Fort Montgomery 11th July 1777
Sir/
I just now received your Letter of this Date in Answer to which I can only say I sent the Officers as well as Men on Board of your Ship are to be commanded by you as they will of Course by any Officer Belonging to the Ship of superior Rank to them & I trust you do not mean that they shoud by any other — Your Officers without Men will be of little Service to the Public — The Ship cant be of any — You must accept of the Officers & Men as the General has sent them — I cant counteract his Orders — If you dont chuse to receive Officers the Men must be returned back to their Regts with them — I am [&c.]
G C
1. George Clinton Papers, no. 621, N.Y.Arch.