Head Quarters, September 3, 1780
Sir:
Several days ago I received a Letter from the Honble Mr Brearly, Chief Justice of Jersey in which he mentions that "Complaint has been made to me by a Member of the Legislature of Somerset County, together with other respectable Inhabitants, that a detachment of Major Lee's light Dragoons have quartered themselves upon the Inhabitants of the county near Rockey Hill, without any order of Law, are impressing forage by their own authority, and committing other great outrages on the Inhabitants.1 The persons particularly complained against, are Captain Rudolph,2 Doctor Irvin3 and One Stephen Lewis,4 supposed to be a Commissioned Officer." I would willingly hope that this Complaint has been exaggerated and profered in much stronger terms than facts would warrant. There is nothing I wish for more than harmony and a good understanding to prevail between the Country and the Army; it essential to our success and whenever circumstances compel to any measures out of the common line and which may bear hard against the Inhabitants, they ought not to be carried farther than necessity may absolutely require.
I have not written to Mr. Brearly in Answer to his Letter; but I wish to do it without further delay. I want previously however to hear from You after communicating this letter to the Officers who are particularly complained of.
I am etc.5
1 Lee's answer to the complaint is dated Sept. 5, 1780 and is in the Washington Papers.
2 Capt. Michael Rudolph.
3 Surgeon Matthew Irvine (Irvin), of Lee's Dragoons. He served to the close of the war.
4 Lieut. Stephen Lewis. He was a quartermaster in Lee's Dragoons and served to the close of the war.
5 The draft is in the writing of Robert Hanson Harrison.