WASHINGTON’S FIRST ARMY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4532, 29 September 1875, Page 3

WASHINGTON’S FIRST ARMY.

(From the Atlantic Monthly.) ■ What did Washington find npon his arrival at the camp ? On the 27th of July he wrote to his brother : “I found a mixed multitude of people here, under very little discipline, order, or government; the enemy in possession of a place called Bunker’s Hill, on Charlestown Neck, strongly intrenched, and fortifying themselves ; part of our own army, on two hills, called Winter and Prospect hills, about a mile and a quarter from the enemy on Bunker’s Hill, in a very insecure state ; another party at this village; and a third party at Roxbury, guarding the entrance in and out of Boston. My whole time, since I came here, has' been employed in throwing up lines of defence at these three several places,,to secure, in the first instance, our own troops from any attempts of the enemy ; and in the next place, to cut off all communication between their troops and the country. To do this, and to prevent them from penetrating into the country with .fire and sword, and to harrass them if they do, is all that is expected of me The enemy’s strength, including marine forces, is computed, from the - best accounts I can get, at about twelve thousand men; ours, including sick and absent, at about sixteen thousand ; but then we have to guard a semicircle of eight or nine miles, to every part of which we are obliged to be equally attentive, whilst they, situated as it were in the centre of the semicircle, and having the entire command of the water, can bend their whole force against any one part of it with equal facility. This renders our situation not very agreeable, though necessary.” In his first letter to Congress, dated July 10, he states that about 700 men were posted in several small towns along the coast. He reported the “ want of engineers to construct proper works and direct the men, a want of tools, and a sufficient number of men to man the works in case of an attack.” He said they were laboring under great disadvantages for lack of tents, and begged that some might be sent from Philadelphia. The arrangement for supplies was inconvenient, and he was much embarrassed for a military chest. He asked that money might be sent to him; he said that the soldiers, and especially the troops raised in Massachusetts, were very deficient in necessary clothing, and recommended that ten thousand hunting shirts be furnished them. He complained that there was so great destitution of ammunition that the artillery would be of little use. Added to all these difficulties, there was much dissatisfaction in the provinces of Massachusetts and Connectl- * cut with the appointment of general officers, ; and there was danger that the whole | army would be thrown into disorder. I He had “ a sincere pleasure in observing that there are materials for a good army, a great s number of ablebodied men, active, zealous in the cause, and of unquestionable courage;” but he thought their spirit had “exceeded their strength,” and he humbly submitted “the propriety of making some further provision of men from other colonies.”