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DOCUMENTS & MAPS - 1781
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1781 |
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Washington to Pickering April 27, 1781 |
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Congress July 11, 1781 |
Hutchins to Congress, July 26, 1781 (letter listing equipment needed for Geographer of the Southern Army) |
Washington to DeWitt, August 29, 1781 | |
| Headquarters, October 5, 1781 |
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George Washington to Timothy Pickering, February 19, 1781
New
Dear Sir: If the
detachment now forming, pursues its object, it will be a strong additional
motive against having deposits at, and upon the Morris town Road to this place;
because the troops now on that communication will be considerably reduced,
without the means of replacing them. If therefore my former order on this head
is not fully complied with, no time should be lost in the completion of it. A
quantity of provisions at Ringwood (till we are in greater force) will run
eminent danger of being destroyed by a partisan stroke. I desire therefore it
may not be suffered to accumulate at that post.
If there is no particular
inconvenience, with which I am not acquainted, I think the back communication by
Sussex Court House, or the middle one, by the White House, Germantown,
Succasunny Meeting House, Kinneys Forge, Newfoundland, Davenports Mills and
Colonel Sewards at Warwick would, circumstanced as we are, be the most eligible,
because less hazardous, and I believe equally convenient to this place. The last
I am informed is the nearest and best Road of any from this place to
[Note
74: Simeon De
Witt, Geographer.]
[Note 75: The draft is in the writing of Tench Tilghman.]
Head Quarters, New
Sir: There was never any
regular formation of the department of Geographer to the Army, but to the best
of my recollection Mr. Erskine's pay was to have been four dollars pr day and
that of his Assistants two dollars pr day. Chain Bearers half a dollar pr day
and an allowance for the contingent expenses of travelling when out of reach of
the Magazines of the Army and for the purchase of Instruments and the other
necessaries of Office. I see, in the heads of a plan which Mr. Erskine had drawn
up for the Committee of Arrangement last summer, he mentions that three dollars
pr day were to have been allowed to some of his principal Assistants. I
therefore make no doubt but it was to have been so, and that it may have escaped
my Memory. If any charge of that nature is made in his Account, it is to be
allowed.
I do not remember that
any allowance was to be made for saddle Horses for Mr. Erskine's personal use,
except finding them forage. The department was to be supplied with Waggons and
Horses. I mention this, because Mr. De Witt tells me Mr. Erskine has made a
charge to the public of a saddle Horse of his own which died while he was in the
service. I am &c.4
[Note 4: The draft is in the writing of Tench Tilghman.]
Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 17 March 1,
1781
- August 31, 1781
Charles Thomson to George Washington, May 10th, 1781
Sir, Philadelphia May 10th. 1781.
I do myself the honor to enclose you an Act of the United States, appointing
Thomas Hutchins Geographer to the southern army, with the same pay and
emoluments as are allowed to the geographer to the main army.(1)
Mr. Hutchins is a native of New Jersey, and was many years in the English
service, where he held the rank of Captain and Engineer; But having suffered
considerably for his attachment to the American Cause he, in the begining of the
last year made his escape from England & got to France; from whence he
brought a letter from Doctr. Franklin stating his sufferings & recommending
him to the favorable notice of Congress as a good Officer and excellent
Engineer.
Mr. Hutchins is desirous of knowing the pay & emoluments allowed to the
Geographer to the main army, and as I do not recollect any resolution of
Congress fixing them I take the liberty of applying to you and shall be much
obliged for information on the subject.
I am, with great respect, Sir, Your most obedie[nt] and most humble servant, Cha
Thomson
RC (DLC: Washington Papers).
1 For Hutchins' appointment, See JCC, 19:187, 339, 20:475-76, 738. The enclosed
resolve appointing him to this post was sent to Hutchins with a brief cover
letter from President Huntington dated May 8. PCC, item 15, fol. 284.
2 For Washington's May 29 response to Thomson explaining the provisions made
heretofore for the support of the geographer of the United States and his
assistants, see Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 22:130.
[Report of Mr Hugh Williamson, Mr Arthur Lee, Mr Richard Peters. Delivered Oct. 20 1783.]
The Committee to whom were referred the memorials of Thomas Hutchins Geographer to the U.S. and the memorial of Mr James Elliot Assistant Geographer beg leave to report:
That on the 4th of May 1781, Congress were pleased to resolve "That Thomas Hutchins be appointed Geographer to the Southern Army with the same pay and emoluments as are allowed to the Geographer to the main army." That the Commander in Chief being consulted on this subject it appears by his letter of the 29th May, 1781, to the Secretary of Congress, that the Geographer to the main army was allowed 4 Dollars per day, and his assistant 2 Dollars per day. That on the 11th of July Mr Hutchins accepted the appointment.
That on the 8th of March, 1782, Captain Jas. Elliot was appointed Assistant Geographer to the U.S. with the pay of 2 Dollars per day on his resigning his claims for half pay after the war.
That on the 12th November, 1782, Congress were pleased to resolve, that whereas no provision had been made by Congress for the Geographers of the U.S., the Geographer of the Main Army and of the Southern Army be allowed each sixty Dollars per month and that the assistants be allowed each 30 Dollars per month. It is clear that Congress on this occasion was of the opinion that 2 Dollars per day was sufficient pay for the Chief Geographer and one dollar for his assistant; but your Committee presume they did not advert to the circumstances or terms on which Mr Hutchins accepted his Commission much less to those on which Capt. Elliot accepted of his. Wherefore your Committee submit the following resolves:
That in settling the accounts of Mr Thomas Hutchins Geographer to the U. S. he be allowed 4 Dollars per day and 4 Rations, from the time of his accepting his Commission to this date, and not longer, the act of the 12th of Nov. 1782 notwithstanding.
George Washington to
Continental Congress, May 29, 1781
Head Quarters, New
Sir: Upon my return from
Weathersfield I found your favor of the 10th. instant. There never has been any
regular establishment of the department of Geographer to the Army; but the pay
that has heretofore, and is now allowed to the principal in this quarter is four
Dollars pr day, and four Rations; with an allowance for incidental Charges, such
as travelling from place to place and for provisions for himself and Party when
out of reach of the Magazines of the Army. The Assistants have had two Dollars
pr day. The Chain Bearers have been drawn from the Army occasionally, and are
allowed half a dollar extra pr day while upon service.
Proper attention has been
paid to the other Resolves contained in yours. I have the honor etc.93
[Note
93: In the
writing of David Humphreys and signed by
Sir:
Immediately upon receipt of this you will begin to Survey the road (if it has
not been done already) to Princeton, thence (through Maiden head) to
At the
head of Elk you will receive further orders. I need not observe to you the
necessity of noting Towns, Villages and remarkable Houses and places but I must
desire that you will give me the rough traces of your Survey as you proceed on
as I have reasons for desiring to know this as soon as possible. I am, etc.
From a facsimile published by the New Brunswick (N.J.) Historical Club (Pubn. V, 1920). The original letter is in Rutgers University Library.
Head Quarters before
Parole
Officers of the day
Tomorrow
Major General Baron Steuben
Lt Col. Gimott
Major Hollingshead
B.M. Aorson
The
Officers and men of the following Regiments now on duty to be immediately
Relieved by their respective Brigades: Barbers, Scammells, Gaskins, Adams,
The
honorable the Congress have been pleased to pass the following Resolutions
By the
Resolved, That the present vacancies of hospital physicians and surgeons be
filled up by the senior surgeons of the hospital lately deranged, the eldest
hospital mates or regimental surgeons, as shall be recommended by the director
and chief physician and surgeon to the army.
That
all future vacancies of hospital physicians and surgeons be filled by the eldest
regimental surgeons and hospital mates, who shall be reckoned of equal grades,
who shall upon examination be found qualified and obtain certificate of
recommendation from the director and chief physician and surgeon of the army, or
of the deputy-collector and chief physician in a separate department: That the
persons requisite to fill the highest grades in the hospital and medical
departments, be appointed from time to time, by Congress according to merit and
abilities: That all surgeons to regiments or corps not belonging to the line of
any particular State, be nominated by the director of the hospital, and the
chief physician and surgeon of the army, subject to the approbation of the
Commander in Chief, and shall be equally entitled to promotion to hospital
physicians and surgeons with the regimental surgeons of state lines.
On
recommendation of the director approved by the Board of War: Resolved, That Dr.
Joseph Young, 67
a deranged senior surgeon and doctors Goodwin Willson, Daniel Jenifer, Samuel
Edmondson and George Compbell, 68
eldest surgeon's mates, be promited to the rank of hospital physicians and
surgeons to fill the vacancies occasioned by the resignation of doctors
Bloomfield, Scott, Hagan and Jackson, 69
and the promotion of Dr. Burnett. 70
[Note:Doctor Young served to the close of the
war. ]
[Note:Doctors Wilson (Willson), Edmondson
(Edmonson, Edmunson), and
[Note:Drs. Moses Bloomfield, Moses Scott, and
David Jackson resigned in December, 1780; Dr. Francis Hagan resigned in May,
1781. ]
[Note:Dr. William Burnett (Burnet), Chief
Physician and Hospital Surgeon of the Continental Army. He served to the close
of the war. ]
On the
recommendation of the deputy director, approved by the Board of War: Resolved,
That doctors Thomas Tudor Tucker, and Vickers, 71
be appointed physicians and surgeons in the hospital for the southern
department: That Daniel Smith be appointed assistant deputy surveyor, and John
Carne 72
assistant deputy apothecary, in the southern department.
[Note:Doctors Tucker and Samuel Vickars
(Vickers) served to the close of the war. ]
[Note:Both Smith and Carne served to the close of the war.
Head
Qrs. near
Sir:
You will have the Road from
You
will Survey the Road from Toddsbridge to Port Royal, thence to Hooes ferry; and
from Hooes ferry on the
The
Road from Bladensburg to
You will receive a Warrant on the Qr. Master General for the Sum of Twenty pounds in Specie towards defraying your Expences; And all Qt. Masters and Commissaries are hereby requested to furnish you with Provisions, forage and other Aids.
