This letter was peculiarly embarrassing.  To adopt a stern course of proceeding might hazard the loss of the Jersey line, an event not less injurious to the service, than painful to himself.  To take up the subject without doing too much for the circumstances of the army, would be doing too little for the occasion.  He therefore declined taking any other notice of the letter, than to declare through General Maxwell that, while they continued to do their duty in conformity with the determination they had expressed, he should only regret the part they had taken, and should hope they would perceive its impropriety.

The legislature of New Jersey, alarmed at the decisive step taken by the officers, was at length induced to pay some attention to their situation; they consenting, on their part, to withdraw their remonstrance.  In the meantime, they continued to perform their duty; and their march was not delayed by this unpleasant altercation.

In communicating this transaction to congress, General Washington took occasion to remind that body of his having frequently urged the absolute necessity of some general and adequate provision for the officers of the army.  “I shall only observe,” continued the letter, “that the distresses in some corps are so great, either where they were not until lately attached to any particular state, or where the state has been less provident, that the officers have solicited even to be supplied with the clothing destined for the common soldiery, coarse and unsuitable as it was.  I had not power to comply with the request.

“The patience of men animated by a sense of duty and honour, will support them to a certain point, beyond which it will not go.  I doubt not congress will be sensible of the danger of an extreme in this respect, and will pardon my anxiety to obviate it.”

[Sidenote:  Colonel Van Schaick surprises and destroys one of the Indian settlements.]

Before the troops destined for the grand expedition were put in motion, an enterprise of less extent was undertaken, which was completely successful.  A plan for surprising the towns of the Onondagas, one of the nearest of the hostile tribes, having been formed by General Schuyler, and approved by the Commander-in-chief, Colonel Van Schaick, assisted by Lieutenant Colonel Willet, and Major Cochran, marched from fort Schuyler on the morning of the 19th of April, at the head of between five and six hundred men; and, on the third day, reached the point of destination.  The whole settlement was destroyed, after which the detachment returned to fort Schuyler without the loss of a single man.  For this handsome display of talents as a partisan, the thanks of congress were voted to Colonel Van Schaick, and the officers and soldiers under his command.

[Sidenote:  Expedition against the Indians meditated.]