Ebenezer Hazard to George Washington, 24 April 1781
From Ebenezer Hazard
Jamaica Plain [Mass.] April 24th 1781
Sir,
I have received Information by Letters from Philadelphia that another of our Mails has fallen into the Hands of the Enemy; this is a distressing Addition to our late Misfortunes of that Kind, though from the Circumstance of your Excellency’s having recommended the Road through the Clove as the most eligible, and the universally good Character of the Rider, there can be no Suspicion of either Neglect or Design in those to whom the Conduct of the Post Office Business has been committed.1
It will be difficult, I fear, to prevent Similar Accidents in future, unless the several States will adopt vigorous Measures for clearing the Country of the many disaffected Persons amongst us, which certainly ought to have been done long ago: nevertheless, I apprehend it will contribute much to the Safety of the Mail, if your Excellency will favor us with a small Escort of Horse to accompany the Post from Danbury to Fishkill, and from New Windsor through the Clove. These are the only Parts of the Road upon which I suppose there is any Danger at present; and as the Mail is an important Object, and the Distance but small, I flatter myself the Proposal will meet your Excellency’s Approbation; in which Case the Post Masters at Head Quarters and Fishkill will furnish the necessary Information about the Times of the Posts Arrival and Return, so as to prevent the Escorts being needlessly detained from other Duty.2 I am, very respectfully Your Excellency’s most obedient humble Servant
Eben. Hazard
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The post rider Benjamin Montanye had been captured near Smiths Clove, N.Y. (see Samuel Loudon to GW, 12 April; see also GW to Elias Dayton, 4 April, and n.2 to that document). For earlier mail seizures and GW’s recommendation of an inland route for post riders, see GW to Samuel Huntington, 15 Dec. 1780, and n.6.
2. GW replied to Hazard from headquarters at New Windsor on 9 May 1781: “I have received your favor of the 24th of April. Immediately after the accident happened to the post in the Clove, I changed the Route and he now travels by the way of Warwick to Morris Town, which is but a few Miles further about, and upon a Road which is as safe as any in this part of the Country can be.
“It would be impossible for me, was the occasion ever so urgent, to send escorts of Horse with the Mails as you propose. In the first place, I have not the Horse, and if I had, I could not find them subsistence. It is with difficulty I keep two orderly Dragoons at Head Quarters” (LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PPAmP: Ebenezer Hazard Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to Hazard at “Jamaica plains near Boston”). For the change of route, see Loudon to GW, 12 April, source note.