Colonel Daniel Brodhead to George Washington, 27 March 1781
From Colonel Daniel Brodhead
Fort Pitt [Pa.] March 27th 1781.
Dear General
I am honored with your favor of the 28th ultimo and am thankfull for the Contents.1
I have acknowledged the receipt of your Letter of the 29th December, and shall give every encouragement to Genl Clark’s intended enterprize.2 I wish he may be in readiness before the waters fail, and the Kentucke Settlements are destroyed by the Enemy. But I am informed that little or nothing hath as yet been done at his Boat yards, and that the Militia he expected from this side the Mountain are availing themselves of the unsettled jurisdiction.
Since my last a small paper (Copy of which is inclosed) was brought to me by some faithfull Indians, who found it rolled up very neatly in a powder horn, which a disaffected person had lost near the waters of Sandusky. I take the liberty to inclose a Copy of it. I have discovered the writer and put him in Irons; but as, too probably, some of the Garrison are concerned, he may escape before he meets the reward of his demerit.3 Indeed this place is infested with such a set of disaffected inhabitants, that I have been under the necessity of ordering some away, & others must follow, to prevent greater injury to the Service.
A number of Delaware Indians from Coochocking have been here since my last, and appear to be as friendly as ever, I am persuaded that a few are well affected, but they are now put to the trial, by being ordered to remove hither without loss of time, and remain under our protection, where their daily transactions will be seen & known.
I have called upon the County Lieutts for a few of the Militia, and if I am not disappointed as usual, intend to surprize the Indian Towns about Cooshocking.4 Two Delaware Indians who in their Cups spoke contemptuously of our Service I have confined in Irons,5 but am at a loss what farther to do with them untill I see what number joins us & hear what their general Conduct has been.
Immediately after the termination of the intended excursion I will avail myself of your indulgence to represent the state of things in this District.6 I have the Honor to be with the most perfect respect & esteem your Excellencies most Obedt Servt
Daniel Brodhead
Postscript.
By the arrangement it appears that Captn Brady is arranged in the 3rd P. Regt. But as he cannot be more usefull, than he is in this part of the Country, I hope he will be permitted to remain untill the Campaign is closed.7
LS, DLC:GW; copy (extract), PHarH. The extract omits the first two paragraphs of the letter and the postscript. For GW’s reply, see his letter to Brodhead or the officer commanding at Fort Pitt, 25 April.
1. In his letter to Brodhead of 28 Feb., GW discussed provisions at Fort Pitt and an expedition against Detroit. He also authorized a leave for Brodhead.
2. Virginia brigadier general George Rogers Clark planned to lead an expedition from Fort Pitt to Detroit (see GW to Brodhead, 29 Dec. 1780, and n.3 to that document; see also Brodhead to GW, 25 Feb. 1781).
3. Brodhead last wrote GW on 10 March. The enclosed copy of a letter by Thomas Girty to his brothers, dated 21 Jan. at Pittsburgh, reads: “If mr Greverat would succeed with the help of you, the errand he is going upon would be of infinite Service both to me your Brother & himself & Friends here present, that is here only waiting for his return and the Honorable Commanders answer from Detroit, Which I suppose there will be no less than one hundred that accompany him to said place, if the Commander would be pleased to give the least encouragement possibly he can.” A note on the document reads: “N.B. This was wrote by a Myndert Fisher who upon being interrogated denies that Girty was privy to it, but that he made use of his name to his Brothers in British Service” (DLC:GW).
Myndert Fisher was court-martialed and condemned to death for holding a traitorous correspondence with the enemy. A summary of the proceedings, dated 26 July, is docketed: “Myndert Fisher—sentenced to Death—Not approved—ordered to be released from Confinmt” (DLC:GW). For the disapproval of the court’s sentence, see GW to William Irvine, 1 Nov. (PHi: William Irvine Papers); see also Phillip Schuyler to GW, 26 Sept. (DLC:GW).
4. In his letters of 16 March to the county lieutenants near Fort Pitt, Brodhead requested that each send a number of militiamen, mounted and armed, and additional horses to support the march of the Continental troops (see , 348–49).
5. Brodhead refers to remarks made while drinking alcohol.
6. Brodhead had requested permission to travel to headquarters and then go to Philadelphia to explain conditions at Fort Pitt and address some private matters (see his letter to GW, 23 Jan.; see also n.1 above).
7. The 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, in which Capt. Samuel Brady had served, had been stationed at Fort Pitt. In the new organization of the Continental army implemented on 1 Jan., that regiment was broken up, but a small Pennsylvania detachment remained assigned to the fort’s garrison (see General Orders, 1 Nov. 1780, and Brodhead to GW, 7 Dec., n.7). For some of Brady’s exploits on the frontier, see Brodhead to GW, 25 June 1779, and 30 May and 29 June 1780; see also GW to Brodhead, 14 Aug. 1780.