i8
" Redoubt No. 4, a Wooden work about 10 feet high and fore or five feet thick, the West side faced with a
stone wall 8 feet high and four thick. No Bomb Proof, two six pounders, a slight Abattis, a commanding piece
o KT^J^j^j^rtj, Redoubt, on the East side, built of stone 4 feet high; above the Stone, wood filled in with
Earth Very Dry, no Ditch, a Bomb Proof, three Batteries without the Fort, a poor Abattis, a Rising piece of
ground 500 yards So., the approaches Under Cover to within 20 yards.—The Work easily fired with Faggots
diptd in Pitch, &c. .
"South Redoubt, much the same as the North, a Commanding piece of ground 500 yards due East—3
Batteries without the Fort."
This was in Arnold's handwriting:
Endorsed:
At a Council of War held in Camp, Bergen County, Sept. 6, 1780.
"Present__the Commander in Chief. The Commander in Chief states to the Council that since he had
the honor of laying before the General Officers, at Morristown, the 6th of June last, a general view of our
circumstances, several important events have occurred which have materially changed the prospects of the
Campaign. That the success expected from France, instead of coming in one body and producing a Naval
Superiority in these Seas, has been divided into two Divisions, the first of which only consisting of seven ships of
the line one forty-fonr and three smaller Frigates, with five thousand land Forces, had arrived at Rhode Island.
That a reinforcement of six ships of the hue from England having reinforced the Enemy, had made their Naval
Force in these seas amount to Nine Sail of the Line, Two Fifties, two forty-fours and a number of smaller
Frigates, a Force completely superior to that of our Allies, and which has in consequence held them blocked up
in the harbor of Rhode Island till the 29th ult, at which period the British Fleet disappeared, and no advice of
them has since been received.
"That accounts received by the Alliance Frigate, which left France in July, announce the Second
Division to be confined in Brest with several other ships, by a British Fleet of thirty-two sail of the Line, and a
Fleet of the Allies, of Thirty-six or Thirty-eight Ships of the line ready to put to sea from Cadiz to relieve the
Port of Brest.
'' That most of the States in their answers to the requisitions made of them, give the strongest assurances
of doing everything in their power to furnish the men and supplies for the expected Co-operation. The effect of
which, however, has been far short of our expectations, for not much above one third of the Levies demanded
for the Continental Batallions nor above the same proportion of Militia have been assembled, and the supplies
have been so inadequate that there was a necessity for dismissing all the Militia whose immediate services could
be dispensed with, to lessen our consumption, notwithstanding which the Troops now in the Field are severely
suffering for want of Provision. That the army at this Post and in the vicinity, in operating Force, consists of
10,400 Continental Troops and about 400 Militia, besides which is a Regiment of Continental Troops of about
500 at Rhode Island, left there for the assistance of our Allies against any attack of the Enemy, that way, and
two Connecticut State Regiments amounting to 800 at North Castle.
'' That the Times for Service for which the Levies are engaged will expire the first of January, which if
not replaced, allowing for the usual Casualties, will reduce the Continental Army to less than 6000 men.
" That since the State of the Council above referred to, the Enemy have brought a detachment of about
3000 men from Charles Town to New York, which makes the present operating Force in this Quarter between
Ten and Eleven Thousand men.
"That the Enemies Force now in the Southern States has not been lately ascertained by any distinct
accounts, but the General supposes it cannot be less than 7000 (of which about 2000 are at Savannah). In this
estimate the Diminution by the Casualties of the Climate is supposed to be equal to the increase of Force derived
from the Disaffected.
1' That added to the loss of Charles Town and its Garrison, accounts of a recent misfortune are just arrived
from Major General Gates, giving advice of a general action which happened on the 16th of August near
Campden, in which the army under his command met with a total defeat, and in all probability the whole of the
Continental Troops and a considerable body of the Militia would be cut off. The State of Virginia has been
some time exerting itself to raise a Body of 3000 Troops to serve till the end of December, 1781, but how far it
has succeeded is not known.
" That Maryland^ has resolved to raise 2000 men, of which a sufficient number to compose one Battalion
was to have come to this army. The remainder to recruit the Maryland line—but in consequence of the late
advices, an order has been sent to march the whole southward.
" That the Enemies force in Canada, Halifax, St. Augustine and at Penobscot remains much the same as
stated in the preceding Council.
. "That there is still reason to believe the Court of France will prosecute its Original intention of giving
effectual Succor to this Country, as soon as circumstances will permit; and it is hoped the Second Division wifl
certainly arrive in the course of the fall.
" That a Fleet greatly superior to that of the Enemy in the West Indies, and a formidable land Force had
sailed some time since from Martinique to make a combined attack upon the Island of Jamaica—that there is a
possibility of a re-inforcement from this quarter also, to the Fleet of our Ally at Rhode Island.
"The Commander in Chief having thus given the Council a full view of our present situation and future
prospects, requests the Opinion of each member, in writing, what plan it will be advisable to pursue, to what
object Our Attention ought to be directed in the course of this fall and winter, taking into consideration the
alternative of having a Naval superiority, whether any offensive operations can be immediately undertaken and
against what Point. What ought to be our immediate preparations and dispositions, particularly whether we can
afford or ought to send any reinforcement from this army to the Southern States, and to what amount.
"The General requests to be favored with these opinions by the 10th instant at the furthest."
