To George Washington from Brigadier General Joseph Frye, 18 March 1776
From Brigadier General Joseph Frye
Camp in Cambridge March 18th 1776
Sir
The ministerial Troops having (yesterday) taken Their departure from Boston will, I presume, occasion the removal of the Continental Army to some distant part of the Continent—And as I find my Self in Such an Infirm State of health as renders me unable to bear the Fatigue of Such March as that Manœvre will require, I cannot think it laudable to continue in the army & Pay of the Continent without being able to merit the Pay by my Service—Therefore take leave to desire I may Resign the Command in the army I have been Honour’d with—And as I am at present unable to Travel, and being one hundred & forty miles from my Family, I take leave also to request, That my Resignation may take place the eleventh Day of April next.1 I am your Excellencys most obedt humble Servant
Joseph Frye
ALS, DNA:PCC, item 152; copy, DNA: RG 93, War Department; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; copy, DLC: Hancock Papers. GW enclosed the ALS in his letter to Hancock of 24 Mar. 1776. Congress accepted Frye’s resignation on 23 April 1776 (, 4:300; see also Hancock to Frye, 24 April 1776, DNA:PCC, item 12A).
1. Frye lived at Fryeburg, District of Maine. For GW’s remarks on Frye’s resignation, see GW to Joseph Reed, 1 April, and GW to Charles Lee, 9 May 1776.