1777-1778

Autograph document

Title: Advanced Corps

Complaints of the Advanced Corps over the implementation of the Articles of Convention after the Battle of Saratoga. Date inferred from other documents in this collection, which have similar complaints around the end of 1777. Place written inferred from the fact that prisoners of war from the Battle of Saratoga were sent to Cambridge, Massachusetts. They are angry about not being quartered by rank, their early curfew, and the inability to buy items like bread and milk from anyone other than the commissary. The Advanced Corps was an elite group in General John Burgoyne's army that was defeated…

GLC04764.41

1777-1778

Autograph document

Title: The Field Officers of the 9th Objections to the Parole

Field officers of the 9th Regiment of Foot sent their complaints against the implementation of the Articles of Convention after the Battle of Saratoga. Date inferred from other documents in this collection listing the complaints of other British units around the end of 1777. Place written inferred from the fact that the prisoners of war after Saratoga were sent to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Objections include: Officers and men not quartered agreeable to the Articles, that they do not receive wood, rations, or provisions, restrictions on the purchasing of items outside the commissary. Was…

GLC04764.42

16 December 1777

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by Heath, as American commander of the district where the Convention Army was located. The Convention Army consisted of the British prisoners of war after the Battle of Saratoga. To General Burgoyne, the British commander, in captivity. Passes along information that the Continental Congress has passed a resolution saying the Convention Army can only leave from the port stipulated in the Articles of Convention, which was Boston.

GLC04764.43

4 January 1778-23 March 1778

Autograph document

Title: Collateral Correspondence relative to the Troops of the Convention

List of 15 letters, mostly to or from General John Burgoyne, sent and received involving the Convention Army, which consisted of captured British soldiers after the Battle of Saratoga. First two deal with Continental Congress's refusal to change embarkation port from Boston and others deal with matters of money, provisions, and transport from Boston. Was written near Cambridge, Massachusetts

GLC04764.44

3 January 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Letter in response to GLC04764.45. Written by Heath, the American General in charge of the district where the captured British Convention Army was based, to General Burgoyne, the commander of the British troops in the Convention Army. Gives permission to David Geddes, the acting paymaster, to travel to Rhode Island to procure funds for the army. Says Geddes needs to come to him to get a passport. Says it is improper for Burgoyne to have a man-of-war pick him up to be returned to England. Says a normal transport will work just as well as a man-of-war, which he does not want entering the harbor…

GLC04764.46

8 January 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Heath

Marked No. 37. Written by Burgoyne as commander of the British forces in the captured Convention Army to Heath as American commander of the district where the Convention Army is located. References Heath's letter of that same day. Has no objection to the officer and Mr. Clarke giving the parole Heath requires. Is surprised Heath would ask about the "matter relating to the payment of accounts previous to embarkation." Says he cannot make a decision yet. Says he will delay giving an answer until the ships arrive. Says "I shall know what to demand and you will judge what you are to refuse."…

GLC04764.47

8 January 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army is located to General Burgoyne, the commander of the Convention Army. Says that Mr. Blodget has valid complaints against British soldiers demolishing three buildings and other property near Winter Hill. Says documents he has before him are convincing. Tells Burgoyne to "pay that attention to Mr. Blodget's Representation, which the Considerable Loss he has met with intitles him to." Trusts Burgoyne will redress the issue. Repair to the back page of the letter. Most of the address was lost in the…

GLC04764.48

9 January 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army is situated to General Burgoyne, commander of the Convention Army. Complains that British troops are guilty of abusive behavior toward the sentries and guards at Prospect Hill. Says they are repeatedly insulted and at times beat and disarmed. Claims soldiers are "disorderly in the extreme" and that there was singular incident last night, which has forced him to send a number of rioters to a prison ship. Says Burgoyne promised to uphold order among his troops when they arrived, and he wants him to…

GLC04764.49

January 10, 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army is situated to General Burgoyne as commander of the Convention Army. References Burgoyne's letter of 9 January 1778. Disagrees with Burgoyne's's assertion that American guards and sentries are provoking British soldiers. Says he has heard the insults and abuses from the British troops are "unparalleled," and says they will no longer occurred with impunity. Says if anyone sent to a prison ship is innocent, they will be returned, but otherwise he will not apologize for those guilty of violating…

GLC04764.50

January 12, 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Heath

Written by General Burgoyne as commander of the captured British Convention Army to General Heath as commander of the district where the Convention Army is situated. References Heath's letter of 10 January 1778, where Heath expressed anger over abuses committed by British troops. Says he will respond to Heath's complaints later, because he does not want to be diverted from the matter of Colonel David Henley, the commandant of the Prospect Hill barracks accused of murder and abusing British troops, by "collateral matter." Says Heath was taking the matter with Henley in a slight and…

GLC04764.51

January 13, 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army was situated to General Burgoyne as commander of the Convention Army. References letter from Burgoyne of 13 January 1778. Says he immediately ordered Colonel David Henley, who was accused of abusing British soldiers and of murder, arrested and a court of inquiry will be convened. Says Burgoyne might not be satisfied with a court of inquiry, but that is the usual first step to deal with problems in "our Army," especially with men who command a post like Henley. Says they will be protected and…

GLC04764.52

January 13, 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Letter signed

Title: to William Heath

An indigent letter written by General Burgoyne as commander of captured British Convention Army to General Heath as American commander of the district where the Convention Army is located. Marked "No. 45." Burgoyne has made multiple corrections and insertions throughout the letter. References letter he sent the day before, which was entirely on the prosecution of Colonel David Henley. Says he will now take notice of other issues in Heath's letter of 10 January 1778. Tells Heath that his source of information, Colonel Henley, is flawed because of the current allegations and that he has been…

GLC04764.53

January 13, 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph document

Title: [List of documents sent to General William Heath]

List of documents that were inserted in General John Burgoyne's letter to General William Heath (see GLC04764.53). Burgoyne, as commander of the captured British Convention Army was sending documents to deal with complaints registered by Heath as the American commander of the district where the Convention Army was located. Includes documents on assaults of American soldiers by Convention soldiers, on Convention soldiers enlisting in American army, and on Convention soldiers held in prison ships. Initialed "N.B" with a note that says "Inclosed with the letter sent to Genl. Heath 13th Jany:…

GLC04764.54

January 14, 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army was being held to General Burgoyne as Convention Army commander. Says it appears likely the transports will soon arrive to take the Convention soldiers to Britain. Because of this development Heath says he needs a list of names, former residences, occupations, sizes, ages, and descriptions of every non-commissioned officer and private soldier in Convention Army. Says he has sent Major Massaraw to take down the names, as there were objections to Major Brown before. Marked "No. 48" near docket. Red…

GLC04764.55

January 14, 1778

Autograph document

Title: [Queries to the court of inquiry]

List of five questions a secretary or staff officer wrote down for General John Burgoyne, commander of the captured British Convention Army, for a court of inquiry against American Colonel David Henley, commander of the Prospect Hill barracks accused of murder and misconduct against British troops. Wants to know: Will there be an oath? Will witnesses be sworn? Will this inquiry look into the charges or defend Henley? Also protests the inquiry as the wrong venue for these charges and requests a copy of the inquires findings. Marked "No. 46" near docket.

GLC04764.56

January 18, 1778

Keith, J., fl. 1778

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Copy of report from court of inquiry ordering a court martial]

Written by Keith as Deputy Adjunct General to General William Heath. Copy of an extract of the report on court of inquiry on allegations of murder and misconduct against British troops by Colonel David Henley, American commander of the Prospect Hill barracks. Says the court has decided that based on evidence offered by General John Burgoyne, commander of the captured British Convention Army, a court martial is necessary. Says court martial will take place next Tuesday at 10 a.m. Henley was accused by Burgoyne in "a general tenor of language [of] conduct heinously criminal as an Officer,…

GLC04764.57

January 18, 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army was situated to General Burgoyne as commander of the Convention Army. References Burgoyne's's letter of 17 January 1778. Says all accounts must be settled in a fair manner as stated in his letter of 3 January 1778. Asks that letters and papers intended to be sent to Sir William Howe by Mr. Clarke be sent to him first. Says the papers will be returned to Clarke by this evening. Says Clarke's parole and passport will be sent up. Says he will answer the part of Burgoyne's letter that deals with…

GLC04764.58

January 24, 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Letter

Title: to William Heath

Written by General Burgoyne as commander of the captured British Convention Army to General Heath as American commander of the district where the Convention Army is situated. This is a clerical copy created by someone on Heath's staff. Marked at the top "No. 4 Copy of a Letter from Lt. G. B." Docket says it was copied for Congress. References letter from Heath received 22 January 1778. Apologizes for the tardy reply, but says business of the court martial of Colonel David Henley has taken up all his time. Says the officers's fusees (sidearms) are being held by him and will not be returned…

GLC04764.59

January 30, 1778

Heath, William, 1737-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by General Heath as American commander of the district where the captured British Convention Army was situated to General Burgoyne as commander of the Convention Army. References Burgoyne's letter of 24 January 1778. Apologizes for tardy reply. Heath references his own letter of 22 January where he claims no apprehension of an ill use of the officers's fusees (sidearms). Says he wanted to satisfy the minds of the public who said it might be a good idea to collect them. Says while Burgoyne's word that the fusees would not be given to the officers would be enough for him, it is not…

GLC04764.60

January 28, 1778

Keith, J., fl. 1778

Autograph letter signed

Title: Extract from General Orders

Written by Keith as Deputy Adjunct General. Says there have been complaints of captured British Convention Army officers playing billiards at a house in the center of Cambridge at late hours. Says General William Heath, commander of the district where the Convention Army is situated, does not have a problem with their "innocent diversions" but with the late hours that they partake them. Says all officers are to be in barracks at 9 p.m. unless for a very special occasion and not without a pass. Says obedience to this order is expected and that patrols will be stepped up. Marked "No. 59."

GLC04764.61

February 14, 1778

Burgoyne, John, 1722-1792

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Tudor

Written by Burgoyne as commander of the captured British Convention Army to Tudor as the Judge Advocate of the court martial of Colonel David Henley, the former head of the Prospect Hill barracks accused of murder and mistreatment of British troops. Says he engaged to send over the substance of his closing argument in the court martial, but that other urgent business and ill health has kept him from doing so. Says he will send it tomorrow or Sunday morning. Initialed by Burgoyne at the end.

GLC04764.63

3 March 1778

Phillips, William, 1731-1781

Document signed

Title: [Certification of contract of British Army with Jacob Jordan]

Written in secretarial hand for British Major General William Phillips, commander of the Royal Artillery in Canada. Certifies the terms and conditions of the contract made with Jacob Jordan of Montreal. This document was to back up the certificate dated 1 October 1777. Says Jordan is due 1020 pound of Halifax currency due for services rendered 1 October 1777 to 17 October 1777 for the Royal Artillery.

GLC04764.64

13 March 1778

Pollard, Jonathan, fl. 1749-1786

Autograph document signed

Title: [Receipt for expenses]

Written by Pollard as aide-de-camp to General William Heath. Receipt for 55 pounds, 3 shillings "on acct of expenses for the Troops of the Convention." Pollard was on the staff of Heath, the American commander of the district where the captured Convention Army was situated.

GLC04764.65

January 1778

Glover, John, 1732-1797

Autograph document signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by Brigadier General Glover as President of the court of inquiry that was investigating the allegations against Colonel David Henley, former commander of the Prospect Hill barracks where many of the captured British Convention Army troops were being held. Henley was accused of murder and mistreatment toward British soldiers. This document is a response to Burgoyne's questions (see GLC04764.56) about the details of the court of inquiry. Date of creation inferred from the date of Burgoyne's questions were submitted to the court. Answers first question: the members of the court are not…

GLC04764.66

23 March 1778

Brathwait, Richard, fl. 1778

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Burgoyne

Written by Captain Brathwait of the ship Centurion in Cape Cod Harbor. Tells Burgoyne that he has arrived with orders of General Sir William Howe for the Men of War and transports with provisions on board them to return to Rhode Island. Says he will proceed without the loss of time. Postscript says Captain Dalyrmyple sends his compliments. Docketed by Burgoyne.

GLC04764.67