Poughkeepsie, 28th December, 1777.
Dear Sir:
I was favored with the receipt of your letter of the 22d instant,
some days since, and returned a short answer to it by the express who
brought it; but as I have reason to believe you had left Peekskill
before he got there, I conclude my letter has not been received. I
have not a doubt but that there have been such unjust and dishonorable
practices committed on the inhabitants as you mention; nor have I
reason to believe they were without the knowledge of the commanding
officer of the Department. Complaints have been exhibited to him of
cattle, the property of the inhabitants of this State, living near
Col. Robinson’s, being drove off by parties of the continental troops,
and sold at vendue in New England, without any account being rendered
to the proprietors; and, if I am rightly informed, an officer with
a party, took sundry articles from Robinson’s, sent them off and
sold them in like manner in Connecticut, and has not accounted with
the States for the proceeds. Of this I informed General Putnam, and
desired that an inquiry might be made into the conduct of the officer
commanding the party, to which I was more particularly induced, as
I found he had given an order on the Quarter-Master General for the
payment of the teams employed in carrying off those effects; but I have
reason to believe he has had no regard to my request. Of this I am
fully convinced, that the soldiery claim as lawful prize every thing
they take within the enemy’s lines, though the property of our best
friends, and whatever is taken beyond our advanced posts, by a generous
construction, comes within the above predicament. On this principle
the several articles taken at and near Robinson’s were sold because
the enemy’s shipping were then in the river near that place; and on
the same principle indiscriminate plunder might have taken place on
both sides of the river as high up as the manor of Livingston. Little
good can be expected of an army whose interest it is to suffer a
country to be abandoned to the enemy, thereby to justify plundering the
inhabitants. Perhaps, and I don’t know that it would be uncharitable to
suppose, that it is this trade that makes some people so very fond of
little expeditions.
I have long thought to ascertain these facts, and seek redress not only
for the parties immediately injured, but the public; but my time has
been so fully employed of late about other matters that I have been
obliged to neglect it.
* * * * *
May I expect a line from you whenever you have leisure; be assured
it will always be most kindly received, though perhaps not quite so
punctually answered by
Your most obedient servant,
Geo. Clinton.
My respects to Capt. Gibbs and young Livingston.