To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 21 December 1779
From Major General William Heath
Robinson’s House [N.Y.] Decr 21st 1779
Dear General
I was yesterday honored with yours of the 13th and 17th Instant and altho your Excellency did not think your self authorised to give direction in the Instances in which I requested it, I beg you will be pleased to accept my thanks for so fully Expressing Your Sentiments, on the case of Majors Hull and Cogswell1 I am writing the General Assembly of Massachusetts on the Subject, no endeavours of mine shall be wanting to request and press the necessity of preserving inviolate the late arrangment of their Line of the Army, and that the least inovation be not made upon it.2
I had ordered a Carefull return of the Arms and Accoutrements of the Soldiers as their time of Service expires.
The late Severe weather which has almost stopd the water Transports has alarmed our apprehensions respecting a Supply of Flour, at this Time we have Scarcly one Days Bread on Hand, I am Sorry to hear that the army with your Excellency are experianceing the Same Scantiness.
Enclosed are the requests of Two Officers for leave to resign their Commissions in the Army, they are desireous to retire as Soon as it may be Convenient to your Excellency to grant their requests.3
The Troops here I am informed Suffer much for want of their pay, which is Several months in arrears, in particular the officers who are going Home on Furlough whose Expences on the road will be Considerable, many of these I am told are obliged to borrow money—and there are but few among them that have it to lend, The Commanding officers of Regiments are also urging the necessity of money to pay the Continental Bounty to the reinlisted men, as many Soldiers will not Inlist unless they can receive their whole Bounty.
Major Bauman of the Artillery has wrote me a Letter, which I take the Liberty to enclose, not thinking my self authorised to grant his request in the first Instance without Instructions for that purpose.4
A Capt. North who lately went down the River, with a Flagg to New York returned yesterday, He went as low as nearly opposite the City and was put on Board the Romilus man of war while his Vessel was hauled into the wharf and the Failies he carried down Landed. Capt. North is a very Sensible and Judicious man, and one in whom Governor Clinton places great Confidence. He informs me that about 70 Sail of Transports lie in the Stream in the North River and near the Romilus, that about the Same number are in the East River, The whole Compleatly ready for the Sea, That from 8 to 10,000 of their best Troops are to embarke; That this had been once done about a fortnight Since and disembarked again it was Said because the coast was not clear, last wednesday or Thursday5 the Boats were plying very Briskly altho the weather was Stormy, carrying Baggage &c. on Board the Transports and it was Said the Troops would embarke by the 20th Capt. North found by Some Conversation on Board the Romilus, that Genl Sir Henry Clinton and a nother General Officer were to go in that Ship, but that orders Soon after Came on Board, for a division of the Cabbin Stores &c. as the other General was to go in another Ship, A disposition of the Stores was made accordingly—It was Said the destination of the Troops was to the Southward, but some were of opinion it was for the West Indies, Capt. North thinks it probable their destination is various, and that they are destined to the Southward, the West Indies, and a part of the Fleet to Europe, as the Invalids are to embarke, this He learnt by an Officer Coming on Board and telling Two midshipmen, that they were to repair immediately to Long Island, and Se[e] that the Invalids were properly embarked on Board the Transports, on this the officer had a hint and no more was Said in the hearing of Capt. North, who was hurried away before he could compleat his Business—and that the whole attention Seemed turned to the embarkation.6 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect your Excellencys most obedient Servt
W. Heath
ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. Heath is referring to GW’s letter of 13–17 December.
2. Heath wrote Artemas Ward from Beverly Robinson’s farm “near West point” on this date in a letter that in part reads: “I have been honored with your Two favors of the 26th of Novr enclosing Several Warrants for Officers promoted in the Massachusetts Line, and Certificates to the Hon. Continental Board of War of Such Promotions, I should have immediately delivered the warrants Agreable to the directions of the Hon. General Assembly, had I not found upon looking over them, that Some were directed to Officers who are already Commissioned, and the One intended for Major Cogswell, as Soon as known in the Army createing great Uneasiness, I therefore thought it my Duty as this promotion in its nature and Consequences Concerned the Army in General as well as the Line of Massachusetts in particular, to Consult his Excellency General Washington and crave his direction what mode of Conduct to pursue, in a matter That I found would Unavoidably Convulse the Line.
“I was yesterday honored with his Excellencys answer, He renounces all right or authority to give me directions But with Concern expresses his Sentiments and apprehensions, The propriety and perspicuity with which I think his Excellency States the matter will give the Honorable Assembly a better representation than I can Possibly make. I therefore take the Liberty to enclose Some paragraphs of his Letter, permit me to add as I ardently wish the Honor of the State the peace and tranquility of their Line of the Army, most earnestly to entreat that the arrangment which has Cost so much attention and labor and if broken will be productive of much Confusion, may be held Sacred and inviolate, and the least inovation avoided” (MHi: Heath Papers).
3. The enclosures have not been identified, but the officers seeking to resign almost certainly were Ensign Elisha Gilbert and Lt. Jonathan Porter (see GW to Heath, 31 Dec.; see also Heath to GW, 17 Dec.).
4. The enclosed letter from Maj. Sebastian Bauman to Heath has not been identified, but Heath’s reply, written at Robinson’s house on 22 Dec., reads: “your favor, representing your Situation and Command Came duly to hand, it is not in my power to grant your request in the first Instance without Instructions for that purpose, I have transmitted your Letter to His Excellency General Washington If I should receive an answer that will enable me to afford you assistance it will give me pleasure” (MHi: Heath Papers). In his reply to Heath on 31 Dec., GW refused Bauman’s request for an extra allowance of rations.
5. These days were 15 and 16 December.
6. Robert North (c.1740–1818) captained a Hudson River sloop that carried flags of truce into New York City. New York governor George Clinton’s orders for North given on 16 May 1779 read: “Capt. North with the Flag of Truce this Day granted, will be careful that no abuses are committed thro’ the Medium of his Flag & on his Return, he is to bring no Person out, but such as shall have the Gov’rs Permission to return, or such others as may be sent out on Exchange; neither is he to suffer to be brought out in his Sloop any Articles of merchandize” ( 4:826–27).
For GW’s eagerness to confirm reports of a major British detachment from New York, see his letter to Samuel Huntington, 29 Nov., and n.1 to that document; see also Henry Lee, Jr., to GW, 30 Nov., n.4.