LS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 11; copy, DNA:PCC, item 39; copy, M-Ar; copy (partially burned), N-Ar: George Clinton Papers; copy, Nh-Ar: Weare Papers; copy, Nj; copy, PHarH-Ar: RG 27; copy, R-Ar; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

Letters from GW on 11 June and this date prompted the Committee at Headquarters to send a circular letter to the states on this date. The copy of that letter sent to GW on 30 June reads: “We have the honor to inclose you copy of a Letter [of 11 June] addressed to us by the Commander in Chief. The contents will advise you to what an alarming crisis our affairs are reduced. The General observes with great propriety that this Committee ’Need no arguments to evince the danger.’ Indeed we do not, our own observations have led to the fullest conviction, that unless the force Stated in our second Letter of the 25 Ult: is drawn into the field with Celerity, equal to the urgency of the occasion, the period which is to end our Liberty, and commence the most disgraceful State of Slavery which human nature has ever experienced is not far distant. But dark and gloomy as the prospect is, America has it in her power to dispel the Cloud, by those exertions of which she is abundantly capable, and to which It is her duty to rouse, from every consideration which can affect the human heart. We are most indubitably possessed of the means wherewith to expel the enemy from every part of the Continent; but it requires a display of that virtue which distinguished the Citizens of Rome, when their State was, as ours now is, on the brink of ruin; and we trust Americans impressed with a proper sense of the blessings of peace, Liberty, and Independance, will follow the bright example; and evince to future ages, what great minds are Capable of, when driven to the extremity of distress.

“We dare not suppose sir, that effecient measures have not been adopted by your state, to compleat your Battallions to the establishments recommended in the letter above refer’d to. On the contrary, we beleive that the men are raised, or raising; but we have to conjure you to hasten them on to the Army, without a moments delay. We intreat you likewise, to give the most pointed direction, to induce an unremitting attention to forward the supplies allotted to your state to be furnished as specified in our Letter of the 2d Instant.

“Had the enemy on wednesday last pursued what we generally beleived to be their object, Our heavy Cannon and stores would inevitably have fallen into their hands, as our military force was incompetent to their protection and the means of conveying them to places more distant, for want of horses & Carriages out of our power.

“since writing the above a second letter [of 12 June] from the General has been handed us, a copy whereof we inclose.

“Previous to our recommendation to compleat the Battallions to 504 Rank & file we had a conference with the General on the subject, in which the matter was thoroughly canvassed, and the necessity of the augmentation clearly evinced. The reduction of Charles Town was then problamatical, we had even hopes that it would have been saved; and the Maryland and Delaware Lines, have returned to this Army, which then with the quota requested of the states would have amounted to about 25,000 men, the number which Congress had promised our Illustrious ally, should be brought into the field to Co-operate with his Troops. It is now beleived that Charles Town is reduced, and the troops which defended it, prisoners, consequently we shall not have the Maryland & Delaware troops. Hence those in this quarter will be less by nearly 3,000 men, than our estimate. We therefore most earnestly intreat that no deduction may be made from the numbers, we have stated as necessary” (DLC:GW).