The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from General Washington to Congress, dated August 25, 1777.

Among the copies you will find General Burgoyne's instructions at large to Lieutenant Colonel Baum, pointing out the objects of his command, when he was first detached. What we had before was after he marched, and was an answer to a report he had received from him. There was also a mistake in his name before, being called Bern in the copies sent by General Lincoln.

INSTRUCTIONS for Lieutenant Colonel Baum.

The object of your expedition is to try the affections of the country, to disconcert the councils of the enemy, to mount Riedesel's dragoons, to complete Peters's corps, and to obtain large supplies of cattle, horses, and carriages.

The several corps, of which the enclosed is a list, are to be under your command. The troops must take no tents, and what little baggage is carried by officers, must be on their own bat-horses.

You are to proceed from Battenkill to Arlington, and take post there till the detachment of provincials under the command of Captain Sherwood, shall join you from the southward. You are then to proceed to Manchester, where you will again take post, so as to secure the pass of the mountains on the road from Manchester to Rockingham; from hence you will detach the Indians and light troops to the northward, towards Otter Creek on their return, and also, receiving intelligence that no enemy is in force on the Connecticut river, you will proceed by the road over the mountains to Rockingham, where you will take post. This will be the most distant part on the expedition, and must be proceeded upon with caution, as you will have the defile of the mountains behind you, which might make a retreat difficult; you must therefore endeavour to be well informed of the force of the enemy's militia in the neighbouring country. Should you find it may with prudence be effected, you are to remain there while the Indians and light troops are detached up the river, and you are afterwards to descend the river to Brattlebury, and from that place, by the quickest march, you are to return by the great road to Albany.

During your whole progress, your detachments are to have orders to bring into you all horses fit to mount the dragoons under your command, or to serve as bat-horses to the troops, together with as many saddles and bridles as can be found. The number of horses requisite, besides those necessary for mounting the regiment of dragoons, ought to be thirteen hundred. If you can bring more for the use of the army it will be so much the better; your parties are likewise to bring in waggons and other convenient carriages, with as many draught oxen as will be necessary to draw them, and all cattle fit for slaughter, milch cows excepted, which are to be left for the use of the inhabitants. Regular receipts in the form hereto subjoined are to be given in all places where any of the above-mentioned articles are taken, to such persons as have remained in their habitations, and otherwise complied with the terms of General Burgoyne's manifesto; but no receipts are to be given to such as are known to be acting in the service of the rebels. As you will have with you persons perfectly acquainted with the abilities of the country, it may perhaps be advisable to tax the several districts with the portions of the several articles, and limit the hours for the delivery; and, should you find it necessary to move before such delivery can be made, hostages of the most respectable people should be taken to secure their following you the ensuing day. All possible measures to be used to prevent plundering.

As it is probable that Captain Sherwood, who is already detached to the southward, and will join you at Arlington, will drive in a considerable quantity of cattle and horses to you, you will therefore send in the cattle to the army, with a proper detachment from Peters's corps to cover them, in order to disencumber yourself but you must always keep the regiment of dragoons compact. The dragoons themselves must ride, and take care of the horses of the regiment. Those horses which are detained for the use of the army, must be tied together by strings of ten each, in order that one man may lead ten horses. You will give the unarmed men of Peters's corps to conduct them, and inhabitants whom you can trust. You must always take your camps in good positions, but Lieutenant Colonel Pfister is dead of the wounds he received in the engagement with General Stark.

at the same time where there is pasture; and you must have a chain of sentinels around your cattle and horses when grazing. Colonel Skene will be with you as much as possible, in order to assist you with his advice, to help you to distinguish the good subject from the bad to procure you the best intelligence of the enemy, and to choose those people who are to bring me the accounts of your progress of success.

When you find it necessary to halt for a day or two, you must always entrench the camp of the regiment of dragoons, in order never to risk an attack or affront from the enemy. As you will return with the regiment of dragoons mounted, you must always have a detachment of Captain Frazer's or Peters's corps in front of the column, and the same in the rear, in order to prevent your falling into an ambuscade when you march through the woods.

You will use all possible means to make the country believe that the troops under your command are the advanced corps of the army, and that it is intended to pass the Connecticut on the road to Boston. You will likewise insinuate that the main army from Albany is to be joined at Springfield by the corps of troops from Rhode Island.

It is highly probable that the corps under Mr. Warner, now supposed to be at Manchester, will retreat before you; but should they, contrary to expectation, be able to collect in great force, and post themselves advantageously, it is left to your discretion to attack them or not; always bearing in mind that your corps is too valuable to let any considerable loss be hazarded on this occasion.

Should any corps be moved from Mr. Arnold's main army, in order to intercept your retreat, you are to take as strong a post as the country will afford, and send the quickest intelligence to me, and you may depend upon my making such a movement as shall put the enemy between two fires, or otherwise effectually sustain you. It is imagined the progress of the whole of this expedition may be effected in about a fortnight, but every movement of it must depend upon your success in obtaining such supply of provisions as will enable you to subsist for your return to the army. In case you can get no more, and should not the army be able to reach Albany before your expedition should be completed, I will find means to send you notice of it, and give your route another direction.

All persons acting in committee, or any officers under the directions of Congress, either civil or military, are to be made prisoners.

I heartily wish you success, and have the honour to be,
Sir, yours,
J. BURGOYNE,
Lieut. General.

Head-Quarters, August 9, 1777.
Published by order of Congress.
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.