To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 14 November 1779
From Major General William Heath
Camp Peeks Kill [N.Y.] November 14. 1779
Dear General
The Scarcity of Forage in this quarter is become So great that the Troops must either move or the Horses be Sent out into the Country. The feed that was in the meadows has been the principal support of the Horses for Some time, and a great Saving to the Public. It is now nearly gone, and altho’ there is a considerable quantity of Forage in the hands of the Farmers it cannot be obtain’d. By a Law of the State Persons (call’d assessors) are appointed to view and determine how much forage each Farmer can spare, and the whole quantity assess’d in this district, except a mere trifle, the D.Q.M. Genl informs me is consumed.
Five Prisoners are on their way to Head Quarters. they were taken on the Night of the 11 Instant near Morrissania by a party of the West chester militia under the command of Lieut. Oakley.1 The militia Strip’d Some of them of part of their Cloathing.
Several Officers in this wing are making the most pressing importunities for leave to go home on Short Furloughs to visit their family’s who are Sick, and, as they Say, Suffering for the necessaries of Life: the Cases of Some of them Seem really to require attention, but your Excellency orders are So full against granting furloughs that I dare not indulge them without your Consent, & wish your direction.2
I am Still afflicted with the Fever and ague, am using every means to get rid of it they are as yet ineffectual. I have the honor to be With the greatest respect Your Excellency’s Most obedient Servant
W. Heath
LS, DLC:GW; ADf, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. Heath apparently enclosed an “Examination of Several Persons taken Prisoners near Morrissania by Lieut. Oakaley & party of Militia on 11 November at Night.” That examination, taken on 14 Nov., reads: “Benjamin Griffin of Ma[ma]roneck taken at Saml Emmerys [Embree’s], Came from Long Island by the way of New York four days since, Says he was coming to see his father, That the Troops lately from Rhode Island landed at New York & Long Isld about Nine days ago. a Large body of the Enemy lie near Fort Washington.
“Paulus Trumpore, born in Albany County belongs to General Burgoynes Army, & under the Convention of Saratoga lately enlisted into Colonel Cuyler’s Corps of loyal refugees Says The Troops from Rhode Island, or part of them have disembark’d at N. York Long Island and Staten Island. A large Body of the Enemy lay near Fort Washington.
“John Moore born in Albany County is under the Convention of Saratoga and enlisted under Colo. Cuyler Says that part of the Troops from Rhode Island have disembark’d at Governors Island &ca.
“Obadiah Ack[er]ley born in Sing Sing belongs to Robinsons Corps (Suspected of being a Cowboy) Says the Enemy have a redoubt opposite Laur⟨el⟩ Hill and under the Command of it’s Cannon on the Morrissania side of Harlem Creek & Says the Enemy have laid in a very large quantity of Fuel at New York.
“John Vantassel born in Phillipsbourgh join’d the Enemy about five months since drove in four Head of Cattle, two belonging to himself & two to his Father in law—the latter he drove in without his father’s Consent Says the Enemy are building Hutts for Winter Quarters in different parts of Long Island” (DLC:GW; see also 236). For the movement of these prisoners, see Heath to GW, 15 November. The Royal American Gazette (New York) for 2 Nov. printed a notice with the same date directed to “loyal REFUGEES of the Province of New-York. ABRAHAM C. CUYLER, Esq: is authorised by the Commander in Chief to embody a battalion of 600 loyal Refugee Volunteers, on such terms as he doubts not will be agreeable to them: He hopes there needs no arguments to induce them to join this loyal band, to be commanded by their own countrymen, fellow-sufferers; and flatters himself they are desirous to be instrumental towards reducing the present unnatu[r]al rebellion, to re-establish the former happy constitution, and thereby restore peace and happiness to their country.” This Loyalist command never completed its formation.
John Oakley served as an ensign in the Upper Philipsburg company of the 1st (South) Regiment of the Westchester County, N.Y., militia and became a lieutenant in that regiment in June 1778. The Loyalist New-York Gazette: and the Weekly Mercury for 14 June 1779 printed an item under the heading “NEW-YORK, June 12” that described Oakley torturing men who refused to join the militia. This account identified Oakley as a son “of Isaac Oakley who was lately enlarged, on his parole, from confinement in this city. … John Oakley was taken at Fort Montgomery, when stormed by Sir H. Clinton’s army, in October 1777, and afterwards resided at large on Long-Island, from whence he violated his parole, and has since become a Lieutenant in the Rebel service.”
2. See GW to Heath, 16 November. At this place in his draft, Heath wrote and struck out a paragraph: “The Brigadiers and Colos. are frequently representing that Some of their best Soldiers who have been long in the Service would reinlist, provided they can have a furlough to go home. This I have informed them I dare not grant as it would probably, be at once fixed as the Condition of the reinlistment of every Soldier.”