Colonel William Shepard to George Washington, 21 June 1781
From Colonel William Shepard
Springfield [Mass.] June 21st 1781.
Sir.
Your Excellencies Letter bearing date June the 8th came safe to hand, have duly observ’d the contents shall do all in my power to comply with Your Excellencies directions. Must beg Your Excellencies pardon for not dating my Letter, it ought to have been dated the 28th of May 1781.1
I have the pleasure to inform Your Excellency that this Department begins to move to Public advantage under the new Regulations, by General Cornwell from the Board of War for that purpose.2
The Quarter-Master department has receiv’d a small supply of Money.
By the exertions of General Cornwell the Stores of all Kinds will soon be forwarded, which are Order’d from this Part; some are on their way with guards from this part. others will set off tomorrow under the directions of an Officer who will collect the other small Guards already sent on; & deliver the whole at West Point. I have the Honor to be Your Excellencies Obedient Humble Servant.
Wm Shepard
LS, DLC:GW.
1. Shepard’s letter to GW dated 28 May has not been found.
2. Ezekiel Cornell, Rhode Island delegate to Congress and a member of the Board of War, was at Springfield to implement reforms at the post (see Cornell to GW, 24 May; Cornell to Luke Bliss, 14 June, DNA:PCC, item 148; and Cornell’s orders, 15 June, DNA:PCC, item 148; see also Board of War to GW, 3 March, and , 106–16).