1. Heath wrote in his memoirs for 22 April: “Two hundred and forty thousand dollars in new emission bills were brought to West Point, from Boston, for the troops of the Massachusetts line” (Wilson, Heath’s Memoirs description begins Rufus Rockwell Wilson, ed. Heath’s Memoirs of the American War. 1798. Reprint. New York, 1904. description ends , 296). For the new emission bills, see Philip Schuyler to GW, 12 March 1780, and notes 3 and 4 to that document.

2. Col. Rufus Putnam and three other “Committee” members addressed a letter from Boston on 12 March 1781 to Heath “or senior Officer of the Massachusetts Line in Camp—to be communicated to the several Regiments.” The officers had reached Boston in early February (MHi: Heath Papers).

3. Heath again wrote GW from West Point on 27 April: “I have mentioned to some of the principal officers of the Massachusetts line the receiving but three months pay at this instant, viz. for January, February and March, out of the monies sent on by their Common-wealth, and the fourth month a short time hence: but I find their distresses so great and their debts so accumulated, that it is not possible for them to do with less than the four months. The distresses of the army were so great the last summer, that Congress resolved two months pay should be immediately advanced to them; but not a farthing has yet been received.

“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts by uncommon taxes, I am just informed, have determined to relieve their own troops. The troops, I find, expect it—and it will tend to create uneasiness both in the army and at home, if they do not. I therefore request, that as soon as the April muster can be completed four months pay may be drawn. The men have been relieved by their gratuity-money—but the officers suffer beyond description” (LS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers). For the congressional resolution to advance pay, see 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 , 17:725–27; see also General Orders, 5 Sept. 1780. The Massachusetts legislature had passed a gratuity in January 1781 for non-commissioned officers and soldiers in the Massachusetts line (see John Hancock to GW, 5 Feb., and n.1 to that document; see also GW to Hancock, 21 Feb.).

GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys wrote Heath from headquarters on 28 April: “I am directed by His Excellency the Commander in Cheif, to inform you that the Troops of the Massachusetts Line may receive four Months Pay” (MHi: Heath Papers).

4. Maj. Ebenezer Flagg had written Heath from Pine’s Bridge, N.Y., on 23 April: “The bearer will deliver two deserters who left Kings Bridge yesterday, they belong to Arnolds Legion, they say Arnold is expected to return to N. York soon” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, 1 May, and n.1 to that document).

New York printer Hugh Gaine wrote in his journal entry for 19 April: “The Roebuck brought in the rebel Ship the Confederacy loaded with clothing &c &c from the Capes” (Ford, Journals of Hugh Gaine description begins Paul Leicester Ford, ed. The Journals of Hugh Gaine, Printer. 1902. Reprint. [New York] 1970. description ends , 2:116). British major Frederick Mackenzie wrote in his diary entry for the same date: “Came in The Roebuck, 44 Guns, Captain Douglas, with the Confederacy, a Congress Frigate of 36 Guns, and 300 men, which she took a few days ago off the Delaware; She was bound from Cape Francois to Philadelphia, and has on board a very large quantity of Clothing, Arms, &c, on account of Congress, valued at £50,000 Sterling—She struck without firing a Shot. The Roebuck has but 280 men on board.

“The Capture of this ship will be very severely felt by The Rebels” (Mackenzie Diary, 2:508–9). The New-York Gazette: and the Weekly Mercury for 23 April printed under the heading “NEW-YORK, April 21,” that “the Confederacy, a frigate carrying 28 French twelves, and 8 six pounders” was brought into New York harbor after being captured on 14 April. The frigate’s “cargo consists in sugar, cotton, indigo, and a large quantity of cloathing for Mr. Washington’s army. … She is the largest ship ever employed by Congress.” The item noted that the Continental navy “is now reduced to three frigates” (see also Heath to GW, 4 May). In his dispatch written at New York City on 26 April, Hessian major Carl Leopold Baurmeister wrote that the Confederacy carried “complete uniforms for five thousand men” and “a great quantity of West India goods, which is estimated to be worth £100,000 sterling” (Baurmeister, Revolution in America description begins Carl Leopold Baurmeister. Revolution in America: Confidential Letters and Journals, 1776–1784, of Adjutant General Major Baurmeister of the Hessian Forces. Translated and annotated by Bernhard A. Uhlendorf. New Brunswick, N.J., 1957. description ends , 425–26).

5. No reply from GW to Heath has been found, but the two men may have conversed about colliers when they met on 26 April (see Heath to GW, 23 April, source note).

Hugh Hughes, deputy quartermaster general for New York, had written Heath from Fishkill Landing, N.Y., on 24 April, explaining initially how the south side of Pollepel Island, N.Y, was “exceedingly well adapted to the Purpose of a Provost.” He then continued: “The Bearer, Mr. Asa Torry, is engag’d as a Superintendent of Colliers, in the Neighbourhood of Newburgh, where there is a great Plenty of Wood very conveniently Situated for Transportation, by which Means that Post—Wappin[ger’]s Creek—and this, as well as West point may be furnish’d with Coal, if he had but Hands sufficient for the Purpose, on which Account he waits on you for twenty good Hands, to cut & Coal the Season through. The Want of Cash reduces us to this disagreeable Situation, but, if we have not Coal, it is not requisite to mention the Consequences, as they are too obvious” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also GW to Heath, 15 April, n.3).

Heath replied to Hughes from West Point on 25 April: “Your favor of yesterday came to hand this morning, I think Pollepus Island a good Situation for a Provost and wish to have one erected on the most frugal plan as Soon as Possible … a plan Sufficient therefore to Contain Fifty or Sixty [prisoners] may answer the purpose for when they exceed that number they may be removed.

“I am Sorry your department is so much embarrassed as to prevent your obtaining Labourers for Coaling &c. it is a great pity to take men purchased at three Hundred Dollars bounty for Such Service when men may be hired to work who will not inlist in the army, it totally unfits them for Soldiers, I have Consulted his Excellency this Day by Letter on this and Similar cases, shall be governed by his answer, if the men must be put on Such Services shall order a Detachment for your purpose without loss of time. …

“Fatigue men from the Troops may be Sent to assist in erecting the Provost but I fear we have no Masons—all among the Troops will be ordered out” (MHi: Heath Papers).