The Writings of George Washington
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: TO ROBERT MORRIS. Headquarters, 17 May, 1782. I have been honored with your Favor of the 23d of April?The Information it contains is in some Respects, pleasing and important?I thank you for the Communication; and need not assure you, that your Confidence shall never be abused by me. gress. The late change of ministry had produced a change in the determinations of the British Cabinet, and in the measures for prosecuting the war, wholly unexpected and as yet not even conjectured in the United States. This will appear by the following extracts from the directions of the new secretary at war to Sir Guy Carleton when he left England: The first object of your attention must be the withdrawing of the garrison, artillery, provisions, stores of all kinds, and every species of public property from New York and its dependencies to Halifax. The same steps are to be taken with reference to the garrisons of Charleston and Savannah. The garrison of St. Augustine you will determine upon according to circumstances on your arrival. The execution of the whole, both in point of mode and time, is left to your discretion. In case you should meet with obstructions by any attack supported by a formidable force, or from disappointments, so that it will not be in your power to effect the evacuation without great hazard of considerable loss, an early capitulation, which may secure the main object, is thought preferable to an obstinate defence of the place without hope of answering any national purpose by it. In the execution of his Majesty's command you must always bear in recollection, that the removal and reservation of his Majesty's troops for his service is the immediate object, to which all other considerations must give way. But you must likewise lose no time to avail yourself of ...