government is reprinted from a hitherto un- published paper. A Narrative of the Objects and Proceedings of Silas Revolutionary Narrat ves Deane, as Commissioner of the I Inifpd C~olnni#»Q tn No. IV. France ; made to the British Government in 1776 n Minimo, pp. 87. EDWARD BANCROFT. Only 250 copies prin ted. PAUL LEICESTER FORD Paper, uncut, . .75. BROOKLYN. N. Y.. Historical Pkiktinc Crvm 1891. Vellum boards, gilt top, uncut, . | 1.00. When Deane was secretly sent to France, on behalf of the Continental Congress, to endeavor to procure the aid of that country for the colonies, he was in- structed to meet and confer with Dr. Edward Bancroft, an old friend of his and Franklin, who was supposed to be a warm partizan of the colonies. A meeting accordingly took place in Paris, in which Deane told him the objects of the mission, and how far he had succeeded in his negotiations with the French govern- ment. On Bancroft's return to London he commun- icated all this to the English Ministry, in the paper here (and for the first time) printed, which includes the fullest account we have of the eventful period be- tween Deane's arrival in June, and Bancroft's depart- ure in August. <