George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 8

[458] June, was then read, from which it appeared that

Chap. LXIX.} 1776. July 1.

Howe and forty five ships or more, laden with troops, had arrived at Sandy Hook, and that the whole fleet was expected in a day or two. ‘I am hopeful,’ wrote the general, ‘that I shall get some reenforcements before they are prepared to attack; be that as it may, I shall make the best disposition I can of our troops.’ Not all who were round him had firmness like his own; Reed, the new adjutant general, quailed before the inequality of the British and American force, and thus in private described the state of the American camp: ‘With an army of force before, and a secret one behind, we stand on a point of land with six thousand old troops, if a year's service of about half, can entitle them to the name, and about fifteen hundred new levies of this province, many disaffected and more doubtful; every man, from the general to the private, acquainted with our true situation, is exceedingly discouraged; had I known the true posture of affairs, no consideration would have tempted me to have taken an active part in this scene; and this sentiment is universal.’ No one knew better than the commander in chief the exceedingly discouraging aspect of military affairs; but his serene manner and unfaltering courage in this hour was a support to congress. His letter was referred to the board of war, which they had recently established, and of which John Adams was the president; the faculties of the members were on that day too intensely strained by their enthusiasm to be much agitated by reports of danger. Especially John Adams, revolving the incidents of the day at its close, not disguising to his