Wesley Corpus

Those men think one and all, be it right or wrong, that they are contending pro aris et focis, for their wives, children, liberty! What advantage have they herein over men that fight only for pay! none of whom care a straw for the cause wherein they are engaged, most of whom strongly disapprove of it. Have they not another considerable advantage Is there occasion to recruit the troops Their supplies are at hand, all round about them: ours are three thousand miles off. Are we then able to conquer the Americans, suppose they are left to themselves Suppose all our neighbors stand stock still and leave us and them to fight it out But are we sure of this Are we sure that all our neighbors will stand stock still I doubt they have not promised it. And if they had, could we rely upon those promises Yet it is not probable they will send ships or men to America. Is there not a shorter way Do they not know where England and Ireland lie And have they not troops as well as ships in readiness All Europe is well apprised of this; only the English know nothing of the matter! What if they find means to land but ten thousand men where are the troops in England or Ireland to oppose them Why, cutting the throats of their brethren in America! Poor England in the meantime! 'But we have our militia, our valiant, disciplined militia; these will effectually oppose them.' Give me leave, my Lord, to relate a little circumstance of which one then on the spot informed me. In 1776 a large body of militia were marching towards Preston against the rebels. In a wood which they were marching by, a boy happened to discharge his fowling-piece. The soldiers gave all for lost, and by common consent threw down their arms and ran for life. So much dependence is to be placed on our valorous militia!