Baltimore, 6th Feby, 1777
Dear Sir:
The events of war having not been considerable lately, this is chiefly intended to enclose you the British king’s speech to his Parliament, which you will see in the News paper. Skirmishes are daily happening between our troops and the foraging parties of the enemy, in which we seldom fail to beat them and take their forage. Their numbers are this way daily decreasing, and the survivors in great distress for food and feed. The many horses we have taken from them are emaciated extremely.
If our new army can be got up in good time I hope we shall deal effectually with these Tyrant Tools. Mr. Page writes us that a Vessel has arrived with you that brings continental soldier’s cloaths.
1 I hope that these being put on the backs of your new recruits, will greatly forward the new inlistments. That the troops should expeditiously join the General is a point so clearly necessary, that I am sure you will promote it with all your power.
I am, very affectionately yours,
Richard Henry Lee.
Printed in William Wirt Henry, Patrick Henry, Life, Correspondence and Speeches, 3 vols. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1891), 3:42 - 43. Printed also in James Curtis Ballagh, The Letters of Richard Henry Lee, Volume 1, 1762 - 1778, p. 255. Slightly variant transcripts of this letter, both dated 5 February, are in William C. Rives Papers, Library of Congress, and The Collector 55 (February 1941): item 937.
1 For a reference to Page’s later comments concerning this vessel and its cargo, see Lee to John Page, February 19, 1777, note.