To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 10 November 1779
From Major General William Heath
Camp Pecks Kill [N.Y.] Novr 10 1779
Dear General,
I received the enclosed yesterday pr Express from Mr Sargent whom I am informed is State Attorney in the State of Pennsylvania, but altogether unknown to me.1
What I know of the matter is, that Some time in the year 1778 while I had the Command in Boston Several of the Soldiers under the Convention of Saratogo practised deceptions on the recruiting officers in and about that place by dressing themselves in Sailors habits and other wise, solemnly protesting that they had not the least Connexion with the Convention Troops: In the practice of these Arts many of them enlisted, received Bounties, Cloathing, Arms &c. and deserted—many instances of which (I apprehend) Came to your Excellency’s knowledge.
With respect to Golding & Gaffney A Deserter from prospect Hill2 reported that he apprehended they were in Boston as spies & were taking drafts of the place, that one of them (Golding) had been Seen at Prospect Hill after he deserted talking with Capt. England of the 47th Regiment3 to which he (Golding) belonged, on this I Sent for them. they were brought before me, appear’d dress’d like Gentleme⟨n⟩ of Fashion and Fortune. I interrogated them Closely. they acknowledged to have enlisted in our Service & that they had done it from principle, absolutely denied ever having any design of taking any survey or Plans of the Place or Works and as to Golding, venturing back to the Hill after he deserted he did it once, but Capt. Ingland had such a regard for him that he was assured he would not injure him I order’d them to the Barracks & they deserted that Night. I order’d Search to be made for them at Cambridge & elsewhere but never Could apprehend either of them. By Mr Sargents Letter they are now at Philadelphia and the Express, a Mr Cardill, informs me they Still appear dress’d like Gentlemen & have their Pockets full of Money. My own opinion of them is that they are Capable of transacting any kind of intrigue or business. One of them Served an apprenticeship with a merchant, the other was Clerk to an Attorney, both very Sensible & write an exceeding good hand. they enlisted, and if I do not mistake received their bounty Arms and Cloathes, which they Carried off. The question now is, what Step Shall be taken with them & whether by the Civil or Military Authority, for a Determination of which I submit the matter to your Excellency, and have been particular that you may have all the Evidence that I can give, which is wholy in memory, as I have no papers here respecting the matter. The Express will be detain’d here untill I receive a signification of your pleasure, as I do not now think myself authorized to direct in the matter.4 I have the honor to be With the greatest respect Your Excellencys Most obedt Servant
W. Heath
LS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. The enclosure was a letter from Pennsylvania attorney general Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant to Heath written at Philadelphia on 1 Nov.: “I have had information by Mr James Cardill, that there is a number of men in and about this City, & others in several parts of this State, that are Supposed to be deserters from your Division—particular[l]y from Coll Hanly [Henley], Coll Jackson. & Coll Crane of the Artillery; their Names, a Certain Joseph Golding, & one [ ] Gaffney which two brought pardons down from prospect Hill to Boston for some men of Genl Burgoyn’s which had inlisted in the states Service, & for them to quit the said service & return again to the Convention troops, that there is also here one—Dearing, Reily, Taylor & Helding, with s⟨eve⟩ral others whose names can’t yet be got at Joseph Golding, alias Goldruck, alias Dunn, & Gaffney it is said where advertised at Boston as Spies, & took the states money, Arms & Cloaths & then deserted, if these people or any of them belonged to your division, should Esteem your Answer with respect to them, as they are represented to me as a dangerous set of Men … P.S. If those Men should appear to be such as they are represented, Means will be found to secure them. They are a Nusance here, at least some of them & might answer valuable purposes to the publick, if they were properly treated, as prisoners of War” (MHi: Heath Papers).
2. Barracks on Prospect Hill in Charlestown, now Somerville, Mass., had housed British troops that formed part of the Convention Army (see Heath to GW, 23 Nov. 1777).
3. Richard England (c.1745–1812) joined the 47th Regiment of Foot as an ensign in November 1765 and received his commission as captain in that regiment on 29 Sept. 1770. He was wounded at Bunker Hill, Mass., in June 1775 and taken prisoner upon Gen. John Burgoyne’s surrender in October 1777. Promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 24th Regiment of Foot in February 1783 after his release from imprisonment, England remained in the British army and attained the rank of lieutenant general in 1803.
4. For GW’s reply, see his letter to Heath of 11 November.