further to look forward to but a
continuation of the disintegration until the end came. The meagre
resources of the lax confederacy were already strained to the utmost,
and the capture of a ship laden as this one was reported to be, would
be of incalculable service. Clothes and shoes to cover the nakedness
of the soldiery and protect them from the inclemency of the winter, now
fast approaching, and arms to put in their hands, by means of which
they could assume the offensive and attack the enemy, or at least
defend themselves--what more could they desire! The desperate nature
of the situation, the dire need of just such additions to the equipment
of the army, had been plainly communicated to Captain Jones, and he was
resolved to effect the capture if it were humanly possible. The matter
had also been reported to General Washington; and such was his opinion
of the necessity of a prompt distribution and a speedy forwarding of
the supplies, if they could be secured, by the blessing of Providence,
and so little was his faith in the inefficient commissariat, which,
moreover, had to endeavor to keep the balance between different
colonies and different bodies of troops, more or less loosely coherent,
that he had detailed one of his own staff officers to accompany the
ship, with explicit instructions as to the exact distribution and the
prompt forwarding which the needs of the troops rendered necessary,
when the captured ship should reach port, which would probably be
Boston, though circumstances might render it advisable to take the
longer journey to Philadelphia. The officer to whom this duty had been
allotted was Talbot, of whose capacity and energy General Washington
already thought highly; the three weeks of their military association
only confirming his previous opinion. It was understood that Seymour,
who was Jones' first lieutenant, and would shortly be promoted to a
captaincy, would bring back the transport if they were lucky enough to
capture it. In case they were unsuccessful, Talbot was to report
himself to the commissioners at Paris as military secretary, until
further orders; and Seymour was to command the Ranger, when Jones
should get a better ship in France.

The Ranger was a small sloop of war, a corvette of perhaps five hundred
tons, with a raised poop and a topgallant forecastle, built at
Portsmouth, New Hampshire; a new ship, and one of the first of those
built especially for naval purposes. She was