George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Brigadier General James Clinton, 20 December 1780

From Brigadier General James Clinton

Albany Decr 20th 1780

Sir,

I have been honour’d with your Excellency’s Favor of the 10th inst. as also with one from the Governor.1 Agreeable to Instructions contain’d in them, I have directed five Officers to proceed, without Loss of Time, to the three upper Counties of this State, on the recruiting Service; and have sent four to Poughkeepsie to be disposed of as the Governor may think proper. Major Davis also waits his perticular Orders. Previous to their setting out, much Difficulty arose from the want of Cash, which I could not supply them with; I fear the Service will suffer if that is not speedily remedied.

I wish to know your Excellency’s Pleasure with respect to those Officers of the fourth Regiment, at Fort Schuyle⟨r⟩ who are return’d Supernumeraries: after the first of January, the Command of the Garrison will devolve upon a Captain—I presume Measures should be taken to prevent it.

The Arrangement of the York Line is nearly compleated. Col: V. Schaick commands the first and third, and Col. Courtlandt the second, fourth and fifth Regiments, with a few trifling Alterations.2 The Determination of Lt Col. Bruin and Majr Logan of the fifth regt, who are Prisoners, as also, of several Subalterns in the same Situation, is not known: the Vacancies therefore are not filled untill the first of January, as we expect they will be exchanged by that Time.3 I have the honor to be with great respect Your Excellency’s Most humble Servt

James Clinton

ALS, DLC:GW.

1See GW to James Clinton, 10 Dec., found at GW’s first letter to George Clinton, same date, n.2; see also George Clinton to James Clinton, 12 Dec., found at James Clinton to GW, 5 Dec., n.2.

2Clinton refers to Col. Philip Van Cortlandt. The new establishment of the Continental army required revised arrangements in the New York line because the number of infantry regiments from the state had been reduced from five to two (see General Orders, 1 Nov.).

3GW replied to Clinton from headquarters at New Windsor on 26 Dec.: “I have received your favor of the 20th: By the incorporation of the 1st and 3d Regiments, the command of them both devolves upon Colo. Vanschaick, and as the importance of Fort schuyler requires an Officer of Rank, you will be pleased to direct the Colonel himself to repair to that post and relieve Colonel Weisenfelds. You will also direct a suitable number of Captains and Subs. to replace those who are to retire. The Garrison should be kept up to about 250 Men.

“Major Logan has come out of New York and I am told is expected here this day. I am not certain whether Lt Colo. Bruin has yet come out” (LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PPRF; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). Clinton replied to GW on 15 Jan. 1781 (DLC:GW).

James Clinton wrote his brother George from Albany on 27 Dec. 1780 to report sending “Lt. Col. [Robert] Cochran to take Command of Fort Schuyler. … Col. Weissenfels is impatient to be relieved. I wish to know the Determination of Col. Bevier and Major Logan as well as that of several other officers in Confinement because our arrangement will remain incompleat untill that is known” (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends , 6:525). Clinton presumably means Capt. Philip DuBois Bevier, who retired from the army on 1 Jan. 1781. Clinton again wrote his brother from Albany on 17 Jan. with information that Maj. Samuel Logan had determined to retire from the army, a decision that allowed Clinton to complete the arrangement “of the First Regiment: That of the Second remains yet incompleat, for want of a Knowledge of the Intentions of Lieut. Col. Bruyan and a few others who still remain in Captivity; if Col. Bruyn remains in Service, Cochran must retire, tho’ now on Command at Fort Schuyler” (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends , 6:584–85). Lt. Col. Jacobus Severyn Bruyn chose to retire and left the army that January.

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