To George Washington from Colonel William Malcom, 7 November 1780
From Colonel William Malcom
Albany, November 7 1780
Sir
I return’d from the Mohawk River on Saturday last1—Colonel Wesenfels is gone forward, to Fort Scuyler, His own letter which goes by this Opportunity will best inform Your Excellency concerning his Situation & circumstances2—I have with very great difficulty provided provisions for the Garrison to the first of January, but the triffling delays which at present Keep Two Garrisons Subsisting on the same Stock will diminish in a proportion which will give General Clinton some trouble to make up.
The foolish Alarms which hath been made for these ten days past on the Northern Frontiers hath also created a tax on our Stores which we cannot well afford, and that is not the only ill Consequence—Notwithstanding all, it is a fact that the Enemy have not been one mile from the Carrying place at Ticonderoga—And it is not the Opinion of many people here that they will Attempt another Incursion this fall3—Scouting partys are on the Communication between the flatts & fort Scuyler but nothing to face Wesenfels—who left Schenectady last Wedensday—& I have furnished him with 60 Odd barrells of flour & beeff for two Months—The Company of the Train got here Yesterday & in order that they may overtake Wesenfels I pushd them instantly forward—Genl Clinton is gone up to Saratoga to Confer with General Scuyler, on Some Subjects which at present make us Uneasy—General Clinton informs me that Your Excellency is displeased because a Quantity of Arms hath been Issued out to the Militia—I know not how this matter is but it is true that not one Muskett hath been deliverd by my order.4 I have the Honor to be with the Greatest respect Your Excellencys Mo. Ob. & very H. Servt
W. Malcom
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The previous Saturday was 4 November.
2. Malcom may refer to a letter from Col. Frederick Weissenfels to New York governor George Clinton, written at Fort Rensselaer, N.Y., on 6 Nov., in which Weissenfels explained his command’s recent movements along the New York frontier, the dire need of his troops for clothes, and worries among officers that they “will be left out of the army” under the new establishment (, 6:388–89). Clinton replied to Weissenfels from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on 9 Nov. that he “was not unmindful of the Situation.” He referenced his correspondence with GW and expressed “the Hope that the Troops through this Interposition will be rendered as comfortable in respect to Cloathing as Circumstances of our Public Stores will admit, & that this Consideration will induce both Officers & Privates to perform the Duty assigned them with alacrity.” As for the new Continental army arrangement that had “come to Hand,” Clinton concluded: “It put the Officers in a Situation that leaves them no Room to complain” (, 6:389; see also GW’s first letter to George Clinton on 6 Nov., and General Orders, 1 Nov.).
3. For the false alarms of renewed British attacks along the New York frontier, see Philip Schuyler to GW, 31 Oct.–1 Nov., and George Clinton to GW, 3 November.
4. For GW’s concern regarding arms given militia, see his letter to James Clinton, 28 Oct., postscript, found at William Heath to GW, 24 Oct., n.10.