To George Washington from Brigadier General James Clinton, 5 December 1780
From Brigadier General James Clinton
Albany December 5th 1780
sir
I am honored with your Excellency’s favour of the 29th ulto and by a line from Gen. Heath of the 2th Inst. I understand the Troops are on their way for this place agreeable to your Excellency’s order1—It is with particular pain I must inform your Excellency that the state of our provision and precarious expectation of future supplies afford the most gloomy prospects, I have mentioned in my former Letters that Impress was the only method left us in this quarter to procure flour, and that only in scanty portions, I have written to Col. Hay repeatedly, and tho’ I have reason to think he has exerted himself yet I have not been supplied even from Hand to Mouth for those few Troops, Indians, and others who are now on the spot.2
The Alarm mentioned in my last turned out as I expected, a few Houses were burnt and it vanished in Smoak.3
Col. Wesenfelt has informed me that the provisions now at Fort Schuyler will with Oeconomy last till near the first of February—I have since sent him fifty of the best Cattle I cou’d pick out under an escort of new Levies.4 On a view of a return of Arms delivered to the Militia last Campaign I find one hundred and seventy two which have not been returned I have taken the necessary steps and hope in a short time to have them collected.
The Indians are in possession of the Barracks in Schenectady, I know not where to remove them when the Troops arrive.5 I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect Your Excellencys most humble Servant
James Clinton
ALS, DLC:GW. For the conveyance of this letter to GW, see n.2 below. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote “Ansd 16th” on the docket, but see n.5 below.
1. See GW to Clinton, 29 Nov.; see also William Heath to Clinton, 2 Dec., found at GW to Heath, 28 Nov., n.4.
2. Clinton also wrote his brother, New York governor George Clinton, from Albany on this date: “However great the Exertions of Col. Hay and his assistants may be, it is a melancholy certainty, that they have not been attended with the desired success. It has been with the utmost difficulty that scanty, very scanty supplies (perticularly of flower) have been furnished from hand to mouth to the few Troops stationed in this quarter. …
“I presume you are apprised that the remaining part of the New York Brigade are on their way to this Place. Col. Hay is notified of it, and he knows that there is not as much flour in this whole Department exclusive of Fort Schuyler, as will furnish them with one day’s allowance, an alarming truth. …
“Seventeen of the new Levies from Dutchess County, deserted a few Days since from Saratoga on account of the scarcity of provisions; the remainder of them I sent off to Fort Schuyler as a guard to fifty head of Cattle” (, 6:475–76).
Governor Clinton replied to his brother from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on 12 Dec.: “I have rec’d your Letter of the 5th; that inclosed to Genl. Washington I delivered to him myself at New Windsor. I am sorry to hear that the Troops to the northw’d are not better supplied with Provisions, and have at Genl. Washington’s Request, issued my Genl. Impress warr’ts for the purpose of collecting & recommended it to Colo. Hay to cause them to be carried into immediate execution.
“The enclosed was handed to me by the Genl. to peruse & forward to you. I wish Major Davis may be sent to me as soon as possible. You will appoint an Officer to recruit in each of the Counties in this State. … The Recruiting Officers must be directed to make Returns to me by every Opportunity, the Number & Names of their Recruits & Regts. for which they are engaged” (, 6:491–92; see also GW’s first letter to George Clinton on 10 Dec., and GW to Hay, 29 Dec.).
4. Lt. Col. Frederick Weissenfels’s letter to James Clinton has not been identified, but see n.2 above.