Brigadier General James Clinton to George Washington, 17 May 1781
From Brigadier General James Clinton
Albany May 17th 1781.
Sir,
Since my last of yesterday, another Express has been received from Fort Schuyler, Copies of which I enclose for your Excellency’s Satisfaction.
By the Proceedings of the Court of Inquiry it appears that the loss of the Barracks was occasioned by Accident, however suspicious it appeared at first View, a Circumstance which affords me singular Pleasure: The Distruction of a considerable Quantity of Officers & Soldiers Baggage, in some Measure reconciles the Supposition.
The enclosed Return of military Stores will point out the Necessity of an immediate Supply of those Articles, which should be forwarded without loss of time.1
I am anxious to receive your Excellency’s Answer to this & my former Letters, as, if the Barracks are to be rebuilt, a number of Articles will be immediately wanting; togather with a skillful Person to superintend the ⟨Works⟩ which from Accounts I have reason to believe are in a ruinous State.2 I have the Honor to be Your Excellency’s most obt Servt
James Clinton
ALS, DLC:GW. For the transmission of the letter and its enclosures, see George Clinton to GW, this date, source note. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote “Ansd 29th” on the docket, but GW replied to Clinton on 28 May.
1. Clinton enclosed a letter written to him by Lt. Col. Robert Cochran “in utmost haste” from Fort Schuyler, N.Y., on 14 May; proceedings from a court of inquiry on the same date; and a letter to him from Capt. Andrew Moodie, also dated 14 May (all DLC:GW). Cochran’s letter reads: “This is the second I have wrote you this day on the unhappy occasion.
“About eleven O.Clock I took a walk at the Foot of the Glacis to examine some recruits who were exercising where I happened to meet a Majority of the Officers that were off duty, and after a short time the Alarm was given that the Barracks were on fire—I immediately retired to the Fort and found the west Barracks all in flames the wind being westerly in a few moments put the whole Barracks on fire which put it out of our power to prevent its rapid progress—the magazine of ammunition is preserved with the utmost difficulty likewise we have saved provisions sufficient to last us Six Days on half allowance—Being suspicious that the fire might be occasioned by some Designed person I have thought proper to call a Court of inquiry to examine into the Matter, the proceedings of which I inclose you.
“Lieutenant Denniston who is the bearer will be able to inform you of every minute Circumstance that has happened” (see also Clinton to GW, 16 May, n.1). Capt. John Francis Hamtramck presided over the court of inquiry, which found that the fire began accidentally from insufficiently extinguished “brands of the Cole pit” and that the flames spread “in less than five minutes which occasioned the whole to be consumed by the fire except the Bombproofs under the Bastions.”
Moodie’s letter reads: “You will see by the commanding officers Letter of this date the Disaster we have met with the Barracks and Bombproofs are entirely burnt Down the Magazine and the other three Bombproofs in the Bastions excepted, some part of the Stores deposited in the Larboratory are entirely consumed and an immediate supply is necissary to the service that the under mentioned articles be forwarded to the post with the utmost expedition.” The requested items included port fires, flints, drag ropes, fuses for mortars, and cartridge paper. Moodie concluded: “the rapidity of the fire was amazing every building was in flames in ten minutes after it was discovered.
“No endeavour was wanting to save the Stores and every thing has been saved that was possible is secured—Lieut. Brewster and myself Attended the Magazine and our endeavours has been blessed with success I have only to regret that Mr Brewster has suffered much by over heating himself by being exposed to the fire & is very ill I am poorly by the reason. the Commanding officer afforded me every assistance in his power for further perticulars refer you to the Commandants Letter.”
2. See GW to Clinton, 18 May, n.2; and the source note above.