To George Washington from Brigadier General William Woodford, 6 January 1780
From Brigadier General William Woodford
Philadelphia 6th Jany 1780
Dear Genl
I inclose your Excellency the proceedings of a Genl Court Martial held here for the tryal of Thomas Warren of the Invalid Corps.1 the Court having sentenced him to suffer Death, I have directed Colo. Nichola to take care of the prisoner till your Excellencies pleasure is known.2 I have enquired into the Mans Charactor, & find this to be the first fauld of the kind laid to his charge.
The first division of the Troops Marched on Monday, & the others would have followed by this time if it had not been for the severity of the Weather—which the Board of war thought would be too bad for the Men.3 I shall do myself the pleasure to write you again before I leave the City. I am with great respect Your Excellencies Most Obedt Servt
Wm Woodford
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed proceedings have not been identified.
2. GW replied on 13 January.
Thomas Warren (c.1757–1838) of York County, Pa., enlisted in the 2d Pennsylvania Regiment in November 1778 and transferred to the Invalid Corps in January 1779. Warren deserted from the Invalid Corps in September 1780. For the charges against Warren and GW’s confirmation of the death sentence, see General Orders, 4 February. GW subsequently pardoned Warren (see GW to Lewis Nicola, 5 Feb.).
3. Woodford was marching the battalions of the newly consolidated Virginia brigade to South Carolina. GW had detached the brigade from the main army in December 1779 to reinforce the southern army (see GW to Samuel Huntington, 29 Nov. 1779, and the source note to that document, and GW to Woodford,8 and 13 Dec. 1779). The preceding Monday was 3 January.