To George Washington from Officers of the New York Brigade, 1 February 1780
From Officers of the New York Brigade
⟨Camp⟩ [Jockey Hollow, N.J.] Feby 1 1780
⟨To His Excellency George Washington, Esquire, General & Commander in Chief of all the Forces of the United States of America.
With the most painful sensations we approach Your Excellency with a request, which nothing but our necessities, arising from what we conceive to be ill treatment, could have ever prevailed on us to make.⟩
With the rest of our Breth⟨ren in America we early embarked in⟩ defence of our oppressed ⟨& Injured Country, and in its service most of us have constantly been employed, since the commencement of the present war, and would with the utmost chearfulness continue in a service we so much approve and in defence⟩ of a Cause the most just, that ever ⟨called forth Men in arms.⟩
But the alarming Depreciation ⟨of the currency in which⟩ we are paid renders us not only incap⟨able of supporting ourselves⟩ with any degree of Decency, but makes ⟨it altogether impossible⟩ for such of us who have families, to ⟨afford them the smallest⟩ assistance.
The Honourable Congress Sensible ⟨that their Troops in the⟩ Field Ought not to be entirely excluded ⟨those comforts of life⟩ enjoyed by Citizens ⟨have recommended to the Legislatures⟩ of the Several States, to make such ample ⟨provision for their⟩ Officers & Soldiers, as their Necessities should require ⟨and the ability⟩ of the States permit;1 and we have the Satisfaction ⟨to find that several⟩ of the states have made such provision for their ⟨Officers & Soldiers⟩ as renders their Situation Comfortable.
At the same time, we are Unhappy in the ⟨thought, that⟩ We who belong to a state, not inferior in Ability, and ⟨whose services⟩ we presume, have not been less Laborious or Sin⟨cere than our⟩ Brethren of other States, Should be Intirely Disrega⟨rded, not-with⟩standing our repeated Applications to our Legisla⟨ture⟩.
Our own Wants and the sufferings of our Distress⟨ed families⟩ Loudly Call on us to Quit a service, which although of the utm⟨ost2 ne⟩cessity,3 promises Nothing better, th⟨an an⟩ Increase of4 Misery Already scarce Supportable, an⟨d we⟩ hope that our Legislature have provided such Gentlemen, our Successors⟨,⟩ who ⟨from⟩ an Equal Zeal for the Cause, & Love to the Service; and from ⟨being⟩ possess’d of Independant Fortunes, may be able to render the⟨ir Coun⟩try more Eminent Services, We having Given that Body timely ⟨notice,⟩ that under present Circumstances our services Could not ⟨extend⟩ Beyond this Day.
⟨We therefore beg your Excellency to accept our Resignations, and grant us leave to retire from service⟩.5
DS (fragmentary), enclosed in GW to George Clinton, 5 Feb., N-Ar: George Clinton Papers; copy, DLC:GW; copy, NHi: Barnardus Swartwout Papers. The text in angle brackets, where the DS is mutilated, is taken from the copy in DLC:GW. At the end of the copy in DLC:GW, GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison recorded the names and regiments of the officers signing the document. It was signed by twelve officers of the 2d New York Regiment (three captains, seven lieutenants, and two ensigns), twenty-one officers of the 3d New York Regiment (four captains, seven lieutenants, eight ensigns, one surgeon, and one surgeon’s mate), twenty-one officers of the 4th New York Regiment (five captains, seven lieutenants, eight ensigns, and one surgeon), and ten officers of the 5th New York Regiment (two captains, five lieutenants, and three ensigns).
1. Congress passed this resolution on 17 Aug. 1779 (see 14:974–75).
2. The copy in NHi has “absolute” in place of the preceding two words.
3. The copy in NHi adds “& delightful to us” after this word. The DS has the words “and Delightful to us” struck out at this point. Barnardus Swartwout was one of the signers of the document (ensign, 2d New York Regiment; he signed as “Bernard Swartwout”). The copy in his papers probably was made before this phrase was struck out of the DS.
4. The DS has text marked out at this point.
5. Before forwarding this letter to New York governor George Clinton, GW met with some of the officers who signed it (see GW to Clinton, 5 Feb.). Only a few of the officers who signed the letter resigned in the winter of 1780. For the action of the legislature, see GW to Clinton, 5 Feb., n.4.