LETTERS OF BRIG. GENERAL JACOBUS SWARTWOUT Read by MRS. EDWARD V. K. CUNNINGHAM Historical Society Pilgrimage. To the Honorable Provincial Congress at New York Feb. 20, 1776 Gentlemen: By the within enclosed returns, you will see that those captains in town of my regiment have small companies, but at the same time, nigh a full set of officers. I expect the following captains hourly, to wt; Capt. Woodford, Precinct, from Pawlings Precinct, Capt. Lundington, from Capt. Clearch from Beekman's Precinct, Capt. Durling from Rombout's Precinct. Should it be the same case with the last mentioned companies to have so few men, and officers complete, it will be necessary for your honorable Board to fall on some plan, either by sending to the several Colonels of Melitia in our county to draft a sufficient number of men to fill the within mentioned companies or by reducing the officers to a proper number. If you should judge the latter to be best probably it would suit many of the officers to return to their families, as it answers no good purpose to have so many officers and so few men, but on the contrary creates great cost as it is natural to expect where troops are kept, there will be disorder attending them. As we have no doctor for said regiment, I should be glad that Dr. Tappan might be appointed for that purpose, as we have an over-plenty of officers. I have no other view in writing the foregofng than to acquaint you with the state of the regiment. I am, gentlemen, your very humble servant Jacobus Swartwout, Colonel Enclosed was the following tally of his regiment: 3 6 2 9 4
4 79 10 1
Captains Lieutenants Ensigns Sergeants Corporals
Fife and Drums Privates Deserters Clerk
To the Provincial Congress at New York February 26, 1776 Gentlemen: Be pleased to let me have 624 pounds for the use of my regiment in order to enable them to provide themselves with blankets and other necessaries. Jacobus Swart-wout, Colonel The Congress was informed by two of the Dutchess Co. members 23
