To George Washington from Lieutenant William Scudder, 13 June 1779
From Lieutenant William Scudder
Albany [N.Y.] 13th June 1779
Dear Genl
I Wrote Genl Clinton a few Days after the New Arangement of Coln. Van Schaick’s Regt, from Fort Schuyler, that I was Superceded by Lieutenant Abraham Hardenbergh, the letter was by some means intercepted, which I did not know of till yesterday, by mentioning to the Genl relating My rank, who inform’d Me He feard it was too late, but advis’d Me to write to the Board of War imediately—In the Year 1776 I reciv’d an appointment for an Ensign & recruited Sixty four Men, Mister Hardenbergh was appointed to replace an Ensign who left us about two months after, I have ever taken rank of him & am plac’d so on the State Rank Roll. It is impossible for Me to serve My Country by being Superceded, which otherwise I would do with the Greatest Cheerfulness, was last Summer with Major Ledgard in the light Infantry in both Detachments & at the same time lost My rank Your Excellency & the Board of War Considering Me if not to late will much Oblige Your faithful & Obedient Sert
W: Scudder Lieut: in 1s. N. York Regt
I have not wrote to the Board of War by thinking it most proper to write Your Excellency.
ALS, DLC:GW. GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison wrote a note at the bottom of the letter that reads: “In Vanscaicks Arrangement—Scudder is before Hardenberg.”
William Scudder (1747–c.1798), of Westfield, N.J., enlisted in the 1st New Jersey Regiment as a sergeant in November 1775. Commissioned an ensign in the 4th New York Regiment in June 1776, he became a second lieutenant in the 1st New York Regiment that November. Indians captured him while on guard duty outside Fort Schuyler, N.Y., on 23 July 1779, and he remained a prisoner in Canada until 1782 (see GW to Goose Van Schaick, 3 Aug. [DLC:GW], and ).