SIR,
This will be delivered to you by Mr. John Pine, who acted last
campaign as a horse-guide. He is a true friend to the country.
Whenever he shall get properly mounted, and reports himself to you for
service, give him a certificate of the day, and employ him.
Enclosed you have a list of horse-thieves and others who act very
prejudicial to our cause. I wish to have them taken and sent up here.
Perhaps it will be most eligible to make the attempt on all at the
same time. But I do not wish to retard the forage on your left, as
those posts are in great want of that article.
I am, sir, your humble servant,
ALEXANDER McDOUGALL.
FROM GENERAL PUTNAM.
Camp, Horse Neck, 9th March, 1779.
SIR,
I have received a letter from Colonel Emerick (British), informing me
that one Butler, who has been a prisoner in New-York, being unable to
travel on foot, obtained of Colonel Emerick a dragoon and two horses
to conduct him some part of his way in the country. That Butler made
the dragoon drunk, then brought him off, together with the horses. The
whole of which he, in his letter, makes a demand to be returned.
Colonel Emerick has been misinformed as to Butler's acting so
faithless. The truth of the matter is, that Butler wanted the dragoon
to return with the horses, but that he (the dragoon) refused to do,
and swore he would never return. I would advise you by all means to
send the dragoon to Colonel Emerick in irons, together with the
horses, as a refusal would be contrary to all public faith.
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