To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 22 January 1776
From Major General Philip Schuyler
Albany January 22d 1776.
Dr Sir.
Colo: Warner succeeds so fast in sending Men to Canada. From the County of Berkshire in the Massachusetts Bay, a Regiment will also immediately be sent, Part of which is already on Its March. by a Letter just received from Congress dated the 10th instant, I am advised that a Regiment from Pennsylvania & Another from New Jersey were ordered immediately to March for this Place & to put themselves under my Command;1 As these Corps can be in Canada at least as early as any Your Excellency can send from Cambridge, the Necessity of sending of those, which I had the Honor to request of You will be superceded.2
Since the Unfortunate Accounts which I transmitted You by my last Express; I have heard Nothing more from Canada, whence I conclude that our Affairs in that Quarter are not in a Worse Situation, than when Mr Antill came away. The inclosed Copy of a Letter from Colo: Arnold was forgot to be sent You per last.3
I returned last Night from Tryon County into which I marched a Body of Militia, to disarm the Malignants, which I have Effected. Six of the Chiefs of about two hundred and fifty or three hundred Scotch Highlanders are to go Prisoners to Pennsylvania, as are six Others of the English & Dutch Inhabitants of that Coun⟨ty.⟩ We have taken four six & four Pounders, together with a Number of Swivels & Blunderbusses.4
I hope all is well with Your Excellency Be pleased to present my Compliments to Your Family. I am Sir With sincere Respect & Esteem Your Excellencys most Obedient & Very Humble Servant
Ph: Schuyler
LS, DLC:GW; LB, NN: Schuyler Papers.
1. See Hancock to Schuyler, 10 Jan. 1776, in , 3:77–79.
3. Schuyler enclosed a copy of Arnold’s letter to Gen. David Wooster of 2 Jan. (see GW to Schuyler and GW to Wooster, both 27 Jan. 1776). “Our Force at this Time,” Arnold wrote, “does not exceed eight hundred Men including Colo. [James] Livingston’s Regiment of two hundred Canadians, and some scattered Canadian Forces amounting to 200 more, many of the Troops are dejected and anxious to get Home and some have actually set off. I shall endeavour to continue the Blockade while there are any Hopes of Success—for God’s Sake order as many Men down as you can possibly spare consistent with the Safety of Montreal, and all the Mortars Hoits [howitzers] & Shells that you can possibly bring[.] I hope you will stop every Rascal who has deserted from us and bring him back again.” Arnold also requested Wooster to send him cash and provisions and to transmit a copy of the letter to Congress and GW (DNA:PCC, item 153).
4. Tryon County spanned New York’s western frontier, including much of the Mohawk Valley. On 30 Dec. 1775 Congress ordered Schuyler to disarm the county’s numerous Loyalists and to apprehend their leaders (, 3:466–67; see also Committee of Congress to Schuyler, 1 Jan. 1776, in , 3:3).