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his appointment as Captain sometime in the month of February 1777 and as by a Resolve of Congress of the first of April the same year, no officer can take rank by virtue of an antedated Commission it is their further unanimous opinion, that Captain Smith ought to rank in the Line of Massachusetts Captains, next immediately preceding Captain Dix,93 and after Captain Marshall," as the arrangement of Captains now stands.

04

The Inspection and Muster of the Troops of this Cantonment and the Garrison of Westpoint for the month of march will take place on the following days vizt. The Jersey Brigade on the 7th. of April; York do. 8th; 3d. Massachusetts 9th; I do. 10th; 2do. 11th; I Connectt. regt. and Cranes Arty 14th; 3d. do., Lambs Arty. Invalids &ca. 15th; 2d. Connectt. regt. 16th.

TO THE SECRETARY AT WAR

Head Quarters, April 1, 1783.

Dear Sir: I have been honored with your two favors of the 19th and 26th inst. The favorable disposition of Congress expressed in their late Acts appears to be highly satisfactory to the Army.

My Papers for last year not being with me I cannot recur to the Letters which have passed on the subject I am about to mention; but I recollect it was proposed some time since to alter the military Establishment so far as related to the institution of Lt Colonels Commandant; and that for certain reasons I gave it as my opinion the Alteration had better be postponed until after the Reformation which was to take place on the first

113 Capt. Nathan Dix, of the Eighth Massachusetts Regiment. He was transferred to the Third Massachusetts Regiment in June, 1783, and served to November, 1783.

Capt. Christopher Marshall, of the First Massachusetts Regiment. He served to November, 1783.

of Janry. As the original occasion for that institution has now ceased to exist, as I conceive no reasonable objection can now be made against placing all our Regts under the Command of Colonels, Lt Colonels and Majors, and as it would be a gratification to a number of very meritorious Officers, I could sincerely wish Congress would take the matter up and decide upon it as early as might conveniently be done.

There is another matter I will take the liberty to suggest to you, and to desire you will give me your opinion without reserve on the expediency of it. viz whether there could not be some general Rule devised (without inconvenience or expence to the Public, or detriment to the Service) for giving Brevet Commissions of a superior rank to those they now hold to all such veteran Officers as have served faithfully and bravely in the same grade ever since the first of Janry 1777? For example what difficulties would there be in the way of promoting by Brevet all Lts. of that date now actually in service to the rank of Captns; all Captns of the same date to the rank of Majors; All Majors in the same predicament to be Lt Colonels &c.'

95

Perhaps it will be objected that the number would be too great, perhaps there may be embarrassments or inconveniencies which I have not discovered. Under these considerations I should not urge the prosecution of the Idea; but if those objec tions or difficulties should not occur, or be found to operate against it; the adoption of the measure would I am persuaded be considered as a just reward to merit, and without encreasing the public expence one farthing, would add greatly to the satisfaction of many very worthy and deserving Characters.

I am informed, by some mistake, the Commissions for the Officers of the York Line (the Certificates for which were

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collected at VerPlanks point last Fall) have not been forwarded with the others, the Gentlemen concerned will be much obliged to you for them. I am etc."

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GENERAL ORDERS

Head Quarters, Newburgh, Tuesday, April 1, 1783. Parole Kimbolton. Countersigns Limerick, Monmouth. Major Gibbs.

For the day tomorrow

B. Q. M. Hampshire Brigade.

For duty the 4th. Massachusetts regiment.

GENERAL ORDERS

Wednesday, April 2, 1783.

Parole Nymph. Countersigns Ode, Pendar.

For the day

[Lt. Colonel E. Vose.

B. Q. Mr. Ist. Massachusetts Brigade. For duty the 3d. Massachusetts regiment.

The following principles being adopted in the settlement now commencing with the Army, it is desired that they be attended to by the officers concerned viz. First: The Accounts to be made out regimentally and include every officer and soldier, except those mentioned in the third and fourth articles, following for the time he actually belonged to the regiment. The transfer of officers or soldiers from one regiment to another, is to be noticed in the rolls; and the pay accordingly to cease in the one regiment and commence in the other.

2d. Three regimental rolls to be made out, one to include the time from June 1st. 1778, to August 1, 1780, and another from

August 1st. 1780 to January 1st. 1782, and the other for the year 1782, which are to be seigned by the paymaster and officer who commanded the regt., as far as it can be done.

3d. The officers who have been prisoners to be settled with for the time they were prisoners, individually and not in the Regiments.

4th. Regimental officers while they acted in the staff of the Army are also to be setled with individually on Certificates from the heads of the Departments in which they served.

5. The officers and men of the Commander in chiefs Guard to be setled with in their respective Lines and regiments.

The regimental Pay Masters will call on the Quarter Master Genl. for the necessary paper.

All the Drummers and Fifers in this Cantonment off duty will assemble tomorrow morning ten o'clock at Mr. Hiwells hutt for inspection and further instruction.

TO BRIGADIER GENERAL MOSES HAZEN

Head Quarters, April 3, 1783.

Sir: The Adjt. General transmits you by this conveyance the Order of this date for a Court of Inquiry &c. I shall expect you will forward the Letter addressed to Major Reid with the greatest rapidity it also contains a transcript of the Order.

I consent you should go to Philadelphia for a few days but desire your absence may not be protracted beyond what is absolutely necessary. I am &c.

PS. I intended to have spoken to you respecting relieving Captn. Duncan from the stationary command of the Block House in the Clove; you will please to have it done as soon as may be.97

For the day tomorrow tomo

Major Knap.

B. Q. Mr. 3d. Brigade.

For duty the 6th. Massachusetts regiment.

Brigadier Genl. Huntington, Colonels Cortlandt, and Nicola, are to constitute a Court of Inquiry to assemble on the 15th. of may next at Westpoint or such place as shall be appointed by the president, and examine into the conduct of Brigadier Genl. Hazen and several officers of his corps relatively to the assertions which have been made concerning them by Major James R. Reid at different times and particularly in his Defence before a General courtmartial in the month of December 1780.

Major Reid and all persons concerned will attend accordingly.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS

Head Quarters, April 4, 1783.

Sir: I have the Honor to transmit to your Excellency the enclosed Copies of a Letter and Papers" which came to my Hands last Evening from Sir Guy Carleton: they are of such a Nature, that I have tho't proper they should be communicated to Congress. I give them to your Excellency for that purpose.

Altho the Complaints of the Indians may not be perfectly candid; it will rest with Congress to decide how far, in our present Circumstances, Policy and Humanity coincide, to prevent

The inclosures were copies of Carleton's letter to Waashington, March 31, and an extract of a speech delivered at Niagara, Dec. 11, 1782, to Brigadier General Maclean by Tioguanda, a chief of the Six Nations. The original of Carleton's letter is in the Washington Papers.