(Duplicate)
Most secret
Sir,

In my Letter to you of the 4^th. of February¹ I acquainted you that, Sir William Howe having requested His Majesty's Permission to resign his Command, His Majesty had been graciously pleased to acquiesce in his Request, and that I had signified to him His Majesty's Pleasure that he should deliver up the Command to you, and put into your Possession all Orders & Instructions he has received from me, or any other of the King's Servants respecting the Troops, or the Operations in which they have been, or were to be employed. The devolution of so great a Trust would, upon any Occasion, carry with it the highest Proof of the Royal Confidence; but, in the present Circumstances, when the most essential Interests of the British Empire are so deeply engaged, and the Power, Reputation, and future Welfare of this Nation depend, in so great a degree, upon the Successful Employment of the Forces committed to your Command, the Importance of the trust increases with the Immensity of the Object, and is the fullest Manifestation of His Majesty's entire Reliance upon your Zeal & Ability.

My circular Letter of this Day's Date² will inform you of what has been done by the King & Parliament, towards opening the Way for the Return of peace; and if that be true which has been so repeatedly declared by the Colony Assemblies, and is still asserted by many persons, who pretend to be well informed of the Dispositions of the Inhabitants, that the Generality of the People desire nothing more than a full Security for the Enjoyment of all their Rights & Liberties under the British Constitution, there can be no room to doubt that the generous Terms, now held out to them, will be gladly embraced, and that a Negociation will immediately take place, upon the Arrival of the new Commission, and be so far advanced, before the Season will admit of military Operations, as to supersede the Necessity of another Campaign. So speedy & happy a Termination of the War could not fail to give the greatest pleasure to the King, as the Peace, Prosperity & Happiness of all His Subjects has ever been the most ardent Wish of His Royal Breast. But however desirous His Majesty is of putting an end to this unhappy Contest, by the Way of Negociation, and notwithstanding the just ground there is to expect such will be the Effect of the present Measure, His Majesty does not think fit to slacken any preparation which has been judged necessary for carrying on the War, it being His Majesty's firm Purpose to prosecute it, with the utmost Vigor, in case the Colonies shall obstinately persist in their Refusal to return to their Allegiance, and pay obedience to the Constitutional Authority of Government. It is, therefore, proper that I should now acquaint you with His Majesty's Intentions respecting the Operations of the next Campaign, should another Campaign become necessary, as far as His Majesty has yet determined upon them. The unfortunate Issue of the Canada Expedition, and the unbroken State of the Rebel Force, would make it necessary to have at least as great an Army in the Field, to effect anything of Importance the next Campaign, as that which Sir William Howe commanded in the last; at the same time the keeping Possession of Philadelphia, in Addition to the Posts we before occupied, must occasion a considerable Deduction from the Force which was then employed in active Service. Every possible Effort will be made to send out Reinforcements; and it is with great Satisfaction I can inform you that His Majesty has received the most uncommon Testimonies of Affection & Support, in the Prosecution of the War. Several new Corps have been voted by Parliament, and many Noblemen and Gentlemen of extensive Influence, and some great Cities have undertaken to raise them, and in London, Bristol, and many other Towns considerable Sums have been contributed, by voluntary Subscription, to be given in Bounties to Recruits for the old Regiments, so that I am not without Hopes we shall be able to send out, in the Course of the Summer Ten or Twelve Thousand British Soldiers, to which I expect will be added a Regiment or two of Germans. But, considerable as such a Reinforcement, if we can effect it, must be allowed to be, in our present Circumstances, His Majesty is nevertheless of Opinion that the War must be prosecuted upon a different Plan, from that upon which it has hitherto been carried on. Care must be taken to provide for the Security of all our American Possessions. Some additional Force must be sent from hence to Canada, as well to secure that Province, as to annoy the Rebellious Colonies on that Side, and oblige them to keep a considerable Body of their Troops on foot for the Defence of their Frontiers. Newfoundland and Nova Scotia must likewise be strengthened, and the Floridas must not be left exposed to any sudden Attack. The additional Force intended to be sent to Canada will consist of one new raised British Regiment, & two German Regiments, making together about 3,000 Men. A Detachment of Artillery will be sent to Newfoundland; and it is proposed that the Governor should raise a Corps in the Island, to remain there for its Defence. Two of the new raised Regiments, together with the 70^th. will be sent to Halifax, and two Others of the new Levies will be sent to S^t. Augustine & Pensacola. When these Detachments are made, the Reinforcement, exclusive of Recruits, to be sent to the Army under your immediate Command, will be reduced to five of the new Highland Regiments, and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Regiments of 1,000. each. Three entire Highland Regiments, and five Companies of each of the other two, are under Orders to embark on the 2^d. April in the Clyde; and, if no Change happens in the Situation of Affairs in Europe, the other five Companies of those two Regiments, together with the Edinburgh & Glasgow, will follow as soon as they can be compleated. It is therefore recommended to you, if you should find it impracticable to bring M^r. Washington to a general and decisive Action early in the Campaign, to relinquish the Idea of carrying on offensive Operations against the Rebels within Land, and, as soon as the Season will permit, to embark such a Body of Troops as can be spared from the Defence of the Posts you may think necessary to maintain, on board of transports under the Conduct of a proper number of the King's Ships, with Orders to attack the Ports on the Coast, from New York to Nova Scotia, and to Seize or destroy every Ship or Vessel in the different Creeks or Harbours, wherever it is found practicable to penetrate; as also to destroy all Wharfs and Stores, and Materials for Shipbuilding, so as to incapacitate them from raising a Marine, or continuing their Depredations upon the Trade of this Kingdom, which has been already so much annoyed by their Ships of War and Privateers. This Service, it is imagined, will best be executed by two different Armaments; The principal One to Set out from New York, and the Other from Halifax; that, while the Connecticut Coast is attacked on the one Side, the like Attempts may be made on the Ports in the Province of Maine and New Hampshire on the Other, and both Armaments unite, or .act in Concert, for the Attack of Boston, and the other Ports in the Massachuset's Bay: And it may be hoped that the Troops & Ships at Rhode Island will find a favorable Opportunity, while these Operations are carrying on, to destroy the Shipping in Providence River, & those in the other Creeks, which branch out of Rhode Island Harbour. The number of Troops & Ships necessary for this Service must be left to you and the Admiral to determine;³ but I am commanded to say to you, that the Object appears to the King of such Importance, that should you be of Opinion a number of Troops, sufficient to ensure Success in the different Enterprizes, cannot be spared with Safety to Philadelphia, it is His Majesty's Pleasure that you do consult with the Admiral upon the most proper Situation for establishing a Post upon the Delaware River, if you shall think a Post upon that River necessary, capable of being defended by a small Body of Men, and of giving Protection to the Ships, which it may be necessary to station in that River, and that, when you shall have taken such Measures as you and the Admiral shall judge necessary and effectual, for obstructing the Navigation of the River by the Rebels, you do withdraw the Troops from Philadelphia, and, leaving a sufficient Garrison in the Post you may have established, embark the rest, and proceed to New York, with such part as you shall not think necessary for the Service abovementioned. I would not however be understood to convey it to you as His Majesty's Opinion that the Possession of Philadelphia is an Object of small Importance, on the contrary His Majesty conceives the Possession of it may be attended with many Advantages, & that the abandoning it may be productive of some ill Consequences, and therefore it is His Majesty's Wish that you may be able to retain it, and He consents to your withdrawing from it only upon the Supposition that the Service I have been pointing out to you, cannot, in your Opinion, be effected while it is retained. When these Operations on the Sea Coasts of the Northern Provinces are concluded, which it is supposed they will be before the Month of October, it is the King's Intention that an Attack should be made upon the Southern Colonies with a View to the Conquest and Possession of Georgia & South Carolina. The various Accounts we receive from those Provinces concur in representing the distress of the Inhabitants, and their general Disposition to return to their Allegiance; A large Supply of Arms will therefore be sent out for the purpose of arming such of them as shall join the King's Troops, and indeed it is the King's Wish that every means were employed to raise and embody the well affected Inhabitants in all the Provinces where any Posts are maintained or Operations carried on. It cannot be expected that Farmers or men of Property, accustomed to a Life of Ease, will engage in the Military Service for an indefinite time, or expose themselves to be carried away to Places remote from their own Possessions, although they would readily enough take up Arms as an embodied Militia, officered by their own Countrymen, and act with the King's Troops throughout a Campaign, or defend a Post in the Absence of the Army. Such appear to be the Methods taken by the Rebels for strengthening their Army, and I am commanded to recommend the Experiment to your Consideration, & while I am upon this Subject I think it proper also to suggest to you the great Advantages which must follow from drawing over from the Rebels the Europeans in their Service. Especial Encouragement should be held out to them to desert, and join the King's Forces, whether they bring their Arms, or come without them; And all Apprentices and indented Servants who desert to Us, should be assured that, when the War is over, Attention will be given to their Circumstances, and that their Loyalty will not be suffered to go unrewarded.

The ideas, entertained here of the most effectual Mode of making an Attack upon the Southern Provinces, lead to the taking Possession of Georgia, as soon as the Reinforcements arrive, or the Conclusion of the Expeditions against the Northern Provinces will admit of your making a Detachment for that purpose. A Corps of 2,000. Men it is supposed would be fully sufficient to take and keep Possession of Savannah, & when the time of their Departure is fixed, it will be proper to send Orders to General Prevost at S^t. Augustine to march a Detachment of that Garrison with the Florida Rangers, and a Party of Indians, to attack the Southern Frontiers, while M^r. Stuart⁴ brings down a large Body of Indians towards Augusta. The Submission of that Province cannot fail to be the immediate Consequence of these Movements, and as great Numbers of the Back-Inhabitants would probably avail themselves of the Communication being opened with Georgia to join the King's Troops there, such a Force might be collected as when the Troops destined for the Attack of Charles Town should arrive, would be capable of penetrating into South Carolina between Mount Pleasant & Purisburg, to take Possession of that Tract of Pine Land which separates the Plantations on the Sea Coast from the Back-Settlements, thereby dividing the Province in the Middle, and Opening an easy Communication with the loyal Inhabitants in North Carolina, and by cutting off all Succour and Retreat from the Planters on the Sea Coast, reduce them to the Necessity of abandoning, or being abandoned by, their Slaves, or submitting to the King's Authority. The number of Troops that it is supposed would be sufficient to reduce Charles Town is about Five Thousand, for although the Entrance of the Harbour, and the Line of the Town which fronts to it, is strongly fortified, yet it is imagined that by landing on James's Island, which is accessible to Ships of a small Draught of Water by Stono Inlet, Fort Johnson might be reduced, and a Passage secured through Wappoo Creek, for the flat bottomed Boats to get into Ashley River without danger, or that the Harbour would be so far opened, that the Ships, by taking Advantage of a fair Wind, might pass the Fort on Sullivan's Island, & the Batteries at White Point, and land the Troops behind the Works, where the Town is entirely open, & no Resistance, to be expected. Could a small Corps be detached at the same time to land at Cape Fear, and make an Impression on North Carolina, it is not doubted that large Numbers of the Inhabitants would flock to the King's Standard, & that His Majesty's Government would be restored in that Province also; But your own Knowledge of those Provinces, and the Information you can collect from the Naval & Military Officers that have been upon Service there, will enable you to give the Officer to whom you may entrust the Command, better Instructions than I can pretend to point out to you at this distance. I will therefore only further observe to you that the Conquest of these Provinces is considered by the King as an Object of great Importance in the Scale of the War, as their Possession might be Easily maintained, & thereby a very valuable Branch of Commerce would be restored to this Country, and the Rebels deprived of a principal Resource for the Support of their foreign Credit, and of paying for the Supplies they stand in need of, as the Products of those Provinces make a considerable part of their Remittances to Europe.

While these Operations are carrying on, every Diversion should be made in the Provinces of Virginia and Maryland that the remaining Troops, which can be spared for offensive Service, in Conjunction with the Fleet, will admit of. The great number of deep Inlets and navigable Rivers in those Provinces expose them in a peculiar Manner to Naval Attack, and must require a large Force to be kept on foot for their Protection, and disable them from giving any Assistance to the Carolinas. The seizing or destroying their Shipping would also be attended with the important Consequence of preventing the Congress from availing themselves, as they have done, of their Staple Commodity, Tobacco, on which, and the Rice and Indigo of Carolina & Georgia, they intirely depend for making Remittances to Europe.

Should the Success we may reasonably hope for attend these Enterprizes, it might not be too much to expect that all America to the South of the Susquehannah, would return to their Allegiance, and in the Case of so happy an Event, the Northern Provinces might be left to their own Feelings and Distress to bring them back to their Duty, and the Operations against them confined to the cutting off all their Supplies and blocking up their Ports.

I have thus, Sir, fully stated to you His Majesty's Wishes and Intentions respecting the Employment of the Troops under your Command, and, having done so, it is my Duty to acquaint you that the King does not mean that you should consider anything which I have said upon that subject as positive Orders for your Conduct, which you are to follow under all Change of Circumstances, or unforeseen Events; On the contrary, it is His Majesty's Pleasure that you do, in all Cases, use your own Discretion, His Majesty committing to you the Planning, as well as the Execution of all the Operations, which shall appear to be the most likely means of crushing the Rebellion, and restoring the Constitutional Authority of Government in the Colonies. I am [&c.]