Richard Henry Lee to Arthur Lee

It gave me inexpressible pleasure to find by your joint letter from Paris to Congress that you were safely arrived in France. As well on your own account I was rejoiced, as on that of my Country, well knowing with what zeal and ability the cause of America and of mankind will be served by you. Heaven grant you may be as successful in your negotiations as you wish to be and as the greatest and most virtuous cause that the sun ever shone on deserves. That the exertions of America will be firm, and great as are in her power, you may rely upon with absolute confidence, but then it ought not to be forgotten by those who wish our eternal seperations from Great Britain, that the single strength of North America opposed to the united force of Great Britain and her Allies may prove an unequal contest, and should not be trusted too far. The difficulty of finding funds whilst our Trade is shut up by a superior marine strength, is very distressing and would find present relief, if the United Fleets of Spain & France were to fall on that of G.B. in its present state of inferiority. It amazes me that the Politicians of these two Kingdoms do not see with what certainty they may, in conjunction with N. America humble the pride and power of Britain, as well as that if the latter accomplish their plan of subjugating America, the force of both must & will be apylied to attack the American possessions of the House of Bourbon.

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It is now in the power of Spain, with ease to get the Harbor of Pensacola for her homeward bound Ships, and surely the power of Great Britain & N. America divided can never be so dangerous to her as when united, abstracted from the consideration of gratitude that must bind to her the affection of virtuous young republics for timely and effectual aid afforded them in the day of their distress. It will be very long before such kindness will be forgotten. Since the 24th of December, we have been in a constant train of success against the enemy, and from that time, during the whole winters Campaign, for it has never stopt, we have reduced the enemies force at least 4000 men. They have been confined to the Hills of Brunswick in New Jersey the whole winter, and there they remain now, their foraging parties have been so beaten and driven back that their distress has been great & their horses have died in numbers. And this has been done chiefly by Militia, our regular Army having been dispersed last fall in consequence of short enlistments which had taken place in Spring 1776 in the uncertain State that our affairs were then under. The Levies for forming a new regular Army for duration are now moving up to Head Quarters in Jersey from all the States, and an Army is forming at Ticonderoga ready to meet Gen Carleton as soon as the ice permits him to cross Lake Champlain. But we are greatly retarded by the necessity we are under of passing all our Troops thro inoculation before they join the Army. And this I fear will prevent us from taking advantage of the enemies weakness and presumption in remaining where they are before they get reinforced.

Brunswick (on the hills near which the enemy are fortified) is in New Jersey upon the river Rareton which communicates with the Sea at Amboy near New York. The Rareton is not navigable for ships, but for small Craft, and it is about 12 miles from Brunswick to Amboy, so that you find they keep pretty nigh to their Ships. What a fine stroke it would be for a Spanish Fleet to remove their small Ships of War, which would effectually deliver their Army into our hands. And it would not quickly be in the power of England to recover this blow. Except two, the other States have fixed, and are exercising their new Governments which you may well suppose must add greatly to our force, safety, and success. We have 13 Frigates nearly finished and some of them at Sea. Our Privateers you know have been very successful and still continue to be so. You cannot imagine what universal joy and spirit it would give to North America if Spain and France were now to Attack Great Britain. The success wd. be infallible, and the independence of America immoveably fixed.

Before this reaches you, the former dispatches will be arrived, by which you will see that Congress had proposed Doctor Franklin to attend the Court of Spain whilst you remained at Paris, but I suppose you have jointly considered that it may do as well for you to be at Madrid, and perhaps the Doctors age might render it inconvenient for him to travel so far. However, proper powers have long since been sent to Doctor Franklin appointing him to the Court of Spain altho he is not deprived of right still to represent these States at the Court of France.

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My obligation to you will never cease for taking care of my dear boys. But heaven knows what I shall do about making remittance whilst our Trade continues so obstructed by British Cruisers. Almost all the Frigates & Sloops of England are now employed against us. I have written to our brother,

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who I expect will be in France by the time this reaches there, proposing if possible, that Thom should be employed as his Clerk or Secretary whilst he remains in France, and that Ludwell be instructed in Military matters, but more especially eloquence, and the principles of Natural law, that he may here turn either to War or to the Law. But if this cannot be done, that they be both sent to me by the first of our Vessels of War that come to this Country. My wish, and my earnest wish, is, to put them both in a situation to be of service to their country, and beneficial to themselves, but since the times admit not of remittances being made, that one of them, or both, as the case may be, that cannot be somehow employed in France so as to get a subsistence, I would have sent to me by the first of our Vessels that is most likely to bring him safely. By ours, I do not mean Virginia Vessels, for you know our trade used to be carried on, almost entirely, in British Bottoms, so that few if any Ships from Virga. will for some time be sent to France; which renders it of great importance indeed to both Countries that the latter should force her Trade with the former thro the British Cruizers. It would benefit both amazingly, and every assistance will be given on our part.

May 31st. Since the above, the events of war have not been considerable. The Enemy, with about 2000 Men from N. York pushed up the Sound by water, and made a forced March thro a small part of Connecticut to surprise & destroy a Magazine of provisions laid up there for our Army. They succeeded in destroying about 1700 barrels of Salted Meat & some grain, with about 1000 barrels of flour. However, the Militia assembled quickly as possible under command of Generals Wooster & Arnold to the number of about 1500 and attacked the enemy as they were retreating to their Ships where with great difficulty, and much loss, they at length arrived. We learn that this trip has lessened their numbers at least 500. Among the wounded and since dead we are told they count Majr. General Govern. Tryon and a Colonel Wolcot. The loss of provisions has been amply made up to us by the Privateers who have taken 5000 barrels of Salted provisions coming to N. York from Europe. In a variety of skirmishes lately we have beaten them, and in some of these, their best Troops have been foiled. By this opportunity Congress sends you a particular Commission as their Representative at the Court of Spain. In my judgement, and it is an opinion founded on the most accurate information, the Independence, and security of N. America, cannot be said to be certain until an Alliance with Spain & France is procured, and in consequence, the British Arms, and Arts not solely employed for our ruin. You may be assured

that this is of infinite consequence to your Country and therefore you will conduct yourself accordingly. And for the assistance of our finance, an extensive loan is indispensable.⁴ If any untoward accident should have befallen our brother the alderman, in which case I have desired my letters to him to be sent you for your perusal, the management of my boys must rest entirely with you and in that case, at all events, you will see the necessity of sending them both immediately to me.

Farewell my dear Brother.

Richard Henry Lee

• 1. Letr to Committee March 8th
• 2. March 16th
• 3. March 29th
• 4. April 8
• 5. April 19

P.S. It will be of great consequence that I hear from you frequently & fully. If your letters come anywhere to the Northward of Virginia, or if they go by the West Indies, let them be directed to the care of our brother Doctor Shippen in Philadelphia. I believe Tryon is not dead and we have not heard more of Colo Wolcot.

R.H.L.