1The Pennsylvania Convention to James Burd: a Circular Letter, 19 July 1776 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from [Thomas Balch, ed.,] Letters and Papers Relating Chiefly to the Provincial History of Pennsylvania . . . (Philadelphia, 1885), pp. 250–1. During Washington’s visit to Congress in late May and early June, the decision had been reached to establish a flying camp, or mobile reserve, to assist in defending New York. Congress set its size at 10,000 men, 6,000 of them Pennsylvanians....