Major General William Heath to George Washington, 27 June 1781
From Major General William Heath
Roxbury [Mass.] June 27th 1781
Dear General
I was this evening honored with yours of the 20th enclosing one to the Commanding Officer of the Corps of Invalids at Boston, I shall afford the Commanding Officer, every Aid in my power to facilitate his march to west point.1
I have been this evening honor’d with a Letter from Governor Trumbull of the 20th instant, giving a pritty particular account of the proceedings of the State of Connecticut, respecting its Quota of men, and provisions for the Army but as Governor Trumbull Observes, “I have made his Excellency the Commander in Chief, acquainted with these things by a Letter of this date.” it is unnecessary for me to repeat them.2
The Honble Mr Weare president of New Hampshire, in a Letter of the 25th inst. writes me, “Our General Assembly are now convened, and have under Consideration the important matters recommended by General Washington, and yourself, respecting filling up, and Supplying the Army, and are determined to take the most vigerous measures to accomplish a matter so essential to be done at this critical time,” he then Observes that a drove of Beef Cattle of Forty five or Fifty head will go on this week, that another drove is procuring &c.3
I am happy in the arrangment for the Campaign, and hope ere long to kiss your hand in Camp.4 I have the honor to be with the highest respect & Esteem your Excellencys Most Obedient Servant
W. Heath
ALS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. See GW to Heath, 20 June.
2. Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., had written Heath on 20 June to report legislative actions in his state (see Heath to GW, 15 May, n.5). Heath replied to Trumbull from Roxbury on 28 June: “The last evening I was honord with yours of the 20th instant I am exceedingly happy in the Measures adopted by your Honble Genl Assembly, in the grants both of men and Supplys they do them honor, and I assure myself the Same Spirit will prompt them to carry every of their resolutions into execution, I hope the Commissioners who meet at Providence will be fortunate enough to establish a good Sysem for forwarding the Supplies to the army—I have the pleasure to acquaint your Excellency that the other three States, are much Spirited and notwithstanding all the embarrassments under which they labor on account of their finances are determined to make the most vigerous exertions may Heaven Crown them with Success” (MHi: Heath Papers). For the convention at Providence, see Heath to GW, 4 July, and n.1 to that document.
3. In his letter to Heath from Hampton Falls, N.H., on 25 June, New Hampshire council president Meshech Weare also reported 7,116 pounds of salt beef already at Charlestown, N.H., and another 2,200 pounds “not yet Sent forward” to that place. “The Collector in the lower district of this State has sent forward thirty head of Cattle as I mentiond in my last, And has on hand 311 Barrels Salt Beef And Six Oxen, And is daily Collecting more Cattle, that I hope by next week, he will be Able to send forward another Drove. The General Court have Sent a Commissioner to Providence to joyn with Commissioners from the Other New England States for Setling a method of forwarding Regular Supplies to the Army, I am in hopes that he will pritty soon Return, And that then I shall be Able to give you more perticular information Respecting Sending forward Supplies, and the Determinations of Our General Court” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to GW, 29 May, n.6, and n.2 above).
Heath replied to Weare from Roxbury on 28 June to express approval for “vigerous measures” because “nothing is more essential than that the Supplies should go on in a regular Succession. …
“I have the pleasure to acquaint your Honor that the other Three States appear to be determined to make the greatest exertions May Heaven Crown them with Success” (MHi: Heath Papers).
4. In his memoirs, Heath later wrote in the entry for 28 June: “His Excellency the Commander in Chief was pleased to communicate to our General that in the arrangement of the main army, the command of the right wing had been assigned to him” (, 307; see also GW to Heath, 20 June, and n.4). Heath wrote Charles Miller, supply agent for Massachusetts, from Roxbury on 11 July: “I shall tomorrow morning Set out for the army, knowing their wants, and hopeing that before this time you are furnished with means either of money or Resolves that will enable you to Command the necessary supply of Rum, I request you to forward it with all possible dispatch to the army” (MHi: Heath Papers). For previous appeals to send rum, see Heath to GW, 24 June, and n.10; see also Heath to GW, 4 July.