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TRANSCRIPT GLC 6506
William Smallwood. Letter:
Annapolis, to George Washington, 1782 July 30.
3 p.
Annapolis
30.th July 1782.
Dear
Sir
I am
honor’d with your favour wrote from Newburgh without Date and should some time
ago have anticipated your Requisitions, by laying before you the information you
require but was first Solicitous to have a Detachment nearly ready for marching,
which the want of Cloathing and equipment has prevented.
As you
seem desirous of obtaining regular Reports of the Progress I have made, and a
minute detail of my transactions on the recruiting Service for your more ample
satisfaction in these Points. – I have transmitted [struck: two] copies of
two Acts of this State, and a copy of private Instructions received from the
general Assembly, under which by direction of General Greene I have
superintended, and prosecuted the recruiting Service in the course of this
Spring and Summer and of my transactions on this Duty antecedent to this, in
course of the last Summer, I then gave you a short account. -
I have
also inclosed a copy of the Roll of Men recruited since the first of February to
which is annexed a copy of Instructions to recruiting Officers, founded on the
above Acts and Instructions, a list of Districts &c. and posts of
intermediate rendezvous, from which you may form a Comprehensive View of the
brain this Business has been put into – I have likewise enclosed a detail of
my transactions with the county Lieutenants and Draughts, directed under the
first act - the Draughts have and will mostly compound for a Sum of Money to
procure a Recruit, which will be more eligible than obtaining their temporary
Service, but the Lieutenants are tardy in executing this duty, and as yet have
rendered no Returns, tho I believe they have received a good deal of Money which
I have given the commanding Officers of Districts orders for to be applied as
the Act directs – I have been thus circumstantial in compliance with your
desire, and to shew you that the objects in view have not failed thro’
inattention – but I dare say you will not have leisure or patience to peruse
the process through.
I have
met with every difficulty and obstruction in conducting this Service – When
the Money came in (and then but very partially) it was too late [inserted:
(being the 18th of Febuary)] to commence this Duty, the people had
mostly engaged in some Business for the year – The Recruiting Officers having
no means of bearing their Expenses, the [2] want of Barracks cloathing and
necessary Supplies almost of every kind for Recruits as they were raised – The
treatment, naked and wretched Situation of those in Service the abject distress
and total neglect of disabled and disbanded Soldiers gave weight to their too
just murmurs all which became very discouraging to this Duty—and the base
speculation made on the Officers and Soldiers Certificates for Pay and
Depriciation, who thro’ mere necessity were obliged in many instances to part
with them at a twentieth part of their value before the property pledged for
their redemption could be sold—together with the Injustice of the State in
depriving all those of the benefit of the Act whose terms of Service expired
before it took place, has deprived us of many valuable old Soldiers, and
rendered Desertion very prevalent, many under the former description, having
voluntarely Offer’d their Service again provided the public wou’d justly
comply with what had been pledged. –
There
is another circumstance which has been a very material obstruction, indeed I
might add that for some time it put a Total stop to the Recruiting Service, this
is the preparations for defence of our Bay – the frequent depredations and
Ravages of the Enemy in their Barges last spring, became so very alarming to the
Legislature that for some time it was almost the sole object of the public
attention, applying the most certain of the Funds appropraited to the recruiting
Service, towards the equipment and Maning with three hundred Men four Barges and
a Galley, the Bounty and short inlistmts. in this Service effetually suspended
Recruiting, but these Equipments being nearly compleated it may revive again,
but imagine the prospect will not be flattering before the Fall when the People
will become disengaged.—
The
Duty at this Station has been the most perplexing and fatiguing Tour I ever
engaged in, and you may rest assured it has been prosecuted with [struck:
in] unabaling diligence, notwithstanding our Small Success, which is to
be attributed to the above causes, and the great relaxation and Inattention of
the Departments in the civil line, with which this Duty is connected and
dependant on Ever since the first of March I handed in to the Executive a list
of Districts and the Posts to be furnished with provisions, Firewood and
Barracks for the Recruits, not one has been Supplied, except this place, and
that in so Shameful and Scanty a manner, that for want of the two latter in the
cold part of the Spring – I was obliged to suffer such of the Soldiers who
could be trusted to [3] go home, and since they have been crowded in places not
fit for Hog sties many of them having been without a Hatt, Shirt Shoes or even
Breeches, and not the least provision made to supply or bear the Expences of
Officers on Duty who being without Pay or the means of Support, I was also
obliged to let them go home—but you will observe the latter Act has made some
further provision if it can be carried into execution, which has not yet been
effected – if those Evils could be remedied I am Still persuaded the
Recruiting Service wou’d flourish.
I sent
Majr. Davidson upwards of two Months ago to Philadelphia for cloathing to
compleat a Detachment of three hundred Men for marching; he was detained a Month
and came without it at last, but he was promised it should be sent on
immediately, with Waggons to transport the Baggage of the Troops, but neither
have yet arrived, as soon as they come I shall march the Detachment agreeable to
General Greenes orders to join the Southern Army unless I shou’d have your
Counter Orders, it is fully Officer’d Armed and accoutred, General Lincoln
upon application having sent me three hundred Stand of Arms and Accoutrements,
and an order on the Conductor of Military Stores at Richmond for two hundred
Stand more of the Arms captured from Lord Cornwallis. –
It has
and will be impossible for me to answer your expectations or General Greenes in
conducting these duties unless I am better aided; here I have been confined ever
since last December strugling in vain to carry them into execution, but hope
circumstances may alter as they can’t well grow worse.
I have the honor to remain with very sincere
Regard Your Mo. Obedt. & Hble Servant.
His Excellency
Genl. Washington
[docket]
To
General Washington
30 July 1782.
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