whom I had the honor to be in conference, and of wch. I believe you were one. saw Mr. Chittenden's letter to me; and approved of my writing him an answer, to the effect it was given. With great regard etc.

TO THE BOARD OF GENERAL OFFICERS

Head Quarters, Newburgh, February 12, 1783. Gentlemen: I do inclose you a Letter and Memorial of the 13th of January last from Brigadier General Hazen in behalf of himself and twenty four Officers of his regiment remonstrating generally on the want of System and some general established rules in the Proceedings of Courts Martial, by which means the innocent have been at some times injured and the Guilty escaped the punishment due to their Crimes; And then pointing out Cases in which they conceive that for want of some certain uniform rules the Determinations and Proceedings of General Courts Martial have on different occasions been diametrically opposite, to the exclusion of themselves from redress for supposed injuries received from Major Reid; and praying that for some supposed Misconduct and partiallity in Mr. Edwards the Judge Advocate the Proceedings of a late General Courts Martial of which the late Colonel, now General Putnam was President might be set aside and that I would direct an inquiry into the matters complained of and a full and fair Trial of Major Reid on the Charges by them exhibited against him.

This Memorial as far as it respected Major Reids Trial was referred to a Board of General Officers of which Major General Gates was President which Board on the 23d of January did report to me as follows to wit

We are of Opinion that the Conduct of the Judge Advocate upon that occasion should be investigated in the first place; As, if it appears by such investigation that through his Neglect or Partiallity the Court were not

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possessed of every knowledge and Light which could be thrown on the Case before them, a revision of the Proceedings by the same Court, or a new Trial of Major Reid by another Court must be the natural consequence, that should the uprightness of the Judge Advocate fully appear upon such an investigation being had we think no Appeal can be allowed; and that the only redress the parties who suppose themselves injured can obtain will be an inquiry into their Conduct before a Court convened for that purpose, at which Major Reid might be ordered to attend, to support his Allegations.

I am now to inform you Gentlemen that in consequence of the receipt of a Copy of the preceeding report by Brig. General Hazen he has for himself and the Officers of his regiment transmitted me the inclosed Letter of the 29th January covering a number of Charges of equal date against Mr. Edwards the Judge Advocate of the Army, also inclosed.

In order to prevent a similar complaint against so important a part of our Military System as the Channel appointed for the equal distribution of public justice to every Member of the Army, on account of a defect of some certain rules for the Government of General Courts Martial and their Officer the Judge Advocate; I wish you to take up the matter on a General Scale and that you will report to me what in general cases is and ought to be the business of a Judge Advocate, precisely delineating his duties as well with relation to the Court as with respect to the Accuser and accused.

It is my wish also that you will take up the Charges exhibited against Mr. Edwards and on a review of the Memorial of the 13th determine whether any and which of them as specified in the Letter and inclosure of the 29th, if true are really military charges And for which Mr. Edwards now at the head of the Department and as Acting Judge Advocate against Major Reid is amenable to a Court Martial; And that you will then enter into a full investigation of the truth of the matters which you shall suppose to be objects of Charge against Mr. Edwards and

report thereon without delay that I may be enabled to determine whether a General Court Martial will be necessary for his Trial, or the proceedings of the General Court Martial against Major Reid should be approved and General Hazen and his Officers referred to the alternative pointed out in the report of the board of General Officers above mentioned. I have the honor etc. 71

*To LUND WASHINGTON

Newburgh, February 12, 1783. Dear Lund: Your letter of the 29th. of Jany. came by the last Post. You do not seem to have considered the force and tendency of the words of yr. letter when you talk of the probability only of sending me "the long promised account" "the irregularity of them"; not you add "for want of knowledge in keeping them but neglect; your aversion to writing" &ca.&ca. These are but other words for saying, "aslam not fond of writing, and it is quite immaterial whether you have any knowledge or infor mation of your private concerns or whether the accts. are kept properly or not, I have delayed, and do not know how much longer I may continue to delay bringing you acquainted with these accts. irregular as they are."

Delicacy hitherto, and a hope that you long ago would have seen into the propriety of the measure, without a hint of it from me, has restrained me from telling you that annual Accts. of my Crops, together with the receipts and expenditure of my money, state of my stocks, &ca. ought to have been sent to me as regularly as the year came about. It is not to be supposed, that all the avocations of my public duties, great and laborious as they have been, could render me totally insensible to the only means by which myself and family; and the character I am to "In the writing of Benjamin Walker.

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maintain in life hereafter, is to be supported, or that a precise acct. of these matters would not have been exceedingly satisfactory to me. Instead of this, except the Acct. rendered at Valley forge in the year 1778 I have received none since I left home; and not till after two or 3 applications in the course of last year could I get any acct. of the Crop of the preceeding one; and then only of the Corn by the Post on Sunday last.

I have often told you, and I repeat it with much truth; that the entire confidence which I placed in your integrity made me easy, and I was always happy at thinking that my Affairs were in your hands, which I could not have been, if they had been under the care of a common Manager; but this did not exempt me from the desires which all men have, of knowing the exact state of them. I have now to beg that you will not only send me the Account of your receipts, and expenditures of Specie; but of every kind of money subsequent to the Acct. exhibited at Valley Forge, which ended sometime in April 1778.

I want to know before I come home (as I shall come home with empty pockets whenever Peace shall take place) how Affairs stand with me, and what my dependence is.

I wish to know also, what I have to expect from the Wheat of 1781 and 82, as you say the two Crops are so blended that they cannot be rendered seperately? How are settlements to be made with and justice done to the several Parties Interested under these circumstances? 72

To EDWARD GILES 73

Head Quarters, February 12, 1783.

Sir: I was last Post favored with your Letter of the 31 January, inclosing a Letter from the Governor and Council of

"Endorsed by Washington: "Extract of a Letter to Mr Lund Washington." 73 Of Maryland.

13

Maryland to Admiral Digby, requesting a Passport for a Vessel to carry you to Bermuda.

This application should have gone thro Mr. Morris as Agent of Marine, it being intirely out of my department, however as a delay in the transaction of this business might have been fatal to you, I did not hesitate to send the Letter directly to the Admiral and to write to him my Self on the Subject, and his Answer, when it arrives shall be forwarded to you immediately."

Parole Turkey.

GENERAL ORDERS

Head Quarters, Newburgh,
Wednesday, February 12, 1783.

Countersigns Virginia, Wilmington.

For the day tomorrow Major Scott.

For duty the 5th. Massachusetts regiment.

The General applauds the provident care shewn by the regiments which have laid up Magazines of wood while the snow gave such facility to the transportation; should so favourable an oppertunity again happen, he wishes a sufficient stock of fuel might be provided to serve untill the first of April, or even the first of May if practicable. It is scarcely necessary to mention how much the labour of the men as well as the distruction of the Cloathing would be diminished if the measure recomended could be carried into effect.

The Accounts of Subsistence for the month of March to be lodged at the pay office by the 24th. instant for examination that the notes may immediately on their arrival be issued to the whole Army. A simular mode to be hereafter observed and considered as a standing Regulation.

"The draft is in the writing of Benjamin Walker.