my own, excuse my soliciting your Interest for Promotion in the Military Line for myself; I am now in treaty for the purchase of a Company in Colonel Courtlandt's Regiment, and have been fortunate enough to procure the Consent of such Officers of the Regiment as are at Schenectady; the Situation of the rest hinders me from knowing their Sentiments; A matter so unpresidented will doubtless meet with many Obstacles, so that before a final answer can be obtained, it may be too late, nay, I suspect it will be necessary to get into the Line as an Ensign in order to succeed; if your Excellency will, therefore, be kind enough to have me appointed to one of those vacancies, it may be in my Power, either in my present veiw, or on some future Occasion to purchase a Company. My intention is to dedicate my Life to the profession of arms, and having procured my father's consent, must beg leave to trouble you for your good Offices and advice, and tho late in the day, I hope to share in the Military honours of my Country; and be fortunate enough to establish some professional Reputation; My Respectfull Compliments waits upon Mrs. Clinton and the Children, and am, with much Sincerity, your Excellency's most Obedient Humble Servant His Excellency Gov'r Clinton. Lewis R. Morris. [No. 3671.] Lieutenant Weissenfels' Account for Recruiting Expenses. The State of N. York to Sundereys, Dr. by Charles Fredrick Weissenfels, Lieut. of the 2nd N. York Regt. from Dee'r 19th 1780 to May 1st, 1781 when on Recruiting Service: Colonel Ludinton Narrates His Troubles and Asks for More Field Officers. Fredericks Burgh, May 1st 1781. Honoured Sir, I was yesterday a Comeing to wait on your Exellency, but hearing of my little Son (who is at School at Danbury) laying very dangerous with the pluricy, was obliged to turn my Course that way, for which Reason obliges me to commit my Errand in writing. Your Exellency no dought has been inform'd of our troubles of late in Regard of a large party of Robbers being for near four weeks past near me in the mountains, which has occationed me in some measure of being behind hand in turning out my men for the nine months Service, for the chief part of my Regiment has been out ever since the Robbers came among us, And, Sir, were you to be fully acquainted with the Dificulty I now labour under you would think is impossible for me to do it, as I have but one field officer, which is Major Robinson who lives so near the lines that he has enough to take care of himself, The Circumstances of my wife and family renders it inconvenient for me to move amediately if I intend to save my life, or anything for my families support. My Captains seeing the Distresses that is daily comeing upon themselves by Reason of haveing their Sergents sued and torn to pieces for what Needsessity required them to do among the tories, while we was under the authority of Committees, and many of their best men are beat and robed by persons who say they are Refugees from below, It is only for them to call a man a tory, be him ever so good a man, himself, wife, and Children, gits beat in such a manner that he's obliged to turn out his Substance to save their lives. And at best the Regiment are verry poor when compared with other Regiments and are call'd on to raise an eaquil number with the others, when I can affirm that ten farmers in Coll. Brinckerhoff's Regiment is able to purchase the whole of mine. In this uneaquil way, I have been obliged to turn out my men until they are so much impoverish'd that they almost dispair. It seems the power of Earth and Hell was let loose against me and my Regiment, Even one of the most abandant Ruffins is indulged to hold me up to public view for Cowardice, for challenging him to fight a Duel. It is what I never thought on, neither did he think I did, but was let loose upon me by the Instigation of a set of Ruffins who Conspired together to take my life, and I knowing this Kees to be a transent person who had neither Connection, Credit, Money or friends, nor no place of Residence here, that it was out of my power to get Recom Pawling Capt. Sackett, Leuts. Tucker & Moshier, West Chester; Capt. Williams, Leuts. Odel & Dyckman, West Chester; Capt. Codwise, Ab'm Odell, Capt. G. Livingston, Leuts. John Oostrander. Rich'd Dickenson, Hopkins, Paul Johnson, Do, Emanuel Duel, Do. Willett's Capt. Anthony Whelp, Leuts. Bokee, Hopkins, P. Vandevoort, Jun'r B'h'ff, Salkield, Hopkins; [No. 3670.] Lewis R. Morris Declares His Intention of Devoting His Life to the Service of Arms. Claverack, 1st May 1781. My dear Sir, Inclosed I transmit you two Letters of Recommendation, the one from General Rensselear, the other from my Father recommending Mr. Adam TenBroeck to one of the vacancies, in either of the continental Battalions. Mr Ten Broeck and myself should have waited upon your Excellency on this Subject, had not Papa intended going in a few days, which we thought might answer every purpose. His vouchers are so good that I think it will be useless to give you my knowledge of him. Since the year seventy six (in the course of which time, we have made several Excursions with the Militia together,) his behavior has allways been such as to entitle him to your Excellency's freindship, and every freind to his Country. Relying entirely upon your freindship, not on any Merrit of my own, excuse my soliciting your Interest for Promotion in the Military Line for myself; I am now in treaty for the purchase of a Company in Colonel Courtlandt's Regiment, and have been fortunate enough to procure the Consent of such Officers of the Regiment as are at Schenectady; the Situation of the rest hinders me from knowing their Sentiments; A matter so unpresidented will doubtless meet with many Obstacles, so that before a final answer can be obtained, it may be too late, nay, I suspect it will be necessary to get into the Line as an Ensign. in order to succeed; if your Excellency will, therefore, be kind enough to have me appointed to one of those vacancies, it may be in my Power, either in my present veiw, or on some future Occasion to purchase a Company. My intention is to dedicate my Life to the profession of arms, and having procured my father's consent, must beg leave to trouble you for your good Offices and advice, and tho late in the day, I hope to share in the Military honours of my Country; and be fortunate enough to establish some professional Reputation; My Respectfull Compliments waits upon Mrs. Clinton and the Children, and am, with much Sincerity, your Excellency's most Obedient Humble Servant His Excellency Gov'r Clinton. Lewis R. Morris. [No. 3671.] Lieutenant Weissenfels' Account for Recruiting Expenses. The State of N. York to Sundereys, Dr. by Charles Fredrick Weissenfels, Lieut. of the 2nd N. York Regt. from Dee'r 19th 1780 to May 1st, 1781 when on Recruiting Service: |