[Extract]

The Resolve to raise two Battalions of Marines, will (if practicable in the Army) entirely derange what has been done. It is therein mentioned, one Colonel for the two Battalions, of course a Colonel must be dismissed: One of the many difficulties which attended the New Arrangement, was in reconciling the different Interests and Judging of the merits of the different Colonels, in the dismission of this one, the same difficulties will occur.

The Officers and Men must be acquainted with the maritime Affairs, to comply with which, they must be picked out of the whole Army, one from this Corps, one from another, so as to break through the whole System, which has cost us so much Time, anxiety and pains to bring into any tolerable form. Notwithstanding any Difficulties which will arise, you may be assured Sir, that I will use every endeavour to comply with their Resolve.

I beg leave to submit it to the consideration of Congress, If those two Battalions can be formed out of this Army, Whether this is a Time to weaken our Lines, by employing any of the forces appointed to defend them, on any other Service?

As there is every Appearance that this Contest will not be soon decided and of course that there must be an augmentation of the Continental Army, would it not be eligible to raise two Battalions of Marines in New York and Philadelphia, where there must be now numbers of Sailors unemployed? This however is matter of Opinion, which I mention with all due deference to the Superior Judgment of the Congress. . . .

There is no late Account from Captains Broughton and Sellman, the other Cruizers have been chiefly confined to Harbour by the Badness of the weather;²