Major General William Heath to George Washington, 29 April 1781
From Major General William Heath
Garrison West point, April 29. 1781.
Dear General,
I am this morning honored with yours of the 27th and Colonel Humphrys’ of the 28th.1
I shall take immediate measures to ascertain the number of prisoners of war who have been sent on as recruits from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and write the civil Authority of the Commonwealth on the ill policy and dangerous tendency of trusting the fortunes, lives and liberties of these States, to be defended by those who cannot have the least attachment to them.2
I have notified Colonel Tupper to relieve Colonel Vose.3
Inclosed is the proceeding of a brigade court-martial in the Rhode Island line, submitted to your Excellency’s decision.4 Several sentences of a general court-martial, contained in a sheet with those of John Williams, who was lately executed, have not been published by the Adjutant-general, nor returned here. I made mention of them in my letter of the 21st instant—the culprits remain in confinement.5
Twelve or thirteen deserters from the light-infantry were brought here the last evening from Sussex, and lodged in the provost, They will be brought to tryal immediately—Several others have returned and delivered themselves up; these will be brought to trial, also More are said to be on the road.6
Is it your Excellency’s intention to comprehend the convention troops under the head of Prisoners? In what manner, or where shall such as are prisoners be confined?7
Care will be taken to get down the flour when it arrives at New Windsor. The Commissary this moment informs me, that he has but one days allowance of the Irish beef left in the stores, which will be issued to morrow morning. Not a barrel has, as yet, been sent down from Fish kill.8 I have the honor to be With the greatest respect, Your Excellency’s Most obedient servant,
W. Heath
LS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. See GW to Heath, 27 April, and Heath to GW, 25 April (second letter), n.3.
2. For the disposition of these improper recruits, see GW to Heath, 5 May.
3. Heath wrote Col. Benjamin Tupper from West Point on this date: “His Excellency the Commander in Chief has been pleased to Signify his pleasure, That you immediately relieve Colonel Vose Commanding a Battalion of Light Infantry from the Massachusetts Line in the Detachment Under the Command of Major General the Marquiss de la Fayette, You will please to Call at Head Quarters previous to your departure” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, 3 May).
4. The enclosed court-martial proceedings have not been identified.
5. See Heath to GW, 21 April, and n.6 to that document.
6. Heath refers to deserters from Major General Lafayette’s detachment in Virginia (see Heath to GW, 17 April, and n.1 to that document, and GW to Heath, 20 April).
7. GW answered this question when he wrote Heath on 5 May.
8. For meat from Fishkill, N.Y., see Nathaniel Stevens to GW, 3 May.
A “Return of Provisions and Stores on ⟨Hand⟩, and the number of rations Issued ⟨dail⟩y on an Average for the preceeding Week at West-Point, Posts, and Brigades in its Vicinity,” written on this date, records a total of one hogshead, twenty-six tierces (casks), and sixty-three barrels of beef (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, 17 April, n.2, and 1 May).