John Jay Papers
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To John Jay from James Duane, 3 August 1777

From James Duane

[Philad. 3d. Augt. 1777]

Dear Sir

I enclose you a Letter from France for yourself and another to Mr. Platt1 which ^last^ you’l be pleased to forward with my respectful Compliments.

General Howe and his grand fleet to the utter Astonishment and Vexation of the People here have disappeard as every necessary preparation for his Reception was made. He has left us to guess at his next Attempt—2

General Schuyler to humour the Eastern people who declare that their Militia will not fight under his command is recalled.3 As is St. Clair for surrendering Ticonderoga & in order to take his Trial which he has demanded.4 Congress have left it to General Washington to name the Commander of the Northern Department; On whom that arduous Task will fall is yet unknown?5

Is it possible, my dear Sir, that Burgoine at the head of not more than 6000 men can dare to penetrate into the Country in defiance of the numberless Enemies he must have to encounter—two years ago ^such an^ attempt would have been thought fortunate for America, and now it terrifies. Oh New England are thou so fallen, so lost to publick Virtue!

The Accounts from France are flattering— Our Ambassadors have negotiated very considerable Loans of money and Supplies of Ammunition and Goods; & assure us that all Europe except England are our Friends—6

I have no time to add—to say the Truth I can hardly perswade myself to write this much— Since two long Letters to you & Mr. Livingston &c. I remain totally disregarded!7 I Present my respectful Complts to Mrs. Jay and believe me to be with great Respect Dear Sir Your most Obt. & very humbl Servt.

Jas. Duane

ALS, NNC (EJ: 5560). Endorsed. Enclosures not located.

1The enclosed letter to JJ may be Deane’s letter of 28 May (not found), referred to in JJ to Robert Morris, 23 Aug., below, or the similar letter from the American Commmissioners (Franklin and Deane) of 2 June, above. The letter to Zephaniah Platt, then a member of the Council of Safety, has not been identified.

2Howe gathered a large fleet at New York and sailed from there on 23 July, but the American forces could not determine his destination. On 30 July the vessels appeared off Delaware Bay in a feint, vanished, and headed toward the Chesapeake, leaving the American leadership thoroughly confused until the British fleet was sighted in the Chesapeake on 22 Aug. Ward, War of the Revolution, 1: 328–31.

3New York’s delegates in the Continental Congress wrote on 29 July to the New York Council of Safety that “the Eastern [New England] States openly affirm that their Troops have no Confidence in General Schuyler and assign this as the Reason that they have not marched to his Assistance.” On 1 Aug., Congress removed Schuyler from the command of the Northern Department and ordered him to return to headquarters. LDC, 7: 243–45; JCC, 8: 596.

4By a resolution of 30 July, Congress ordered St. Clair to report immediately to headquarters. On 3 Aug., Congress received his letter of 27 July, in which he asked for a trial. JCC, 8: 590, 600; DNA: PCC, item 161, 509.

5Congress issued this directive to Washington on 1 Aug. and repeated it on 3 Aug.; Washington demurred, and on 4 Aug., Congress appointed General Gates, the officer requested by the New England delegates. JCC, 8: 596, 600, 603–4; LDC, 7: 405; and Schuyler to JJ, 17 Aug., below.

6Lee, Deane, and Franklin had recently sent optimistic reports to the Committee for Foreign Affairs on the prospects of a French loan, the purchase of a large quantity of supplies, and England’s difficulty in raising troops. RDC, 2: 319–20, 322–25; PBF, 23: 466–76, 620–21; 24: 73–76, 79–82.

7Duane had written to Robert R. Livingston, JJ, Gouverneur Morris, and Robert Yates on 19 Apr., above, and again on 2 May (NNC, EJ: 5559), and to Livingston, 24 June–8 July, complaining of their failure to respond. LDC, 7: 243–45, 260–62, 279–80, 320–21.

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