To John Jay from Philip Schuyler, 24 July 1777
From Philip Schuyler
Moses Creek four Miles below Fort Edward, July 24th 1777.
8 O’Clock P.M.—
My dear Sir
Half an Hour ago I was favored with your’s of the 21st Instant—1 That Variety of Distress and Difficulty which surrounds me is greatly encreased by the Information contained in your Letter— It is however a Consolation that I have a Friend, who has given me so great a proof of his Regard as not to hide from me any of the Calumny which so unjustly and cruelly attempts to ruin my Reputation, and that I have not only the happy Reflection that every part of it is undeserved, but that I can most fully refute it, and clearly convince the World that my Conduct has been upright proper, and that I have done every Thing that an Officer in my Situation, could do to save a Fortress, the Evacuation of which has given such universal Disatisfaction.
General St. Clair and all the other General Officers that were at that post have publicly declared that I never have given an Order for its Evacuation, that if the Measure was culpable they only are guilty, and that if I experience any Censure it is most unjustly— That if the Measure was wise, I am not entitled to share in the Credit of it— The Letter from General St. Clair I hope will be convincing on that Head,2 and the Orders I have given and the Measures I have taken to secure that post, which claimed my Attention even before the End of last Campaign will I trust wipe away the Charges of Want of Integrity and evince that I took the most timely and proper Measures for the Security of Tyonderoga. These Orders are at Albany— I shall cause them to be extracted and transmit them to you; but as they will form a small Volume, it will take some Time to do it.3
Nothing less than the strictest Scrutiny into my Conduct will wipe away the Odium which I am loaded with and that I shall immediately apply for, and confident I am, that the Result will be much to my Honor, and that the candid and honest will be convinced. But as this must necessarily be a Matter of Time, I shall immediately dispatch my Secretary to Albany for the Orders I have given since I returned to the Command of the Northern Department, until the Evacuation took place and then transmit the Council of Safety an authentic State of Facts.
The Report that a Number of heavy Cannon were by my order dismounted and laid aside, and small ones placed in their Room is equally false with the others.4
A Number of heavy Cannon were laying unmounted on the Bank of the Lake and on the Tyonderoga Side— They had never been mounted because there never had been, nor were there then any Carriages for them— These I ordered to be collected and carried to Mount Independance, after the Council of General Officers called by me on the 20th & 21st of June, had resolved “that both Tyonderoga and Mount Independance should be defended as long as possible, but that if it was necessary to abandon either, it should be the Tyonderoga Side.” It was therefore prudent to remove useless Cannon to that post which was strongest and was to be defended in Case both could not be so kept.
Those that draw unfavorable Conclusions from my Absence from Tyonderoga ought to know that I hastened from it, in order to provide for its Safety, to throw in a greater Quantity of provisions, and those Reinforcements of Men which I had applied for— That I had every Thing to do, Nothing, literally Nothing having been done whilst the Department was committed to General Gates’s Direction.
The certain Gentleman you mention, if I am not mistaken who you mean, has a very bad Heart, and I have Reason to think would do me an ill Turn— I thank my God, it is not in his power and he will have the Mortification to see me fully justify myself.5
I wish the Council of Safety to depute a Committee to repair hither and enquire into my Conduct, for altho’ I am not properly accountable to any, but Congress or General Washington, yet I will, with pleasure consent to such an Enquiry, and the rather as my Fellow Citizens will then be more generally informed of my Conduct.
I wish you to send me the original or a certified Copy of General St. Clair’s Letter to you— If the former pray keep a Copy of it, and advise me by the first Opportunity whether the Council does not believe that Tyonderoga was left without my Direction, Advice or Knowlege— Would it not be proper to publish part of General St. Clair’s Letter?6 I am Dear Sir Your Friend and much obliged hble Servant
Ph: Schuyler
The Honble John Jay Esqr. &c.
ALS, NNC (EJ: 7115). Addressed: “The Honble / John Jay Esqr &c.” Endorsed. LbkC, NN: Schuyler (EJ: 11817).
1. JJ’s letter of 21 July, above, reported that Schuyler was being charged with responsibility for the loss of Ticonderoga.
2. See below, St. Clair to JJ, 25 July.
3. Schuyler wrote JJ on 6 Aug., saying that he hoped St. Clair’s letter exculpated him and that “It remains then only to prove that the smallness of the Garrison; the Deficiency in provision and the weak State of Fortifications are not chargeable to me.” Schuyler gave an account of his actions from 26 Mar. on and enclosed copies of all his orders relating to Ticonderoga’s provisioning and defense. He closed the letter by saying, “I wish to be called to a strict Account for my Conduct, both before and after the Loss of Tyonderoga,” but he doubted it would take place, for “the very Rascals who fault me most, would most oppose such an Enquiry, well knowing that I can fully vindicate myself & that after that their Calumny would not be attended to.” ALS, MH (EJ: 5343); LbkC, NN: Schuyler (EJ: 11819).
4. JJ had relayed this rumor to Schuyler in his letter of 21 July, above.
5. JJ is probably referring to John Morin Scott or Robert Harpur. See JJ to Schuyler, 21 July, above, and 26[–28] July, below.
6. See below, JJ to Schuyler, 26 July.