To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 27 December 1779
From Major General William Heath
Robinsons House [N.Y.] Decr 27th 1779
Dear General
I am this evening honored with your two favors of the 21st Instant. Upon enquiry Some time Since respecting the Beacons, I found that the Guard at the One on Butter Hill and which must Give the Signal to the Others had been taken off before your departure and General McDougall informed me it was done with your Excellencys approbation—this, and the extreme difficulty of keeping Guards on the Heights where the Beacons are erected during the Severe Season, led me to take off the Guards from the Others (which could not be of Service while there was none on butter Hill) untill the Season advanced when the Enemy might be expected to be in motion, this I mention⟨e⟩d to Governor Clinton and this Evening received a Letter from him in which he Observes, “I perfectly agree with you in Sentiment with respect to the Beacons, as it is not probable any movement of the Enemy towards the Highlands in the course of the winter will be so Sudden, but timely notice may be given to assemble the militia. in the Spring we must resume our former Conduct on this Subject with Such further Regulations as may be Judged necessary.”1
A report is Just brought here that the Enemys Fleet with a Large Detachment of their Army Sailed from New York on Wednesday last,2 the Day after your Excellencys Letter is dated, but untill I have the most Authentick Intelligence of it or orders to the Contrary, shall Strictly pursue the Injunctions of your Letter—am writing to Governor Clinton3 and in the morning shall order Guards to the Beacons, and take other necessary measures.4
Governor Clinton in his Letter to me which Came to hand this Day expresses himself as follows “I am exceedingly alarmed at the information I continue to receive respecting the Scarcity of Provisions for the army, I hoped, that the late Soft weather had enabled the Commissaries to have furnished Competent Supplies for your Division, which would have lasted Some time, But as they have not and the Severe Frost will prevent many mills from Grinding, I dread the Consequences; besides from the failure of the Crops last year I fear, without the greatest Œcomomy, we will be reduced to great Difficulties to bring the year about,” the First difficulty I have endeavoured to Guard against (want of water or the Frost) Some Days Since, and by a Circular Letter directed the purchassing Commissarys immediately to remove the wheat from those Mills where there was no prospect of its being Ground to those that were Certain,5 Governor Clinton having Offered me every aid in his power both at Home and at the approaching Session of the Legislature, I have requested him if any measures can be devised, to ensure the Increase of a Supply of Flour without Injury to the Inhabitants that they may be adopted.6
The Issuing Commissaries are all determined to quit the Service on this first Day of January, Unless their pay is increased, before that Time, I have prevailed on Some of them to Continue Untill I can hear from your Excellency, In case of a general resignation what mode shall I adopt?
The Staff officers in the Line are applying for their warrants, Shall a List of their names be Sent on or How are they to Obtain them?
Colo. Putnam having wrote me Some Days Since the Condition of the Light Infantry, on account of Clothing,7 I have made enquiry of Such officers as I have Seen these informed me that they had aimed to do equal Justice to the Light Infantry, with the other men of their Regiments in every respect, I some Days Since Issued an order that in all Distribution of money or Clothing equal attention Should be paid to the Light Infantry, I will make further Enquiry, but am persuaded no Clothing is in the Hands of the Regimental Clothiers, as I am Constantly harrassed With Complaints that the men are naked and numbers unfit for D⟨uty⟩ and confined to their Hutts,8 In the distribution of the Clothing, I am informed that those whose time of Service expires before march were not allowed to receive any, I am this Day inform⟨ed⟩ that there are many men whose time of Service is near expiring who are So naked that they cannot get Home.9
Mr Ruggles the State Clothier is not yet returned from Boston, nor has he any assistant here.
The late Snow and Severe weather have put a total Stop to the works at Kings ferry, Untill it grows more moderate, Colo. Gouvion informs me that no work can be done exccept on the Bomb proofs & Blockhouses, these are prosecuting, the whole would have been Compleated before this time had not the Season prevented.10 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect your Excellencys most Obedient Servt
W. Heath
ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers. GW replied to Heath on 14–15 Jan. 1780 (MHi: Heath Papers).
1. See Heath to GW, 17 Dec., and n.5 to that document; see also George Clinton to Heath, 23 Dec., in MHi: Heath Papers, and 5:429–30.
2. This intelligence probably referred to the British fleet that departed for England on Thursday, 23 Dec. (see Samuel Holden Parsons to GW, 23 Dec., and notes 1 and 4 to that document).
3. See Heath to New York governor George Clinton, this date, found at GW’s first letter to Heath, 21 Dec., n.3.
4. At this place on his draft, Heath struck out a paragraph that reads: “I wish to be informed whether Genl Poors Brigade is considered as within my Command In case the Enemy come this way it is expressed that they are in my Instructions, In a Letter lately received from Baron Stuben he Supposes them under my command, and desires I would give Instructions respecting an Inspection, I only wish to be rightly informed, that on the one Hand I may not omit my Duty, or on the Other assume Command where [I] ought not.”
Heath wrote Brig. Gen. John Paterson from Beverly Robinson’s house on Tuesday, 28 Dec., in a letter that in part reads: “The last evening I had the honor to receive a Letter from His Excellency General Washington, He expresses a Jealousy at the Enemys keeping their Force collected at New York, and that He cannot yet develop their designs, He has directed me to pay particular Attention to the Signals for Calling in the militia in case of need, that the regular Troops may be at Liberty to act at this Post, or march to Support him should circumstances require it. There is a report that a large emberkation of Troops Sailed from New York on Wednesday last, but as there is no Authentick Accounts of it, and His Excellencys orders peremptory you will please to pay immediate attention to the Beacon on Butter Hill, it will be very difficult but a Small Guard must be posted there and every thing in readiness to give the Signal at that place Untill, I hear further from His Excellency” (MHi: Heath Papers).
5. Heath’s circular letter to the purchasing commissaries has not been identified, but he wrote Lt. Col. Udny Hay from Robinson’s house on 23 Dec.: “I have received your favor of this date, and trouble you with Three Copies of a Letter (Circular) to the purchasing Commissaries in this State, please to direct and forward them and if more Copies are necessary please to inform me” (MHi: Heath Papers). Hay replied to Heath from Fishkill, N.Y., on 24 Dec.: “I have sent your Letters to the three principal Commissarys, M[e]ssrs Vanesse, [Melancton] Smith & [James] Reed, accompanyed by one of my own not only to them but all the other purchasing Commissarys I know of; in them I have requested their acquainting me what assistance they wanted, letting them know at same time I could furnish them with bags if necessary, a number of which I have gott made on purpose” (MHi: Heath Papers).
6. Clinton to Heath, 23 Dec., arrived this date (see n.1 above; see also Heath to GW, 17 Dec., n.2).
7. Col. Rufus Putnam had written Heath from Newark, N.J., on 18 Dec. to report his light infantry command “in a Wretched condition full one third not able to go on duty for want of Cloath” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Putnam to Heath, 10 Jan. 1780, in MHi: Heath Papers).
8. An example of such a communication is Col. William Shepard’s letter to Heath written at Highlands, N.Y., on 24 December: “I have two Hundred men that are enlisted During the war—the whol Cloathing that I have Drawn will not nearly Compleat those that are absolutely Naked … I Cannot Reinlist a nother man for the reason I have no Cloathing to Put on them” (MHi: Heath Papers).
9. At this place on his draft, Heath struck out a little more than seven lines that elaborated on the problems of soldiers lacking clothes and provisions.
10. Lieutenant Colonel Gouvion had written Heath from Peekskill, N.Y., on 23 Dec. in a letter that in part reads: “if I can get the teams which have been promised to me, and if the Weather Keeps mild for Some time as it is now, I have good hope to See the bomb proofs finished on each Side. but I have here Some artificers who Know that his Excellency general Washington left me leave to di[s]miss them when I Should think proper, those men plague me every day Some to be Sent to head quarters, Some others to get fourloughs. I Should be much obliged to you if to Save me any further trouble from those men, you would Send me an order mentioning that none of the artificers employed here Shall leave the Works under any pretence without an order from you So they Should not think that there is any bad will from my part, and they would work Smartly to be Soon di[s]missed” (MHi: Heath Papers).