To George Washington from Colonel James Wood, 7 December 1780
From Colonel James Wood
Annapolis 7th December 1780.
Sir
The Removal of the British Troops from the State of Virginia to Maryland, has Occasioned my being here, in Order to make Some Provision for the Troops who are On their March.1 their Destination is not yet Determined, but hope it will be today as the Matter is Depending before the Assembly: there is as Yet no Provision made for them, an empty Treasury and the Execution entirely without Powers, and Much Averse to receiving the Troops.2 I have Applied to the Executive of Virginia to be Aided with Provision from Berkeley, and the Upper Counties, in Order to Save the Supplies of this State for Our Own Troops, and hope I shall be Able to Subsist them from that Quarter, and the upper parts of this State.3 On the removal from Albemarle the Whole Burthen of Procuring Waggons, and laying in a Stock of Provisions and Forage On a route of One hundred and fifty Miles without Money were thrown entirely On Me, which I have happily effected, but which has involved me in innumerable Difficulties, in the Settlements of Public Accounts entirely Out of my line. the German Troops are to Continue at their Present Quarters, where I hope they Can be Supplied, but fear they will Suffer before I Can return to that post.4 Your Excellency may be Assured that I will Superintend both Posts as far as it is Possible from their remote Situations. I am to Acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellencys two Letters Mentioning the Exchange of Brigadiers General Specht and De Gall, with their Suites and Attendants, and a list of a Number of Other Officers, who I have Permited to Proceed to Elizabeth Town, Wth their Servants, the route Directed by your Excellency. As I was not informed whether the Servants were Exchanged, I took the Officers Paroles, that they wou’d not Attempt to take them to New York, untill Exchanged or they Obtained Permission for it. in the last list which Came to hand the Names of Brigadier General De Galls Aid de Camp, Surgeon, and Secretary, were not included, but as Your Excellency had in a former Letter Mentioned, that his Suite & Attendants were Exchanged, and they had Sold Off all their Baggage before the receipt of the List; I Permited them to Proceed with the Brigadier to Elizabeth Town on Parole, not to Depart untill they receive your Permission.5 The Polite Terms in which Your Excellency has been Pleased to Mention Your Approbation of My Conduct is extremely flattering to Me. I shall ever think it a Peculiar Happiness to Carry your Orders into Execution, in whatever Command you May think proper to Place Me.6 I have the Honor to be with the Greatest respect. Sir Yr Excellencys Very Obt Servt
James Wood
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. For the transfer of the British prisoners among the Convention Army from the Albemarle barracks near Charlottesville, Va., to Maryland, see Thomas Jefferson to GW, 3 Nov., and n.8; see also Jefferson to Wood, 16 Nov., in , 4:120–21.
2. The Maryland House of Delegates considered “the supply of provisions, and providing barracks for the convention troops” on this date (, p. 44). A committee from both houses of the legislature subsequently issued a report read on 9 Dec. that identified Frederick as “the only place where the convention troops, now on their way, can be accommodated in this state with any sort of convenience to the inhabitants or themselves.” Steps were outlined to provide accommodations, forage, and provisions, with meat requiring assistance from “the state of Virginia” ().
Wood wrote Maryland governor Thomas Sim Lee from Frederick, Md., on 15 Dec. to report his efforts to make “Provision for the Troops” expected to start arriving that day. He experienced “Great Difficulty in getting workmen or tools to do any thing to the Barracks, for want of money. … as soon as I get the Troops Tolerably fixed, I think it will be Necessary for me to go to Virginia, in order to forward the Purchase of Beef and Pork” (, 45:203–4). The Maryland Council replied to Wood on 21 Dec. and sent £1,000 to “obviate the Difficulties you have been involved in by the sheriffs not paying our Orders” (, 25:249).
3. Wood’s letter to Virginia governor Thomas Jefferson written from Annapolis on this date has not been identified, but Jefferson replied to Wood from Richmond on 15 Dec. that provisions could not be sent to Convention Army prisoners “which are gone to Maryland” because “two thirds of those troops still remain on our hands.” Furthermore, the state’s resources were needed to support “a large number of continental prisoners” at Winchester and “the southern army.” Jefferson advised “that the legislature of Maryland, if they find that their quota of specifics cannot be produced by money, will think it right to introduce force into their state. … I cannot believe it will be thought equal to impress our citizens for the deficiences of any other state” (, 4:210–11).
4. Wood refers to the German prisoners among the Convention Army remaining at the Albemarle barracks (see n.1 above).
5. See GW to Wood, 31 Oct., found at GW to the Board of War, same date, n.2, and GW to Wood, 8 November.
GW wrote Wood from headquarters at New Windsor on 9 Dec.: “I have to request you will be pleased to give the necessary directions for Capt. Sweatenham, and Leiut. Murray of the 9th British Regt to go on their Parole to New York; pointing out the same route as has been given to the Officers already sent thither on their Paroles” (LS, in David Humphreys’s writing, NN: Washington Collection; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
George Swettenham received his commission as lieutenant in February 1760 and joined the 9th Regiment of Foot in August 1764. Promoted to captain in March 1776, he was wounded at the Battle of Freeman’s Farm on 19 Sept. 1777. Swettenham returned to England at the end of the war and apparently left the army in 1785.
James Murray became ensign in the 9th Regiment of Foot in September 1772 and lieutenant in March 1776. He also served as regimental quartermaster. Promoted to captain in March 1787, Murray retired upon half pay in 1789.
6. For praise from GW, see his letter to Wood of 11 October.