Letter from Richard Henry Lee to George Wythe, which references the Battle of Saratoga and General Burgoyne's defeat. He sends along John Page's letter which describes the battle in more detail. Lee writes about the Philadelphia Campaign, "Danger appears now to be thickening about Gen. Howe, so that I hope to be able to []long to give you favorable accounts from the neighborhood of Philadelphia." Lee then turns to personal matters about his "enemies" using a letter he wrote to "Mr. Scot". He describes his concerns for his reputation. He then continues by discussing the depreciation of currency and his tenants desire to pay him in produce not cash. He asks for Wythe's help in the matter.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from Benjamin Rush to Richard Henry Lee. Suggests commissary send supplies to American prisoners of war. Rumors that the British have raised large numbers of Russians and Germans to serve in America; news of Battle of Trenton reaches New York.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from Edmund Pendleton to Richard Henry Lee. Pendleton writes about the Philadelphia Campaign, he references Jane McCrea and Horatio Gates in referring to the latter's public letter which claimed British-incentivized scalping. His also relays his thoughts on the war in general and Howe's movements in the South.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from Richard Henry Lee to Thomas Paine. Lee relays his thoughts on William Howe's recent actions as described by Paine in an earlier letter. Lee then writes about happenings in Congress.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from George Washington to Richard Henry Lee. Requests instructions for what to do with so many foreigners appointed by Congress to field officer over native born Americans. Complains that foreigners have "no attachedor tyes to the Country, further than Interest bind them [...] are ignorant of the language they are to receive & give order in, consequently great trouble, or much confusion must follow: but this is not the worst, they have not the smallest chance to recruit others, and our Officers thinks it exceedingly hard, after they have toild in this Service, & probably sustaind many losses to have Strangers put over them, whose merit perhaps is not equal to their own; but whose effrontery will take no denial." Washington also describes and raises concern about foreign artillary officers and engineers that are badly needed. However, he desires them to be properly vetted and that their "pompous narrative of their Servive" combined with the excuse of losing their papers not be taken at face value. The end of the letter references Michael Kovats de Fabriczy (Kováts, Mihály), whom Washington does not necessarily trust as implied in his description. The two colonels referenced at the beginning of the letter are François Lellorquis de Malmédy and Charles Armand Tuffin.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from George Washington to Richard Henry Lee. Situation of the army besieging Boston: "between you and me I think we are in an exceeding dangerous situation, as our numbers are not much larger than we suppose, from the best accts. we are able to get, those of the Enemy to be."; American Philosophical Society
Letter from William Shippen to Richard Henry Lee. Shippen writes that he is grateful that congress took up his suggestions on the restructuring of medical care in the army due to his observations at the Bethlehem military hospital. He encourages congress to up the pay of the physicians and surgeons to 20-30 dollars so that better doctors will work for them. Shippen describes his experiences and the disorder he found at, presumably, a military hospital. He relays how he is working to gain order. He continues to write about military hospitals and other military matters for the rest of the letter.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from George Washington to Richard Henry Lee. State of the army and ships available. "For God Sake hurry the signers of money that our want may be supplied."; American Philosophical Society
Letter from Benjamin Rush to Richard Henry Lee. Rush asks on behalf of Hugh Mercer to inform his wife Isabella Gordon that he is improving after his significant wounding from bayonets. Mercer would die of his wounds a few days later, although Rush writes that "there are reasonable hopes of his recovery." Rush describes Mercer's injuries in detail. He goes on to describe the Battle at Princeton, including number of wounded on both sides and the death of Captain Leslie. In describing the death of Captain Leslie, Rush writes, "I wept for the first time for a victory gained over british troops. Our attachment to each other was reciprocal for when I was introduced to a Capt. McPher[]son in order to dress his wounds, he asked if I was the Dr Rush who used to correspond with Capt Leslie. I told him I was - He Told me that he had heard his friend Leslie say a thousand times that he forgot in [] the political enemy in [] personal friend." Rush describes the village of "Princetown" as so deserted that "you would think it has been desolated with the plague and an earthquake as well as with the calamities of war." Rush details the current state of the village. Rush completes his letter by describing the retreating British Army and other matters related to the army and the war.; American Philosophical Society
Richard Henry Lee responds to George Washington's letter from May 17. He acknowledges Washington's frustration, but suggests that perhaps not all the foreigners volunteering for the army are awful. Lee divides the "adventurers" into "three Classes" and notes that some of them have been excellent. Lee states that he will ask congress to be more specific about the credentials of foreign appointments and that they have written to France and Martinique to stop the flow of mercenaries. Lee writes that this issue is complicated on both sides, "[a]s you express it Sir, the affair requires great delicacy in its management, as well in the account of our own Officers as on that of these Foreigners."; There are letters referencing the issue of mercenaries or professional soldiers in the Franklin Bache collection.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de Lafayette to Richard Henry Lee. The letter mentions General Washington's success against General Howe and the British army.; American Philosophical Society
Letter from George Washington to Richard Henry Lee. "The designs of the Enemy, to me, are mysterious -- indeed totally incomprehensible..."; American Philosophical Society