^**&* *.. 'iK,4' ,^ v -. A oAs^ INDICATION QF HIS PUBLIC CHARACTER IN THE STATION OF DIREC TOR-GENERAL OF THE MILITARY HOSPITALS, AND PHYSICIAN in CHIEF TO THE AMERICAN ARMY; ANNO 1776. * By JOHN MORGAN, m. d. f. r. s. PROFESSOR of the Theory and Pradf ice of PHYSICK in the College of Philadelphia; Member of feveral Royal Colleges and Academies, and Philofophical and Li- terary Societies, in Europe and America. BOSTON: Printed by P O W A R S and WILLIS. M,DCC,LXXVII. 1 ^pfccfcofcoojo^ c$oc$o The MAN, in corifcious Virtue bold, Who dare his fecret Purpofe hold, Unihaken, hears the Crowds tumultuous Cries,. And the impetuous Tyrants angry Brow defies. Francis's Horace. To the Honorable The Congress of the United States or AMERICA, And to every Friend and Well-Wisher To the Rights and Liberties of Mankind THE FOLLOWING VINDICATION OF HIS PUBLIC CHARACTER, In the Station of Director-General Of the MILITARY HOSPITALS, And Physician in Chief To the AMERICAN ARMY, is, With all deference to Rank -and Authority, And with all becoming FREEDOM, CHEARFULLY SUBMITTED B Y Their most Respectful and most obedient humble Servant, JOHN MORGAN. T ** PROLEGOMENON. TH AT a mean and invidious, fet of men have looked upon my appointment to the ftation of Director-General and Physician in. Chief, with an evil eye, and long been concerting my removal, is a matter of which I have too fubflantial proof to doubt: That the unwearied pains I have taken to fupport ceconomy,regularitv and order, fe far, as, they have been introduced into the department, before it came under my management; to introduce, recommend and inforce them, where wanting; and to oppofe and reform abufes that were creeping, or had already crept into it, from the infancy of the fervice, were the root of the enmity, which fprung up againft my proceedings, are no lefs certain. It is equally evident that it received its growth and vigour from my inflexible refolution of being faith- ful to my- truft, in not fuffering, lo far as it was in my power to pre- vent, the diflipation of the (fores entrufted to me, for the ufes of the fick that mould be fent to the General Hofpital under my care, by expQnngv them to the wafte- and depredation of men, whole fchemes tended to the fubverfion of the General Hofpital, in which they la- boured to raife themfelves into an importance, which neither the General nor Congrefs ever intended, and from my putting a flop to thofe abufes, of which too many of them have been guilty. That thefe are the flock from whence have (booted.thofe.clamours againft me, which have been fo carefully cultivated, with a defign to injure my character with the public, under a pretence of intesefting them in the fufferings of the fick, tp which the imprudences of others had given rife; and to fhift the blame from them onmc; I doubt not will appear to the full conviction of every impartial perfon, who has patience to attend to the following Letters, Narrative, Proofs and Illufbration of fatts, which I propofe to lay before them. But that my enemies mould be able, with all the arts of malice, to have influenced Congrefs to proceed to my difniiffion, on their par- tial reports, is what I had no thoughts they would have been fo bold, or fo bafe, as to attempt; nor if they, had, could I have ima- gined that they would have fucceeded in their attempt. The manner in which I have conducted myfelf in the General Hof- pital department; my ftridl obfervance of the refolves of Congrefs; my vigilance, care and activity in the duties of my ftation; the ieveral plans I devifed for putting; it in the power of Congrefs^ (confidently with their own original fchemes of ceconomy) to make a better provifi on for regimental Surgeons and fick, as well as for the General Hofpital itfelf; the advices I have communicated, from time to time, to lcveral of the members, concerning the ftate and wr.nts cf the fick, and of the regimental Surgeons; the evils I have foretold were likely to enfue, and the remedies I pointed out, in time to prevent many of them; an, as not to have a fecret wifh to find, th-.t, in p'affin^ judgment, they muft appear to have been juft. Can it be tb.-ir defire to find that man blamelefs to whom they have behaved, as if they thougiit him otherwife ? Would it rot be ". reflexion upon their hafty judgment, w.ien they have tre\?t:J him, i: ^u'ltv, tu fin J him vhoiiy innocent. But [ vn ] BF But I will not do that Honourable Body the injuftice to entertain Ha fufpicion fo derogatory as to confider my difmiflion, and the man- ^ner of it, as a regular, deliberate act cf the Whole Body, or what W they approved. I have heard it aliedged, in their defence, againft I fo injurious a fuppofition, that many of the mod refpectable Mem- bers were abltnt; that fome of the States were not repre- | fented at the time ; and that feveral of the Members were wholly I oppofed to it; that it was an act into which they were fuddenly forced, by the clamours of a party, whom political neceflity, at the ! time, compelled them to gratify. But fuch is my opinion of the integrity, and fuch my reliance on the honour of Congrefs, as to believe that when they are furnifhed with the materials for judging properly, they will be as ready to do me juftice, as a part of them have been to liften to the malice and mihepieientation of my adverfaries; and to fhew their magnani- mity, by allowing that they have been capable of an error, by their reauineis to rediefs it. Thefe confiderations have reduced me to print fuch an account of my proceedings, as may enable them, and the public, to fee v ith clearnefs, and judge with conviction, on the propriety or impropriety of my conduct; and to put it in their power to condemn, or acquit me, on fufncient evidence. To fuppofe. as fome have been inclined to think, that Congrefs can objecl to this appeal, from their judgment to that of the public, would be a greater reflection, in my opinion, upon their juftice, and do more injury to that veneration we are bound to pay their virtue and wifdcm, than I think any Advocate of Liberty will dare to offer fo refpectable a Senate. Would it not be incompatible with every idea of that liberty and juftice for which America is now in arms, to difallow an honeft freedom of defence and expoftulation, or to flmt up the channels of communicating intelligence, by which the f public may be truly informed of the propriety cf their proceedings, if they mean to maintain the confidence of thofe who have furrendered to them their power and rights, not for their own, but the public food ? Without this is allowed, all our priviledges are but an empty oaft, " the bafelefs fabrick of a vijion" to which we are facrificing the mod fubflantial realities. Out of refpect to Congrefs, I have thus long deferred my appli- cation to the public. I can no longer, confidently with my reputa- tion, defer it. The wounds that are given by the envenomed tongue of calumny are deeper, and more fatal than the fword; they deftroy, what is dearer than life, reputation and peace of mind. Blemifhes on a man's public character foon fefler, and, if not fpeedily removed, will contaminate every thing about him, and infect the very air he breathes. He whofe reputation is injured, is ever fufpected ; his fociety is fliun- ned; he is looked upon as dangerous as a walking peflilence. I muft not therefore pafs over, in filence, a proceeding which ftrikes fo home at my honour. It would afford room for ingenious architects to raife a pile of plaufible charges, which filence is no ways calculated to re- fute. Evil reports are apt tc fpread like wild fire, and even perfons not \ [ viii ] eafily inclined to it, by repeating and circulating a ftory, it from hand to hand, whence it cannot fail to accumulate; an where flanders have been fuffered to tnke root, there are never wan ing fome perfons, who will ufe all kinds of manure to quicken the growth. And though my Friends are difpofed to look upon me as an innocent and injured perfon, yet I do not defire that they, or the world, fhould fet down fatisfied with a bare prefumption of my inno- cence, as my enemies have with that of my guilt. I rather wifh them to unite, in calling on me, to perfifl in dragging from their dark retreats, and chaining down thofe barking cerber.1, thofe pells of fociety. who lay in wait to prey on the reputation of others; and to proceed in laying open my conduct, and their evil machinations, fo long as any doubt remains of either, and the means of obtaining and com- municating evidence on the facts are within my power. Before I enter upon the talk, may I be permitted, without offence, to guard againft a miftake that fome may, perhaps, otherwife fall into. They may fuppofe, from the pains I am taking to vindicate myfelf from groundlefs imputations, that I wifh, or aim to be reftored to the place from which I have been removed; and that I ought rather, on the firft appearance of the injuftice done me, to have re- figned my commiffion, by which I might have freed myfelf from much trouble, and have avoided the public difcred it of being re- moved from it. After I have given fuch evidence, as I have done, of the readinefs with which I confented to ferve my country, at the firft call, as a proof of my principles, and of my obedience to their com- mands, I flatter myfelf I may, without offence, be allowed to ac- quaint the world, that, on the very firft intimation I ever received of the complaints made to Congrefs, I called for an immediate hearing. The honorable Member who informed me of them, gave ine a hint of refignation being the moft advifeable flep to be taken, in the like circumftances, to quiet thofe clamours. Could I have firil vindicated my innocence, I fhould have refigned with plcafure, for I had not the remoteft wifh to continue in an office that was fo intolerably burdenfome, when there was fuch want of difcipline to inforce thofe regulations, which both the Congrefs and Commander in Chief thought were bell; nor did I think a fervice that, for want of dif- cipline and fuitable provifion, was in a flate of the utmoft anarchy and confufion, fo very honorable, as to have a defire to remain in it, one moment longer than, by fo doing, I could be ufeful to my Country.—But had I refigned, before I had been favoured with an examination into my conduct, it might rather have prepoffefled the world with an opinion, that there was fome ground for thofe cla- mours againft me, of which I was no ways confeious. I determined, therefore, to infift on an inquiry into my conduct, and having fully vindicated it, to have clofed with the propofal to refign, had it been allowed me to do fo. I fhould then have rejoiced to have efcaped from that fcene of confufion to which I have been fo long a witnefs, and in which I could I K [ « 3 Hold not be ufeful, to my former ftation, in private life. On this Hround, I confider my difmifficn, not only as more honourable than Hrrefignation, without a previous juftifica.ion of my conduct, but than a continuance in office, under the circumftances I have been in, al- F moll ever fince I accepted that commiffion. But I particularly rejoice in it, as it affords me an opportunity of vindicating my conduct, not only to the Whole Congrefs, but to the Whole World, and having dene it, I leave the event to that God who rules the world, and in whofe hands are all our ways. Every thing I deem neceffary, at preferit, for my full junification, is contained in the following letter to a friend at Philadelphia, my memorial to General Wafhington, and the letters and refolves of Congrefs, with the proofs and illuflrations that are fubjoined in the appendix. I fhall make no other apology for laying them before the public in that form and order, than that I think them the beft adapted to give both Congrefs, and the public, full information of the nature of my conduct; and if, in the courfe of my narrative, the k. facts I adduce, and the remarks which arife upon them, fhould leem to glance obliquely on any particulars, I hope I may be allowed to plead, that the treatment I have met with, and the nature of my vin- dication, requires freedom; and, that I fhall be excufed in the eye ofreafon, and with every candid mind, if I do not fmother the ' truth, and thereby weaken my defence, merely to avoid giving pain •o any. A LETTER to a frisnd at Philadelphia. Bofton, April 17, 1777. " Pudet hoec opprobria nobis, " Aut did potuijfcj aut non potuijfe refelli'" Dear Sir, I Am obliged to you, for the accounts I have received of thofe loud clamours, which have been circulating through Philadel- phia, at my expence. I have inclofed, and already fent to the poft- office, the news-papers of lafl week, and of this day, containing my anfwer to thofe injurious charges, fo groundlefsly, and yet fo malici- oufly propagated, by certain virulent calumniators, which, I flatter myfelf, will open a door for a full and ample vindication of the whole of my conduct; a conduft which I fhall never fuffer to be traduced, in fo vile a manner, as hath been attempted, by a fet of weak, or defigning men, whilft I have a tongue to fpeak, or a pen and hand to employ, to clear myfelf from thofe afperfions.* B ^ * The nevjs-paptrs, here referred to, are the Independent Chronicle, tf April lotb and 17th, and the Bofton Weekly Ad-vertifer, of the 17/A; fropt whisk it may he proper to acquaint th r(*der, that in that of April It is in vain for any of my friends to expeft, that I will fet*H under the bafe imputations, or reft fatisfied in that general pcrfuafio^L they all have of my innocence, or acquiefce in any thing fhort ofV a full 1 the loth, being informed of fome evil minded perfons, who had taken up- on them to raife and circulate a number of falje reports and groundleft clamours, at Bofton, on account of my having taken poffeffion cf the me- dicines and Jhop-furniture of Dr. Sylvefter Gardner, and Dr. William Perkins, of Bofton, for the ufe of the army; and to alledge that many of the fufferings of the fick, in the laft campaign, arofe from my having un~ juftly withheld from them (or from the Regimental Surgeons) thofe ftores -which they were entitled to draw from the General Hofpital', I came to Bofton on purpofe to call upon the perfons pointed out, as the prm* cipal authors of thofe reports, requiring them to make good that charge, and at the fame time inviting any perfons, --who had any thing to offer' againft me, that regarded the faithful dij'charge of my truft, to ftep forth, ■ and ft ate their accufations. I then promifed to lay before the public, a faithful and exail account of every proceeding, relative to the difcharge of my duty in the above ftation, by 'which the 'world would be enabled to judge whether the charges were well founded, or only proceeded from et fpirit of malignity and detrailion. In the papers of the \~th, I communicated the refult of that examina-* tion, 'with a letter, calling upon the author of the report, concerning the removal of the medicines, to know 'what he had to offer ; to 'which he returned a Jhort evafive anjwer, difclaiming the charge, 'which is there publijhed, together 'with a full account of the tranfatlion. In that paper the public were informed, that in refpecl to the removal of the drugs, medicines and pop-furniture in queftion, I had the order of \ General Wafhington, in writing, for what I did, backed with a rcfolve cf the Council and AJfcmbly of the State of Maffachufetts-Bay, after a fequeftraiion of the property of thofe perfons;—that they were removed , to New-York, for the ufe of the army ;—that 'whatever 'was done by me, in this affair, was merely official;—that an inventory of the whole was i left with the Bofton Committee, that, in cafe the former owners fhould return to town, and be entitled to claim a reftitution of their effects, the 'value might be duly afccrtained ;—that a particular and faithful account ef every thing done in this bufinefs, was tranfmitted to the Adjutant \ General, to be laid before the Commander in Chief, for which I received i thanks for the matter and manner of what I had done;—and that an inventory af every hofpital ftore, remaining on hand, being made out by 1 the Apothecary of the General Hofpital, with care and cxailnefs, was * tranfmitted to General Wafhington and Jhe Congrefs, of-which I kept an 1 authentic copy; concluding this head 'with an addrej's to thofe perfons, to take fhame and confufion of face to themfelves, who judging only from the corruption of their own hearts, appear to think it impofjible for men, to whom much is entrufted, to keep free from that pollution of hands, vhich they find in themfelves fuch a pronenefs to contrad. > In regard to the J'tQQtid charge, which relates to the with-holding the 1 [ xi ] and impartial difcuffion of every particular, relative to my pro- lgs, in my late ftation. You I hofpital ftores ; this being reported againft me, by Dr. Story, Surgeon of Col. Little's regiment, I wrote a letter to him, April $th, calling on him to explain himfelffor taking fuch unwarrantable licence as he had done, affuring him that no man, be his rank in life 'what it may, Jhould be fuf- fered to do it, 'with impunity ; Dr. Story declining to take any notice of it, that letter was publijhed in the Independent Chronicle, of the I "j-th of April, with the following Declaration of Col. Jofeph Trumbull, Efq; Commijfary General of the American army. To a,U whom it may concern. JD E it known, that—whereas I have been informed that it has been t induftrioufty propagated by fome evil-minded perjbns, in divers parts r of the country— That Dr. John Morgan, late Direclor-General of the Continental Hofpital, has drawn from the Commijfary-General's office, * the well rations, for the fick, while in the General Hofpital; and that he has 1 pocketed the Jame for his own emolument; / have this day made examina- ■ tion of my books, clerks, C5'c.—andfindthat I have not a charge in my hooks, of a single PENNY paid to Jaid Dotlor Morgan, or any ether Hofpital Surgeon under him, on account of rations f*r the fick; nor did I ever pay any thing, on that account, to Dotlor Morgan, fo that there cannot be the leaft foundation for fuch afperfion of his charac- ter.—/ have paid LARGE SUMS for the rations of the fick, in Regi- . mental and Brigade Hofpitals, to many Brigade and Regimental Phyfi- cians and Surgeons, but never a farthing to faid DoSior Morgan, or any General Hofpital Phyfician or Surgeon whatever. Given under my Hand at Hartford, zd of April, IJJ1. JOSEPH TRUMBULL, Commijfary-General. N. B. The public are now informed, that Dr. Story having after: wards infinuated,—that, " vjhen he was properly called upon, he did not doubt he Jhould be able tojupport what he had at any time advanced" I called upon him in perfon, for an explanation, when he thought fit to de- ny, that, at the very time be affirmed the fuff'erings of the fick to have y arifenfrcm the caufe ajjigned, of withholding from the Regimental Sur- geons or fick, what he J'uppoJ'ed them entitled to draw from, the General Hofpital; (to which, however, they had no claimj "he had any thought of Dr. Morgan's having any intention to defraud the Continent." Laftly, it is proper it Jhould be known thai the aforementioned invitation, if any man had any thing to alledge againft the faithful dijcharge of his truft, to ftcp forth and declare it, has been alfo printed in the Rhode-Iftand, Conneaicut and Philadelphia papers, without any the leaft reply; from whence all men may judge how groundlej's, as well as malicious, thofe clamours were; and, no doubt, will, in hchalf cf injured innocence, feci a juft indignation at the authors thereof. You would comfort me with thofe true obfervations, that "it is ntrHk for men in public flations, in times like thefe, to expect to be free^^ from cenfure, nor fhould they be difcouraged at the obloquies, with "'H which fome men wifh to (lain their characters; they ought to con- 1 tent themfelves with this remark, that men of worth, who are not I only nnocent, but whole conduct is meritorious, are moll liable to I be traduced by ignorant and defigning men ; that not to meet 'with I envy and back-biting, is a frequent effcil cf compliances, which argue a ™ weaknej's unworthy of confidence.'' V cu lay, " my friendsknowl do not , wifh t< Lepopular '. quires a ftrict and wary attention, not to be oorne down by ignorant or defigning men, or to preferve the dignity of the place committed to him, without which, however, he muft unavoidably expofe him- felf to a thoufand rude attempts to difhonour his judgment, and oblige him to act inconfiftent with it." You wifh me to fupport my- fe'f under this reflexion, that " the beft prcvifion thofe men can i m: ke, for all events, who are above fuch compliances with the ways of the world, as may impeach their honour, or offer violence to their confidence ; and to whom the judgment and approbation of the word is matter of but fecond confideration, is to have a firm confidence in Providence, that he will not fuffer their innocency to be utterly op- prelfed, or notonuufly defamed, and yet expect the gulls and ftorrns of rumoi, envy and detraction ; to iuok on thefe as & purgatory he is unavoidably to pafs through, and depend upon time, and the good- jiefs of Heavm for a vindication • and by conilaru,y performing all the duties of Jiis place and ftation vvi'.h juilice and :r.;x£rity, prcv^ 'to [ X»I ] fo all men, how groundlefs thofe charges were, that men of fecret .defigns have imputed to him." To thefe judicious reflexions and obfervations, permit me to re- ply,—That to pafs over, in filence, a proceeding, which ftrikes fo home at a man's reputation, as that of his difmiflion from a public ilation, and being lupcrceded, without a caufe afligned, will be con- fidered, by moft of mankind, as an argument of confcious guilt.— The complaints which have been made, ought furely to have been heard before a court of war, which was doubtiefs the proper method of proceeding for offences, fuppofed to be committed againft the army, before which fuch an inquiry might be made, as would de- termine the validity of the accufation, and how far the perfon ac- cufed was worthy of con ^emnation, acquittal, or honourable ac- knowledgments for the fervices he had done, and particularly for his care to avoiu ail thoie methods anl precedent, which men of lefs fcruple would haye iaid hold of, for their own advantage, and thought even juftifiable. Is it not hard to meet with fuch treatment as this, when a peribn's conduct has been highly meritorious, in the facri- fices he has made by entering into the fervice ; the lols he has en- dured in it; the fatigues, toils and dangers to which he has "been expofed; the throwing himfelf out of bufinefs, and mak;ng himfelf a marked character to ferve his Country, in a pofi: wherein his coun- trymen conceived he could be particularly uieful, from his former experience and knowledge in military hofpitals, when they could meet with none other, who had the fame pretence to experience, that would accept of it; and who has iuggefted to them the proper plans for improving and putting it on a better footing than he found it ? Muft he, in filence, behold others run away with the merits of his performances, and build on his foundations, who could neither pretend to the fame experience, nor done the fame duty, nor run the fame rifks and hazards, and quietly put up with the mifplaced cen- fures of the public ? Muft he content himfelf with the repeated 11 fie vos non vcbis" of the Mantuan Bard ? Where is the honour of a fervice, or what the fafety of accepting a place of truft, if the moft punctual compliance with the orders of his fuperiors, and, in many inftances, contrary to his own judgment, is to lay the foundation of a man's ruin ? If any fubtile, malicious, or vindictive insinuations, on the one hand, or the ambition of afpiring men, on the other, fhall, at any time, prevail againft thofe, who have made a facrifi :e of their private intereils, to follow their Country's call, in their particular ftation ; who value their in- tegrity more than popularity, and cannot be brought to adl in con- tradiction to their confidence or judgment, however powerful at- tempts are made to oblige them to do it; or if the character and reputation of one, who has ferved the public, in places of rank and truft, faithfully, irreproachably, with honour and applaufe, is to be immolated to the misrepresentations of others, or to the de- fignj and wifhes of a more swelling iktsrest, without any [ xiv ] IJA, trial, or giving the party accufed the leaft notice of what nature werti^A the complaints laid to his charge, or who were his accufers, that he ^B| might be able to fhow to the world, how groundlefs the accufations H . were, and how far their clamours were founded on private pique, I difappointed expectations, or fecret refentment ? Does not this conduct tend to overthrow the foundation of civil I Liberty, which can only be fecured by impartial trials, before dif- interefled judges, where the accufed perfon and the accufers are | brought face to face, and where full weight is given to the evidence '■! in favour of the accufed ? What line is there betwixt it and D E- S P O TIS M ? At this rate, who is free from the fatal effefts of influence ? Have not the States of America claimed that effential right, as one of the main pillars of their Liberties ? Or have Ame- ricans, who contend againft what they declare to be an illegal ufurpa- tion from abroad, on the natural rights of mankind, no laws to fe- j cure them from oppreffion at home? Has the Britifh fubject a de- fence againft the injuftice of a king, who fhould attempt to violate * thofe rights, and an American none againft that of his equals, when joined with power to injure him ? Is it a misfortune, eafily to be borne, that any perfons fhould lay «nder a charge, which it was the, duty of thofe, who are the authors ^ of it, to have'made good ? Is it not confiftent with the principles of equity, that every accujed perfon fhould be deemed innocent, or judg- ■ ment be fufpended till guilt is proved 2 Let all confider, what mif- chief may happen to themfelves, if, upon a general charge, without the mention of any one crime, a perfon is to be degraded from his rank and office ; for who is fecure from the confequences of fuch a precedent ? Or, if men of fecret defigns can thus fhelter themfelves, by facrificing thofe, who, from a fenfe of duty, remain immovable againft every effort to draw them afide from their duty, who is cer- tain that he fhall efcape the danger ? To incapacitate, in this manner, is no fuch fmall punifhment, that a man may eafily endure, though he be innocent. "It is to scourge ; it is to whip with scorpions ; /'/ is apunijhment cal- culated only for generous minds, thus to rob men of their Ho- nours;" it is to lay a ftain upon them, Which, though undeferved, a whole life is too fhort to efface the imprefiion, without it be fully vindicated; and, to them, is worfe than death. It reaches to inno- cent friends and relatives,' who would rather hear of their death, than their difgrace. It is to deftroy a man's peace of mind ; it i:, to expofe him to the tongue of flander, and the rude attempts of wicked men, who, by their behaviour, feem to think it a merit to load him with reproaches, as one without the fhadow of a virtue, " Nulla vir'.ute redemptum " a vitiis." But if I am proved guilty of mifconduct in my office, let my guilt meet with its defert; but on me, on me alone, let the public indig- nation fall: Let not one friend ever pity me: Let every trace of fym- pathy [ xv ] ^ Hffliy and compafiionbe obliterated from the tender breaft of every re- lative; of every dear and tender connexion ! On the other hand, if I am found innocent, I muft infill upon my right, of publicly affert- ing and maintaining that innocence, although hofts of evil-minded men fhould oppofe themfelves to the attempt, and I truft in Heaven, that it will come forth, on the teft, as gold tried in the furnace, with- out mixture of alloy. Nor fhall I reft, at eafe, till my vindication is as well known, and circulated as far as the malice of my accufers has fpread, and the difreputation fully wiped away, which the Congrefs has call upon me, by fo fhameful a difmiflion from office, on a mere accufation, without proof, and without an hearing, although repeatedly called for before that took place; and I apprehend it will be found, upon proper inquiry, that at the rifk of my reputation, fo grofly and fhame- fully infulted, and of popular favour, which I might eafily have ac- quired however, at the trifling expence of honour, and of the truft re- pofed in me by CongreJ's, whilft I was fighting in their caufe, having efcaped the fecret ambufhes of latent enemies, I was placed, Uriah- like, in the forefront of battle, amidft enemies fet in formidable ar- ray againft me; then deferted, and left to fall, unfupported, by thofe who placed me there; and whofe duty it was to have protected me. If onej who being only accountable, by his commiflion, to the Congrefs and Commander in Chief, and who was more particularly under their wing, could not be fheltered, even by them, from fo furi- ous an onfet, fuch a violation of the common rights of mankind, till he could be brought to trial, and his guilt or innocence eftablifhed on undeniable evidence, I afk, once more, who then is fafe ? You have gone on, Sir, to tell me, " that on the firft rumour of my difmiflion, and the manner in which it firft took place, you felt all that indignation that might be expected from friendfhip, on fo interefting an occafion; but that you fuffered but a few moments of reflection to take place, before ycu were convinced of the falfity of the charges, which you fay, you are fure I can clear up to the entire fatisfaction of an impartial world; as you proceed, you enter into the fenfibilities of my own heart, on the firft news of my being treated fo unworthily." As you difcover a defire to know what reception thefe rumours met with from myfelf, I muft inform you of certain circumftances that prepared me, in fome fort, to think that ill offices had been done me, by unknown perfons; which I was determined, if poffible, to find out. I acknowledge that I felt refentment rifing in my breaft, on occafion thereof, the firft emotions of which I could not fupprefs; I was refolved toreftrain them, however, till I had fet on foot an in- quiry into the caufes of fuch treatment, as I met with, and, if mat- ters were not explained to my fatisfaction, to refign my commiflion, and bid adieu to a fervice, in which an injury was offered to my fenfe of honour. By the votes of Cornrd:, October the gth, it feems I was, in ef- fect, [ **I ] feft, degraded from the rank of Director General and Phyficia Chief, to the rank of Director only, and reftricted to the departmen on the Eaft fide of Hudfon's-Rive'r;—whilft the Director of the fly- ing camp, who had been appointed, after the campaign begr.r, to the temporary fervice of that campaign, without waiting the iflue of his fervices, was put on an equal, or, to fay the truth, a preferable footing, contrary to the rules and difcipline of war.* Inflead of making his reports to me, as Director-General, (a had been formerly ordered by a Refolve of Congrefs, July 17) we were both to make our reports to Congrefs. I was ordered to eftablifh an Hofpital, at a proper diftance from camp, for the army polled on the Eaft fide of the North-River, when there was no conve- nience for doing it on that fide,- at any fuitable diftance, being hem- med in by the two rivers, and the eneiny's forces, on either fide. He was to eftablifh an Hofpital in the Jerfies, on the Weft of Hud- fon's-River, and to direct it, where alone any fuitable accomoda- tions could be provided for the fick, with any the leaft regard to the convenience of the army, or the prefervation of the fick. Here al- moft the whole of the Hofpital ftores and medicines were lodged, ' and near one half of the Hofpital Surgeons and Mates of my depart- ment were; as well as all the wounded brought from Long-Iiland, and the fick of the General Hofpital at New-York, who, as the ob- ject of my peculiar care, were conveyed to the Jerfies, for their greate? fafety and better accommodation. At this very juncture, it was the General's pleafure that I fhould proceed to Hackinfack, on the Weft fide of the river, to eftablifh other hofpitals for the encreafing fick. I applied to him, to know in what light I was to confider thofe refolves; and whether, con- fidently with thein, 1 could continue to eftablifh hofpitals, or provide for the fick, that fhould be carried from the Eaft to the Weft fide of the river, fo that they fhould remain under my own care and fuper- intendence, or whether I was not, by thofe refolves, to be deprived of the only hofpitals I had, that were fit for the accommodation of the fick * That I might not miftake, I wrote to Mr. Gerry, a Member of Con- grefs, for an explanation of that refolve: His anfiwer is as follows. Philadelphia, November 20, 1776. " I have received your favour of the ylh inftant. With rcjped to the meaning of the rejolve of ordering the " Directors" to take care of the fick, as they may be on the Eaft or Weft fide of the river; it appears fs me to be this, that 'whatever fick of the army jhall happen to be on the Eaft fide, they Jhall be under the care of your J elf; and the others under direilion of Dr. Shippen." / am well informed, by a gentleman of unqueftionable honour and vera- city, and who hadJeen his Tetter to Dr. Shippen, about the jame time, that his addr.fs to him was to Dr. Shippen, " Dinttor GeneralfSc*1 A 'word to the wife. [ XVII j and wounded, and of the principal hofpital ftores which I had :ft, that I could command ; they being, at the retreat from New- rYork, fent to Newark, the only place where they could be difpenfed with fafety and convenience, for the ufe of the troops on New' York ifland, and in its neighbourhood. But General Wafhington*andGeneralGreen (whowasalfoprefent) gave it as their opinion, that the refolves of Congrefs extenued only to diftinguiih the two armies, for which l<-parate hofpitals were to De eftablifhed; that I was directed to eftabafh One for the fkk and wounded of General Wafhington's army, that was pofted on the Eaft fide of Hudfon's-River; and that.the other gentleman was to take care of the fick cf the flying camp, and fuch other of the Hoops* as happened to be then on the Eaft fide of the North-River, which was only a temporary ftation. Tkis view cf matters, in lcme mea- sure, compofed my apprehenfions at that time. 1 was unwilang to l^fcdmit the fuppofiiion that Congrefs, which, I was bound to think, wifhed order and fubordination to be kept up in every department of the army, intended that he fhould interfere with my power, and fu- perior appointment of Director-General, though, for the fake of fwcfent convenience, he might be ordered to make his report direct- y to Congrefs. I therefore concluded, as well from the coriftruction put upon it by the Generals* as from the reafonablenefs of the thing itfelf, that I was not prohibited from fixing hofpitals, either on the Eaft or Weft fide of the river* as beft anfwered for the army polled on the Eaft fidek I could not conceive that the lives of the men,, that compofed that army* were to be facrificed, by a limitation of the place in which they were to be taken care of, or that a plan was laid for reducing me to a mere cypher, and to throw the whole power cf the department into the hands of an inferior officer, as Doctor Shippen certainly was, however he might affect an equality. Agreeable to this inference* I repaired to Hackinfack, by the Ge- ral's order, to direct the neceffary provifion to be made, for the re- ception and accommodation of the fick, from York ifland, and di- rected a fecond divifion of the Hofpital Surgeons, of my immediate department, to attend, and take the care of them. Although I never was allowed to be abfent from the army* and fcarceiy permitted to be at any diftance* for the fhorteft time, from H sad-Quarters; the great weight of providing for, and taking care of the fick of the whole army* refted on my fhoulders alone; and yet my hands were fo tied up by refolves of Congrefs, and ge- neral orders, as to leave little free d jm for proper exertions. In par- ticular, I had no Deputy or Afiiftant under me, to fhare any part of the burden of my department, however extenfive. One Surgeon and five Mates vr*re all that had been allowed me, from the beginning to C this [ xr:n ] this :'r -■?, for rvry *", - thcufand men; wVn ?: \?~% one the men, in every five, we ~. fometini'e3 confine cd as imfr for du AnJ though I was called upon, as if 1 was a Comni'fl.uy, to aaen to the daily prov'fion retu ns of all the fick in fl\<: army, l^ieal thro' many miles, not only holplt-il, but n,gi'.,,e."'<'sil fick, and to provide them with acc< mii.cc. t;cns, as a b.u.H.k-MUi.'.:, and with hofpital fu niture, as a Quar^ --M..'1---, and that, contrary to the re- ' foives of Ccngreis (fo ignorant an., unreauniib.e wne the Regimen- tal Surgeon-, and even feme cf t'.- Militia Geneia,?, in ivquiring it) yet I had no other a:J, than what could be r.fiorueu me by th< ie gentiei.sen, who had on'y the rank and r?y of Hofpital Sui^eons, but who were obliged to do the duty of Derur\ Directors, fcr whkh I wifhed them to be cioathed with mere pi v>er, than they were in- titied to, when actir.r un..er the iimple cciiiinb..on of Surgeons. Perhaps artful men may here a.VVr, that I ought, therefore, to h ve fubir.itted to the d'fn.u.vy, and discharged my care of the irk, of the army, on the v.eftein Diiector. I would afk them for what purpoie, whether to bury him with the lead, when he ccuid no n.oie take care of the fick of the flying camp cn!y, than I could cf the whole army, unieis by depriving me cf my own officers and ftores; or was it, rc> reduce me to a cy; her, in order to raife him into im- portance? Had the Congrefs luppofed that I lud too much, and he too little to do, I w^ulu cheerfuuy have transferred to him the fuper- intendence, and management cf as many, as his heart defired, only re- serving my rank, and tiie command of my own officers, hofpitals and ftores. Bui I have good grounds to believe, that his underhand at- tempts to interfere with me, in my department, and his intereft with a particular fet, wh ch his been en.pioyed to effed my removal,, with a view to promote his defign of lu_ceeding me, have operated n.ore powerfully to acccmplifh it, than all others, that have beea held up, as the oilenfible cures of my removal; which, however hs may think, from being traniicle,. behind a curtain, they lye concealed, can be eafily traced to their author, and are of a tifiue with the reft of his conduct towards me, on fiaiiiar occafions. But whilft I was left deft!tute of he'p, what cf'.danre was allowed, in the mean while, to the Director iA the flying camp ? I was well affured, from his own lips, that he had not long ..Citd in that ftation, before he was complimented with the appointment of a deputy, hav- ing the rank, title and pay of Alfillant-Diieftor, v, as he told me, however ftrange and inconfiftent it may appear, (f AiT.ftam-Director- General. Thuc it fares with the i:.e;i, I v.i.i not ixy as Haman did, whom the k.ng delights to honour; bu" whrm governing con- nexions chufe to m.ke cunfidtrrble, at the expence cf others. However this waj effected, whether by hit ewn forecaft, or that of his mm I *« ] Is, will any man pretend to fay that this appoi?«tm<*rr, and manner of wording the rtffcives cf Convex:, CdUber gt;., t.id ferve the pmpofes of neit epgs, on wmJi to brood and hath defigns, not thought of by Cc ngreis, as a body ? What will indif- ferent men think of time reiolvcs, fo contraiy to my cemmtflk n of Director-General, October 17th, 1775, anc» tne rePort of Congrel:, Auguft 20th, 1776, to cftab.iih ray rank beyond ciipute ? See die 'Reioives of Cngiefs. Whibl fuch an auxiliary ap^-'.nt'r.ent is made to g>ve weight and importance to a temp'..-,:-y abridgment oi rank and authority in my *m *ji t xx* ] ^P perfon, whilft I continued in office, that were neceflary for the head m of the department, in the perfon of my predeceflbr, and were con- fiftent with real ufefulnefs, to which I exprefled it to be my defire, that every other confideration fhould give way, as it would imply a reflexion upon me, which I was unwilling to fuppofe I merited." I alfo wrote to the Secretary of Congrefs, on a double account; firft, to know the extent of my power, and that of the feveral Di- rectors, for the fake of conducting bufinefs in its proper channel; and next, to get that rank which was allowed me by Congrefs, properly recognized by the feveral Directors, to avoid miftakes. One of the Directors had not only difputed it with me, and refufed to make his returns to me, as Director-General, as Congrefs required ; but appealed to Congrefs for its decifion, which was given in my favour. Although my application to him was refpectful, and as I informed him, only made with a view to know my ftation, and that of others, 9f that I might perform the duties .expected of me, without interference with any ; inftead of favouring me with any extract from the refolves of Congrefs, to which I referred for information, he faw fit to fub- flitutc his own dictates, My rank and authority being fecurely fenced in, by repeated acts find refolves of CongreL, there was no poflibility for the Director cf the flying camp, or his friends, to accomplifh their fecret purpofes, without firft bi eking down the feparating wall of diftinction. By > this means the perfon, who would not fubmit to be degraded from his rank, would be obliged to refign, and, to infure fuccefs, it was eafy for artful perfons to excite or encourage complaints, and to bring them before Congrefs, to afford a pretext for difplacing him. But then it was of confequence, that he fhould be kept ignorant of thof« complaints, and of his accufers, and to prevent his obtaining an hearing, left he fhould vindicate himfelf, and thereby difappoint their hopes. Nothing could anfwer their purpofes better, than to pufh for obtaining his difmiflion, without a trial, which might enable him to clear nimfelf from all afperfions, and juftify his conduct in the face of Day, to the confufion of his enemies, After this detail of fafts, compared with the feveral refolves of Congrefs, and the proceedings thereon, with the relation I am about to give of the particular behaviour of the Director, in confequence of them ; let every impartial man lay his hand upon his heart, and afk himfelf, ingenuoufly, what he thinks of the whole matter, and of the feveral appearances, which concur, in an uniform feries, to point to one object? Will they view the refolves of Ottober 9th, and the manner of wording them, after all that had paffed, as a mere , a^cidewta^ mode of exprellion, in men fc wife, lo much accufloirv: J k AO _.* I "n ] to w-igh, and fo well acquainted with the import of words and the farce of iangu:;yr*, and as only intended to re-itciutr, and renew former appoin merits, without any defign in thofe who famed the refo've, i will not Uy, to throw cult in the eyes of the Members of C ngrc;~, in general, but to draw them .nij a measure, of .vmch they might not conf Ivr it? tendency, not only of ch-cring an alter- ation in one department, but of making fuch an entire inn vuti^n upon another, a» was not generally thought cf, and wculd lead to JMie great changes that have fince taken piace i Can it be faid, that neither the Secretary, who, though no Mem- ber cf Congrefs, has an intereil with many of them, wlthcut ^orst nor any of the Menibers themfelves, were apprized of the uifluulties that vvouid, unavcidbly, ariir trom a refolve of Congreir, cilcule-cd to tlirow down the former fettled dlitincthrm, of Ju'y ljih, 1775, and 1776, and Arrraft 20th laft; in which my rank wa-> i'o clearly recognized and cftablifhed. die part of my errand to Philadelphia^ lait Jun~, v.« to-confer with the Committee of Cong;ef«, rn the ueceifary eftabiifhmenti for keeping up a clear and regular iuborci- nation in the Generr.I Hofpital, thou-h all its various departments, and this was the fubjedt of feveral i-u.rs, to dme eat Momb-.-rs. if •i\Vj of the Member5 of Congrefs had difcovere.., in me, any want cf abilities for fo important a poft, is it not reaionable to irr agine they would have opemy, End srvewedly, aflign.'i it as a came cf dil'quaa- iicarion? But did they ever do it? Nay; what fays the Secretary himfelf, in his letter, of Auouft 14/h, by way of m.'k.ng iome ac- knowledgment for the mhLke he had committed in his former, cf Auguft 2d. It is the trihmi ny, ml of a friend, but an enemy, and one whom I believe to be a deep agent in my removal. I Will therefore quote his very words; for " fas ft ab hofte doceri" " There is no man, Sir, accjurlnted with ynu, who can aoubt of your abilities. All the world beats witneis of them, and the learned in Europe, who muft be allowed to be the beft jc.cges, have riven ample teftimony, by the honours they have heaped upon you. Whl.e vcu exercife your great talents, for tiie benefit of thofe enf'Ulled to vcur care, ycur Country will honour you, and poilerity will do y u juftice; even though Dr. S---, when you chance to meet, fhould rafufe to give you precedence." I proceed to the relation of what h-i-nencd, in confequence of thoie refolves cf Cotyyrf', of CJlober gth, and the ftrange behavi- our of Dr. Shippen, t c weftern Diieftor, thereupon. Being at Hackinfack, foon after this d, therefoie, en General Green, at hit camp, near fort Le •, to repreient to him the fi.uaticn cf the fick at Hack nih. k, and to requeft his orders for procuring Dr. War- ren fu :h ?m:tincc, from the Qua re.-Mailer General's, and the CimmdTatial departments, as lie required. I met the weftern Di- rector there, who, with a peculiar freer:om, becoming the elevation t>> which lie ieemed to con fi tier hix dr r :.« already railed, or to be r.;ii?d, demanded wh) I was not at my pcil, on the other fide thei j ver ? Accuftomed to receive accounts fori others, and to give or- i ^-s my.e'.f, in the affairs of my department, I could not but feel tii'- indignity cf being thus taken to tafk by him ; and anfwered him ac-c-'dingly. I difcovcred his defires and aims, but concluded he had more lbe-way yet tomk ip, than to entitle him to avow his fen- timenis 10 openly; but in thi?, it fcems, I was miftaken. The day following Dr. Fofter, to whofe charge I had left the di-» rection of the hefpitai, and care of the hofpital ftores, at Newark, came ever in hafte, and defired a private converfaticn with me, or* a fuLj Jd of fome delicacy. As I had vifited Newark within a very few d-'.ys, and every thing was rejKWted to me to be in good order, ;-nJ I nau left all tne directions I thought neceflary for future regulations, previous to my return to Head-Quarters, I could not conceive the occafion of his unexpected vifit. But my foreboding mind took the alarm, of which I was yet ignorant of the c?ufe; for he informed me, it was of fuch a nature, as made him think it improper to com- municate by letter. After this preparation, he informed me, that the Director had catted c» aim, and propofed, but with great art and addrefs, the furrcnderiag up of the hofpitals and ftores to his Direction ; the care of the fick to remain under the true perfens whom I had fent from my department, but to act under his authority. He replitd, that he confidered himfelf as under my direction only, in hofpital matters; and that he did not think himfelf at liberty to deliver up the ftores* to any perfon, without a written order from General Wafhington/ or the Director-General. To this the Director made anfwer, that whatever like or uiflike I might fhe»v to this propofal, 1 lhoird find myfelf obliged to acquiclce in it. The conftruction which Dr. Fofter put upon this proceeding, was, that the appointment of die Direct jt, being to form and fuper- intend the hofpital of tee flying camp, would terminate in a little time, as the troops compofing the arujy, nu.»d for that fervice, were en lifted [ XXIV ] enlifted but for a few months, unlefs he could carve out fome place that he could be pleafed with, in the mean while, that would put him on a better eftablifhment. I commended his prudence, in de- clining to deliver up the ftores without proper orders, and defired, that if any further demands, of the like kind, were made by Dr. Shippen, to refer him to me for an aniwer. The Director had exprefled himfelf to me, about a month before* in a manner that exactly correfponded with the above idea. He told me frankly, that he fhould iike well enough to continue in the fervice^ as he thought it a more gentlemanny fife, than that of a drudging private practitioner. I was truly defirous of his continuance in that ftation, if he could remain in it, without elbowing me out of any thing that appertained to my place; for I did not then imagine he had yet afpired to the place itfeif. Having ferved in the army, the whole of laft war* and had pre- tenfions, on that account, to fome years experience in military hofpi- tals, which he knew nothing of; and having been appointed to the chief direction of the hofpitals, the preceding year, and having borne the burden of the day, ever fince, it had not yet entered into my imagination, that I was fo foon to give place to the very man, who, but four months before, not four months, nay, fcarceiy three* had written to anounce his appointment, »as Director of the hofpital of the flying camp, and that he had inlifled himfelf in the fervice of the American States, confeffed his being a mere novice in the ma- nagement of his (fubordinate) department, and applied to me for in» ftructions in the etiquette, the word by which he chofe to exprefs his notion of the government of a General Hofpital; and who promifed, from time to time, to report to me the ftate of the hofpitals un- der him, agreeable to an order of Congrefs for the purpofe; but which, however, he never did. Perhaps he judged, from better in- formation than I could ever obtain, that fo foon as he had learned the " etiquette''' of military hofpitals, his elevation would render it unneceflary. <- But what furprized me, in his late conduct, was, that having an •pportunity to acquaint me, the day before, in perfon, at General Green's, with his expectations and demands on the hofpitals I had eftablifhed, he did not chufe to fay any thing to myfelf on the fub- ject, but to apply to fubordinate officers, to accomplifh his wifhes, rather than treat with me as a principal; I thought this portended no good; but then I knew it was of a piece with very many other inftances of his conduct, on different occafions. I went over, in a day or two after, to the White-Plain*. A let- ter foon arrived from the Director to General Wafhington, complain- ing ^^5 that his fituation was uneafy, for he could not obtain the com* I m ml of the ftores at Newark, and of courfe of the hofpitals I had F tiUblifhed there, and of the officers I had detached from my particu- lar department, unlefs by the General's orders for the purpofe, or by directions from me; for which, however, as I obferved before, he had never applied. The General was pleafed to communicate this letter to me. I re- prefented to him the inconveniences of depriving me of thofe ftores, and that I had no others, in any fufficient quantity, to anfwer the i continual calls upon me; that the reft cf the ftores, which, at hie command, were ordered to Stamford, (and from thence were re- moved by the Stamford Committee, without my knowledge, but with his approbation, as I afterwards learned) could be of no ufe to me at that time; that the only medicines, which could be got at, were thofe at Newark, which I had fnatched, as a brand out of the fire, at the retreat from New-York; and that I had appointed an Apothecary on purpofe to aflbrt and difpenfe them out to Regi- mental Surgeons at Newark, as there was no poffibility of doing it in an army, conftantly moving from place to place, under all tho inconveniences we fuffered* To be borne down, with inceffant de- mands from all quarters, was hard indeed; and to be deprived of the only refources I had left me, thofe of my own providing, and o£ my own faving, with extreme difficulty and hazard, to be at the fole command of another* a junior and inferior officer, appeared to me to be an unreafonable demand. I had already detached near one half of the Surgeons and Mates of the General Hofpital to Newark and Hackinfack, and by the General's command, eftablifhed hofpi- tals there, at the very time I had pointed out the probable confe- quences that would enfue from the extraordinary refolves of Con- grefs, October 9 th. There were, at this time, above fifteen hundred fick, at thofe two places, under the care cf my own Surgeons. I had juft received letters from them, which fhewed they were gradually working through all their former difficulties, by fleadily purfuing the dire&ions I had left them: With thefe advantages, and their own experience, they were more likely to complete the work, than* they would be, if in the midft of it they were to receive nfcw di- rections from one, who, with all due deference to his abilities, wae lefs acquainted, than themfelves, with the arrangements of a Gene- ral Hofpital. I obferved, that to deliver up the hofpitals, ftores and officers, would be to ftrip me of all power of being ufeful; and it was not in the power of the Director to fupply their places, if th» ftores, hofpitals and fick were to be committed to his care, and my proper officers were to return under my command, on the Eaft fide of the riv ajjiftant apothecary, and doubled his original pay, to ijfue out medicines, tn my orders, to the regimental furgeons at Newark, having, at the ene- my's approach, left all the ftores and medicines, in his fright, to fuch mates, as bad courage to accompany and take charge of them, fled to Bethlehem, the place of Dr. Shippen's retreat. There this gentleman, with bis Subs, had an opportunity of making fuch imprejfions on him, as tbty pleafed, when befaw the clouds collefting over me, and could learn who 'was Heir Expectant to my place. He then came to Philadelphia, where I employed him to pack up, and J'end the chief tf my medicines to Bethlehem; on which, without any orders from me, he officioufty wrote word to Dr. Shippen, " that He, Cutting, bad jent Him a fine flock of medicines and hofpital ftores." Thus, but not for once only, was I treacheroufly dealed with by the ingrate whom I hadfoftered. He then applied for his difmijfion, on pretence ofbeing feizedwith a ft of military ardor, and wanting to go to Bofton, although I knew bis fort to lay in forefeeing evil, and biding himfelf from it. I readily discharged him. Inftead, however, of going to Bofton, his pretended one, hejoon repaired to Bethlehem, where he had no bufinefs, in order that he might purfue his realjcheme, in concert with Dr. Shippen, by wboje inter eft, fince his own elevation, he has been promoted to the place he now enjoys, after he had, like the unjuft Stewart in the parable, made himfelf a friend of the mammon of unrigbteoufnefs, that fo he " Like Meteor, raifed in a tempeftuous fky, " A while might glitter, then obfeurely die." Others of the mates followed Mr. Cutting's example, being entertained ai tavern, andjome were made to believe that Dr. Shippen would Jhortly give le3ures to tboje of bis department, as if his place was a Sine-cure, and he left at liberty to purfue fchemes of private advantage, inftead of mind- ing the duties of bis ftation, and myfelf being confjdered as fetting, whilft he was reprefented as a Rifing Sun, or polar Star, by which they could fleer to preferment. Is it to be wondered at, that fome then, who bad an efteemfor w, but a greater regard to their euidfac;ant Domini, audeit cum to.".'a Fures? Whilft I was fixeu, by the General's order, at the lines near the White Jhould Jhun the reck oh which I was likely to be -wrecked, and repair for jkelter to the jecure harbour of his good graces, rightly judging, if 1 could not preferve my own ftation, and be had influenre to juperjede /c, thiir fituation -would be very precarious, unlejs they'came to anchor in time? After feveral of them, from theft confiderations, bad left me, he had ftiH' V the modefty to propoje to me his detaining of the Jew that remained, and whom J bad lent him, one, who 'was very ujeful to me, and '.r# had been committed to my charge 'with the ftrcngeji injnnftions, and pro- mije. of making him one of my family, giving this excellent reaj'on, for- footh, for the propcjal, ih'at his father was the common friend of both. The following extraa of a letter, which I received from one oftht'u, who, though (flanked by the fame temptations with' jbme otben, had virtue to rcfift them, may Jerve to Jhew the flate I was in; SIR, f)N my arrival here, I was told Dr. Morgan was out; after thir% another report prevailed, that it was not a total diimifiion, but left in the breaft of the General to dijmijs or continue you, as he Jhould think fit. It is with much concern I am obliged to add, that your influence is daily diminijhing here, ON account OF the before-mentioned REPORTS. I have objerved with much pain, that ft rift honefty, which to perfons beft acquainted with you, has marked your char after, in all the duties of ycur military dtp a; tment, has not produced that good effect" t* yotirjdj', that a little polu;, and much iejs henefty in others, has to them, and that ■policy, as rut'! as henrfty. is neceflary in an officer of dijlinclittn, tojiknce that calumniating, pLdaing dijpofition of your adverjaries. Excufe my well intendti freedom, to which 1 have been induced f, en* no other motive, than zeal for the caujc, and petyonal eftecm and regard- for ycurfelf, and Lft one of much inferior abilitits Jhould Jill your im- portant ilar,:;i, as I judge you 'would not chufe to relinquijh your prejent impcrtayii poft, till you h:\-ve had an opportunity oj vir.di.ating your cha- rachr, (Jo grojsly and caujelejsly traduced.) If thefe bin's Jhoil.i be of any ufe to you, it will be an infinite pier fur e and fatisfaclion to, Sir, Tour moft affectionate humble Jervant, A. B. To John Morgan, Efq; Dire3or~General. f XXIX 3 Whit* Plains, Fort Wafhington, Fort Lee, Hackinfack, Newark and Brunfwick fell into the hands of General Howe. In the mean time I procured from Bofton, to which place I had fent expref=, as well as to Newport, Rhode-Ifland, Providence and Norwich, and from Hartford, in Connecticut, by the afliftance of Governor Trumbull, a frefh fupply of medicines and hofpital ftores. I appointed hofpitals at Stamford and Norwalk, and Surgeons from the General Hofpital to receive and take care of the fick and wounded. I went in perfon to both places: Near two thoufand men were received into them: Not a fingle one was refufed: They were well taken care of: The greater part of them recovered: All clamours and complaint* on that fide ceafed; they were only heard in the Weftern department, where the fick fpread through the Jerfies, Pennfylvania and Mary- land, in a tract of zoo miles, amounting to near one half of the army: Thefe fell under the care of the Director of the flying camp; but he was unequal to the talk, and retired to Bethlehem, with a fmaii handful of fick ; and the deficiences of his department, over -which 1 had no controul, were afcribed to me. As if", unaffifted by any deputy, or proper aids, I was in my own perfon to go through all the drudgery alone. Had I the eyes of an Argus, their vigilence would have been iniuffirient, o*- had I the hundred hands of a Bria- reus, I could not, of myfelf, have performed ad the labour that was required, to be accountable for the defect: of others, burdened with fo great a charge, whilft all proper fubordination was wholly dif- regarded. Being anxious, however, to give what afliftance I was able to General Wafhington, and the troops which had crofted over to the Jerfies, I followed them, fo foon as I had taken the proper fleps for pro- viding hofpitals at North-Caftle, and Peek's-Kill, for the troops left in thole places, and haftened to join General Wafhington. I croffed the Delaware, and reached Head-Quarters, juft as the enemy came in fight, at Trenton. I waited on his Excellency, and thus, with the refpect due to the Commander in Chief, but with firmnefs, addrefled him : " Sir, I know not in what light you will think pro- per to view my haftening to what I efteem my duty, an attendance upon you, without waiting for your commands. Your Excellency will permit me to acquaint you, that from the nature of my com- miflion, I am appointed to direct the hofpitals for the army under your command (I have a letter from the Secretary of the Congrefs, with thefe words: '• The department at Head-Quarters is under your immediate direction.") To be reftricted then to the eaft fide of the river, is contrary to my original appointment, on which I accepted a commiflion, and unlefs I am reftored to my rank and place, where- ever you command in perfon, I muft give up my charge. I cannot confent to this degradation from my rank and authority. If this is the re^rn I am to expect for my toils, fatigue and fervices, to be obliged to make way for a new officer, whc.'e intereft and rifing fa- vour, like Aarords rod, are to fwallow up eveiy cenfideration, it is time for me to leave the army. And to thefe difficulties am I re- duced in confequence of the rtfolve of October gth, without I re- ceive 1 >*mmmmjmm [ XXXII J I immediately fent it to the General, with a defire of its being lak before Congrefs, for their reconfideration of what was done, as I thought, with precipitancy, and did not doubt that, on better infor- mation, they would quickly retract from the msafu c, or, at leaft, give me an audience, and judge on the evidence of facts, compared with their own refoives and the GeneiaPs orders* At any rate, if they were determined to deliver me up to the crifi of a faction, I thcught Congrefs, for its own fake, would have let me down gently. If the facrifice muft be made to gratify it, I thought Congrefs would fuppofe that fomething was due to the character I had fiiftained in life, to the rank I had held in my profeflion, to the general reputation which pubUc honours from the leareed focieties in Europe are fappofed to confer. Upon occafion of fuch unworthy treatment as I have met with, 1 flatter myfelf, a man may be al- lowed to fpeak the truth, in his own favour, without an impeachment of vanity. I thought that fome confideration would have been had for that1 devotion of my beft abilities, which I had fliewn, fuch a? they are, to the improvement cf liberal arts and fciences in this new world; that fome regard would have been manifefted to an early and zealous attachment to the caufe of American liberty; to the facrifice I had made of my private intercft and fafety; to my own ftation, and that of fome of my neareft relations and friends, both ie and out of Congrefs, and of the army. And could not all thefe procure fome fhadow of lenity, where a victim was to be offered up ; fomething like com paffion; fome anfwer to my humble memorial, in my vindication, and my petition only "to be beard"? I muft fay none. Three months are elapfed, whilft I have not received one line or meflage in anfwer. In the mean while, as if that refufal was the figr.al, the alarm fprcad; news-papers bore witnefs to my degradation; whilft bafe and ma- licious men, the pefls of every fociety, have given free vent to their flanders. Bofton has been filled with clamours to my prejudice.'* Villains there are in every place, to coin and circulate reports prejudicial to a man's character. But why fhould I pretend to enumerate the c\ 11 confequences of fuch a fe»trity of conduct to- wards me? If it would have aniwered any valuable purpofe; if the facrifice of my life would have faved my Country, I could have chearfully offered it up. I fhall not fay fo of my honour. To the impartial public, I therefore mean to appeal. At this tribunal, no innocent perfon need fear to make his defence, nor to allow free fcope to be given to that defence; where a man's conduct, and the motives of it being known, he has'reafon to hope for a can- did judgment, free from prejudice or party. If I can but obtain this indulgence, I hope to evince, to every common underftanding, the rectitude of my conduct, and if the moft laborious and ftcady application to the difcharge of my truft and perfeverance in. the path of duty, can give a claim to hope, I flatter myfelf, that I fhall not on- ly efcape their cenfure, but meet with the warmeft approbation of the public, which it ever has been, and whatever may be the iuc- cefs, ever fhall be my ftudy to obtain. I am, my dear friend, Theirs, and your moft devoted, humble ii.rva.nt, JOHN MORGAN. ^ Wei Hrst wz 17 0 nil ^ wu ■«£* ^c80* ; W' 'V* i 0% ^ »—<-• * .■*... ^ ■■!«»& i • 'm&if f *>.$%: -• ry,rv .>*••■■; • /- ■siC ' #*,