To George Washington from Colonel James Wadsworth, 1 April 1776
From Colonel James Wadsworth
Roxbury 1st April 1776
Hond Sr
yours of this Day recd1 am very sorry it is not in my Power to comply with his Excellency’s Request as my Regiment with the other Connecticut Regiments have marched and by Reason of Scarcity of Forrage and Difficulty of geting Covering for the Soldiers they have gone in small Parties and by different Routes they cannot be remanded & collected. some of the Field Officers have likewise marched. I doubt not had it been known the Throops might probably been serviceable in taking their Route by Providence they would chearfully have complyed with his Excellency’s Desire.2 I am with great Truth & Regard You[r] very Humle Sert
James Wadsworth Colo.
ALS, DLC:GW. The cover is addressed “To His Excellency George Washington Esqr. att Cambridge.”
James Wadsworth (1730–1817) of Durham, Conn., commanded one of the three Connecticut militia regiments that were called out in late January to reinforce GW’s army until 1 April. In June 1776 the Connecticut general assembly appointed Wadsworth brigadier general in command of six militia regiments sent to reinforce the Continental army at New York, and in May 1777 he was promoted to major general of the militia.
1. Letter not found.
2. For the Continental troops that GW ordered to Providence in response to a report of a large enemy fleet off Newport, see GW to Nicholas Cooke, this date.