1. GW had written Clinton on 14 Nov. 1780 about the need for additional recruits in Col. John Lamb’s artillery regiment.

2. See The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June 1781, editorial note.

3. GW again wrote Clinton on this date: “In my letter of this date by Colo. Stevens I only mentioned the necessity of filling Colo. Lambs Regiment of Artillery—There are the same reasons for compleating the two Regiments of Infantry. Let me entreat your Excellency to press the Legislature to devise means of procuring the deficiency for the Campaign only, if they cannot be obtained upon better terms. … P.S. Every exertion should be made to fill the three years and eight Months State Regiments—as our operations in this quarter may probably require the Continental Regs. at present at the Northward” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). For the existing New York levies, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 4 April, and n.1 to that document.

Clinton wrote his brother Brig. Gen. James Clinton from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on 26 June: “A very pressing requisition from his Excellency the Commander in Chief to compleat the Regiment of Artillery belonging to this State which is much more deficient than either of the Regiments of Infantry renders it necessary that the Recruits which yet remain to be furnished by the Classes should be annexed to that Corps & I have accordingly to request that you will give orders for this purpose to the Officer appointed to receive them. The intended operation of the Campaign will call for a more than the ordinary Proportion of Artillerists. If they cannot be otherwise acquired, I fear they must be drafted from the Infantry which makes me more anxious about the Business. Capt. Machin is now at Albany & if it is necessary some more of the officers of that Corps shall be forwarded to attend & receive the recruits” (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends , 7:50).

James Clinton replied to his brother from Albany on 30 June: “Your favor of the 26th inst. I received last night, and Capt. Machin going down, furnishes me with a conveyance for this.

“If the Classes would furnish the officers on the recruiting Service with cash, in all probability men could be procured—but they will neither furnish the one or other.

“Under these circumstances I have judged it unnecessary to detain Capt. Machin as there is little reason to hope success from our present appearances. He will be able more fully to inform you of the peculiar circumstances attending this business than I can, & to him I beg leave to refer you.

“I hope the House have passed some laws in favor of apprehending Diserters, as in my opinion it would be attended with more success in filling up the Reg’t. than all the recruits you have reason to expect” (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends , 7:52). “An Act to encourage the apprehending of Deserters, from the Troops of this State, serving in the Army of the United States” was adopted on 1 July (N.Y. Laws description begins Laws of the State of New-York, Commencing with the first Session of the Senate and Assembly, after the Declaration of Independency, and the Organization of the New Government of the State, Anno 1777. Poughkeepsie, N.Y., 1782. description ends , 203). For the law passed to raise more troops, see GW to George Clinton, 25 June, n.3.