From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 22 July 1777
To Major General John Sullivan
Clove at Galloways [N.Y.] July 22d 1777
Dear sr
I have just received Major Morris’s letter covering the proceedings of a General Court Martial which I approve off and direct that one of the Criminals the greatest Offender may be executed pursuant thereto. This should be done in the most public manner your Situation will admit as it may serve to convince the rest of the Division that Crimes of this dye will meet the most rigorous punishment.
The fellow to be pardond should be kept in Ignorance of any such intention untill he receives it at the place of Execution.
I am concern’d to hear of your bad state of Health but expect it will be of short Duration & that you will soon be so far recover’d as to Join your Division.1 I am &c.
G.W.
Df, in John Fitzgerald’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Adj. Gen. Timothy Pickering, at GW’s direction, wrote the following letter to Sullivan on 24 July 1777: “His Excellency the Commander in Chief is very uneasy because returns of the divisions & brigades are not regularly made, weekly. You will be pleased to direct that a return be made of your division as soon as possible & to be regularly continued. I can find no return of your division but one made before I arrived in camp” (, 1:418).