Philip Schuyler to George Washington, 21 May 1781
From Philip Schuyler
Saratoga [N.Y.] May [21] 1781
Dear Sir
Your Excellency’s favor of the 14th Instant I had the honor to receive last evening.1
I sincerely lament the various distresses Your Excellency must necessarily labour under from the tardiness of the States in furnishing the Supplies for the Army.
Yesterday a pretended deserter from the Enemy arrived here, inclosed is the Information he gives.2 Your Excellency will recollect that David Higenbottom, was one of the men, the person whose Intelligence you transmitted me, had been Introduced to, and who had been released by the party of ours3—Higenbottom is Sensible & shrewed, has about 24 Dollars in Specie with him, with a variety of Good under Cloaths & linnen, he will not confess any thing, altho one of our Party who released him, and with two of the others has Confessed the whole business, Is certain he was one of the British party Since his arrival here we have been Informed that four thousand of the Enemy are actually come to crown point and Ty[c]onderoga, this Intelligence was brought us by an Inhabitant who had spoke with a man who came express from a party of White Creek Militia sent out on a Scout to Crown point. If It be true, we shall probably have an express from White Creek some time to day.
Of the State troops raised for the defence of the frontiers only About fourty five have yet appeared.4 we are to expect none from the East side of Hudsons river for twenty five miles below this, as a Convention which has been held there have agreed to a union with Vermont,5 and have published a resolution recommending that no distress should be made under the Authority of New York from any delinquent Class—Ethan Allen in a late Conversation with Major McCrakan formerly of V. Schaicks regiment Declared he would neither take assistance from nor give any to New York, and I really believe he will act as he says.6 I am Dear Sir with Every Sentiment of respect & Esteem & most affectionately Your Excellencys Obedient Servant
Ph: Schuyler
Having very little paper I am under the necessity of sending this without a Cover.7
ALS, DLC:GW. Schuyler erroneously wrote “May 22d” in the dateline (see his second letter to GW on 21 May; see also GW’s reply to Schuyler, 30 May). For the letter’s handling, see Schuyler to George Clinton, 21 May, found at Clinton to GW, 6 May, n.5; see also James Clinton to GW, 22–23 May, postscript.
1. See GW to Schuyler, 14 May.
2. The undated enclosure reads: “David Higgenbottom Corporal of the light company of the 8th [British regiment] left St John on Sunday the 13th Instant in a Boat with a Serjeant & four privates, came to Crown point and was there put on board of a ship and then landed by the Ships boat and Came on a Lieut. with a Serjeant & five men that they came to Tyc[o]nderoga looked at the Ground and then returned and having gone about two Miles he deserted. the Maria, Carlton, Inflexible & another vessel at Crown point. Capt. Chambers Commandant[.] 100 troops at Crown point, detatched from the 31st with 4 privates. not two hundred men at Crown point. In Canada 31st full 500 53d not full, 29th pretty near full except grandidiers & light Company—44th Regt arrived from N. York not quite full—the [Royal Highland] Emigrants full, detatchments of various dutch regiments, Sir John’s Corps full Second Battallion of Dut[c]h raising. Major Mayers Volunteer Corps & some others, no Indians at Crown point, 31st in winter Quarters near Quebec, 53d at Miscona near lake St Peters, 29th at St Denis & St Charles near Chamble, 44th at Quebec—a Dutch [regiment] at Montreal, 34th Regt at St Johns and Isle Au Noix with Some Jagers—a great number of Batteaus at St Johns, repairing Batteaus, they do It every Spring Expect some troops from Britain, no vessels arrived when he came away—a number of men of the 8th Regt of the 34th & artillery lost last fall on [Lake] Ontario. Colo: St Leger Commands at St Johns. Gen: Powel at Niagara, & Genl Haldeman at Quebec, A Flag had arrived from Vermont at Isle au noix Just before he left The⟨re⟩” (DLC:GW).
3. Schuyler refers to John Fish (see his second letter to GW, this date, n.2).
4. On 10 March, the New York legislature had adopted “An Act to raise Troops for the immediate Defence of the State,” which called upon men from militia regiments to serve until 1 Jan. 1782 (, 172–73).
5. For this convention, see Articles of Union, 15 May, and Matthew Visscher to George Clinton, 18 May, in , 6:865–67, 884–85.
6. For the resolution and Ethan Allen’s conversation with Joseph McCracken, see Schuyler to Clinton, 19 May, in , 6:890–91.
7. Schuyler addressed the letter to GW at New Windsor on the verso of the last manuscript page.