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Dear Sir:

I have the honour to enclose herewith an extract from the Resolves of Congress together with a Resolve of the Council of State, and in pursuance of the latter I am to request that you will immediately order three complete Regiments (on the New Establishment) of the Troops under your command to march without delay and join General Washington.—As none of the Regiments are full, give me leave to recommend, as the opinion of the Council, as well as my own, that a sufficient number from the whole who are enlisted on the New Establishment be drawn to complete the three Regiments, and if the officers can not agree who shall go on that service they may be appointed by lot. But, this, sir, I hope you will not consider as a direction to you, but only as our opinion. If a better method can be fallen upon, you no doubt adopt it. And now sir give me leave to request the favour of you to permit my son (Capt. Caswell of the 5th Regiment) to go in this service, if it is his wish, and not inconsistant with the plan you shall think proper to adopt.

I congratulate you on the successes of the brave and worthy General Washington, the accounts of which in the public papers

are chiefly to be relied on. We have some other more favorable but wait their confirmation.

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