George Washington Papers
Documents filtered by: Recipient="Ward, Andrew"
sorted by: date (ascending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-08-02-0613

From George Washington to Colonel Andrew Ward, 14 March 1777

To Colonel Andrew Ward

Morristown Mar. 14th 1777

Sir,

In looking over the return made of your Regimt I find that no less than 17 Men are upon Furlough and 14 others discharged.1 By what authority Sir is this done? You know I presume that no Officer under the Rank of General has a right to discharge Men—& you must have known I should think, that this is notime for granting Furloughs, especially in a Regiment whose term of Service is so near expiring. I am Sir Yr Most Obt

Go: Washington

ALS, CtY: Washington Family Papers. On the back of this letter GW’s aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton wrote another letter to Ward of this date: “Since writing the within, The General received your letter, respecting the innoculation of your regiment, and permission for yourself to go home. He has removed the difficulty in the way of innoculating your regiment, but has thought proper to refer the decision of what you request concerning yourself to Generals Stephen & Maxwell; and if they think the situation of affairs, requires your going home, your desire will be complied with. In addition to what you are called upon to explain, within; The General would be glad to know on what particular commands, the 108 men you return, are employed” (Syrett, Hamilton Papers, 1:206–7). For GW’s directions to generals Adam Stephen and William Maxwell regarding the matters discussed in Ward’s letter, see Hamilton to Stephen, 13 Mar. 1777, in NN: Emmet Collection (see ibid., 204–5). Ward’s letter, which has not been found, was enclosed in Hamilton’s letter to General Stephen.

1This return has not been identified.

Index Entries