From George Washington to Colonel Elisha Sheldon, 18 April 1780
To Colonel Elisha Sheldon
Head Quarters Morris Town 18th April 1780
Sir
I have recd your favr of the 13th—The low state of the military Chest will not allow of a further sum on account of recruiting just now, for which reason your Officers must suspend that Business for the present. The Bounty to the Officer is 20 dollars for each new recruit and 10 dollars for each reinlisted Man—You may offer Pardons to any of those who have deserted from you, who will return voluntarily in a limited time.
Inclosed you have a letter to Mr Chever Commy of Military Stores at Springfeild to deliver you the necessary quantity of such Arms and Accoutrements proper for the Cavalry, as he may have in the Magazine1—Mr Hubbard has had directions to provide any other Articles which may be wanting.2 I must again repeat my former request that you will draw no more than you find absolutely necessary to equip the Regt3—You have also a letter to Mr Bull the Dy Cloathier at Springfeild directing him to stop the new Cloathing for your Regt at that place and deliver it out to your Regimental Cloathier as it is wanted.4 I have done this in consequence of a letter from Major Tallmadge of the 12th Inst.
The situation of Major Bulls family rendering it inconvenient for him to proceed and join the 1st Regt of Cavalry, he is till further orders to join and do duty in the 4th.5 I am Sir Yr most obt Servt.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. The draft of the enclosed letter from GW to Ezekiel Cheever, deputy commissary of military stores at Springfield, Mass., written at Morristown on this date reads: “I am informed that there is a quantity of Arms and Accoutrements proper for Cavalry in the Magazines at Springfeild under your care—You will be pleased to deliver to the order of Colonels Moylan and Sheldon or the commanding Officers of their Regiments such of the above Articles as they may call for” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
3. See GW to Sheldon, 27 March, found at GW to Hubbard, same date, n.3.
4. The draft of the enclosed letter from GW to James Bull, deputy clothier general at Springfield, written at Morristown on 18 April, reads: “Mess[r]s Otis and Henley will send forward to Springfeild the Uniform Cloathing for Colo. Sheldons Regt. You will be pleased to detain it at that place, and deliver it out to the Regimental Cloathier upon Colo. Sheldons Returns. You are regularly to transmit to the Cloathier General an account of what you deliver to the Regimental Cloathier” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
James Bull (1751–1820), a prominent merchant in Hartford, became a quartermaster for Connecticut troops in 1777 before assuming duties as a deputy clothier general in September 1779 (see GW to James Wilkinson, 8 Oct. 1779, and n.4).
5. The fatal illness of Maj. Epaphrus Bull’s wife prompted this order (see GW to Stephen Moylan, this date, and Benjamin Tallmadge to GW, 12 April, and n.3 to that document).