George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Brigadier General John Glover, 15 May 1778

From Brigadier General John Glover

Marblehead [Mass.] 15th May 1778.

Dear Sir.

I wrote your Excellency (the 10th Ulto) that I had Adjusted my Account with General Burgoyne, & that his paymaster had accepted his Bill, to pay the Amount at his return from Newport which he has punctually Complied with, so far as he was Obligated to pay hard Money; Amounting to £9244. 2s/. which I have sent on, to the Honble Board of Treasury at York Town.1

£4098 which he was to pay in Continental Bills, I have not been able to get till the 10th Inst.—He having met with Disappointments from persons who General Burgoyne sold Bills to, before he left Cambridge.

I Advertised in the Boston & Hartford News papers of the 20th April, calling upon all those who had furnish’d with supplies for the Troops of Convention, to come & receive their Money;2 but three Towns only, out of Forty have applied, I shall not wait on them Longer than the first of June; at which time if I find my self strong enough to undertake the Journey I purpose to sett off for Camp; but from my present Weak, & much Debilitated state, am very Doubtful whether I shall be able to endure the Fatigues of another Campaign.

When I enter’d the service in 1775 I had as good a Constitution as any Man of my Age, but it’s now broken & shatter’d to pieces, good for nothing, & quite worn out; However shall make the best of it, untill I have the pleasure of seeing your Excellency; when I flatter myself, from your known Generosity & Humanity you will not Hesitate to favour my Dismission from the Army.3 I am, Dear Sir, with great Esteem, Your Excellency’s, most obedt huml. Sert

John Glover

ALS, DLC:GW.

1See Glover’s letter of 1 May to the Board of Treasury (DNA:PCC, item 78).

2The Boston-Gazette, and Country Journal published Glover’s advertisement on 20 April: “Public Notice is hereby given, That constant Attendance will be given at my House in Marblehead, from the 27th of April to the 10th Day of May, where all concerned in supplying General Burgoyne’s Troops on their March from Saratoga to Cambridge (and have not yet been paid) are desired to come and settle their Accounts, when the Money will be paid, by their humble Servant.”

3Glover remained in service until July 1782 (see Glover to GW, 27 Jan. 1778, n.2).

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