George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-12-02-0143

To George Washington from Colonel Alexander Martin, 7 November 1777

From Colonel Alexander Martin

[Whitemarsh, Pa.] Novr 7th 1777.

May it please your Excellency

The within Proceedings of the Board of Officers of the N. Carolina Brigade I approve of, and do recommend the Gentlemen Officers within named—both from their Rank & Merit, to your Excellency, to fill the Vacancies aforesaid.1

Alex: Martin Colo. Com.

ALS, DNA: RG 93, Revolutionary War Records, North Carolina. Beneath Martin’s letter GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison summarized the promotions of four field officers of the North Carolina line.

1The enclosure is titled “Proceedings of a Board of Field Officers of the North Carolina Brigade by Order of Colo. Alexr Martin Commandant in Order to recommend Officers to fill up the Vacancies Occasioned by the Death of Lieut. Colo. Henry Irvine of the Fifth and Resignation of Saml Lockhart, Lieut. Colo. of the Eighth Battns.” The board, which met at Whitemarsh on 7 Nov., was headed by Col. Jethro Sumner and included Col. James Hogun, lieutenant colonels John Patten and Archibald Lytle, and majors William Lee Davidson, Lott Brewster, and Henry Dixon. The enclosure reads: “The Board do recommend Major Wm Lee Davidson of the fourth Battn he being Eldest Major to be promoted to the Rank of Lieut. Colo. of the Fifth in the Room of Lieut. Colonel Irvine who fell in the Battle near Germantown of the 4th of Octr last his Commission to bear date Accordingly—Levi Dawson Major of the Fifth to the Rank Lieut. Colo. of the Eighth in the room of Lieut. Colo. Saml Lockhart resigned the [19th] of Octr last his commission to bear date from the Above resignation—Capt. John Armstrong of the S[e]cond Battn he being Eldest Capt. in the Brigade to the Rank of Major of the Fourth in the Room of Major Davi[d]son promoted Also Capt. Thomas Hogg of the First Battn he bei[n]g next Eldest Capt. to the Rank of Major of the Fifth in the Room of Major Dawson promoted The Commissions respectively to bear Date from the Time of the Above Vacancies” (DNA: RG 93, Revolutionary War Records, N.C.; see also N.C. State Records description begins Walter Clark, ed. The State Records of North Carolina. 16 vols., numbered 11-26. Winston and Goldsboro, N.C., 1895–1907. description ends , 11:799–800). The 5th North Carolina Regiment also was without a commander at this time because of the capture of its colonel, Edward Buncombe, at the Battle of Germantown on 4 October.

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