Board of War to George Washington, 17 May 1781
From the Board of War
War Office [Philadelphia] May 17. 1781
Sir
We have recieved a Letter from the Judge Advocate General respecting the Pay of Mr Edwards & Mr Strang Deputy Judge Advocates who complain that their Appointments are not sufficient or settled by the Act of the 10th of Novr 1780.1 It seems they wish to be put on the same Footing with the Assistants to the Ajutant General whose Pay is equal to that of Lieut. Colonels.2 The Board wishing to preserve a due Relation among the Officers according to their Services & Employments request the Favour of your Excellency’s Opinion as to the Propriety of encreasing the Additional Pay of the Dy Judge Advocates & to what Amount.3 We have the Honour to be with great Respect Your very obedt Servants
Richard Peters
By Order
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The letter from John Laurance, judge advocate general, to the board has not been identified. Congress had resolved on 10 Nov. 1780 that “Mr. Edwards, besides his pay as a lieutenant, shall be entitled to an addition of fifteen dollars per month, as deputy judge advocate, and that Mr. Strang shall in all respects, excepting the rank of lieutenant, be entitled to the pay and appointments provided for Mr. Edwards, for the time he hath or shall continue to execute the office of deputy judge advocate” (, 18:1043–44). The same resolution had given a larger increase to Laurance (see GW to the Board of War, 29 May, n.4)
2. Congress had resolved on 17 May 1779 that the cumulative pay for the adjutant general’s assistants be “equal to those of a lieutenant colonel” (, 14:600–601). A congressional resolution adopted on 27 May 1778 set the monthly pay for a “lieutenant colonel of infantry” at $60 (, 11:539–40).
3. GW approved an increase to $60 when he replied to the board on 29 May 1781.