1. Laurance had been absent from camp for about twelve days. James McHenry wrote to Laurance for GW on 27 April: “Doctor McHenry’s compliments to Judge Laurence. His Excellency is desirous of obliging him as far as he can with consistency—and therefore places his permission on your being perfectly persuaded that the gentleman who you mean should act in your room, is fully competent to the tryal of Mr Hooper, or in cases of the like intricacy which may occur during your absence from the army—Under this discreption the General is willing to grant you leave of absence for a short time to remove your family” (DLC:GW). Laurance wrote to Alexander Hamilton from camp on the following day that “I set out this afternoon for Home” (DLC:GW). The subsequent postponement of Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold’s trial made Laurance’s return unnecessary; see Arnold to GW, c.18 April, n.2.