From George Washington to Lieutenants William Brownlee and Robert Kirk, 20 September 1779
To Lieutenants William Brownlee and Robert Kirk
Head Quarters West Point 20th Sepr 1779.
Gentlemen
I have recd yours of the 11th Inst1 Before the arrangement of Colo. Gists present Regiment was sent to the Board of War, in order that Commissions might be issued—time was given to the Officers to state their respective claims, and that no objections might be afterwards made, they signed the arrangement signifying their approbation thereof. several applications similar to yours have been made, by officers of other Corps but I have been under the necessity of rejecting them, as it would produce a revival of all old claims, and intirely derange the Rank of the whole line of the Army, which is now generally settled to satisfaction. I am &c.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
William Brownlee (1730-1799), of Virginia, joined Col. William Grayson’s Additional Continental Regiment as a sergeant in March 1777 and received a commission as an ensign the following June. After his promotion to second lieutenant in February 1778, Brownlee became regimental quartermaster in September 1778. He remained with the regiment, which merged with Col. Nathaniel Gist’s Additional Continental Regiment in April 1779, until he left the army in January 1781.
1. This letter has not been found.