Valley Forge, February 15, 1778.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 2d ultimo, from Chantilly, enclosing Lieutenant Colonel Frazer’s orders for the management of the grenadiers and light infantry in an action, and upon a march, came to my hands in the course of last month, and merits my thanks, as it may be of use to such corps, one of which (consisting of light infantry) we are now forming. The enemy are governed by no principles that ought to actuate honest men; no wonder then, that forgery should be amongst their other crimes. I have seen a letter published in a handbill at New York, and extracts of it republished in the Philadelphia paper, said to be from me to Mrs. Washington, not one word of which did I ever write; those contained in the pamphlet you speak of, are, I presume, equally genuine, and perhaps written by the same author.1 I should be glad however to see and examine the texture of them, if a favourable opportunity to send them should present.2
Lord Cornwallis has certainly embarked for England, but with what view is not so easy to determine: he was eye witness a few days before his departure, to a scene not a little disgraceful to the pride of British valour, in their manœuvre to Chesnut hill, and precipitate return, after boasting their intentions of driving us beyond the mountains.3
I am very glad to find that the Assembly of Virginia, have taken matters up so spiritedly; but wish, instead of attempting to raise so many volunteers, they had resolved at all adventures to complete their regiments by drafting. If all the states would do this, and fall upon ways and means to supply their troops with comfortable clothing upon moderate terms, and Congress would make the commissions of officers of some value to them, every thing would probably go well, making at the same time some reform in the different departments of the army; nothing standing in greater need of it than the quartermasters and commissaries, as no army ever suffered more by their neglect; the consequences of this neglect are much to be dreaded.
I am, etc.4
1 The handbill had been printed by Rivington and issued in advance of the pamphlet which has come to be known as the Spurious Letters of Washington. William Carmichael states that these letters were composed in London by a group of American expatriates, who managed to obtain a few shillings by such work. Washington himself thought that "Jack" Randolph, the last royal attorney general of Virginia, was the author. The letters were originally published by J. Bew in London. Rivington reprinted the pamphlet in New York.
2 Lee had written "The arts of the enemies of America are endless, but all wicked as they are various. Among other tricks, they have forged a pamphlet of Fetters, entitled 'Letters from General Washington to Several of his Friends, in 1776.' The design of the forger is evident, and no doubt it gained him a good beefsteak from his masters. I would send you this pamphlet, if it were not too bulky for the post, as it might serve to amuse your leisure hours during the inaction of winter."
3 The British movements, Dec. 4 - 8, 1777.
4 This letter and also Lee’s letter to Washington are taken from Memoir of the Life of Richard Henry Lee and His Correspondence.