To George Washington from Major General Horatio Gates, 28 September 1778
From Major General Horatio Gates
Danbury [Conn.] 28th Sepr 1778
Sir
I have the Honor to Inclose your Excellency The proceedings of a General Court Martial held at The Request of Colonel Brewer. You will please to give Your Orders to the Adjutant General thereupon.1
I have not heard from General Scot, so am intirely unacquainted with the Enemys movements in Advance, or upon the Flanks of his Command, or if, They retired towards Kingsbridge.
I sent Your Excellency The Returns of The Five Brigades here last Fryday, by Mr Commissary Gray. I hope Your Excellency received them, as Colonel Scammell complains no Returns have been sent—Major Armstrong has by this conveyance sent Col. Scammell The last Returns.2 I am Sir Your Excellencys most Obedient humble Servant
Horatio Gates
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed proceedings of this divisional court-martial, which tried Col. Samuel Brewer of the 12th Massachusetts Regiment at Danbury on 21 Sept., have not been identified. For GW’s confirmation of the court’s sentence that Brewer be discharged from the army for embezzling or misapplying cloth that had been supplied for use of the regiment’s officers, see General Orders, 29 September.
2. None of these returns has been identified. The previous Friday was 25 September. Gates is referring to Samuel Gray, who served as deputy commissary of issues for the eastern department from 1777 to 1780. He should not be confused with James Gray, whom Congress appointed deputy commissary of issues for the northern department on 19 Oct. 1778.