To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 22 April 1777
From Major General William Heath
Boston April 22nd 1777
Dear General
I have this moment received Information from the Council that 25 Cases of Arms, are arrived from Martinico, consigned to the Council but belonging to the United States—The Council have directed the Master to deliver them to my Order—I shall immediately deposit them, and wait your Excellency’s Orders.1
A Paragraph in the Letter from the Gentleman at Martinico, who Shiped the Arms, is as follows—
“Inclosed you will please to find Bill of Lading for 25 Cases of Muskets, which is part of a large Supply of those Articles, lately arrived here on Account of the United States, and which will be forwarded to the Continent, as oppertunities of Armed Vessels may offer.”2
I have this moment given Mr Samuel Pitts an Order on the Deputy Paymaster General for 466⅔ Dollars equal to 100 Guineas for the Horse mentioned by your Excellency in a former Letter.3 Mr Pitts informs me that the Horse is equal perhaps to any in America.4 I have the Honor to be very respectfully your Excellencys Humble Servt
W. Heath
LS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers. The closing of the LS is in Heath’s writing.
1. The Massachusetts navy sloop Republic, commanded by Capt. John Allen Hallet, sailed from Martinique on 28 Mar. and arrived at Boston on 21 April with a cargo of “1200 Stands of Arms, 13,000 weight of Powder, A Quantity of Linnen, and several Hundred Bushels of Salt” (Independent Chronicle, and the Universal Advertiser [Boston], 24 April).
2. This paragraph apparently was taken from the letter that William Bingham, the Continental agent at Martinique, wrote to the Massachusetts council on 23 Mar. (see the Massachusetts Council to the Secret Committee of the Continental Congress, 21 April, MHi: Heath Papers).
3. See GW to Heath, 1 April, quoted in Heath to GW, 16 April, n.3.
4. At this place in the draft, Heath wrote and then struck the following words: “and He could have had £70 Lawfull money more for him.”