To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 7 April 1776
From Major General Philip Schuyler
Albany April 7th 1776
My dear General:
The Regiments destined for Canada arrived here very incompleat: Sickness and Desertion have still reduced them much more, so that our Army in Canada will fall greatly short of what was intended: I have therefore applyed to Congress for a Reinforcement (as you will percieve by the inclosed) not knowing that they had requested your Excellency to detach four Regiments, of which I was only informed this Morning by the Gentlemen Commissioners, who then arrived1—May I take the Liberty my dear General to urge the Necessity of their being speedily sent. I believe the Rout by the Way of New York will be as speedy as any, and give more Ease to the Soldiers, as they can be conveyed from thence to this place in Sloops.
General Thomas leaves this to Morrow and I shall accompany him to Tyconderoga. I am my dear General with every Sentiment of Esteem & Affection Your Excellency’s most obedient humble Servant
Ph: Schuyler
LS, DLC:GW; LB, NN: Schuyler Papers.
1. Schuyler enclosed a copy of his letter to Hancock of 2 April 1776 in which he urged the Continental Congress to consider sending reinforcements to Canada from Washington’s army. “General Thomas will not have above 5000 Men exclusive of Canadians,” Schuyler explained, “and one thousand at least of these will be occupied in garrisoning Montreal St John’s &c. and in bringing on the provisions to the army from Chamblé. Five Regiments would not be too many for in that Country our entire Dependance must be on the Soldiery, whereas in these Colonies our armies can be almost instantaneously augmented out of the Militia, who will readily run to Arms here, but I am confident that should General Thomas call on me in an Hour of Distress for Assistance, I should not be able to procure 300 Militia to go into Canada” (DLC:GW). The “Gentlemen Commissioners” were those whom the Continental Congress had dispatched to Canada: Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton. For Congress’s directions to GW regarding the sending of four regiments to Canada, see Hancock to GW, 25 Mar. 1776.