To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 27 April 1780
From Major General Robert Howe
Highlands [N.Y.] April 27th 1780
Dear Sir
Colo. Hay just gave me a call in his way to Morris Town, and has occasion to be so much in haste, that it gives me no time to Write fully—I have such malancholy accounts from Commissaries of every sort, respecting supplies, that I should wound your Excellency’s peace were I to particularise, without answreing any good end, as I am certain you are exerting your self to the utmost to Guard against approaching want, and that consequently nothing I could say can induce you to do more.1
I need not I perswade myself assure your Excellency, that nothing in my power has been, or shall be omitted to relieve the Army in this Department from present inconveniences, or to prevent if possible the happening of those which threaten us so Violently.
I enclose you Colo. Putnams letter to me, with the Commissions he refers to, and which from his representation of the matter requires no Comment of mine,2 I also send you a letter from Ensign Fernald with his Commission, which by all accounts may be accepted without injury to service.3
Sir James Jay has been with me, and seems desirous to make some experiments upon Cannon. I have my Fears it may Alarm the Country, without we give them notice of it, and if we do notice them, then if an Alarm should soon afterwards be fired, they may suppose it to be another Experimental Firing—Your Excellency will however determine this matter, As Sir James has Written to you upon the Subject.4 If it would not have the Effect I speak of, I should be glad to indulge Sir James in his wish. I am Dear Sir with the greatest Respect & Regard Your Excellency’s Most Obt hum⟨mutilated⟩
Robert ⟨Howe⟩
LS, DLC:GW.
1. GW had received complaints about Howe commandeering livestock (see Henry Champion, Sr., to GW, 18 April, and n.1).
Lt. Col. Udny Hay wrote New York governor George Clinton on 8 May from Fishkill, N.Y.: “I lately arrived from head Quarters. …
“The Army at Morristown both have and now are in a most deplorable situation both for want of Provisions & Forage. We are no better here. I have by letter advised the General to order both Commissarys and Qr. masters to agree for the necessary supplies at a hard money price, payable on or before the first of Sept., either in hard money or the current paper money of the Country equivalent thereto; the General after laying it before the other General officers has adopted the plan, I am in hopes it will be of considerable help to us” (, 5:692–94).
2. The unidentified enclosed items from Col. Rufus Putnam prompted GW to write the Board of War from Morristown on 5 May: “By the inclosed letter from Colo. Putnam to General Howe, which has been transmitted by him to me, it appears that when the arrangement of the Massachusetts line was settled at West point last fall there was a mistake in dating the appointments of some of the subalterns of the 5th Regt occasioned by the absence of the Colonel—As this may be rectified, without interrupting the general arrangement of the line, it being confined to subalterns who rise regimentally, you will oblige me by directing new Commissions to be made out, in place of the eight inclosed, agreeable to the arrangement herewith transmitted, which Colo. Putnam informs will give satisfaction to all parties—On the 20th March last, I returned the Board some Commissions of the subalterns of the 8th Massachusetts Regt under similar circumstances with the above—If new Commissions are made out for them, I could wish to have them forwarded, as the Officers have several times applied for them” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). For GW’s letter to the Board of War dated 20 March, see Michael Jackson to GW, 16 March, n.2.
3. Howe enclosed a letter from Ensign Joshua Fernald to GW written at West Point, N.Y., on 25 April: “I am under the Necessity of Requesting a Discharge from the service by reason of a Deafness that attends me, and the Difficult circumstances of my Domestick affairs. must therefore desire Your Excellency, will be pleased to grant my Request. … P.S. have inclosed my Commission, & the Necessary certificates” (ALS, DNA: RG 93, manuscript file no. 2338). The enclosures have not been identified.
Joshua Fernald (1753–1830) served as corporal in Col. James Scammon’s Massachusetts Regiment from May to December 1775 before joining the 7th Continental Infantry for 1776. He enlisted in the 2d Massachusetts Regiment as sergeant in January 1777 and advanced to ensign before resigning from the army in spring 1780. Fernald worked as a blacksmith after the war (see , 33–34).
4. See James Jay to GW, 20 April.