To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 27 October 1779
From Major General William Heath
Mandevilles [Dutchess County, N.Y.]
Oct. 27th 1779
Dear General
When I had first the honor of Seeing your Excellency at New Windsor after I left Boston1 I took the Liberty to mention the case of Capt. Cartwright One of my aids De Campe, your Excellency was pleased to Observe that you had not the resolves of Congress then at Hand2—Capt. Cartwright has frequently Since that Time mentioned his Situation, and Since the orders for my removing further from you,3 Some uneasiness that his rank and the footing on which he continued in the Army remained altogether unsettled & uncertain, and a Day or two Since put the enclosed into my hand Which I beg leave to lay before [your] Excellency,4 I would Observe that when I appointed Capt. Cartwright One of my aids De Camp I intended to do it in Strict Conformity to the resolve of Congress which directed that Aids De Camp Should be taken from the Line, it Seems that Colo. Jackson did not arrange him because he Supposed Capt. Cartwright provided for in my Family,5 as Capt. Cartwright is undoubtedly an Officer of abilities and Capable of rendering the public real Service I think it my duty both as it respects him and the public earnestly to request, if it be Consistant, with the establishment of the Army, that he may either be confirmed as One of my aids De Camp entitled to the rank and pay established for those aids De camp not belonging to the Line, or that He may be arranged and enjoy his proper rank, in the Army.6 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect your Excellency’s most Obedient Servt
W. Heath
ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. For Heath’s departure from Boston in early June and meeting with GW later that month, see his letter to GW of 5 June and n.2 to that document, and 218.
2. Heath and GW probably discussed resolutions on the “Establishment of the American Army” that Congress adopted on 27 May 1778 ( 11:538–43). This establishment included regulations related to the rank and status of aides-de-camp. Thomas Cartwright, then Heath’s aide-de-camp with the rank of major, had served as a captain in Col. Henry Jackson’s Additional Continental Regiment until it merged with two other regiments.
3. See GW to Heath, this date.
4. This enclosure has not been identified.
5. Heath struck out portions of four lines after this word and appears to have inadvertently omitted to strike out “Untill Some Time after” within this section of the draft.
6. GW responded to Heath from Morristown, N.J., on 2 March 1780, explaining that Cartwright “might continue with the rank of an Aide de Camp appointed before the Resolve of Congress for the new arrangement of the Army” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, 20 Feb. 1780, DLC:GW).