George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Brigadier General John Glover, 24 July 1779

From Brigadier General John Glover

Ridgfield [Conn.] 24 July 1779

Sir

After much Labour & pains I have Completed The Arrangements, of the four Regits in my Brigade, which are annexed, and Signd, by all the field Officers now on the Ground, agreeable to your Excellncys Letter of the 29 May;1 and are Sent on to the Board of Genl Officers appointed to Sett at Major Genl Heaths Quarters.

I am Desired (by Col. Harrison in his Letter of yesterday) to transmit to your Excellency, the time Col. Vose was appointed to the Command of a Regit, the 21 Feby 1777, with Several others hereafter mentiond2—Col. Vose Succeeded to the Command of the Late Col. patterson Regit but Claims Rank from the first of Jany3—Col. Bigelow obtaind his appointment on the Resignation of, Learned, the 8th Feby 1777. Lt Col. Colman Resignd on or about the 6th of March 1779—Major Balls promotion took place the 9th Sepr 1778.

Inclosed is Major Bradishs Letter to Col. Bigelow requesting a Discharg;4 I am Verey Sorry the averris of the Country, is the means of Driveing Good office⟨r⟩s out of the Service at a time when they are So much Wanted; Major Bradish has Served with me in My Brigde two years, During which, he has ever, Dischargd his duty as a faithfull Good Officer; its with regret I part with him.

Major Cogswell, the bearer of this is a Gentleman who I have Served with Since Sept. 1776 in which Time he has ever been Verey Attentive & has don an uncomon Share of Duty in Camp Compard with many other officers, he thinks himself not onely Neglected, but Injured, in his Rank; their being three field officers on the Ground, To the Regiment which he belongs; I have indulged him with a few days, that he may have an Oppertunity to Waite on, & Say his Griveencies, befor your Excellency.5 I have the Honor to be your Excellencys Most Obdt Hble Sert

John Glover B. General

ADfS, PHi: Dreer Collection.

1Glover had promised to complete the enclosed arrangements, which have not been identified, in his letter to GW of 15 July. Glover’s brigade consisted of the 1st, 4th, 13th, and 15th Massachusetts regiments.

A letter from Maj. Gen. William Heath to Glover, written at Highlands, N.Y., on 26 July, reads: “The Board of General Officers now Sitting at my Quarters, are directed by the General Order of the 23rd Inst. to Settle the precedence of the Captains in the Massachusetts Line, as well as the ranks of the Field Officers, as the Lists which are brought by Colo. Bigelow do not fully ascertain the Claims and Pretensions of the Captains in your Brigade I must request that you would Send them with all possible dispatch” (MHi: Heath Papers). In a part of a letter to Heath, written at Ridgefield, Conn., on 27 July, Glover explained: “The Claims & pretentions of the Captains of my Brigade, were not call’d for before—they are now Inclos’d” (MHi: Heath Papers).

2A letter from GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison to Glover, written at West Point on 23 July, reads: “A Board of General Officers is to sit to morrow morning at 10 OClock at General Heaths Quarters at Mandevilles to make a complete and final Arrangement of the Officers in the Massachusetts line. His Excellency requests that you will transmit if possible to the Board, the Arrangement of the Officers of Your Brigade. He desires you will mention whether Colo. Vose did not succeed to a Regiment on the promotion of General Patterson—and Colo. Bigelow obtain his appointment on the decline or resignation of Learned—and when that happened. The day of Lt Colo. Coleman’s resignation is also wanted— and of Major Balls promotion” (DLC:GW).

3Col. Joseph Vose commanded the 1st Massachusetts Regiment. He replaced John Paterson, who had been promoted to brigadier general. Vose sought, and secured, 1 Jan. 1777 as the date for his taking command as colonel.

4The enclosed letter from David Bradish to Timothy Bigelow has not been identified, but for a general description of its contents, see GW to Glover, 29 July.

David Bradish (1745–1818) served as a captain in Col. Edmund Phinney’s Massachusetts Regiment from May to December 1775 and became major of the 15th Massachusetts Regiment in January 1777.

5See Thomas Cogswell to GW, this date.

Index Entries