"I am pained beyond expression," wrote this precocious youth to
Washington on the 10th of November, "to inform your Excellency
that, on my arrival here, I find everything has been neglected and
deranged by General Putnam.... Not the least attention has been
paid to my order, in your name, for a detachment of one thousand
men from the troops hitherto stationed at that post. Everything is
sacrificed to the whim of taking New York.... By Governor Clinton's
advice, I have sent an order, in the most emphatical terms, to
General Putnam, immediately to despatch all the Continental troops
under him to your assistance, and to detain the militia instead of
them."
This order "in the most emphatical terms" finally moved the general to
compliance; but it quite naturally excited his just resentment, and he
sent it to the Commander-in-Chief, with his comments. It would have been
a serious matter--detaching such a large body of troops on a mere verbal
order from a hot-headed stripling; yet Washington in effect reprimanded
the honest veteran by writing:
I can not but say, there has been more delay in the march of the
troops than I think necessary; and I could wish that in future my
orders may be immediately complied with, without arguing upon the
propriety of them.
Pages:
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189