To George Washington from Brigadier General John Glover, 2 April 1779
From Brigadier General John Glover
Providence 2nd April 1779.
Sir
I this day was Honor’d with your esteemed favor of the 11th Ulto inclosing a Resolve of Congress directing your Excellency to indulge me with a Furlough for such time as may be necessary to my private Affairs.
This is what I did not expect, nor even Wish for, I flatter’d myself the Reasons offer’d for asking a Dismission were of such weight as would most assuredly have produced it. Thus disappointed, & it being absolutely necessary for me to attend to my Domestic concerns, I accept of the Furlough & leave Camp the 20th when I shall endeavour to put my Affairs in such a Situation (if possible) as to return to my Brigade in the Course of two months.1 but should I find them much embarrass’d, I must then renew my Request for a Discharge. This I hope will not be the Case, as I feel a Reluctance to leave the Service at this Stage of the War, although I know I must make a Sacrifice of the remains of my Fortune if I continue.
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 19th to General Sullivan respecting the Arrangment of Col. Jackson’s Regt I received, with yours of the 25th inclosing a Resolve of Congress respecting the Artillery, & some of the Corps of Infantry, which I have Communicated, & requested Returns to be made agreable thereto.2 I beg Leave again to remind your Excellency, I have not receiv’d any Commission since my appointment as Brigadier. I have the Honor to be, Dear sir, Your Excellency’s most Obedt hume servt
John Glover B. General
LS, DLC:GW. A note on the cover of this letter reads: “Genl McDougall will be ⟨so⟩ kind as to forward this as directed, immediately.” GW replied to this letter on 4 May 1779 (DLC:GW).
1. For Glover’s short delay in beginning his furlough, see his letter to GW of 26 April (DLC:GW).
2. GW’s letter of 25 March, which apparently was also addressed to Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, has not been found. For Congress’s resolution of 15 March requiring that returns be made of all Continental officers and men who were not serving in the eighty-eight infantry regiments “originally apportioned on the states,” see John Jay to GW, 15 March, n.1. Glover opened and responded to these letters in his capacity as interim commander at Providence, General Sullivan having left town for Middlebrook on 29 March and Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates not arriving at Providence until 3 April (see Gates to GW, 16 March, and the Providence Gazette; and Country Journal, 3 and 8 April).