Item 10: Letter from Edward Hand to Zebulon Butler, (Removed to Legal Box #1), 1779 March 25
Item — Box: 10, Folder: 10
Dates
- Created: 1779 March 25
Creator
- Hand, Edward, 1744-1802. (Person)
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter.
Condition Note:
Poor.
Measurements:
12 ⅛ in. x 7 ⅜ in.
Description:
This is a letter written from General Edward Hand to Zebulon Butler during the revolutionary war. General Hand was requesting that Zebulon Butler send an officer to Head Quarters, who was taken by the Indians, to speak to the Commander and Chief about what he witnessed while in Indian Country. Hand also requested that Butler take care of a sick horse and send a healthy one back to him. Edward Hand was an Irish Soldier, formerly from Kings County, Ireland and later moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Hand entered the Continental army in 1775 and rose in the ranks quickly, ending his military career as Major General of the Continental army. At the time this letter was written Edward Hand commanded the Third Brigade, composed of the Fourth and Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiments, the German Regiment, Proctor's Artillery, Captain James Parr’s Riflemen, Captain Anthony Selin’s Riflemen, and two Wyoming companies in the Sullivan-Clinton Iroquois Expedition. Zebulon Butler aided Hand in this expedition. Butler was commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment of the continental army in 1777 . In 1778, while home on leave, he participated in the defense of the valley, and was involved in what is known as the Wyoming Valley Massacre. He returned as commander in the valley and remained there during Sullivan's expedition against the Iroquois in 1779, hence for Hand’s and Butler’s communication in this letter.
Transcription:
Minisink 25.th March 1779
Dear Sir
In your favor of the 9.th you say you had the principle part of the intelligence you gave me from an officer now with you who was taken by the Indians on Susquehannah & carried thro[ugh] their County to Niagara. I must therefore request that you will send that Gentm [gentleman] here immediately in Company with the Bearer you may Acquaint him that from here he must go to head Quarters [headquarters] to satisfy the Comma[nder] in chief in some particulars relati[ve] [to] the Indian Country which he is very Anxious to know with exactness. The Commander in chief is Inform[e]’d that an Indian Cal’d [called] Job Chillaway personally Acquainted with all the county between Chemung & the Seneca Nation formerly liv’d [lived] near Wyoming— he wishes you to enquire for him & if he is to be found and will go down to him, furnish him with an horse & offer him a handsome reward– but if he is not willing to go down he would not have you ask him any Questions, or give him Occasion to suspect we are going to the Indian Country - be pleased to furnish me with the Route from Wyoming
Back:
to Minisink with the places of halting making the distances from place to place – I would also wish you to engage all the Forage your Neighbourhood will afford— The bearer rides a smart little WoodBred horse which In time to ride should I go into Indian Country. he is now in very bad Condition Therefore request you will keep him with you & as the Express have a Continental Horse to return. If some of your people will take care of the Horse & keep him well with grain & rest his legs with Hogs lard & gunPowder till well. I will consider the Person for his Trouble— I am told the upper Road is the only one by which troops can Conveniently March from this Place to Wyoming. mark the Stages on both, allowing from 10 to 15 miles to be a days March, I am D[ea]r. Sir your obed. [obedient] Humble Serv[an]t Edw[ard] Hand Col[onel]. Zeb[ulo]n. Butler
In your favor of the 9.th you say you had the principle part of the intelligence you gave me from an officer now with you who was taken by the Indians on Susquehannah & carried thro[ugh] their County to Niagara. I must therefore request that you will send that Gentm [gentleman] here immediately in Company with the Bearer you may Acquaint him that from here he must go to head Quarters [headquarters] to satisfy the Comma[nder] in chief in some particulars relati[ve] [to] the Indian Country which he is very Anxious to know with exactness. The Commander in chief is Inform[e]’d that an Indian Cal’d [called] Job Chillaway personally Acquainted with all the county between Chemung & the Seneca Nation formerly liv’d [lived] near Wyoming— he wishes you to enquire for him & if he is to be found and will go down to him, furnish him with an horse & offer him a handsome reward– but if he is not willing to go down he would not have you ask him any Questions, or give him Occasion to suspect we are going to the Indian Country - be pleased to furnish me with the Route from Wyoming
Back:
to Minisink with the places of halting making the distances from place to place – I would also wish you to engage all the Forage your Neighbourhood will afford— The bearer rides a smart little WoodBred horse which In time to ride should I go into Indian Country. he is now in very bad Condition Therefore request you will keep him with you & as the Express have a Continental Horse to return. If some of your people will take care of the Horse & keep him well with grain & rest his legs with Hogs lard & gunPowder till well. I will consider the Person for his Trouble— I am told the upper Road is the only one by which troops can Conveniently March from this Place to Wyoming. mark the Stages on both, allowing from 10 to 15 miles to be a days March, I am D[ea]r. Sir your obed. [obedient] Humble Serv[an]t Edw[ard] Hand Col[onel]. Zeb[ulo]n. Butler
Creator
- Hand, Edward, 1744-1802. (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu