To George Washington from Robert Howe, 11 June 1781
West Point 11th June 1781
Dear Sir
Major [ ] having requested the Loan of my Barge to bring some of his Acquaintance to see West Point, I take the Opportunity to inclose your Excellency the Report of a Board of Officers appointed to inspect Provisions, & in Case any was damag’d by Negligence to fire if possible the Neglect—upon the proper Reasons—By their Proceedings as far as they have gone We find the Provisions reported unfit for use by a former Board of Inquiry to be still good—In Consequence of which I have order’d them to be immediately coopered & Pickled.
Upon examining the Magazine at Stony Point yesterday I found that upon every Rain the Water by some subterraneous Access made the Magazine so Wet that the Ammunition was very liable to damage—I shall send an Engineer down to see if it can not be remedied.
Capt. Pray has requested two or three Blunderbusses & Swivels for his Boat; as He describes Matters they appear necessary. You will please inform me whether I may Order them.
Your Excellency’s Commands in your Letter received last night shall be soon totally complied with. I am Dear Sir with the greatest Respect Your Excellency’s most Obedient [ ]
Robt Howe
DLC: Papers of George Washington.
Enclosure
West Point June 9th 1781
Agreeable to Major Genl Howes Order of the 7th Instant, ordering a Committee, to inspect the damaged Provisions, in the Redoubts Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4, We the Subscribers being appointed for that purpose, have carefully inspected & fully examined, One Barrel in No. 1, part of Three Barrels (& which we put into Two) in No. 2, And Six Barrels in No. 4, which was reported damaged, & unfit for use, and have found the same, wholsome Meat & fit to be Issued, & do give it as our Opinion that the same, ought to be pickled & repacked without loss of time—We do not think that the provisions above mentioned, has suffered thro’ any Neglect, of the Comrs or others, as we are informed, that the provision above inserted, wou’d have been pickled, with the rest, had they not been Condemned by a former Committee.
J. Keith Majr
F. Hartshorn Capt. 8th Mass. Regt
A: Williams Capt. 2d M: Regt
Daniel Lee Capt. 3 Reg.
Zibeon Hooker Lieut. 5 Mass. [Rt]