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Letter from General Sullivan to General Washington, June 7: Wishes General Washington or General Lee may be sent to Canada. If any other officer is sent to take the command he asks for permission to return

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GENERAL SULLIVAN TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Sorel, June 7, 1776.

DEAR GENERAL: After having, as I think, given you a just representation of our affairs in Canada, which I dare say every person here will witness to, I must beg you to excuse my giving you the trouble of one petition, which is, that if it be possible for your Excellency or General Lee to come here, that it might be done, though I suppose General Lee cannot be spared from where he is. I am well persuaded that Canada would be ours from the moment of your Excellency' s arrival; but in case neither of you can come to take command, I beg that, if any other officer is sent to take it, I may have leave to return, as I am well convinced that the same disorder and confusion which has almost ruined our Army here would again take place, and complete its destruction, which I should not wish to sec. This confusion and disorder your Excellency discovered in some degree on your arrival at Cambridge. And if your Excellency or General Lee cannot come to take the command, we that are on the spot will undertake to keep possession of the ground we have, and keep advancing our posts till we have, by the assistance of Heaven, completed the wishes of Congress and fulfilled the desires of your Excellency.

I have the honour to be, may it please your Excellency, your most obedient servant,
JOHN SULLIVAN.

To His Excellency General Washington.

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