George Washington to Colonel Alexander Scammell, 12 June 1781
To Colonel Alexander Scammell
Head Quarters New Windsor 12th June 1781.
Dear Sir
I recd your favr of the 8th Inst. by Colonel Reade.1 Before I can give any opinion upon the propriety of his claim to the Rank of full Colonel, I must be informed by what means his present Commission came to be dated on the 5th of March 1778, as Colo. Hale, to whom he succeeded, did not die till long after—I never heard that Colo. Hale had been displaced at any time previous to his death, consequently I cannot understand how the Vacancy on the 5th of March happened.2 I am Dear Sir Yr most obt Servt.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Scammell’s letter to GW dated 8 June has not been found.
2. No reply from Scammell to GW has been found. Lt. Col. George Reid, commandant of the 2d New Hampshire Regiment, never received promotion to colonel.