From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 21 November 1779
To Major General William Heath
Head Quarters [West Point] 21st Novemr 1779.
Dear Sir
I send herewith a Mr Elliot who lately came out of New York. His account of himself is shortly as follows. He was formerly Chaplain to Colo. Chas Webbs Regiment, but being dismissed from that service and disappointed in some other matters he went in to the Enemy—and now says he has come out again to throw himself upon the mercy of the State of Connecticut of which he was an inhabitant. You will therefore be pleased to send him on to the State under charge of some of the Officers who are going upon furlough.1
Among the Massachusetts Commissions sent to you yesterday are one for Lt Colo. Loring of Colo. Greatons Regt and another for Lt Crossman of the 15th both cashierd.2 Be pleased to direct those Comms. to be returned to me. I am Dear Sir Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, MHi: Heath Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. For John Eliott’s prior handling, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 19 Nov., and GW’s second letter to William Woodford, this date, n.1. Eliott subsequently sent a memorial to the Connecticut Assembly showing “that he hath ever been friendly to the liberties and independence of the United States, but by means of a most trying scene of disgrace and disappointment he had met with, he rashly and unadvisedly went into New York and put himself in the power of the British army, by whom he was treated with the utmost severity, being imprisoned near three months in the provost guard and then permitted to come out with a flag within the American lines; that he hath the most feeling sense of his offence, and with the deepest remorse and penitence confesses his error in taking such a rash and unadvised step, and humbly praying the forgiveness of this Honble Assembly, and that he might be exempted from any further prosecution for his misconduct aforesaid.” The assembly resolved in January 1780 that Eliott “be and he is hereby pardoned and forgiven his aforesaid offence in going into the city of New York and putting himself under the power of the enemy, in consideration of the state of his mind at that time and his present free and penitent confession of his said offence; and that upon his paying the cost of the prosecution instituted against him for his said offence, he be exempted from any further process or proceedings against him for his said offence” ( 2:492–93).
2. For the respective courts-martial of Lt. Col. Jotham Loring and Lt. William Crossman that resulted in their dismissals, see General Orders, 12 Aug. and 7 November.