1. See Document I, postscript and n.2. In late Sepember or early October, Varick wrote Col. John Lamb: “My intellects are much deranged by the indisposition, or rather by a complication of misfortunes, which must apologize to you for my scrawling and blotting in so scandalous manner. A little touch of fever in the night, has much debilitated me” (Leake, Life of John Lamb description begins Isaac Q. Leake. Memoir of the Life and Times of General John Lamb, an Officer of the Revolution, who Commanded the Post at West Point at the Time of Arnold’s Defection, and His Correspondence with Washington, Clinton, Patrick Henry, and Other Distinguished Men of His Time. Albany, 1857. description ends , 264–65). Varick again wrote Lamb from Beverly Robinson’s house on 5 Oct.: “If the weather be fair and wholesome, I should be happy to pay General St. Clair, yourself, and my other friends, a short visit to-morrow morning; but I have no horse of my own here, nor yet a boat to convey me to you. If it be not inconvenient, you’ll much oblige me by sending your barge.

“I feel myself much recovered; I have last evening conquered the diarrhœa. … I hope now soon to recover a little strength. …

“Is Gen. Schuyler at Poughkeepsie? … I shall want him much on my Court Martial, or enquiry into my conduct. I mean to make the most of this favorable opportunity, in showing to the World, a true portrait of my conduct, from the earliest period of the war, from stage to stage, ’till the memorable 25th Sept. last. On this occasion, you’ll be of no small service to me, with respect to my line of conduct since my joining Arnold’s family” (Leake, Life of John Lamb description begins Isaac Q. Leake. Memoir of the Life and Times of General John Lamb, an Officer of the Revolution, who Commanded the Post at West Point at the Time of Arnold’s Defection, and His Correspondence with Washington, Clinton, Patrick Henry, and Other Distinguished Men of His Time. Albany, 1857. description ends , 265–66; see also n.3 below).

2. Varick had served as deputy mustermaster general until Congress abolished the department (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 16:47; see also Samuel Huntington to GW, 14 Jan., n.1).

3. Varick acted as former major general Philip Schuyler’s military secretary for fourteen months early in the war (see also Varick to Nathanael Greene, 10 Oct., in Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:367).

Schuyler wrote the “President of The Court for Inquiring Into the Conduct of Lt. Colo. Varick,” from Saratoga, N.Y., on 15 Oct.: “Yesterday I received a letter from Colo. Varick Informing me that he had Intreated an Inquiry Into his conduct, and that It would probably soon take place, and requesting me to attend to give my testimony As he has long worked with me—nothing but a very Ill state of health prevents my attending, I consider It however a duty Incumbent on me to Inform You Sir, and through you the Court … That I reflect with Satisfaction on the propriety of that Gentlemans Conduct In every point of view; that I had such entire Confidence in his Attatchment to the Glorious cause we are engaged In that I concealed nothing from him, and never once had reason to repent that I had reposed so much trust In him—That I am so far from believing him capable of betraying his Country, that If even testimony on Oath was given against him It would gain little credit with me unless the persons giving It, were of fair and unblemished Characters—upon the whole Sir I have always found him to be a man of strict Honor, probity & virtue, so I do still believe him to be” (Hart, Varick Court description begins Albert Bushnell Hart, ed. The Varick Court of Inquiry to Investigate the Implication of Colonel Varick (Arnold’s Private Secretary) in the Arnold Treason. Boston, 1907. description ends , facsimile manuscript between 66 and 67).

Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair provided a testimonial while at Totowa on 17 Oct. that indicated “a personal acquaintance with Lieutenant-Colonel Varick since the year 1776” and concluded that “so far as it came under my observation, down to the present hour, he appeared to be a firm friend to his country” (Hart, Varick Court description begins Albert Bushnell Hart, ed. The Varick Court of Inquiry to Investigate the Implication of Colonel Varick (Arnold’s Private Secretary) in the Arnold Treason. Boston, 1907. description ends , 74–75).

4. GW’s aide-de-camp Richard Kidder Meade supplied a deposition for Varick’s court of inquiry (see Document XX, n.5).

5. Varick’s letter to Meade has not been identified. For GW’s reply to Varick, see Document XVIII. For Varick’s court of inquiry and exoneration, see Document XXI.