Item 30c: A Copy by Zebulon Butler of his Original Letter to George Washington (Found in Legal Box #1), 1781 February 24
Item — Box: 10, Folder: 30c
Dates
- Created: 1781 February 24
Creator
- Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795 (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. The page has many tears along the seams where once folded and suffers discoloration from water damage. Should not be handled, refer to digital copy
Measurements:
15 ¾ in. x 12 ½ in.
Description:
This letter dated February 24, 1781, is written by Zebulon Butler, a lieutenant colonel during the American Revolutionary War, to George Washington, the first president of the United States. In the letter, Butler is updating General Washington on the events of a recent march of troops under Captains John Paul Schott and Anthony Selin. He continues on the note that his own troops have been delayed in marching as they have not yet received the necessary supplies of clothing and blankets required for marching to Washington’s troops. He notes that those who went on to Philadelphia to obtain the provisions were held there for over twenty days. Butler states that on the events of the post, stating that Captain Mitchell has recently arrived. Butler finds that his presence is beneficial as he has no bias of the ongoing dispute between the inhabitants of the Wyoming post.
The dispute that Butler is referencing is the Yankee Pennamite Wars, a three part war between Connecticut and Pennsylvania, as they attempted to resolve a dispute over the land in the upper regions of what is now Pennsylvania. King Charles II granted the land twice, once to Connecticut in 1662, and again to William Penn as he founded Pennsylvania in 1681. The Third War comprised equal violence to the first two, however, with Pennsylvania militia forcibly removing Connecticut settlers, mostly women and children, outside critique was quick to support the Connecticut response. Pennsylvania had originally stripped all Connecticut settlers of title and citizen rights within the state, but recognizing the need for compromise to resolve the conflict, while maintaining their hold on the land, they renounced that action following the Third War.
Location:
Wyoming, PA
Transcription:
Wyoming 24th Feb[ruar]y. 1781
May it Please your Excellency,
Your orders of the 29th Dec[embe]r. 1780 I recd [received]
& Captain Mitchell on the 22d of January 1781
Immediately sent to Philadelphia for Clothing
for the Soldiers, urgeing (sic)[urging] the Nessity (sic) [necessity] of their
Being Supply’d [supplied] Quick, as it was Impossible
for them to March without those Whom I sent
were detained in Phil.d [Philadelphia] 17 Days and were absent
25 Days so that it was not in my Power to have
them March, sooner and now they march without
Blankets. I have directed Captn [Captain] Spalding to
Gen.l [General] Parsons division & Captn [Captain] Schott & Selling (sic) [Selin] to
Head Quarters, with rispect (sic) [respect] to my Self [myself] Some
time Last Dec[embe]r. I heard of the mode of arrangement
for the Army. and from that was Confident that
I was Deranged(?) went to camp in Jan[uar]y Lat[e] to Settle my Affairs
and found I was arranged and found that the
Relief for this Post had marched Knowing their (sic) [there]
would be Confusion if I was absent. I pushed back
as fast as Possible, while I was in Camp I Obtained
Liar(?) of Gen.l [general] Parson for Abrance(?) untill (sic) [until] the Last of
March or further Orders. Cap.n [captain] Spalding will
leave a few men behind him but I shall see
that your Excellencys orders are strictly comply (sic) [complied]
with.
Back:
Capt[ain] Mitchel[l] who now takes the Command at the Post is an Officer and A Gentelman (sic) [gentleman] I’m suer (sic) [Sure] he will give Intier (sic) [entire] Satisfaction to the Inhabitants and in the Man Intended by Congress he is Entierly (sic) [entirely] Disinterested in the Dispute. I shall give him every assistance in my Power Respecting the Country and Characters. I Read A Letter from the Bord (sic) [Board] of war Last Dec[embe]r Informing me that Schotts officer would become Supernumerary the 1 Jan[uary] 1781 Capt[ain] Selin went to Philadelphia for Clothing by whom (sic) [whom] I wrote to the board of war Desiring them to Let him know what to Depend on and nither (sic) [neither] him nor me got any Answer and the Gentleman Suppose it their Duty to March to HeadQuarter with their men Nothing Respecting Ennemy (sic) [Enemy] at this Post since my Last Can only say I have the Honorar (sic) [Honor] to be your Excellencys most obt [obedient] Humbel (sic) [humble] Ser[van]t Zeb[ulo]n Butler
Gen[era]l Washington
Back: Coppy (sic) [copy] Letter to Gen[era]l Washington 24th Febrpuary] 1781
Back:
Capt[ain] Mitchel[l] who now takes the Command at the Post is an Officer and A Gentelman (sic) [gentleman] I’m suer (sic) [Sure] he will give Intier (sic) [entire] Satisfaction to the Inhabitants and in the Man Intended by Congress he is Entierly (sic) [entirely] Disinterested in the Dispute. I shall give him every assistance in my Power Respecting the Country and Characters. I Read A Letter from the Bord (sic) [Board] of war Last Dec[embe]r Informing me that Schotts officer would become Supernumerary the 1 Jan[uary] 1781 Capt[ain] Selin went to Philadelphia for Clothing by whom (sic) [whom] I wrote to the board of war Desiring them to Let him know what to Depend on and nither (sic) [neither] him nor me got any Answer and the Gentleman Suppose it their Duty to March to HeadQuarter with their men Nothing Respecting Ennemy (sic) [Enemy] at this Post since my Last Can only say I have the Honorar (sic) [Honor] to be your Excellencys most obt [obedient] Humbel (sic) [humble] Ser[van]t Zeb[ulo]n Butler
Gen[era]l Washington
Back: Coppy (sic) [copy] Letter to Gen[era]l Washington 24th Febrpuary] 1781
Creator
- Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795 (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