To George Washington from George Clinton, 29 October 1779
From George Clinton
Fish Kill [N.Y.] Oct. 29 1779.
D’r Sir,
I am this moment Honourd with your letter of this date, & thank you for the agreeable intelligence it contains. I wrote to General Scuyler this morning, & requested him to Communicate to your Excellency the measures I have taken in consequence of the information from Colonel Van Schaack.1 I am of opinion that there is no immediate necessity to put Public arms into the hands of the militia. I imagine the emergency will not be so sudden but we can have an Opportunity of equipping them in time for Service and, in the meantime, I shall give orders that they be employed agreeable to your desire, which I flatter myself will be effected without disgusting them with the Service.
Some unfinish’d bussiness in the Civil line, oblidges me to ride up to Poughkeepsie this evening, but I expect to return on Sunday.2 I leave Col. Malcom at this place, so that if your Excellency has any orders for the militia, be pleased to send them to his care and he will forward to me. Yrs. &c.
Geo: Clinton.
5:333–34.
1. Clinton’s letter to Philip Schuyler, written at Fishkill on this date, in part reads: “The Intelligence from Fort Schuyler which I transmitted to his Excellency this Morning has given me such anxiety for our Frontier Settlements as to have induced me to order Colo. Renselaer immediately to Albany with Orders to march out the whole of the Militia of that County to their Protection (except the Detachments who were ordered to rendevouz at this Place) if on his Arival there he shoud meet with a Confirmation of the Account from that Quarter. This I wish you to communicate to his Excellency. You will please to observe that my present Orders to Colo. Renselaer will not interfere with the Force ordered out to join the Army only as to the Service one Officer” ( 5:334–36). The intelligence that Clinton transmitted “this Morning” almost certainly refers to the items enclosed in his letter to GW dated 28 October.
GW’s aide-de-camp Richard Kidder Meade had written Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene from West Point on 28 Oct.: “His Excellency desires you will be pleased to accommodate Genl Schuyler, with two of the best horses you can get—they will be wanted tomorrow, & as the Genl is with you he will determine whether they are to be brought down here or to be ready at New Windsor” (PPAmP: Nathanael Greene Papers). Recently named a delegate to Congress from New York, Schuyler likely required the horses for his trip to Philadelphia.
2. Sunday was 31 October.