392 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [Vol. VII. 



time that as great a proportion as possible of the troops to be furnished 

 by them should be composed of persons who had been driven from the 

 frontier by the Indians. 



" This class of people," Washington observed, " besides the advan- 

 tages of a knowledge of the country and the particular motives with 

 which they are animated, will be most likely to furnish the troops best 

 calculated for the service. They should be a corps of active rangers 

 who are at the same time expert marksmen and accustomed to the 

 irregular kind of wood-fighting practised by the Indians." 



A few days later the command was offered to Major-General Gates 

 who possessed the highest reputation of any officer in the Continental 

 army in consequence of his success at Saratoga. 



"The objects of the expedition," he was informed, "will be effec- 

 tually to chastise and intimidate the hostile Indians, to countenance 

 and encourage the friendly ones, and to relieve our frontiers from the 

 depredations to which they would otherwise be exposed. To effect 

 these purposes it is proposed to carry the war into the heart of the 

 country of the Six Nations, to cut off their settlements, destroy their 

 next year's crop, and do them any other mischief which time and 

 circumstances will permit." 



The force it was intended to place at his disposal was stated at 

 4,000 Continental troops, rank and file actually fit for service, and as 

 numerous a force of militia as might be deemed necessary. 



But Gates absolutely declined to undertake the service on the plea 

 that he no longer possessed the " requisite youth and strength " for such 

 an enterprise, and the choice of Congress then fell upon Major-General 

 Sullivan, an officer of considerable military experience and ability. 



Rumours were then spread abroad designedly of an intended 

 expedition against Quebec by way of Coos, N.H., to prevent the 

 British garrisons in Canada from affording any support to the Indians 

 with regular troops. 



On March 25th, Washington definitely stated the proposed plan of 

 operations in a letter to General Schuyler. 



" The route by the Susquehanna appears to be more direct, more 

 easy and expeditious, and more secure. There is very practicable 

 navigation for boats of eight or ten tons all the way from Sunbury to 

 Tioga, about 140 miles, and for small boats as far as Shemung about 



