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General Gates.
Skenesborough, July 25, 1776. DEAR GENERAL: I have received yours of yesterday, and shall, with a great deal of pleasure, comply with all commands in said letter. I shall send you one gondola to-morrow, and the rest I shall forward as fast as possible, and send them down. When I came here on this ground, I found things went very irregular and slow. The carpenters complained to me that if the soldiers went into the woods to help them, they would sit down by the trees instead of working, and when they complained to their officers thereof, found no redress. I have been one day from here, to Chesire's saw-mill, where I saw that neither the store nor barracks was set up at that place, and the commanding officer at that post was gone to Albany; and found also that the saw-mill did not go at night, only by day; and no boards sawed. I have now given them the strictest charge to saw continually, for I found they had water aplenty. I have employed my officers and men to clear the creek and fetch the boards here from that place, which I will send you down to-morrow. The same day that General Arnold arrived here on this ground, he told me it was General Gate's positive orders that I should go down to Ticonderoga and join my regiment, which I thought a little strange of. As I had no men at home, (they all being employed in clearing the creek and fetching boards down,) I could not comply with his orders. The greater part of them arriving, I was determined to comply with his orders; but receiving your letter this morning, and finding nothing of that nature mentioned, induces me to stay till further orders from your Excellency. What is the reason of General Arnold's giving such orders to me I know not, except that some of our commanders at this place see that I drive on business faster, as several have complained to General Arnold concerning me. I am, dear General, your Excellency's humble servant, CORNELIUS WYNKOOP. To Major-General Gates, at Ticonderoga. P.S. Concerning the stores, I found it very irregular, and have demanded the keys, and have appointed one of my officers to act in that station, as long as the General pleases to continue him therein.
Source: Force, Peter, American Archives: Consisting of a collection of authentick records, state papers, debates, and letters and other notices of publick affairs, the whole forming a documentary history of the origin and progress of the North American colonies; of the causes and accomplishment of the American revolution; and of the Constitution of government for the United States, to the final ratification thereof., 5th Series, M. St. Clair Clarke and Peter Force, 1837-46, Volume I, p. 582
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Created November 24, 2003; Revised November 24, 2003
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