To George Washington from Colonel James Livingston, 3 July 1780
From Colonel James Livingston
Smiths Clove [N.Y.] 3d July 80
Sir
Agreeable to your Excellency’s Orders I have sent a Detachment to Ring-Wood to guard the Stores there,1 under Command of Capt. Johnson of Clintons Brigade.
Lieut. Welp of my Regt was tried some time ago by a Genl Court Martial, shou’d be glad to know the Result thereof as soon as Convenient.2 My Major has been under an Arrest for some time and cou’d wish he might be brought to trial as soon as possible he is continually fomenting disorders in the Regt which makes my Situation very disagreeable3—The Ungen[er]ous and unjust Attack lately made by him and two others of my Officers, tho’ not Officially, Upon my Conduct as a Gentleman and an Officer, makes it Necessary I shou’d request a Court Martial as soon as the Exigencies of Affairs will admit;4 Your Compliance will greatly oblige Yours with much Esteem
Jas Livingston
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. See General Orders, 30 June.
2. Anthony Welp (Welph, Whelp), of New York, served as a lieutenant in the 4th New York Regiment from June 1775 to March 1776. He joined the 1st Canadian Regiment as a lieutenant in December 1776, and became regimental adjutant in June 1779. He received promotion to captain in December 1780 and left the army in January 1781.
3. George Chadine Nicholson, of New York, became major of the 1st Canadian Regiment in May 1777 and served in that capacity until he left the army in January 1781.
4. GW replied to Livingston on 4 July from headquarters at Col. Theunis Dey’s home in Bergen County, N.J.: “I have received your letter of the 3d.
“While you continue on the ⟨pres⟩ent command you will be pleased ⟨to⟩ turn your attention to the protection of the country and the well affected to possess the pass at the entrance of the Clove and prevent the inroads and robberies of the tories or Refugees. you will also make a survey of the road from Ringwood to Junes’ and make such repairs as it may want.
“with respect to Lt Welp’s tryal it has not yet come before me, and as to your Major’s it will not be delayed beyond its proper place—I have heard nothing of the matter to which you allude, nor is it necessary to anticipate on the subject, till you can be well assured of the steps best to be persued. … [P.S.] in case of a movement of the enemy the pass at the clove which you are parti⟨cu⟩larly to attend to, is to be defended to the last extremity” (Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; mutilated material is supplied in angle brackets from the Varick transcript).