Memorial from Officers

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WHITE PLAINS, July 12, 1776.

GENTLEMEN: Whereas we have had the honour to serve in the Continental Army by your appointment last year, we beg leave to mention to you a state of facts, which we esteem as real grievances, and look up to you for direction or redress.

When first the dire alarm of war was sounded in our land we willingly stepped fotth and offered our services to our bleeding country, and were much pleased with the appointments which you honoured us with. Urged on by the same motives which first induced us to engage, we endured all the hardships of a most severe campaign with a pleasing fortitude, not doubting but whilst we were doing our duty we should meet with the applause of our country, and that an equal distribution of honour would have been conferred on those who had not merited the reverse. But this has not been the case; a few have been promoted to high rank, while others of equal standing and merit are superseded or entirely neglected.

Among the many instances of this procedure that might be given, the most recent is the late arrangement of the officers of a regiment to be commanded by Lewis Dubois, Esq˙, the injustice of which will, we hope, fully appear to your honourable House, if you will please to look over the copy of the arrangement itself, which we take the liberty of enclosing to you.

We humbly desire you, gentlemen, to take this matter into consideration; and are, with due respect, (in behalf of the disbanded officers that served in Canada,) gentlemen, your most obedient, humble servants,
SAML˙ SACKET,
AARON AORSON,
RICHARD PLATT.

To the Honourable the Convention of the State of New York.