From George Washington to John Beatty, 22 November 1779
To John Beatty
West point Novr 22: 1779
sir
In inclose You a Copy of a Resolution of Congress of the 13th Inst. (No. 1.)—which I received last night in a Letter from the Honble the Board of War of the 15th—By this you will perceive that Major Generals Phillips & Riedesel and their families are permitted to proceed to New York on parole. I also inclose You a Copy of the Board’s Letters, No. 2. 3—& 4 to Major Generals Phillips & Riedesel—Colo. Hooper & Mr Skinner—the last of whom they expected was at Elizabeth Town & to whom according to their Letter to me and the inclosed Copy of one No. 4 to him—they have written. No. 2 the Copy of the Letter to Genls Phillips & Riedesel shews the restrictions under which the Board have mentioned that they should proceed to New York Viz.—the terms of the parole they gave Colo. Blanc—a Copy of which I inclose.1 You will find that the parole they gave to Colo. Bland requires a[n] Additional one to be given at Elizabeth Town “for their going into New York.” This must be taken in the usual form—limiting the permiss[io]n to New York—and stipulating for their return when ever required they are not finally exchanged. The Board had not a Copy of the parole given to Colo. Bland—and therefore they could not know—that an Additional one was necessary & required by it.
Mr Skinner will of course endeavo[r] to shew Genls Phillips & Riedesel & the Gentlemen with them every proper attention & civility. It is my wish.2 I am sir Yr Most Obedt st
G. Wshgton
Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The docket of the draft reads: “transmitted Mr Skinner.”
GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison wrote Abraham Skinner, deputy commissary general of prisoners, from West Point on this date: “By direction of His Excellency the Commander in Chief, I transmit You the inclosed by Express. It was intended for Colo. Beatty, but the General was informed on inquiry—that he was not in Camp. You will perceive by the Copy of the Letter to You from the Board of War No. 4—that they originally intended You should conduct the business of sending Genls Phillips & Riedesel & their families in. It is the Commander in Chief’s wish—that these Gentlemen should not proceed on the route by Chatham—but by Bound Brook. The Two Officers who came on with a view of going to Canada by water—are to be permitted to go to New York on parole. His Excellency desired me to mention this—least there should be any difficulties about their going in as they may not come within the description of either of the General’s families” (DLC:GW; see also n.2 below). For Lt. John Smith and Capt. Friedrich Wilhelm von Geismar, Convention Army officers seeking authorization for travel to Canada, see William Phillips to GW, 12 October.
1. The enclosed copy of the Board of War’s parole for Maj. Gen. William Phillips has not been identified, but Phillips commented on its language when he wrote Col. Theodorick Bland from Edward Carter’s house in Albemarle County, Va., on 12 Sept.: “I have received your letter of yesterday’s date, with the enclosed paper, expressed by you to be a parole which I am to sign previous to my departure for New York. The very unusual and extraordinary terms of this paper, which you intend as a parole for me, oblige me to request to know if it is your own idea and composition, or dictated to you by a superior authority. In the first instance, sir, that is, supposing it entirely your own, I shall sign it without hesitation. But, sir, should it be given to you by your superiors, it is necessary I should consult with Major General De Riedesel, how far it may be consistent with our situation, duty and rank, to sign, without referring to the orders of his majesty’s commander-in-chief in America, a parole of so particular a nature, which seems a slight upon every idea which may be contained in the term honor” ( 2:22).
2. For a reservation in the handling and movement of Phillips and Major General Riedesel, see GW to Robert Lettis Hooper, Jr., or the officer conducting Phillips and Riedesel, this date.