To George Washington from Major General Artemas Ward, 23 June 1776
From Major General Artemas Ward
Boston 23 June 1776.
Sir
I have the honour of your Letter of the sixteenth Instant. Agreeable to your Directions I have ordered the Court of Enquiry to set for a rehearing of the Complaint of Col. Varnum against Lieut. Merrill.
The Letters to Major Small and Charles Proctor Esqr. I will forward if any opportunity offers.
By desire of Col. Cambell I have inclosed his Letters which he desires may be forwarded if there be no objection to them and an opportunity offers.1
General Whetcomb does not accept his appointment, therefore I can have no relief by him, and I am so ill that I can attend but very little to any business.2
I have just received information from several Privateers that eleven sail of Transports under convoy of a Frigate, are in the Bay standing in and supposed to be part of the Scotch Fleet; the privateers are all ordered out, and I have taken measures to secure the Transports in case they should come into Nantasket Road. I am your Excellency’s Obedient most Humble Servant
Artemas Ward
LS, DLC:GW; LB, MHi: Ward Papers; copy (extract), enclosed in GW to Hancock, 30 June 1776, DNA:PCC, item 152; copy (extract), DNA:PCC, item 169. The extracts include only the last paragraph of this letter.
1. These letters included Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell’s letter to Gen. William Howe of 19 June, a copy of which GW enclosed in his letter to Hancock of 30 June (see note 3 to that letter).
2. For John Whitcomb’s refusal to accept his commission as brigadier general, see Hancock to GW, 29 June.