From George Washington to Brigadier General John Stark, 15 January 1780
To Brigadier General John Stark
Hd Qrs Morris Town Jany the 15. 1780
sir
Although the discharge which you gave to the Soldier of Colonel Jackson’s Regiments, about which you were written to Yesterday,1 was contrary to my sentiments and to the spirit & direction of my Letter of the 6th2—Yet as you informed me that it proceeded from a mistake or an error in Judgement—it is by no means my wish to delay You from prosecuting your Journey to the Eastward.3 At the same time I cannot but express a concern that it ever happened, notwithstanding the Soldier will be retained in service, as it may have a tendency to excite uneasiness and a spirit of impatience in Others of the same Regiment having like pretensions, although they appear to be totally destitute of justice.4 I am sir yr most Obed. st
G.W.
Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. The draft of the letter of 14 Jan. from Harrison to Stark reads: “I have it in command from His Excellency to inform You, that Colonel Jackson has represented to him, that You have discharged a soldier belonging to his Regiment, contrary to the Spirit and directions of his Letter of the 6th Instant and the information you had received of his Opinion on the inadmissibility of the Soldiers claims to discharges, who were similarly circumstanced—And it is the General’s request that You will defer your journey till you satisfy him on the point” (DLC:GW).
3. Stark’s communication with GW likely was verbal; no letter from Stark to GW on this subject has been found.
4. For the report from Col. Henry Jackson that prompted this letter, see Jackson to GW, this date.