"Colonel Gansevoort to General Washington.
Fort Schuyler, August 13, 1778.
"Sir,
"I have the unhappiness to inform your Excellency that desertion has lately been very frequent from this garrison. Since the 26th of last March we have had three sergeants, two corporals, and twenty privates desert from this battalion, besides one bombardier, one gunner, and one other from the artillery. Before the date above mentioned, several soldiers had been tried by a general Court Martial at this garrison for desertion, but never received the punishment due their crimes. The sentences of these different courts martial were carefully sent to the commanding General of this Department, [FN] but no returns have been ever received. Some time in June last, Colonel Varick informed me that a recruit, who had just joined our battalion, was suspected of being a confederate with Major Hammell. I ordered his conduct to be narrowly inspected. He was detected in the fact of corrupting and enticing the soldiers to desert. Upon being apprehended, he confessed that he came upon such designs, and was sent by an aid-de-camp of Sir Henry Clinton as a spy—to endeavor to enlist what Irishmen he could from the American army. There was every appearance of his being a spy. He was immediately tried by a general court martial—the sentence was directly sent down for approbation, but no answer has been received, and the man still lies confined in irons."
[FN] General Stark was then in command at Albany.
"Finding the spirit of desertion to increase, and the men in general to be exceeding uneasy,—probably arising from their being so long stationed on this frontier post. They have been frequently heard in their private conversations to say that they would sooner die than stay here the ensuing winter. My officers, as well as myself, were convinced, that unless some example was made, we should not be able to check this growing evil. A party of five men deserted on the 10th of August. They were taken by the Tuscarora Indians, on their way to Canada, fifty miles from this fort. They were brought in on the 13th. A general court martial was convened on the 15th. They were sentenced to die. The officers in a body desired their immediate execution, as the only way effectually to stop the increasing spirit of desertion.
"While these men were under sentence of death, a party returned from the German Flats, who had been to drive cattle to this garrison. They had lost six men by desertion, who were pursued, but without effect. This, together with the above reasons, and being apprehensive of some design of the enemy, and hearing a report which they had carefully spread among the savages, of having upward of seventy men enlisted in this garrison, who would rise upon their appearance, convinced me of the necessity of a rigid example, and resolved me to take the advice of my officers by ordering the prisoners to be executed. They were accordingly shot at the head of the regiment on the 17th. [FN] In doing of which, although I could not find that the articles of war gave me the fullest authority, yet, as commanding officer of a frontier post, far distant from the Commander in-chief, and having a separate commission from Congress as commandant of this post, I considered myself fully empowered in a case of such great necessity. I hope your Excellency will be convinced of this necessity, and approve of the justness of the execution. Inclosed your Excellency has a copy of the proceedings of the court martial. I am, &c."
[FN] Notwithstanding this severe example, it is noted in the private diary of Adjutant Hutton, of Colonel Gansevoort's regiment, that on the same day on which these five men were tried and sentenced to death, six others deserted; and two others deserted five days after their execution.—Vide Gansevoort's papers.
"General Washington to Colonel Gansevoort.
Head-Quarters, White Plains,}
29th August, 1778.}