thinkthecommissaryshouldbeinstructed，afterthenextharvest，nottosendonebushelofgraintothebarracksfrombelowthefallsoftherivers，orfromthenortherncounties。Thecountiesontidewaterareaccessibletothecallsforourownarmy。Theirsuppliesought，therefore，tobehusbandedforthem。ThecountiesinthenorthwesternpartsoftheStatearenotonlywithinreachforourowngrandarmy，butpeculiarlynecessaryforthesupportofMacintosh’sarmy；orforthesupportofanyothernorthwesternexpedition，whichtheuncertainconductoftheIndiansshouldrendernecessary；
　　insomuch，thatifthesuppliesofthatquartershouldbemisappliedtoanyotherpurpose，itwoulddestroy，inembryo，everyexertion，eitherforparticularorgeneralsafetythere。Thecountiesabovetidewater，inthemiddleandsouthernandwesternpartsofthecountry，arenotaccessibletocallsforeitherofthosepurposes，butatsuchanexpenseoftransportationasthearticlewouldnotbear。Here，then，isagreatfield，whosesuppliesofbreadcannotbecarriedtoourarmy，orrather，whichwillraisenosuppliesofbread，becausethereisnobodytoeatthem。Wasitnot，then，wiseinCongresstoremovetothatfieldfourthousandidlemouths，whomustotherwisehaveinterferedwiththepastureofourowntroops?
　　And，iftheyareremovedtoanyotherpartofthecountry，willitnotdefeatthiswisepurpose?ThemillsonthewatersofJamesriver，abovethefalls，opentocanoenavigation，areverymany。
　　Someofthemareofgreatnote，asmanufacturers。Thebarracksaresurroundedbymills。TherearefiveorsixroundaboutCharlottesville。Anytwoorthreeofthewholemight，inthecourseofthewinter，manufacturefloursufficientfortheyear。Tosaytheworst，then，ofthissituation，itisbuttwelvemileswrong。Thesafecustodyofthesetroopsisanothercircumstanceworthyconsideration。Equallyremovedfromtheaccessofaneasternorwesternenemy；centraltothewholeState，sothatshouldtheyattemptanirruptioninanydirection，theymustpassthroughagreatextentofhostilecountry；inaneighborhoodthicklyinhabitedbyarobustandhardypeoplezealousintheAmericancause，acquaintedwiththeuseofarms，andthedefilesandpassesbywhichtheymustissue：itwouldseem，thatinthispointofview，noplacecouldhavebeenbetterchosen。
　　Theirhealthisalsoofimportance。Iwouldnotendeavortoshowthattheirlivesarevaluabletous，becauseitwouldsupposeapossibility，thathumanitywaskickedoutofdoorsinAmerica，andinterestonlyattendedto。Thebarracksoccupythetopandbrowofaveryhighhill，youhavebeenuntrulytoldtheywereinabottom。
　　Theyarefreefrombog，havefourspringswhichseemtobeplentiful，onewithintwentyyardsofthepiquet，twowithinfiftyyards，andanotherwithintwohundredandfifty，andtheyproposetosinkwellswithinthepiquet。Offourthousandpeople，itshouldbeexpected，accordingtotheordinarycalculations，thatoneshoulddieeveryday。Yet，inthespaceofnearthreemonths，therehavebeenbutfourdeathsamongthem；twoinfantsunderthreeweeksold，andtwoothersbyapoplexy。Theofficerstellme，thetroopswereneverbeforesohealthysincetheywereembodied。
　　Butisanenemysoexecrable，that，thoughincaptivity，hiswishesandcomfortsaretobedisregardedandevencrossed?Ithinknot。Itisforthebenefitofmankindtomitigatethehorrorsofwarasmuchaspossible。Thepractice，therefore，ofmodernnations，oftreatingcaptiveenemieswithpolitenessandgenerosity，isnotonlydelightfulincontemplation，butreallyinterestingtoalltheworld，friends，foes，andneutrals。Letusapplythis：theofficers，afterconsiderablehardships，haveallprocuredquarters，comfortableandsatisfactorytothem。Inordertodothis，theywereobliged，inmanyinstances，tohirehousesforayearcertain，andatsuchexorbitantrents，asweresufficienttotemptindependentownerstogooutofthem，andshiftastheycould。Thesehouses，inmostcases，weremuchoutofrepair。Theyhaverepairedthemataconsiderableexpense。Oneofthegeneralofficershastakenaplacefortwoyears，advancedtherentforthewholetime，andbeenobliged，moreover，toerectadditionalbuildingsfortheaccommodationofpartofhisfamily，forwhichtherewasnotroominthehouserented。Independentofthebrickwork，forthecarpentryoftheseadditionalbuildings，Iknowheistopayfifteenhundreddollars。Thesamegentleman，tomyknowledge，haspaidtoonepersonthreethousandsixhundredandseventydollarsfordifferentarticlestofixhimselfcommodiously。Theyhavegenerallylaidintheirstocksofgrainandotherprovisions，foritiswellknownthatofficersdonotliveontheirrations。Theyhavepurchasedcows，sheep，&c。，setintofarming，preparedtheirgardens，andhaveaprospectofcomfortandquietbeforethem。Toturntothesoldiers：
　　theenvironsofthebarracksaredelightful，thegroundcleared，laidoffinhundredsofgardens，eachenclosedinitsseparatepaling；
　　thesewellprepared，andexhibitingafineappearance。GeneralRiedezelalonelaidoutupwardsoftwohundredpoundsingardenseedsfortheGermantroopsonly。Judgewhatanextentofgroundtheseseedswouldcover。Thereislittledoubtthattheirowngardenswillfurnishthemagreatabundanceofvegetablesthroughtheyear。Theirpoultry，pigeonsandotherpreparationsofthatkind，presenttothemindtheideaofacompanyoffarmers，ratherthanacampofsoldiers。Inadditiontothebarracksbuiltforthembythepublic，andnowverycomfortable，theyhavebuiltgreatnumbersforthemselves，insuchmessesasfanciedeachother；andthewholecorps，bothofficersandmen，seemnowhappyandsatisfiedwiththeirsituation。Havingthusfoundtheartofrenderingcaptivityitselfcomfortable，andcarrieditintoexecution，attheirowngreatexpenseandlabor，theirspiritssustainedbytheprospectofgratificationsrisingbeforetheireyes，doesnoteverysentimentofhumanityrevoltagainstthepropositionofstrippingthemofallthis，andremovingthemintonewsituations，where，fromtheadvancedseasonoftheyear，nopreparationscanbemadeforcarryingthemselvescomfortablythroughtheheatsofsummer；andwhenitisknownthatthenecessaryadvancesfortheconveniencesalreadyprovided，haveexhaustedtheirfundsandleftthemunabletomakethelikeexertionsanew。Again，reviewthismatter，asitmayregardappearances。Abodyoftroops，afterstayingatwelvemonthatBoston，areorderedtotakeamarchofsevenhundredmilestoVirginia，where，itissaid，theymaybeplentifullysubsisted。Assoonastheyarethere，theyareorderedonsomeothermarch，because，inVirginia，itissaid，theycannotbesubsisted。
　　Indifferentnationswillchargethiseithertoignorance，ortowhimandcaprice；thepartiesinterested，tocruelty。Theynowviewthepropositioninthatlight，anditissaid，thereisageneralandfirmpersuasionamongthem，thattheyweremarchedfromBostonwithnootherpurposethantoharassanddestroythemwitheternalmarches。Perseveranceinobject，thoughnotbythemostdirectway，isoftenmorelaudablethanperpetualchanges，asoftenastheobjectshiftslight。Acharacterofsteadinessinourcouncils，isworthmorethanthesubsistenceoffourthousandpeople。
　　Therecouldnothavebeenamoreunluckyconcurrenceofcircumstancesthanwhenthesetroopsfirstcame。Thebarrackswereunfinishedforwantoflaborers，thespellofweathertheworsteverknownwithinthememoryofman，nostoresofbreadlaidin，theroads，bytheweatherandnumberofwagons，soonrenderedimpassable：
　　notonlythetroopsthemselvesweregreatlydisappointed，butthepeopleintheneighborhoodwerealarmedattheconsequenceswhichatotalfailureofprovisionsmightproduce。Inthisworststateofthings，theirsituationwasseenbymanyanddisseminatedthroughthecountry，soastooccasionageneraldissatisfaction，whichevenseizedthemindsofreasonablemen，who，ifnotaffectedbythecontagion，musthaveforeseenthattheprospectmustbrighten，andthatgreatadvantagestothepeoplemustnecessarilyarise。Ithas，accordingly，sohappened。Theplanters，beingmoregenerallysellersthanbuyers，havefeltthebenefitoftheirpresenceinthemostvitalpartaboutthem，theirpurses，andarenowsensibleofitssource。Ihavetoogoodanopinionoftheirloveofordertobelievethataremovalofthesetroopswouldproduceanyirregularproofsoftheirdisapprobation，butIamwellassureditwouldbeextremelyodioustothem。
　　Toconclude。Theseparationofthesetroopswouldbeabreachofpublicfaith，thereforeIsupposeitisimpossible；iftheyareremovedtoanotherState，itisthefaultofthecommissaries；iftheyareremovedtoanyotherpartoftheState，itisthefaultofthecommissaries；andinbothcases，thepublicinterestandpublicsecuritysuffer，thecomfortableandplentifulsubsistenceofourownarmyislessened，thehealthofthetroopsneglected，theirwishescrossed，andtheircomfortstornfromthem，thecharacterofwhimandcaprice，or，whatisworse，ofcruelty，fixedonusasanation，and，tocrownthewhole，ourownpeopledisgustedwithsuchaproceeding。
　　Ihavethustakenthelibertyofrepresentingtoyouthefactsandthereasons，whichseemtomilitateagainsttheseparationorremovalofthesetroops。Iamsensible，however，thatthesamesubjectmayappeartodifferentpersons，inverydifferentlights。
　　WhatIhaveurgedasreasons，may，tosounderminds，beapparentfallacies。Ihopetheywillappear，atleast，soplausible，astoexcusetheinterpositionofYourExcellency’smostobedientandmosthumbleservant。
　　THETRAITORARNOLD
　　_ToJ。P。G。Muhlenberg_
　　_Richmond，Jan。31，1781_
　　SIR，——AcquaintedasyouarewiththetreasonsofArnold，I
　　needsaynothingforyourinformation，ortogiveyouapropersentimentofthem。Youwillreadilysupposethatitisaboveallthingsdesirabletodraghimfromthoseunderwhosewingheisnowsheltered。OnhismarchtoandfromthisplaceIamcertainitmighthavebeendonewithfacilitybymenofenterprise&firmness。I
　　thinkitmaystillbedonethoughperhapsnotquitesoeasily。
　　HavingpeculiarconfidenceinthemenfromtheWesternsideoftheMountains，Imeantassoonastheyshouldcomedowntogettheenterpriseproposedtoachosennumberofthem，suchwhosecourage&
　　whosefidelitywouldbeabovealldoubt。Yourperfectknowlegeofthosemenpersonally，andmyconfidenceinyourdiscretion，inducemetoaskyoutopickfromamongthempropercharacters，insuchnumberasyouthinkbest，torevealtothemourdesire，&engagethemtoundertaketoseizeandbringoffthisgreatestofalltraitors。
　　Whetherthismaybebesteffectedbytheirgoinginasfriends&
　　awaitingtheiropportunity，orotherwiseislefttothemselves。Thesmallerthenumberthebetter；sothattheybesufficienttomanagehim。Everynecessarycautionmustbeusedontheirpart，topreventadiscoveryoftheirdesignbytheenemy，asshouldtheybetaken，thelawsofwarwilljustifyagainstthemthemostrigoroussentence。
　　Iwillundertakeiftheyaresuccessfulinbringinghimoffalive，thattheyshallreceivefivethousandguineasrewardamongthem。AndtomenformedforsuchanenterpriseitmustbeagreatincitementtoknowthattheirnameswillberecordedwithgloryinhistorywiththoseofVanwert，Paulding&Williams。TheenclosedorderfromBaronSteubenwillauthorizeyoutocallfor&disposeofanyforceyoumaythinknecessary，toplaceinreadinessforcoveringtheenterprise&
　　securingtheretreatoftheparty。Mr。Newtonthebearerofthis，&
　　towhomitscontentsarecommunicatedinconfidence，willprovidemenoftrusttogoasguides。Thesemaybeassociatedintheenterpriseornot，asyouplease；butletthatpointbepreviouslysettledthatnodifficultiesmayariseastothepartiesentitledtoparticipateofthereward。Youknowhownecessaryprofoundsecrecyisinthisbusiness，evenifitbenotundertaken。
　　WELCOMETOTHEMARGUIS
　　_ToLafayette_
　　_Richmond，March10th，1781_
　　SIR，——IntendingthatthisshallawaityourarrivalinthisStateIwithgreatjoywelcomeyouonthatevent。IaminducedtofromtheverygreatesteemyourpersonalcharacterandtheHopesI
　　entertainofyourrelievingusfromourenemywithinthisState。
　　Couldanycircumstanceshaverenderedyourpresencemoredesirableormorenecessaryitistheunfortunateonewhichobligesmetoencloseyoutheenclosedpapers。
　　ItrustthatyourfutureAcquaintancewiththeExecutiveoftheStatewillevincetoyouthatamongtheirfaultsisnottobecountedawantofdispostiontosecondtheviewsoftheCommanderagainstourcommonEnemy。Wearetoomuchinterestedinthepresentscene&havetoomuchatstaketoleaveadoubtonthatHead。MildLaws，aPeoplenotusedtopromptobedience，awantofprovisionsofWar&meansofprocuringthemrenderourordersoftenineffectual，obligeustotemporise&whenwecannotaccomplishanobjectinonewaytoattemptitinanother。Yourknowledgeofthesecircumstanceswithatempertoaccommodatethemensuremeyourcooperationinthebestwaywecan，whenweshallbeabletopursuethewaywewouldwish。