To John Jay from Robert Troup, 2 June 1777
From Robert Troup
Albany June 2. 1777.
My dear Sir
I beg you will not form any unfavorable Opinion of my long Silence. Nothing would give me more Pleasure than to have it in my Power to write you a daily Account of every Thing that passes in this Department. But it is impossible. So far from being Idle, I have scarcely a Moment to attend to my Friends. Ever since my last I have been upon a tedious Command. The General1 desired I would superintend the Removal of some Cannon from this Place to Fort-George.2 With the Greatest Difficulty I returned this Day. What occasioned such a long Delay was the extreme Badness of the Road which has been, & is still almost impassable.
I have the Satisfaction of informing you that the General has several Times returned me his particular Thanks for my Vigilance in executing his Commands. In my Opinion, I could live with him upon the best Terms of Friendship. I say “could live with him,” because there is little Probability of his having a military Family much longer. The Congress have superseded him by a late Resolve in Favor of Gen. Schuyler, who is expected in Town every Moment. As soon as he arrives we shall proceed in Haste to Philadelphia, where Gen Gates will resign his Commission.
This Resolution, tho passed by one of the most august Bodies in the World, astonishes me beyond Measure. It betrays a Fickleness & Inconstancy which necessarily relaxe the Springs of Government. Thus, my dearest Sir, I shall soon be reduced from a public, to a private Capacity. The Consequences of this Change, I shall mention in my next.
By an Express, just arrived from Ticonderoga, we learn the Enemy’s Vessels, which for some Days past, have been hovering round Split-Rock, have returned.3 Near this Place six Tories were taken who were going to them. One was dangerously wounded, and is since dead.
I see no Prospect of a speedy Attack up on Ticonderoga. The Situation of the Enemy will not admit of such a Movement. I would be more particular but the Post-Rider is now waiting for this. Therefore I beg you will present my best Regards to Mrs. Jay, & Miss Katy. You may expect to hear from me soon. Adieu!
Rob. Troup
Honble John Jay.
ALS, NNC (EJ: 7173). Addressed: “The Honorable / John Jay Esqr / Kingston / per Post.” Endorsed.
1. Horatio Gates.
2. Fort George stood at the southern end of Lake George.
3. On 29 May, Gates received a dispatch from Brigadier General Enoch Poor at Ticonderoga giving a scout’s detailed account of British ships at Split Rock, a post on the western shore of Lake Champlain, approximately thirty miles north of Ticonderoga. On 31 May, Poor sent a second dispatch, which showed that the British had withdrawn all but one of their ships from the vicinity of Split Rock and reported the capture of six British soldiers. Poor to Gates, 27 and 31 May 1777; Gates to Washington, 30 May and 2 June 1777, DLC: Washington Papers, series 4.