From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 1 February 1781
To Major General William Heath
Head Quarters New Windsor Febry 1st 1781
Dear Sir
Capt. Lincoln & Lieut. Eldred Prisoners lately exchanged, having applied for an extension of their furloughs beyond the first of April—I shall have no objections to any reasonable indulgences in such extraordinary Cases.1 but cannot undertake to act upon particular applications, as this might counteract the general Arrangements made by the Commanding Officers of Regts—who ought to be consulted, & give their Certificates that the services of the applicants may be dispensed with, for the time proposed, before the Indulgence is granted. I am Dear Sir Your Most Obedt & Very Hble Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in David Humphreys’s writing, MHi: Heath Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Rufus Lincoln (c.1752–1838) of Taunton and Wareham, Mass., served as a corporal in the Lexington Alarm of April 1775. He became a lieutenant in Col. Thomas Marshall’s Massachusetts militia regiment in May 1776. In January 1777, he joined the 14th Massachusetts Regiment as a lieutenant. He was taken prisoner on 28 Dec. of that year. He became a captain lieutenant in October 1777 and a captain in April 1780. He transferred to the 7th Massachusetts Regiment in January 1781 and left the army in June 1783. For documents related to his experiences, see Papers of Rufus Lincoln.
Samuel Eldred (1744–1826), of Rochester, Mass., served as a sergeant in the Lexington Alarm of April 1775 and in Col. Theophilus Cotton’s Massachusetts Regiment from May to December of that year. He joined the 21st Continental Regiment as an ensign in January 1776 and transferred to the 1st Massachusetts Regiment as a lieutenant in January 1777. He was taken prisoner on 28 Dec. 1777 and exchanged on 28 Jan. 1781. That same month, he transferred to the 2d Massachusetts Regiment, where he served until he left the army in 1782.