Major General William Heath to George Washington, 14 April 1781
From Major General William Heath
West point, April 14. 1781
Dear General,
I was the last evening honored with yours of the 12th—am happy to hear your Excellency has thought fit to take the measures mentioned in your letter, to bring forward the provisions1—It is an object about which I am at present most concerned—as it is certainly the most threatning circumstance we have to encounter. If relief is seasonably and effectually afforded, I think we have little to fear from Sir Henry Clinton in this quarter, be his intentions what they may. It would be a very easy manoeuvre for him to hold up an appearance of moving to the Delaware; his transports might fall down with the troops to the Watering-place, or even pass the Hook, and there be joined by Admiral Arbuthnot and the troops sent to the Chesepeak with General Phillips, and while our attention is drawn that way, suddenly return and push up this river.2
The letter lately sent out by Sir Henry Clinton addressed to General Schuyler, I am informed was brought up by a field officer.3 Capt. Pray who commands the water guard, writes me that he learnt from Singsing, that he, the field officer[,] was seen on a hill near that place, either when coming up, or on his return, taking a view of Verplanks and Stoney points with a glass—But the distance there is such, that little knowledge could be obtained.4 However, should they have designs this way, either sudden or deliberate, I hope we shall be ready to give them a proper reception. Your Excellency may be assured that nothing in my power shall be wanting to effect it. I think, as I have before expressed, our greatest danger (and great it is) if a siege should take place, is the want of proper supplies of provisions.
Major Bauman informs me that the artillery companies at present at this post, are very inadequate to the necessary duties of the different works, and are rendered more so by the late removal of one of the strongest companies. I find the number of musket-cartridges in the magazines, by continued diminution, are very insufficient in case of siege, and need a very considerable augmentation from the magazine at Fishkill, which I request your Excellency will be pleased to order the Commissary of military stores to supply.
Inclosed are the proceedings of a general Courts martial on several culprits. I have passed upon all but one, viz. Robert Maples, alias John Walker, whose sentence being capital, I submit to your Excellency.5
I intended yesterday to have taken the liberty to inclose Lt Colonel Antill’s and Mr Keese’s opinion of having the provost erected on Pollypus island, but omitted it—they are now enclosed.6
About seventy recruits arrived last night from Massachusetts—I am informed that a very considerable number are coming on.7 I have the honor to be With the highest respect, Your Excellency’s Most obedient servant
W. Heath
LS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers. GW replied to Heath on 15 April.
1. See GW to Heath, 12 April (second letter).
2. A British embarkation soon sailed from New York City for Virginia (see Heath to GW, 1 May, n.1).
3. See Heath to GW, 12 April, postscript, and n.7 to that document.
4. Capt. John Pray had written Heath from Nyack, N.Y., on 12 April with an account of the suspicious activities of this presumed enemy “field Officer” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, same date, n.3).
Heath had ordered Pray “to repair immediately to Nyack, and take the Command of the water Guards Block House and Garrison at Dobbs Ferry” in a letter dated 11 March (MHi: Heath Papers).
5. The enclosure has not been found, but see General Orders, 15 April.
Robert Maples was a captured British soldier who enlisted for the war as a private in the 7th Massachusetts Regiment under the name John Walker. His service record indicates that he “Returned from Desertion” on 1 April 1781 (DNA: RG 93, Compiled Service Records of Soldiers who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War). GW approved a pardon for Maples after he had been sentenced to death as a deserter (see Heath to GW, 20 April, n.2; see also Heath to GW, 21 April).
6. The enclosed letter from Lt. Col. Edward Antill to Heath was written at Fishkill, N.Y., on 11 April: “In consequence of your Last letter to me about the Provost I directed a survey to be made and enclose you Maj: Keese’s report I cant help thinking with him that the Island would be most Eligeable as the materials to Compleat this must be brought from the Landing [Fishkill Landing]. wait your final Directions” (DLC:GW; see also Heath to GW, 13 April, and n.3 to that document).
Heath also enclosed a letter from John Keese, assistant deputy quartermaster at Fishkill, to Antill dated 10 April. It concludes: “shou’d a Provo be erected on Polopass’s [Pollepel] Island; Timber, Bricks, Lime, Fuel and every other necessary Article could be furnished with a Very trifling Expense” (DLC:GW).
John Keese (c.1755–1809) of Flushing, N.Y., abandoned the Quakers to fight for the patriot cause. Holding the rank of major, he served as an assistant deputy quartermaster from early 1778 to the end of the war (see Hugh Hughes to George Clinton, 11 Oct. 1777, and Keese to Hughes, 20 Feb. 1778, in , 2:411, 787–88). Keese later became a lawyer in New York City.
7. Col. John Crane had written Heath from Boston on 6 April that he had sent “a party of Sixty six Men.” These recruits could “be distributed into the ten Regts of [Massachusetts] Infantry … in such manner as you shall see proper to direct, as none of them inlisted particularly for the Artillery” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, 9 April and 3 May, n.1).