To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 14 December 1779
From Major General William Heath
Robinsons House [N.Y.] Decr 14th 1779
Dear General
The last evening I was honored with yours of the 12th enclosing one to Major General Howe which I have forwarded to him.1
The Troops at this Post have experianced the most distressing want of Bread Since your Excellency passed into the Jersies, every exertion has been exercised for their releif both in this vicinity and at a distance it has at length been Obtained, and as their is now plenty of water I hope the like will not be experianced again,2 His Excellency Governor Clinton has given me assurances of every assistance in his power to render my Command easy.3
Forage is extremely Scarce and on this the Land Transportation Solely depends Colo. Hay is indefatigable but is much embarrassed for want of money He informs me that, this is the principal Sour[c]e of the want The Farmers will not part with their Forage on Credit as they observe by the Time of Payment the money is depreciated one Quarter the Service will be much promoted by affording him Speedy assistance4 I Some time Since ordered off all the Saddle Horses except one to a Regt and all the waggon Horses not wanted for immeditate Service in hauling Provisions Fuel &c. &c. The Former are gone to the nine Partners, the latter to Shaaron.5
no Intelligence of Consequence from below—The reinlis[t]ment of the Troops is Successfull—Glovers Brigade are Hutting below Budds6 Nixons are in their old Hutts.7 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect your Excellencys most Obedient Servt
W. Heath
ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. Heath is referring to GW’s letter to Maj. Gen. Robert Howe of 12 Dec. (see GW to Heath, that date, n.1). Howe wrote Heath from Fishkill, N.Y., on 15 Dec.: “I was favour’d with yours of yesterday, inclosing a letter from the Genl directing my attendance as President of a Genl Court Martial, I have written Express to his Excellency upon the Subject, if he does not countermand me, I shall repair to Morris Town accordingly, But I think it probably I shall not be called upon” (MHi: Heath Papers). Heath’s letter to Howe of 14 Dec. has not been identified, but see the second letter from Howe to GW, same date.
2. Heath had written John Fitch, deputy commissary general of issues, from Peekskill, N.Y., on 3 Dec.: “The Troops in this Quarter have been without Bread for Six or Eight Days past, a Universal Uneasiness prevails, and the most disagreable Consequences may be expected, The most Speedy and effectual Steps must be taken, and I request you to exert your every endeavour to Send down temporary releif immediately, and more ample supplies as Soon as possible, The Season is now advanced when it will be very difficult to get down the Supplies except every Spell of good weather is improved, please to order down a Quantity of Rum, the Season requires it, and it will tend also to keep the Troops in Temper, I must repeat that releif must be immediately Sent down” (MHi: Heath Papers). Heath again wrote Fitch from Peekskill on the same date, explaining that “matters grow more Serious and Alarming respecting Bread” (MHi: Heath Papers).
Fitch replied to Heath from Fishkill on 4 Dec. describing efforts to procure flour and rum (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Udny Hay to Heath, 5 and 9 Dec., both MHi: Heath Papers). Heath then wrote Fitch from Beverly Robinson’s house on 10 Dec.: “The Troops Still complain of a Scantily Supply of Bread, and the Magazine is exhausted, which ought to Contain a Sufficiency for Several months, my Anxiety is great lest the River may be Frozen, before this is effected, And as the land transportation may be greatly Obstructed by a want of Forage every method should be devised immediately to fill the Magazines, with Flour, or bring it within Such distances as the Troops may avail themselves of it in case of necessity” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also Heath to Hay, same date, MHi: Heath Papers). Fitch wrote Heath from Fishkill at 9:00 P.M. on the same date: “I am informed that one hundred and thirty Barrels Flour, passed Fish Kill-Landing this day, for West point. I shall send from this place, by land, to General Glover’s Brigade, twenty Barrels Flour, to morrow morning, which is all there is at present ready” (MHi: Heath Papers).
Writing to Fitch from Robinson’s house on 11 Dec., Heath expressed happiness “to hear of the Cargo of Flour that Passed Fish kill yesterday, and of the Twenty Barrells ordered for Glovers Brigade—the greatest Uneasiness prevailed in that Brigade this morning how it has terminated I have not yet heard, The Flour abovementioned Comes fortunately, but will Sustain the Troops but a very few Days, I must therefore beg the Continuation of your every exertion” (MHi: Heath Papers; see also John Glover to Heath, and Heath to Glover, both 12 Dec., MHi: Heath Papers). When Fitch wrote Heath on 12 Dec., he assured him “that every kind of exertion will be used, by the purchasing Commissaries, to supply the Army with Bread, and Vegitables” (MHi: Heath Papers).
3. For New York governor George Clinton’s assurances, see GW’s second letter to Heath, 27 Nov., n.6.
4. Lt. Col. Udny Hay had written Heath from Fishkill on 13 Dec.: “I hope by my journey to Shaaron I have fallen on a method of obtaining a present supply of Forage which will at least prevent us from starving for some time, but have been oblidged to pledge part of the public property under my direction for payment. …
“I shall do myself the honour of waiting on you to morrow” (MHi: Heath Papers).
5. Heath is alluding to Sharon, Conn., and Nine Partners, the northern portion of Dutchess County, N.Y., originally defined by “Nine Partners’ Patent (Great or Lower),” granted in 1697, and “Little or Upper Nine Partners’ Patent,” granted in 1706 ( 51–52). The modern towns of Clinton, Pleasant Valley, Washington, Stanford, Milan, Pine Plains, North East, and Amenia emerged from the lands of the two patents (see Isaac Huntting, History of Little Nine Partners of North East Precinct, and Pine Plains, New York, Duchess County [Amenia, N.Y., 1897], 1:3–37).
6. For this location, see Alexander McDougall to GW, 24 Nov., and n.2 to that document.
7. Heath is referring to Brig. Gen. John Nixon’s brigade and their “excellent Hutts” erected the previous winter near Continental Village, N.Y. (McDougall to GW, 25 Jan. 1779; see also GW to David Henley, 27 Nov. 1778).
For GW’s reply, see his letter to Heath, 13–17 December.