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Archive Record
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Metadata
Catalog Number |
MS881I |
Object Name |
Letter |
Date |
June 4, 1812 |
Scope & Content |
"Letter from C. Read/ 4 June" "Fort Mifflin June 4: 1812/ Dear Sir,/ Cap.t Shearinger[?] arrived here this day,/ being ordered to this post and report himself on his/ arrival. His conjectures are that I will be ordered/ to Charleston a post of all others I fear will finish/ what is left of me, but as I have been indulged/ beyond example I must not and cannot complain/ yet as this is all conjecture and as I have heard it/ hinted that New York would be assigned me I/ will flatter myself with hopes of a Northern port./ I have secretly had an intimation that/ force objections were made in the Senate to my pro-/ motion by force members from force State other than/ this, and it appears that a paragraph in/ source one/ of Duerre's[?] paper was taken up as a ground for/ objections to my promotion. It was asserted that/ Capt. Read did not understand & exercise of a/ field piece altho' having been in the army 14 years/ this assertion differs from Duerre's who only says/ that if men were not drilled to the exercise &c./ Another objection was that I pilfered 9000 weights/ of powder to spoil on my hands. To I find/ objection I can only say, that I do know I exercise/ of the field piece, that my men were not, (with the/ exception of a few) I can veru easily account for./ As to the second objection, the assertions required a precious/ examination into facts for those facts would establish/ at once that I had no proper deposit for powder/ be-/ cause of this same powder had been here nine or/ ten years perhaps, & it was of necessity kept in a/ very damp + improper place + that those circumstances/ have been frequently reported. 3d. after reporting/ to the previous Sec.y of War the absolute necessity of a/ Magazine, that Gentleman ordered one built,/ and to [illeg.] as it was sufficiently obey.d, as soon/ as I could while prefect here, transferred the powder/ after sifting & drying to the new magazine. 4th that/ how pure mistake in Lt. Gates' calculations instead/ of 9000wts. there was but about 4500lbs. one half/ less, and further, that not one grain of the powder/ proves to have been damaged. What of it exceeding/ in strengt the powder lately bought and now/ any Arsenal. I beg Sir, you will excuse my troubling/ you with my own concerns, having always found/ you a friend not only to me, but to every Officer/ who is desirous of performing his duty. I cannot/ withold from you any matter of any serious/ concern. Should I be ordered from this/ Post it is my intention to desire permission to/ visit Washington for purposes of very great necessary concern/ to me. I believe I have never before mentioned to you that/ no less a sum than $346 has been ordered to be stopped/ from me being double rations drawn but me while/ Col. Duane commanded the district and that another/ sum of $96 for my pay for one year as Asst. Military/ Agent have not been allowed me, to all which I have just and undoubted claims, and am flattered/ with hopes of succeeding in my claim if I were on/ the spot. This I wish to try. I presume an application/ to Major Nicholl will be sufficient. I pray my/ good sir, to excuse this very hearty & wretched scrawl/ I am writing about 12 o'clock at night for the postman/ goes by day light. Believe me Dr. Sir/ most sincerely/ yours with respect/ James Read/ Capt. Art. Compy/ Col. Henry Burbeck" |
Title |
Correspondence received by Burbeck June-August 1812 |
Collection |
Burbeck Collection |