1. The enclosed extract of a letter to Pickering from John Neilson, deputy quartermaster general of New Jersey, dated at Trenton on 26 March, reads: “‘I am applied to by the Owners of the Lands on which the Huts formerly occupied by the Artillery at Pluckimin stand, respecting them. The Farm I am informed by them is hired out by the Executors of the late Owner with the promise of the Tenant’s having that field this year to plant Corn in, for which Reason they are very desirous to have them sold—The Huts are said to be decaying very fast, but if now sold may yet be of great use to repair the Damages done to the fences of the farm which has hitherto laid in a great Measure idle on Account of the Huts being there. As it is already Time to begin to plow I am requested to give some Directions respecting them as speedily as possible: to enable me to this I beg your Directions on this subject as soon as you can conveniently furnish me therewith[’]” (DLC:GW). An artillery park near Pluckemin, N.J., had been established during the winter encampment at Middlebrook (see General Orders, 6 Feb. 1779, source note).

2. A mark appears at this point on the ALS to reference a note that GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote on that document: “filed among the letters & Resolves of Congress.”

3. Congress had adopted the enclosed resolutions on 29 March: “That the Regiment of Artificers commanded by Colonel Baldwin be dissolved and those of the non Commissioned Officers and Privates whose Times of service are unexpired and are now with the main Army be formed into one Company under such Officers and be employed in such way as the Commander in chief shall direct.

“That the Artificers with the Southern Army be also formed into one Company under a competent Number of Officers to be selected by the Commanding General of that Army.

“That all Officers of the Regiment of Artificers not retained by Virtue of these Resolutions be no longer considered in the service of the United states.

“Resolved, That all the non Commissioned Officers & men of the Regiment of Artillery Artificers at Carlisle whose times of service are unexpired be formed into one or more Company, or Companies and the Officers at that place except Captains Wiley & Jordan be no longer considered in the service of the United states” (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 19:329–30). For the reduction of Col. Jeduthan Baldwin’s regiment, see Jeremiah Bruen to GW, 9 and 16 April; see also Henry Knox and Pickering to GW, 13 May, DLC:GW.

Pickering had written the Board of War from Philadelphia on 16 March: “I have read the report you were pleased to make upon my letter relative to the regiment of artificers. It gave me much Satisfaction to find your ideas correspond with my own. Since writing that letter I found the Commander in Chief entertained the same opinion of the Regimented Artificers, and of the necessity of reforming them. …

“As there are divers men belonging to Colonel Baldwin’s regiment not inlisted for the war, who yet have some time to serve, it will be necessary to alter the report, as that comprehends only those inlisted for the continuance of the war.

“I mentioned in my letter that the Artificers might be an[n]exed to the artillery; and that I would have such as would be necessary for the Quarter Masters department; but the want of money may possibly render this difficult to accomplish; at least to the extent the service may require. I observed indeed at the same time that the artillery artificers, if increased by the addition of Baldwin’s corps; might do much more work than would be necessary for the artillery alone; and in this view it may be inexpedient to subject Baldwin’s Artificers altogether to the Commanding officer of artillery; tho’ whenever wanted they will be at his service.”

Pickering proposed substitute resolutions for those in the board’s initial report to Congress: “should these resolutions be adopted, I should then propose to the Commander in Chief, to form one or two Companies out of the non-commissioned officers and privates with the main Army and appoint a competent number of their officers to take charge of them; if the latter could be engaged to perform the duties of good master workmen; otherwise, to hire master workmen from the Country” (DNA:PCC, item 147; see also GW to Pickering, 1 Jan. and 10 Feb.).

4. No reply from GW to Pickering has been found.