Letter from General Gates to Lieutenant-Colonel Gansevoort

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Tyonderoga, July 17, 1776.

SIR: On the receipt of this, you will send any spare oars you may have to Mr˙ Donn, at the Landing on this side the Lake. The oars will be wanted here, therefore beg you' ll forward them as soon as possible.

You will be very careful, sir, to prevent any desertion of those who are sent to the General Hospital: some villains may perhaps feign themselves sick, merely with the design of gaining an opportunity of deserting. The utmost care will be necessary to guard against this evil.

Many complaints, sir, are made by the officers here, that their letters, both going and coming, are interrupted, and sometimes broke open. I beg, sir, if anything of this kind has happened at your post, it may for the future be prevented. If any person can be discovered either to open or retard any letters going to or from the Army, he must be immediately apprehended and tried, for a crime of this kind cannot be too severely punished.

In fine, sir, you will in everything be very careful for the publick good and the security of your post.

I am, sir, your very obedient servant,
HORATIO GATES.

To Lieut˙ Col˙ Gansevoort, commanding at Fort George.