Memoirs Of Aaron Burr, Volume 1, Matthew L. Davis [book club suggestions .txt] 📗

Footnote Pg 159

 

 

 

1. See Chapter Ix

Chapter XI Pg 160

 

 

 

The Military Career Of Colonel Burr Was Now Drawing To A Close. The

State Of His Health Became Alarming. His Constitution Was Shattered.

His Medical And Other Friends Were Of The Opinion That He Was

Incapable Of Enduring The Fatigues Of Another Campaign. In The

Judgment And Talents Of Dr. Eustis He Reposed Great Confidence. That

Gentleman Pressed Upon Him, In A Manner The Most Affectionate, The

Necessity For His Retiring. The Sacrifice Required Of Burr Was

Inconceivably Great. All His Views And Feelings Were Military. He

Seemed As Though He Was Born A Soldier. He Was Ambitious Of Fame In

His Profession. He Had Acquired A Character For Vigilance And

Intrepidity Unrivalled In The Army. He Was More Than Respected By His

Brother Officers, And Idolized By The Troops. As A Man And A Citizen,

He Was Exceedingly Disliked By General Washington. Causes, Unnecessary

To Examine At This Late Period Of Time, Had Created Between These

Gentlemen Feelings Of Hostility That Were Unconquerable, And Were

Never Softened Or Mollified. Yet Even General Washington, While He

Considered Burr Destitute Of Morals And Of Principle, Respected Him As

A Soldier, And Gave Repeated Evidence Of Entire Confidence In His

Gallantry, His Persevering Industry, His Judgment, And His Discretion.

At Length, However, Protracted Disease Compelled Him To Abandon All

Those Hopes Of Glory, Nobly Won In The Battle-Field, Which Had

Inflamed His Ardent And Youthful Mind; And On The 10Th Of March, 1779,

He Tendered To The Commander-In-Chief His Resignation.

Chapter XI Pg 161

To General Washington.

 

 

Phillipsburgh, 10Th March, 1779.

 

 

Sir,

 

 

The Reasons I Did Myself The Honour To Mention To Your Excellency In A

Letter Of September Last Still Exist, And Determine Me To Resign My

Rank And Command In The Army.

 

 

The Polite Indulgence You Favoured Me With At That Time Restored

Temporarily My Health. At The Instance Of General Mcdougall, I

Accepted The Command Of These Posts; But I Find My Health Unequal To

The Undertaking, And Have Acquainted Him Of My Intentions To Retire.

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.

Chapter XI Pg 162

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.

Chapter XI Pg 163

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. He Was, Indeed, An Angel Sent Us For A Moment.

Alas! For Me, That This World Was Not More Worthy Of Him--Then Had I

Still Been The Happiest Of Women, _And His Friends In Stations More

Equal To Their Own Merits_. Reflections Like These Imbitter

Continually Each Day As It Passes. But I Trust In The Same Merciful

Hand Which Has Held Me From Sinking In My Extreme Calamity, That He

Will Still Support And Make Me Worthy Of A Blessed Meeting Hereafter.

Can You Excuse, Sir, The Overflowing Of A Heart That Knows Not Where

To Stop When On A Subject So Interesting?

 

 

 

Mr. Tutard Tells Me You Mean To Quit The Service. Whenever That

Happens, You Will Doubtless Have Leisure To Pay Us A Visit, Which I

Wish You To Believe Will Give Real Pleasure To,

 

 

Sir, Your Obliged

 

 

J. Montgomery.

Chapter XI Pg 164

From William Paterson.

 

 

The Ponds, 18Th March, 1779.

 

 

My Dear Burr,

 

 

I Came To This Place Yesterday In The Afternoon, And Regret Extremely

That I Did Not Arrive Earlier In The Day, As I Should Have Received

Your Letter. My Stay Here Will Be Uncertain. At Home I Must Be By The

Beginning Of April. I Should Be Happy In Seeing You Before My Return,

But How To Effect It Is The Question. If I Could Possibly Disengage

Myself From Business, I Would Take A Ride To Paramus. My Best Respects

Await On Mrs. Prevost; And Every Thing You Think Proper To The

Mistress Of Your Affections. I Am Married, Burr, And Happy. May You Be

Equally So. I Cannot Form A Higher Or A Better Wish. You Know I Should

Rejoice To Meet You. Tell Mrs. Prevost That I Shall Take It Unkindly

If She Does Not Call Upon Me Whenever She Thinks I Can Be Of Any

Service To Her. To Oblige Her Will Give Me Pleasure For Her Own Sake,

And Double Pleasure For Yours. This Is A Strange, Unconnected Scroll;

You Have It As It Comes.

 

 

I Congratulate You On Your Return To Civil Life, For Which (I Cannot

Forbear The Thought) We Must Thank A Certain Lady Not Far From

Paramus. May I Have Occasion Soon To Thank Her On Another Account; And

May I Congratulate You Both In The Course Of The Next Moon For Being

In My Line: I Mean The Married. Adieu.

 

 

I Am Most Sincerely Yours,

 

 

William Paterson.

Chapter XI Pg 165

From General Mcdougall.

 

 

Headquarters, Peekskill, 20Th March, 1779.

 

 

Sir,

 

 

My Late Intelligence From New-York And Headquarters Clearly Mark The

Enemy'S Intention To Make A Movement Very Soon. Whether It Is Intended

Against The Grand Army, These Posts, Or New-London, Time Only Can

Determine. It Is, However, Our Duty To Be Prepared. As A Few Days Will

Open Up His Views, _I Imagine You Do Not Think Of Quitting The Ground

When Business Is To Be Done_. Should The Enemy Move Up The River In

Force, His Thieves Will Be Very Busy Below. Colonel Hammond'S

Regiment, On Such An Event, Is To Remain There; And One Hundred Rank

And File Of Continental Troops _Only_ Are To Keep Them In Countenance.

The Rest, Under Charge Of Officers, To Be Sent Up To Join Their Corps.

 

 

You Know The State Of Forage At This Post. I Wish You Would Make An

Exertion To Your Left In Front, To Secure All You Can For Us; As Much

As Will Consist With The Safety Of Your Party, And Covering To The

Rebels At Tarrytown. Send For Haynes And His Assistant, And Keep Them

On The Ground Till They Secure All That Is Practicable To Be Got From

Your Left. The Weather Has Been So Stormy And Uncertain, The ----- Are

Not Yet Sent For. To-Morrow Morning It Will Be Done. Please To Attend

To The Enclosed Order Respecting Provisions. Late Learned'S Is Moved

To West Point.

 

 

Major Hull'S, Of The 19Th, Is This Moment Received, And Will Be

Attended To. I Wish Captain Kearsley, Lieutenants Hunter And Lawrence,

To Be Sent To Their Regiments When Colonel Burr Has Finished What He

Intends. They Are Much Wanted. Note The Contents Of The Enclosed

Resolve.

 

 

Yours, Very Respectfully,

 

 

Alexander Mcdougall.