From George Washington to Brigadier Generals John Glover and Ebenezer Learned, 8 January 1778
To Brigadier Generals John Glover and Ebenezer Learned
Head Quarters Valley Forge 8th Jany 1778
Sir
As the short time we have to lay in Winter Quarters ought to be spent in training the Men, and endeavouring to bring them into the Feild in a more regular manner than they have hitherto been, I must desire that you will join your Brigade as soon as possible, in order to effect this Measure. I have another reason, which is, that so many of the Brigadiers and Colonels Commandant, who have been long absent from their Families, have been under the necessity of going home to look into their private Affairs, that there are scar[c]e Officers sufficient to do the Camp Duties, much less to make a proper arrangement should the Enemy move out against us.1
I desire you will bring on all detachments from your Brigade that may have been left at any of the posts which they have been at during the last Campaign, or that may have recovered in the Hospitals. I am Sir Yr most obt Servt.2
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW enclosed these letters to Glover and Learned in his letter to William Heath of 9 January.
1. Glover was in Boston charged with supervision of the Saratoga Convention prisoners (see his letter to GW of 27 Jan. and GW’s response of 18 February). Learned wrote GW on 7 Feb. asking permission to resign because of ill health, and GW replied on 5 Mar. accepting his resignation. Congress accepted Learned’s resignation on 24 March (, 10:281).
2. The copy of this letter printed in William P. Upham’s Memoir of Gen. John Glover includes a postscript: “P.S. Send on all Officers whose Furloughs have expired, or who are absent without leave” (, 5:104).