To George Washington from the Board of War, 28 August 1780
From the Board of War
War Office [Philadelphia] August 28th 1780.
Sir
From the want of regularity in issuing the commissions for the Army, previous to the resolve of Congress vesting that business in the board1—There is no register, nor any thing else sufficiently authentic to refer to, without reading over all the Journals of Congress—to find out the Officers whose names are to be reported agreeably to the inclosed resolution.2
The board therefore take the liberty to request Your Excellency will be pleased to furnish them with such information as you can readily do, on the Subject. It is presumed that the Officers of the Addl & Independent Corps—& Corps of Artillery & Cavalry belonging to any of the thirteen United States, are to be considered as belonging to the quota’s of the states of which they are Citizens, under the resolution of March 15. 1779.3
The Officers from Canada of Col. Hazens, & Col. Livingstons Regts—of such Independent Corps as are composed of Foreigners—& the Foreign Officers attached to the Army at large, are those whose names are now Wanted. perhaps too the Aides de Camp who do not hold commissions in the line, should be considered on this occasion.4 I have
Map 1. Critical supply needs, including shortages of clothing and arms, were at the forefront of Washington’s worries as he directed operations from Liberty Pole, N.J. (Illustrated by Rick Britton. Copyright Rick Britton 2019)
by ord. Ben. Stoddert secy
The board are possessed of returns of Cols. Hazens & Livingstons Regts—but there may have been alterations since the returns were made.
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Among “the powers and duties” given the Board of War in a congressional resolution adopted on 17 Oct. 1777 was the responsibility to “obtain and keep an alphabetical and accurate register of the names of all officers in the land forces in the service of the United States, with their ranks and the dates of their commissions … and to publish annually a register of all appointments” (, 9:818–19).
2. The enclosed copy of a congressional resolution adopted on 12 Aug. 1780 reads: “That the Board of War be directed to report to Congress a list of the Officers not belonging to the Quota of any State, with an Account of the Balance due to each to make their pay good for past Services agreeably to the Resolution of the 10th day of April last” (DLC:GW; see also , 16:344–45 and 17:726, and General Orders, 5 Sept.).
3. For this congressional resolution, see , 13:317–18; see also John Jay to GW, 15 March 1779.