To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Butler, 2 October 1778
From Lieutenant Colonel William Butler
[Schoharie, N.Y.] October 2nd 17781
May it please your Excellency
I wrote you a few days ago from Albany of my intentions to send a party to attack the enemy at Unadilla,2 last night I sent off my advanced party & am just marching the body consisting of above 200 men—I take the command of the party myself, & hope on my return to be able to give your Excellency a satisfactory account of the expedition.
This will be delivered your Excellency by Capt. Long, an Officer in the Rifle Chair [corps] who sinc under my command has supported the character of a gentleman & a good Officer—He in some party’s which he has commanded since with me has signalize himself by his bravery & good conduct, By a bad state of health, he is obliged to retire from this command, which I sincerely regret. I remain with respect Yr Excellency’s Humble Servant.
Wm Butler
Sprague transcript, DLC:GW. On the original addressed cover of this letter, which is in DLC:GW, Butler wrote in its lower-left corner: “⅌ Captain [Gabriel] Long.”
1. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman docketed the cover of this letter: “Scohary 2d Octobr 1778 from Colo. Butler.”
2. See Butler to GW, 27 September.