He has ordered an officer to relieve me before the 15th of March, on
which day I purpose to leave this command and the army.
Very respectfully,
A. BURR.
FROM GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Middlebrook, 3d April, 1779.
Sir,
I have to acknowledge your favour of the 10th ultimo. Perfectly
satisfied that no consideration save a desire to reestablish your
health could induce you to leave the service, I cannot therefore
withhold my consent. But, in giving permission to your retiring from
the army, I am not only to regret the loss of a good officer, but the
cause which makes his resignation necessary. When it is convenient to
transmit the settlement of your public accounts, it will receive my
final acceptance.
I am, &c.,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
A few days previous to Colonel Burr's resignation of his commission,
he received from the widow of General Montgomery the following
letter:--
FROM MRS. J. MONTGOMERY.
Rhinebeck, 7th March, 1779.
SIR,
I should before this have answered your obliging letter, had not the
marriage of my eldest sister entirely taken up my time. I now return
you, sir, many thanks for your kind offers of service. The sincerity
with which they were made would have allowed me to accept them,
without fears of giving you trouble, had I not determined to run no
more risks, as I have been very unfortunate in my ventures that way.
You have awakened all my sensibility by the praises you bestow on my
unfortunate general.
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