I am your affectionate humble servant,
ALEXANDER McDOUGALL.
P. S. I fear the pickets from your parties are too far advanced from them. The distance ought not to exceed half a mile at night; and the quarters of the pickets should be changed every night after dark.
Frequent patrols from each give the best security.
I submit it to your consideration whether it would not be of service to have a quant.i.ty of old rags collected at each party and picket, for the patrols to m.u.f.fle their feet with in frosty weather when there is no snow on the ground. It will prevent their being heard by the enemy, and yours will hear those of the enemy if there are any near them.
A. M"D.
Footnotes:
1. There were two families of Van Schaicks in the State of New-York.
They spelled their names differently. The family of Colonel _Van Schaick_ were revolutionary whigs. The _Van Schaacks_ were adherents of the crown.
CHAPTER X.
TO GENERAL MALCOLM.
White Plains, 21st January, 1779.
DEAR SIR,
Mr. Benjamin Sands, and three other persons from Long Island, banished for malepractices, wait on you with this. Benjamin Sands, jun. appears to be a man of good understanding. He can give you a detail of their sufferings.
Captain Black and three subalterns of Malcolm"s regiment joined me yesterday.
William Burtis goes under guard to you to-morrow. Also a Garret Duyckman, whom I took upon information of Burtis. I knew of Burtis having drove cattle before the receipt of your letter. Of his being a spy I know nothing. Burtis wishes to procure favour by giving information. I enclose his confession to me, that you may compare it with his story to you. He has not told me all he knows, I am convinced. I can secure Elijah Purdy any time if you direct. There is no danger in delaying till I can hear from you. I wish to clear the country of these rascals. It would be of infinite service to hang a few up in this neighbourhood.
The two parties from Nixon"s brigade, which came under sergeant"s last week, are so distressed for clothes, that I am obliged to send them to their regiments. They came provided but for one week. Lieutenant Wottles marches them up. I wish him to return with the re-enforcement.
I have sent the corporal and sixty-nine men to Bedford. I have now about 170 privates. A single company, and twelve from Hammond"s regiment, join me to-day. That is his complement.
A commissary of hides at this place can furnish me with shoes as I want them, if you will give an order for that purpose. He delivers none without a general order. I can purchase rum here at twenty dollars per gallon. There is no commissary of purchases.
There are a number of women here of bad character, who are continually running to New-York and back again. If they were men, I should flog them without mercy.
It was the indolence of the commissary, and not the real scarcity of wheat, which alarmed me. I shall not trouble you again on the score of flour. I send you two papers by the sergeant.
Yours respectfully,
A. BURR.
FROM GENERAL McDOUGALL.
Peekskill, January 22, 1779.
Sir,
There are reasons, which I shall explain to you at a proper time, why ----- should not be sought after. Make a great noise about him; abuse him as the vilest of horse thieves, and a spy for the enemy; but send no parties after him. If you are told where he is, turn off the matter by some pretext or other. Don"t carry this out on party, or out of your quarters to any unsafe place.
Yours affectionately,
ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL.
FROM WILLIAM PATERSON.
January 27th.
I am at the Hermitage, my dear Burr, and cannot forbear writing you a few lines, although I expected, before this time, to have been favoured with a letter from you. Mrs. Prevost informs me that there is the most flattering prospect of your soon being reinstated in your health. The intelligence gives me real pleasure, and the more so, because, until Mrs. Prevost told me, I had no idea of your disorder being so rooted and dangerous. May health soon revisit you, my good friend; and when it does, may it continue with you for years. I am pleased with the hope of seeing you in Jersey early in the spring. I shall be this way again in March, when perhaps I shall meet you at this place. I write this standing in the midst of company. I am called off to court, and therefore, for this time, adieu.
WILLIAM PATERSON.
FROM MAJOR PLATT, AID TO GENERAL MCDOUGALL.
Peekskill, January 26th, 1779.
SIR,
Captain Wiley, of Learned"s brigade, will hand you this. He brings with him forty men, I believe as good as any in the army. "Tis the general"s intention that Nixon"s, Paterson"s, and the late Learned"s brigades, shall each furnish a party of sixty. You will please, after selecting the best men for your parties, to order all the rest (save your own and commissary"s guard) to join their corps, as they complain the duty is hard above. Either Captain Williams or Spur must leave you, as Captain Wiley will command the party from Learned"s. If there are three subs for each party exclusive of those from your own regiment, you can detain the whole of the subs of other brigades or not, as you like.
Kearsley has not yet joined. The general will review all your letters in a day or two, and give them full answers.
I am your most obedient servant,
RICHARD PLATT, Aid-de-camp.
TO GENERAL McDOUGALL.
White Plains, January 29th, 1779.
DEAR SIR,
I had this day the favour of yours by Lieutenant Rost. The same gentleman brought me a re-enforcement of thirty-nine privates, and a proportion of officers. This enables me to send to camp a few of the worst provided of the nine-months men. The returning party takes up the prisoners mentioned in my last, and a deserter. Two more of Malcolm"s officers have joined me.
I enclose you a copy of a letter from Colonel Holdridge. The enterprise appears to me something romantic; but I have acquainted Colonel Holdridge of the steps I shall take should it prove serious, and have appointed a place near this to meet him, if he thinks it necessary. The number, disposition, and apparent intentions of the enemy will point out our duty. I am this evening told, by good authority, that Emerick is re-enforced, either by volunteer or enlisted refugees, to the amount of 4 or 500, and that there are strong symptoms of an excursion. I shall pay due attention to these reports and authorities.