To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 11 June 1780
From Major General Robert Howe
Highlands [N.Y.] June 11th 1780
Dear Sir,
I send to your Excellency, under the auspices of Mr Pomroy, a young Gentleman who was a Captain in the British Service by name Joel and who after (as he says) giving up his Commission, came over to this Service.1
His Case is particular, he will explain it himself, he is young, Sensible, and I should hope Sincere, he can give you some Details, and I think he may with propriety have an audience of you. I confess I am led to think he means well, and may be made useful, and tho Persons under his circumstances are seldom to be trusted, Yet as some few there are, that may, he may be among that few, You Sir will be the best Judge of this when you examine him.
I beg to have the particulars of the Jersey movements, they have I hear sent for reinforcements. Not Hearing from your Excellency upon this occasion, I conclude nothg from me is requisite. You Sir I flatter myself need not be told, how ready I should be, and how happy it would make me, in any shape to Support, aid, or Cooperate & with what cheerfulness, and Pride I should obey your orders. I am Sir with great Respect Yr Excellency’s Most Obt & v. H. St
R. Howe
P.S. upon reexamining Captain Joel, I can not but confess that my favourable Idea Of him has increasd I recognize that I knew him some years since, at Norfolk (in the Navy), respected as a Lad of Honor, Spirit, and understanding above his years. As some British officers of my acquaintance informed me, his Father is Chaplain to the Duke of Richmond and was reported a Zealous Whig—Pity it is if the Young man is Sincere, that he should be lost.2
LS, DLC:GW.
1. Beesly (Beasly) Edgar Joel, who claimed to be the son of the chaplain to the Duke of Richmond, joined the Queen’s American Rangers as an infantry lieutenant in November 1776 and was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine on 11 Sept. 1777. From April to June 1778, Joel engaged in privateering. He resigned his commission in April 1779. Appealing to Congress for brevet rank and a position as a volunteer in a “Corps employed on the most active Service,” Joel claimed to hold the rank of captain and to have left the British service because of “ingratefull & ignominious” treatment by superiors (Joel to Samuel Huntington, 21 July 1780, DNA:PCC, item 41).
2. Joel arrived in camp with a letter of introduction to Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene from Col. Samuel Blachley Webb, who had known him in New York City (see , 6:15). Webb later informed Greene that he had received information that caused him to suspect Joel’s intentions (see , 6:46).
On 13 June, GW’s aide-de-camp Richard Kidder Meade wrote Brig. Gen. William Irvine: “His Excellency requests you will be pleased to send a genteel sensible officer to Chatham, where he will find at the first Tavern on the right, a Capt. Joel, who, pretends, to have deserted from the Enemy, & direct him to keep a watch over him, untill further orders” (PHi: William Irvine Papers). Irvine sent Lt. James Whitehead of the 2d Pennsylvania Regiment, who submitted on 16 June an account of expenses incurred while watching Joel at the tavern of William Darling. GW also paid Darling for expenses on 22 June. For both, written on the same document, see 22 June receipts in Revolutionary War Receipts, 1775–1783, DLC:GW, ser. 5.
GW found Joel suspicious (see GW to the Board of War, 14 June). On 21 July, Joel wrote GW from Philadelphia requesting to serve as a volunteer “under the eye of your Excely” (DLC:GW). Writing GW again on 8 Aug., he asked to be “an active, individual in your Excellencys operations” (DLC:GW). GW wrote Joel on 14 Aug. and denied his requests (DLC:GW).
Joel subsequently appealed to Congress for financial relief (see Joel to Huntington, 11 Oct., DNA:PCC, item 78). Congress referred his case to the Board of War (see , 18:917). Congress took no action after the board’s report declined to make a strong recommendation (see Board of War report, 31 Oct., DNA:PCC, item 147). Congress later granted the board’s request for an $8,000 warrant to pay Joel for “service” of a “secret nature” (Board of War to the president of Congress, 28 Nov., DNA:PCC, item 147, and , 18:1101).