From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 21 March 1776
To the Massachusetts General Court
Cambridge March 21st 1776
Gentn
E’re now, I was in hopes of congratulating you on the departure of the Ministerial Troops, not only from your Capitol, but Country. That they still remain in the Harbour after being five days Imbark’d, affords matter for speculation; and collected as their Force now is, of Apprehension—This Circumstance—the security of Boston by a Work on Fort hill, and demolition of the Lines on the Neck1—and preservation of the Stores belonging to the King (for Continental use) by a proper search after them, rendered it indispensably necessary for me to throw some Troops into that Town immediately (it coming within the proper line of my duty) but notwithstanding all the precaution which I have endeavourd to use to restrain and limit the Intercourse between the Town, and Army & Country for a few days, I greatly fear that the Small Pox will be communicated to both.
So soon as the Fleet sets Sail my attention must be turn’d to another Quarter, and most of the Continental Regiments, now here, March’d off; it may be necessary therefore for you Gentlemen to consider the state of your Harbour, and think of such Works as shall be found necessary for the Defence of it, and the Town, in case another Armd Force (which I by no means expect) should be sent hither—I shall leave three or four Regiments (as Circumstances may require) for security of the Stores, and throwing up such Works as shall be deem’d necessary for the purposes abovementioned; and shall direct the Officer Commanding them to receive such Instructions in respect to the latter, as you may think proper to give.2
It has been suggested to me, that in the Town of Boston &ca, there is a good deal of property belonging to Refugees, and such other Inimical Persons as from the first of the present dispute have manifested the most unfriendly disposition to the American Cause; and that part of this property is in such kind of Effects as can be easily Transported—concealed—or changed—I submit to you therefore, Gentlemen, the expediency of having an enquiry made into this matter before it be too late for redress; leaving the decission there upon (after the quantum or value is ascertaind, & held in a state of durance) to the consideration of a future day3—I have ordered that no violence be offered by the Soldiery either to the Persons, or property of these People, wishing that the matter may be taken into consideration by your Honble Body, & in such a way, as you shall judge most advisable.
The Inclosed came to me a few days ago, and I beg leave to recommd the purport of it to the Consideration of the Court—I shall take the liberty to add, as my opinion, that the Congress expects nothing else than that the Field Officers of the Massachusets Regiments should receive the same pay as those of the other Colonies have done, and that they expected at the time the pay was fixed, that £15 to a Colonel—£12 to a Lieut. Colonel—and £10 to a Major was the actual Establishment of this Government. I could wish therefore they were allowed it, to remove the jealousies and uneasinesses which have arisen.4 I am with great respect and esteem Gentn Yr Most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, M-Ar: Revolution Letters; LB, DLC:GW; copy, enclosed in GW to Hancock, 24 Mar. 1776, DNA:PCC, item 152; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The General Court read this letter on 22 Mar. and referred it to two committees: one committee to report on the payment of field officers and another committee to consider the rest of the letter (, 30, 38; see also Mar.–Sept. 1776 sess., 23, the copies of the General Court’s resolutions of 22 Mar. written on the ALS, and note 2 below).
1. Fort Hill was one of Boston’s three major hills before it was leveled in the nineteenth century. The British engineer Archibald Robertson noted in his diary entry for 18 Mar. 1776 that “the Rebels had taken Possession of Fort Hill in Boston and seem’d to have 3 Guns there” (, 80). For the later work done there, see GW to Hancock, 24 Mar. 1776. For the destruction of the fortifications on Boston Neck, see General Orders, 23 Mar. 1776, and note 3.
2. A committee from the General Court called on GW on 22 Mar., and Thomas Cushing subsequently reported on behalf of its members that “they were Informed by his Excellency That as the British Troops were about leaving the Harbor of Boston he had thought it necessary to orde⟨r⟩ five Regiments to the Southward and that as soon as the British Army and Navy were Sail’d & had absolutely taken their Departure, He Should order away the rest of the Continental troops excepting three or four Regiments Which, togather with the Militia enlisted to tarry till the beginning of April, he Should leave, to take Care of the Lines, the Military Stores & to assist in Fortifying the Town & Harbour of Boston, that he had already ordered some work to be thrown up on Fort Hill and he supposed the Gover[n]ment Would take some effectual Measures to fortify Castle Island & such other Places as would be necessary to Secure the Town & Harbor. Your Committee mentioned to the General that the Several Towns thrô this Government had deliver’d out their Stocks of Powder in order to Supply the Continental Army and desired to know whether His Excellency was now able to refund the Colony the Quantity of Powder they had advanced for the Continent. The General answered that he did not Know What Quantity the Army had been Supplied with & should be Glad the Court would furnish him with an Account of the same in order that he might resolve them upon this Head. Your Committee further enquired of the General Whether he should be willing to Spare to this Colony a regiment or Two that consisted of Sea-men provided the Colony would Supply him with an Equal number of other Men in their room, He replyed he should be ready to make the Exchange as soon as the Men were produced” (M-Ar; see also Mar.–Sept. 1776 sess., 22–23).
On 25 Mar. the committee responsible for the part of GW’s letter concerning the defense of Boston submitted its report, which is signed by William Sever. Another committee, says the report, should “be appointed, as soon as possible, to lay before this Court, a Sketch of the Harbour of Boston” and to propose methods for defending the ship channels. Sever’s committee also recommended that “an application be immediately made to his Excellency General Washington, and request that he would further consider the exposed, and at present, the defencless state of this Colony, and if consistent with the general interest, he would continue here Six Regiments of the Continental Troops, for the defence of this Government, in stead of the Three or four Regiments, his Excellency hath informed this Court, he intended to leave” (M-Ar).
The General Court approved both of the committee’s recommendations that same day (, 39–40, 41–42, and Mar.–Sept. 1776 sess., 30–31). When GW departed for New York on 4 April, he left four regiments in the Boston area and one at Beverly, all under the command of Gen. Artemas Ward.
3. On 25 Mar. the General Court appointed a committee to go to Boston to obtain accounts of the Loyalist property in the city and “cause such Effects to be secured in such Manner as to prevent any Embezzlement thereof” (, 40–41; see also Mar.–May 1776 sess., 31–32).
4. GW enclosed “a Petition of Col. John Nixon, and other Field-Officers in the Continental Army, praying that the Pay of the Field-Officers previous to the first of August, might be fixed at fifteen Pounds for a Colonel; twelve Pounds for a Lieutenant-Colonel; and ten Pounds for a Major” (, 41). Although the part of GW’s letter concerning this petition was referred to a committee on 22 Mar., the petition was submitted to another committee three days later. Both committees were joined on 29 Mar. (ibid., 41, 55).