Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin to George Washington, 2 June 1781
From Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin
New Windsor June 2d 1781
Sir,
At the begining of the War, on the 20th of May 1775, I entered the Service of the United States as an Engineer.
On the 26th of April 1776, The Honble the Congress in consequence of merrit, appointed me Lieut. Colo. of Engineers, on the Continental Establishment.1 On the third of Septr 1776, The Honble the Congress Appointed me Colo. of Engineers & I have their Commission accordingly,2 & have continued in their service to this time.
From the first of my entering the Service as Enginr in —75 I usually had a number of Artificers under my direction, & by your Excellencys order the 29 of July 1778 I took Command of the Artificers in the Q.M. Genl department,3 & since they have been incorporated, I recd the Command of the Regt but have received neither pay or Subsis. as Commandant of the Corps of Artificers. But have Recd pay, Subsistance, & other benefits as Colo. of Engineers.4
I have ever been diffident of my own Abilitys, but am conscious of having done my duty to the best of my Capasity. As a new Arrangement takes place in the Army. The Regt of Artificers Reformed, and the United States have in their Service a Number of Able Engineers.5 This is to request leave to Retire with the Benefits allowed by the Honble The Congress to the reduced Officers of the Army the first of January 1781.6 I am with Sentiments of Respect & Esteem your Excellency[s] Obedient Very Humble Servt
Jeduthun Baldwin
ALS, DLC:GW; ALS (copy), dated 3 June at Fishkill, DNA:PCC, item 19.
1. GW had written John Hancock, president of Congress, on 22 April 1776 to recommend a pay increase and promotion for Baldwin, whom he considered “a very useful Man in his department.” For the resolution that accorded Baldwin the pay and rank of lieutenant colonel, see , 4:312.
2. See , 5:732.
3. See General Orders, 29 July 1778. Baldwin at that time became commander of the quartermaster artificer regiment.
4. Baldwin received a warrant for $625 “new emission” on 3 June 1781 for “his pay to the 1st Inst.” (Revolutionary War Warrant Book 5, 1780–1783, DLC:GW, ser. 5). For the money, see Philip Schuyler to GW, 12 March 1780, and notes 3–4 to that document.
5. The reorganization of the army led to the reduction of Baldwin’s quartermaster artificer regiment (see Timothy Pickering’s first letter to GW, 14 April, and n.3 to that document; see also General Orders, 1 Nov. 1780).
6. Congress resolved on 26 April 1782: “That Jeduthun Baldwin, colonel of engineers in the army of the United States, be considered as a supernumerary officer retiring from the service; and that he be entitled according to his present pay to equal emoluments, which shall be received by the officers of the line, who retired under the resolutions of Congress of the 3d and 21 of October, 1780” (, 22:215; for the resolutions that authorized reduced officers to receive half pay for life, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 26 Oct. 1780, and n.1 to that document).