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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) TO MAJOR-GENERAL HEATH. - The Writings of George Washington, vol. VIII (1779-1780)
TO MAJOR-GENERAL HEATH. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. VIII (1779-1780) [1890]Edition used:The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. VIII (1779-1780).
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- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1779.
- To the Rev. Dr. William Gordon.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Governor of Virginia. 1
- To Samuel Purviance.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Dr. John Cochran, Surgeon-general.
- To Lund Washington. [extract.]
- To President Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Parke Custis.
- Circular to States.
- To Major Henry Lee.
- To Major-general Greene. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Jay.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette, Paris.
- To Count D’estaing.
- To John Beatty, Commissary-general of Prisoners.
- To Major Benjamin Tallmadge.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette, Paris.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count D’estaing.
- To Count D’estaing.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- To Benjamin Harrison.
- To Edmund Pendleton.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Henry Laurens.
- To Brigadier-general Duportail and Lieutenant-colonel Hamilton.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Robert Howe.
- To Governor Jefferson.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Jefferson.
- To Major-general Lincoln, In South Carolina.
- To Governor Clinton.
- To Brigadier-general Woodford.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Sullivan.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Woodford.
- To Major-general Heath, At West Point.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Greene.
- 1780.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel Daniel Brodhead, At Fort Pitt.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Magistrates of New Jersey.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Lord Stirling. Instructions.
- To the Board of War.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To Messrs. Gerry, Livingston, and Mathews.
- To Major-general St. Clair. Instructions.
- To Elbridge Gerry, In Congress.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the Chevalier De La Luzerne.
- To Major Benjamin Tallmadge.
- To Baron Steuben, At Philadelphia.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Lieutenant-colonel Willett.
- Circular Letter to the States.
- To the Board of War.
- To Major-general Lincoln, In South Carolina.
- To Don Juan De Miralles.
- To Lord Stirling. [private.]
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general St. Clair, and Lieutenant-colonels Edward Carrington and Alexander Hamilton. Instructions.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Baron De Kalb.
- To Lord Stirling.
- To the President of Congress. 1
- To John Mathews, In Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Philip Schuyler, In Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Baron Steuben.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel John Laurens, At Charleston.
- To President Reed.
- To Major-general Howe.
- To the Reverend Doctor William Gordon.
- To James Duane.
- To James Duane.
- To Governor Jefferson.
- To Major-general Heath, At Boston.
- To Governor Rutledge.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette, At Philadelphia.
- To Brigadier-general Wayne.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Philip Schuyler.
- To Philip Schuyler, John Mathews, and Nathaniel Peabody, a Committee From Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- To the Hon. Committee of CoÖperation.
- To Joseph Jones, In Congress.
- To the Chevalier De La Luzerne.
- To Major-general Howe.
- To the Committee of CoÖperation.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Howe. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- To Robert R. Livingston, In Congress.
- To Governor Weare.
- To President Reed.
- To Fielding Lewis.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene, Quartermaster-general.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette. Instructions.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Jones.
- To Sir Henry Clinton.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Brigadier-general Fellows, Massachusetts Militia.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Major-general Arnold. Instructions.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To Major-general Arnold.
- To Joseph Jones.
- To the Chevalier De Ternay.
- To the Committee of Co-operation.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- Circular Letter to the States North of Virginia.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To James Bowdoin, President of the Council of Massachusetts.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Wayne. [private.]
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To John Mathews, In Congress.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To Count De Guichen.
- To the Chevalier De La Luzerne.
- To John Rutledge, Governor of South Carolina.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene. Instructions.
- To Abraham Skinner, Deputy Commissary-general of Prisoners. Instructions.
- Conference At Hartford.
- To Colonel Wade, At West Point.
- To Lieutenant-colonel John Jameson.
- To Governor Clinton.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To Major-general St. Clair. Instructions.
- To John Mathews, In Congress.
- To James Duane, In Congress.
- To Brigadier-general John Cadwalader.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To Major-general Greene. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Benjamin Franklin, Minister Plenipotentiary At the Court of France.
- To Colonel James Wood.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lieutenant-colonel John Laurens. 2
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- Circular to States.
TO MAJOR-GENERAL HEATH.
Robinson’s House, 26 September, 1780. Dear Sir,
In the present situation of things, I think it necessary that you should join the army, and request that you will do it. You will come to head-quarters yourself. The route through Litchfield will be the most eligible for you on account of security, and you may direct your baggage to halt at Fishkill for your further orders. I write to the Count de Rochambeau by this conveyance; and I trust that your coming away now will not be attended with any material inconvenience to him.
I cannot conclude, without informing you of an event, which has happened here, and which will strike you with astonishment and indignation. Major-General Arnold has gone to the enemy. He had had an interview with Major André, adjutant-general of the British army, and had put into his possession a state of our army, of the garrison at this post, of the number of men considered as necessary for the defence of it, a return of the ordnance, and the disposition of the artillery corps, in case of an alarm. By a most providential interposition, Major André was taken in returning to New York, with all those papers in General Arnold’s handwriting, who, hearing of the matter, kept it secret, and left his quarters immediately, under pretence of going over to West Point on Monday forenoon, about an hour before my arrival; then pushed down the river in the barge, which was not discovered till I had returned from West Point in the afternoon; and, when I received the first information of Major André’s captivity, measures were instantly taken to apprehend him; but, before the officers, sent for the purpose, could reach Verplanck’s Point, he had passed it with a flag, and got on board the Vulture ship of war, which lay a few miles below. He knew of my approach, and that I was visiting, with the Marquis, the north and middle redoubts, and from this circumstance was so straitened in point of time, that I believe he carried with him but very few if any material papers, though he has a very precise knowledge of the affairs of the post. The gentlemen of General Arnold’s family, I have the greatest reason to believe, were not privy in the least degree to the measures he was carrying on, or to his escape. I am, dear Sir, with very great esteem and regard, your, &c.
Colonel Franks and Colonel Varick were General Arnold’s aids-de-camp. Colonel Varick asked that a court of inquiry be held on his conduct before as well as after he became an aid to Arnold. Washington replied on the 21st of October:
“I would willingly comply with your request for an inquiry, on the extensive ground you place it, did I think it could be done with propriety. But, in order for it to be a real and not a nominal inquiry, the Court would be obliged to go into an investigation of particular facts, which is impossible, as there are no allegations and no witnesses; so that they would only proceed upon such materials as you would furnish them. There seems to me to be too much generality in the inquiry, and that it is besides unnecessary, as your character is, so far as I am informed, unimpeached. In my opinion the proper line is to confine the inquiry to your conduct during your connexion with Arnold; and, as your former character will be a presumptive evidence of your present innocence, on the contrary the Court, I presume, will admit your testimonials respecting it, by the way, and in this light.”
Accordingly the court, appointed by Heath, confined its inquiry to the period during which Arnold was in command at West Point. In the result it was established, that no just suspicions whatever could rest against the character of Colonel Varick. The court decided, that “his conduct was not only unimpeachable, but such as entitled him to a degree of merit, that did him great honor as an officer, and particularly distinguished him as a sincere friend to his country.” A decision of the same import was made in regard to Colonel Franks.
“On my arrival here a very disagreeable scene unfolded itself. By lucky accident, a conspiracy of the most dangerous nature, the object of which was to sacrifice this post, has been detected. General Arnold, who has sullied his former glory by the blackest treason, has escaped to the enemy. This is an event that occasions me equal regret and mortification; but traitors are the growth of every country, and in a revolution of the present nature, it is more to be wondered at, that the catalogue is so small, than that there have been found a few. The situation of the army at this time will make General Heath’s presence with us useful. I have written to him for this purpose. I hope his removal will be attended with no inconvenience to your Excellency.”—Washington to Rochambeau, 26 September, 1780.
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