To John Jay from Marinus Willett, [before 27 April 1776]
From Marinus Willett
[New York, before 27 April 1776]
Sir
I should have troubled you with this letter before now, had it not been for an indissposition that seized me immediately after my return from Philedelphia which tied me to my bed til two days ago—. The reason of my sending you the Inclosed is your asking me in the first conversation I had with you when at Philedelphia, whether I had seen Gen. Schuyler on my way from Canada, which by the manner and time of its being introduced appeared to me to convey an expectation of a recommendation from him if I merited it, whether this Conjecture is true or not is not very material, tho it has been a Spur to prompt me to trouble you with the inclosed Certified copy of a letter from Gen. Schuyler to our Provincial Congress. I acknowledge I do not leave myself intirly out of the Question in this affair, yet if this was realy the case I should count it my duty for the good of such as may come after me to endeavour by every means in my power to prevent em from receiving the like severe treatment that I have.—for, to be superceeded in the way I have been I cant help thinking upon your being asked seriously to reflect upon must appear to be an unnescesary as well as dissagreable evil.—I, for my part, have you will Naturly suppose thought something about it.—I have considered the reasons you gave for the Appointment of Mr. Schuyler to a Majority and however insufficient the cause of that appointment may appear to me—. yet inasmuch as it was thought weighty enough by the Honorable Gentlemen into whose hands the right of communicating power is deposited I am dissposed to leave any farther consideration of that matter.
But how it came to pass that I should be superceeded by Captn. Benedect is truly Strange to me, nor can I conceive the Shadow of a cause for it from any part of that Gentlemans conduct which I have been able to come at, on the contrary the more I aim at investigating it, the more obscure it appears—1
I am no way uneasy about your being disspleased at the incroachment I have made on your patience in this Tedious Harangue inacurate as it is—because I think I know enough of your candor, to convince me that you will rather be inclined to put a favourable, than an unfavourable construction on my intentions in it—I have only to add that if you should have an opportunity and think it right to grant me any futer appointment I shall not be willing to serve in any Military appo[intment] Capacity where I shall rank under the present Major Benedict—I am Sir most affectionatly
Marinus Willett
P.S. Believe me Sir we have a Number of Officers who are indeed Men of Approved Perserverance and Courage, who must be now on their way from Canada—who it will be the highth of ungenerousity not to provide for. I am Sorry there is reason to say that Gentlemen in office here are too much taken up about themselves to think of those worthies abroad.
ALS, NNC (EJ: 7266). Endorsed: “. . . recd. Ap. 1776/answd. 27th: Inst.” Enclosure: Philip Schuyler to the New York Provincial Congress, 27 Feb. 1776, , 2: 121. Schuyler’s letter of recommendation for Willett remarked, “When an officer has acted with remarkable attention and propriety, it becomes a duty in his commander to give public testimony of it. Such has been the conduct of Capt. Willets during the last campaign.”
1. For the problems created by the Continental Congress’s appointment of field officers for the four New York battalions in March 1776, see above, McDougall to JJ, 20 Mar. 1776 (first letter). Willett, one of the New York Congress’s eight nominees for a majority, was not given any commission by the Continental Congress’s resolves of 8 Mar. 1776, while Peter P. Schuyler, whom the New York Congress had suggested as a lieutenant colonel, and Joseph Benedict, one of the New York Congress’s nominees for major, were named majors of the 2nd and 1st New York battalions, respectively. Schuyler served as major of the 5th Albany Regiment of militia in 1775. Benedict had been named a “Jr.” captain of the 4th New York Regiment on 27 July 1775, nearly a month after Willett received his commission as captain of the 1st New York Regiment. , 4: 69, 190; , 1: 328; Cal. of Hist. Mss., 1: 105, 171, 246; 2: 410.
Angered by the action of the Continental Congress, Willett wrote to the New York Committee of Safety on 20 Apr. 1776 and returned the warrant issued to him for raising troops in the province. He explained, “I can by no means submit to the indignity of being superseded.” , 2: 189–90. For the response, see JJ to Willett, 27 Apr. below.