To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 17–18 January 1780
From Major General William Heath
Highlands [N.Y.] January 17[–18] 1780.
Dear General,
The last evening I was honor’d with yours of the 12th Instant, and this day have ordered a Court of Inquiry for the purposes therein mentioned. The enclosed Letter from Colonel Scammell is just handed to me by Major Painter.1 As the Major is in an ill State of health, the travelling exceedingly bad & very expensive, he has concluded to wait at Fishkill untill your Excellency’s pleasure is known whether he Shall proceed to Head quarters, or have a court appointed here.2
The court of enquiry who were appointed to investigate the cause of the North redoubt taking Fire on the Evening of the 9th Instant have reported that it was from an unforeseen accident3—Enclosed is a certificate of the resignation of the Commission of Ensign Gilbert of the 1st Massachusett[s] regt.4 I have the honor to be with the greatest respect Your Excellencys Most obedt Sert
W. Heath
P.S. 18th. I am just honord with yours of 14th with a Post script of the next day, to which I shall pay due attention. Mr Read has not yet arrived. I have taken charge of the 250,000 Dollars brought by Mr Sherman untill Mr Read comes.5
W.H.
LS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. The enclosure has not been identified. GW returned it to Heath with his letter of 27 January.
2. Maj. Elisha Painter had been granted a new trial after appealing the verdict of a court-martial that had convicted him of unauthorized absence and neglect of duty (see General Orders, 13 Oct. 1778, and n.1 to that document). On 27 Jan., GW directed Heath to convene a court-martial, but Painter’s case apparently was not resolved before his death in January 1781.
3. See Heath to GW, 10–11 January. The undated report of the court of inquiry, signed by Col. Joseph Vose, president of the court, is in MHi: Heath Papers with the documents of 14 January.
4. The enclosed certificate has not been identified. GW had directed Heath to send this certificate (see GW to Heath, 31 Dec. 1779).
5. William Sherman was paymaster of Seth Warner’s Additional Continental Regiment, which was stationed at Fort George, New York.