Brigadier General James Clinton to George Washington, 15–18 June 1781
From Brigadier General James Clinton
Albany June 15th[–18] 1781.
Sir,
I have been honored with your Excellency’s Favors of the 28th ulto and 5th & 10th inst.1 I am informed by Col. Courtlandt that the Stores &c. are all safely brought down from Fort Schuyler to the German Flatts, and the old Fort entirely destroy’d.2 Major Villefranche has arriv’d and will proceed immediately to erect the intended Work at the Flatts, which from our very embarrass’d Circumstances, I fear will be attended with many Difficulties, tho I have reason to believe the Inhabitants, will contribute any Assistance in their Power to compleat it.3
The six Companies under Col. V. Schaick and the Regt under Lt. Col. Antill have arrived, which togather with the Troops already stationed here, are disposed of in the following Manner. The first N.Y. Regt is stationed at Saratoga, except two Companies under the Command of Major Graham which I have detained in Town. The second at the German Flatts, except one Company at Schoharie, whose place I have supply’d by a Company of Levies. Hazen’s Regt I have ordered to Conghnawaga, about twenty five Miles above Schenectady on the Mowhawk River, leaving one Company at Schenectady for the purpose for forwarding Stores &c. up the River.4 Col. Willet with such of the Levies as are not otherwise disposed of will be stationed at Steen Russia and Fort Plane, about half way between Congnawaga and the German Flatts.5
I flatter myself this Disposition will meet your Excellency’s Approbation, especially when you consider the very extensive line of Communication which is to be supported and the very many Avenues thro’ which we are exposed to Attacks from the Enemy in small Parties.6
From a Variety of Accounts received thro’ different Channels, I am informed the Enemy’s Force at Crown Point is near two thousand, tho’ I cannot persuade my self, that they are near so strong. A party of our Indians, I hear, have returned, and brought in two Prisoners, who have not yet arrived in town, by whom I may possibly obtain some Intelligence which may be depended on, and which when received shall be transmitted to Head Quarters.
From the Complexion of Hazen’s regt and their Disposition to mutiny, I could have wished they had not been sent up. They have been necessarily detained a few Days in this City, and the numerous disafected Tribes which swarm here, have so far inflamed their Minds, that they are already become almost ungovernable. They have declared they will not march without Money: two of the Principles, who had been confined, were forcibly released by their Fellows last night, and the most disorderly Conduct ensued. We have however apprehended them this Morning and a Court martial is now sitting to determine their Fate.
With respect to Provisions, I hope we shall be able to procure the necessary Supplies of Flower, but Beef we are entirely destitute of. I have directed Mr Gamble to proceed to the Eastward, and forward on without loss of time such Quantities as he may be able to procure either from Mr Phelps or Springfield or both, agreeable to your Excellency’s Instruction. I have been so perticularly attentive to the Issues of Provisions in this Quarter, that shortly after my arrival here I ordered no Returns to be answered, unless counter sign’d by me, which I find has been productive of the best Consequences.7 I could wish some direct line of Conduct was pointed out specifying who are the proper Objects of public Bounties and who not; for tho’ the Wives and Children of the Soldier⟨s⟩ as well as the Canadian Refugees swell the Provision returns to a very considerable Amount; yet when we consider that the former can not receive the Reward either of their own or their Husbands Labour; and the Sacrafice which many of the latter have made by their voluntary Exilement it appears an act of Cruelty to deny them a scanty Pittance.8
For the Protection of the surviving Part of this devoted State, I could wish the Troops now here could be permitted to remain untill absolute and immediate Necessity call’d for their Services with the Army. Their stations are compact, and in seven Days of favorable Weather they could be landed at West point—There are now in the Ground the most promising Crops, and the face of the Country afords a most flattering Prospect. Prudence and Policy, as well as dear bought Experience, ardently dictate the necessity of endeavouring to preserve it.9
I must here beg leave to plead your Excellency’s Promise, and request that, when offensive Opperations commence against the Enemy, I may not be forgotten among those who are ambitious of devoting themselves and their Services to the Good of their Country.10 I have the Honor to be with the greatest respect Sir Your Excellencys most obt & Huble Servt
James Clinton
P.S. June 18th. This day Hazens regt marched in good order for their Station. The Prisoners aluded to have arrived, the Examination of whom I have the honor to enclose.11
ALS, DLC:GW; ADf (incomplete), DLC: George and James Clinton Papers. Clinton’s draft contains the first five paragraphs.
This letter and its enclosure convinced GW that no significant British force had come to Crown Point, N.Y., and that Continental regiments in the northern department could be replaced with New York levies (see entry for 20 June in , 3:381–82; see also GW to George Clinton, 21 June, and n.11 below).
1. See GW to James Clinton, 28 May, and 5 and 10 June.
2. Col. Philip Van Cortlandt reported this information about the move from Fort Schuyler, N.Y., and to Fort Herkimer at German Flats (see GW to Clinton, 18 May, and n.2; see also Clinton to GW, 22–23 May, n.2).
3. For a similar sentiment, see George Clinton to GW, 17 May, source note. GW had written Major Villefranche from headquarters at New Windsor on 31 May: “You will be pleased to repair to Albany and put yourself under the orders and command of Brig. Genl Clinton” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). For the designation of an engineer, see GW to Duportail, 28 May.
4. Lt. Col. Edward Antill commanded Col. Moses Hazen’s Canadian Old Regiment (see GW to Antill, 6 June, found at GW to James Clinton, 5 June, source note).
5. “Steen Russia” presumably was modern Russia, New York. For the New York levies, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 4 April, and n.1 to that document, and George Clinton to GW, 28 April, and n.2 to that document.
6. Clinton removed Loyalists who aided these small parties to inhibit the latter’s operations (see Clinton to George Clinton, 16 June, in , 7:25–26).
7. Clinton arrived at Albany in fall 1780 to command the northern department (see Clinton to GW, 12 Nov.).
8. Rations for Canadian families in his jurisdiction had worried Clinton (see his letter to GW, 16 April).
9. GW believed that anticipated operations would require the recall of all Continental troops (see GW to Clinton, 16 June).
10. Clinton soon received orders to join GW’s army (see GW to Clinton, 25 June).
11. Clinton enclosed a copy of New York militia colonel Abraham Wemple’s questioning at Schenectady, N.Y., on 14 June of William Empie and Randal Hewit, whom Oneida scouts had captured on 2 June. Empie, a Loyalist from Johnstown, N.Y., served as a carpenter in Lt. Col. John Johnson’s command. He vaguely answered Wemple’s questions about the intent and size of British forces that had entered New York from Canada. Hewit had been captured in Canada while serving as a Continental soldier from Connecticut, and he now was “in Col. Clause’s Employ.” Like Wemple, Hewit answered questions ambiguously, but he did state that the only British troops at Crown Point were those coming in four large vessels (DLC:GW; see also Jacob Bayley to GW, 24 May, n.2, and 27 May, n.4). Clinton received permission on 18 June to further examine Empie and Hewit (see , 2:737). He then sent scouts to obtain intelligence about the British at Crown Point (see Clinton to GW, 27 June).