General Washington to General Ward

v4:376

Cambridge, December 21, 1775.

SIR: His Excellency has commanded me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, and to inform you that if the persons mentioned in Mr˙ Champion' s letter, are enlisted to serve in the new army, that they must not be permitted to go to him, but if they are not, that you may grant them a discharge.

I wrote you the 11th inst˙, respecting the prisoners to be sent to Simsbury, and enclosed a letter for the Committee of that place; to these I beg leave to refer you. In case you did not receive them, his Excellency desires that you will send them off under a proper guard, unless there should be any of the Connecticut troops going home, who will take the charge of them to the Committee. You will please certify the Committee of the atrociousness of their crime, and of the court' s sentence.

I am, &c.

To Major-General Ward, Roxbury.