To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 7 January 1781
From Major General Stirling
Trentown Jan: 7th: 1781 at Noon
Dr Sir
I had the honour to write your Excellency by Lt Col. Dehart who went of[f] this Morning to the Jersey Brigade with an Authentic Copy of the Law for Setling the depreciation of the pay of that Line, and with some printed Copies of the Law for recruiting the two Regimts that are to remain.1 Since that a very fortunate Circumstance has occurd that will I hope give an opening for Setling the Matter with the pensilvainia Mutineers in a Manner more pleasing than Could have been expected. The Committee from Congress now fully Informs your Excellency thereof.2 I doubt not such proper Use will be made of it, as will bring the disagreable affair to a happy Issue.
I shall order a Court Martial of the Officers of the pensilvania Line to set tomorrow for the Trial of the Spy & the Guide as soon as the Evidence can be Collected.3 I am your Excellency’s Most Humble Servant
Stirling,
ALS, DLC:GW. GW received this letter on 10 Jan. (see David Humphreys to George Clinton, 11 Jan., found at Continental Congress Committee on the Pennsylvania Line to GW, this date, source note).
2. Stirling refers to the arrest of emissaries sent to the Pennsylvania mutineers by the British (see Continental Congress Committee on the Pennsylvania Line to GW, this date).
3. For the arrest of the emissaries, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 8 January. The mutineers delayed sending out the emissaries until 10 Jan., and Stirling did not issue the order for the court-martial until that date (see Continental Congress Committee on the Pennsylvania Line to GW, 10–11 Jan., and Wayne to GW, 11 Jan.).