stinguished themselves for their Zeal
& Public Spirit, should now shamefully desert the Cause; and at a
critical moment too, is really unaccountable--amazing. Those that
do return will meet with real Contempt, with deserv'd Reproach. It
gives great satisfaction that the Officers universally agree to
tarry--that is the Report, is it true or not?--May that God who has
signally appear'd for us since the Commencement of our troubles,
interpose, that no fatal or bad consequence may attend a dastardly
Desertion of his Cause.

I want much to have a more minute Acct. of the situation of the
Camp than I have been able to obtain. I rely wholly on you for
information.

Your
G. SALTONSTALL.

To explain some of Saltonstal's references to the feelings of some of
the Connecticut troops, we quote from Captain Hale's diary of October
23:

"10 o'clock went to Cambridge with Field commission officers to
General Putman to let him know the state of the Regiment and that
it was through ill usage upon the Score of Provisions that they
would not extend their term of service to the 1st of January 1776."

Other letters to Hale from New London friends, among them one from an
officer absent on furlough, speak freely of the anxieties of those
watching the progress of the reenlistments, and the home reception that
would be given to any leaving the army.

Another letter from Saltonstall reads as follows:

NEW LONDON Decr. 18th 1775

DR. SIR....

I wholly agree with you in ye. agreables of a Camp Life, and
should have try'd it in some Capacity or other before now, could my
Father carry on his Business without me. I proposed going with
Dudley, who is appointed to Commn. a Twenty-Gun Ship in the
Continental Navy, but my Father is not willing, and I can't
persuade myself to leave him in the eve of Life against his
consent....

Yesterday week the Town was in the greatest confusion imaginable;
Women wringing their Hands along Street, Children crying, Carts
loaded 'till nothing more would stick on, posting out of Town,
empty ones driving in, one Person running this way, another that,
some dull, some vex'd, more pleased, some flinging up an
Intrenchment, some at the Fort preparing ye Guns for Action, Drums
beating, Fifes playing; in short as great a Hubbub as at the
confusion