Examination of William Robinson

v3:1710

New-York, April 28, 1776.

I hereby certify that I was President of a Court-Martial, in Cambridge, when Colonel Enos was tried for leaving Colonel Arnold, with the rear division of the detachment under his command, bound for Quebeck; and, upon the trial, it clearly appeared to me, as well as to all the other members of the Court, that Colonel Enos was perfectly justifiable in returning with the division, being clearly proved, by the testimony of witnesses of undoubted veracity, (some of whom I have been personally acquainted with for a number of years, and know them to be persons of truth,) that so much provision had been sent forward, to support the other divisions, as left them so small a quantity that their men were almost famished with hunger on their return: and some would undoubtedly have starved, had they not, by accident, come across and killed a large moose. Upon their evidence, there remained no doubt in the mind of myself, or any of the members, that the return of the division was prudent and reasonable; being well convinced that they had not provision sufficient to carry them half way to Quebeck, and that their going forward would only have deprived the other division of a part of theirs, which, as the event has since shown, was not enough to keep them all from perishing; we therefore unanimously acquitted Colonel Enos with honour.

I further certify, that by a strict inquiry into the matter since, from persons who were in the divisions that went forward, I am convinced that had Colonel Enos, with his division, proceeded, it would have been a means of causing the whole detachment to have perished in the woods, for want of sustenance.

I further add, that I have been well informed, by persons acquainted with Colonel Enos, that he has ever conducted as a good and faithful officer.

JOHN SULLIVAN.