![MORGAN, Daniel, Brigadier General, Continental Army. Autograph letter signed ("Danl Morgan") TO GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE, Saratoga [Morgan's home near Winchester, Va.], 28 July 1782. 2 pages, folio, integral autograph address panel, fold separation neatly repaired, second leaf neatly inlaid. Fine condition.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1999/NYR/1999_NYR_09178_0251_000(115058).jpg?w=1)
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MORGAN, Daniel, Brigadier General, Continental Army. Autograph letter signed ("Danl Morgan") TO GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE, Saratoga [Morgan's home near Winchester, Va.], 28 July 1782. 2 pages, folio, integral autograph address panel, fold separation neatly repaired, second leaf neatly inlaid. Fine condition.
"I FIND MYSELF GOING VERY RUSTY, MY CLOATH ARE NEARLY WORE OUT, AND MY LAURELS FADE"
The retired hero of Saratoga and Cowpens complains to his former commander of back pay owed him and the soldiers of the Continental army: "...It give[s] me great pleasure to find you are still in the Land of the Living...in that country accident & changes are dayly waiting on the Human frame..." Speaking of a Captain Osborn, he adds, "The recommendation you gave...will give him a place in my esteem...I will reccomend him to those of my acquaintance that have money but for my own part I have none, having spent the time in the service of my country, that I might have provided for myself, and that country is ungreatfull enough to allow, or at least to pay me nothing for my services. Our assembly [Virginia] gave the officers certificatyes for two years pay, which was to be paid out of the money arising form the sales of the confiscated property, but those fellows who have deserted their country [loyalists], and by the Laws have forfited their estates, have left behind enough to have them remited when condemned - our assembly have made an act to raise three thousand men, and to give a bounty of forty dollars and cloath them - this would have been sufficient to have raised the men, could they have any hopes of being cloathed and paid, but their being so strongly deceived, that they have no faith in publick promises, and the officers spirits are so much broken that they dont, nor wont, exert themselves upon the whole. I see little prospect to fill our line, or indeed to make any progress toward it." He condemns the assembly and others who have been paid "very liberally out of the publick treasury, but when they talk about the army they say they ought to be paid, but that the people are not able to pay a tax sufficient to pay them..." Morgan will soon "totally exhaust my fund[s]...I find myself going very thirsty, my cloath are nearly wore out, and my laurels fade." On hearing that Greene is to receive cloathing for his army, he concludes: "could I not...be considered as part of that army, and be equipt with a suit of cloath, it would be needless [to] mention particulars for I [need] everything from top to toe."
"I FIND MYSELF GOING VERY RUSTY, MY CLOATH ARE NEARLY WORE OUT, AND MY LAURELS FADE"
The retired hero of Saratoga and Cowpens complains to his former commander of back pay owed him and the soldiers of the Continental army: "...It give[s] me great pleasure to find you are still in the Land of the Living...in that country accident & changes are dayly waiting on the Human frame..." Speaking of a Captain Osborn, he adds, "The recommendation you gave...will give him a place in my esteem...I will reccomend him to those of my acquaintance that have money but for my own part I have none, having spent the time in the service of my country, that I might have provided for myself, and that country is ungreatfull enough to allow, or at least to pay me nothing for my services. Our assembly [Virginia] gave the officers certificatyes for two years pay, which was to be paid out of the money arising form the sales of the confiscated property, but those fellows who have deserted their country [loyalists], and by the Laws have forfited their estates, have left behind enough to have them remited when condemned - our assembly have made an act to raise three thousand men, and to give a bounty of forty dollars and cloath them - this would have been sufficient to have raised the men, could they have any hopes of being cloathed and paid, but their being so strongly deceived, that they have no faith in publick promises, and the officers spirits are so much broken that they dont, nor wont, exert themselves upon the whole. I see little prospect to fill our line, or indeed to make any progress toward it." He condemns the assembly and others who have been paid "very liberally out of the publick treasury, but when they talk about the army they say they ought to be paid, but that the people are not able to pay a tax sufficient to pay them..." Morgan will soon "totally exhaust my fund[s]...I find myself going very thirsty, my cloath are nearly wore out, and my laurels fade." On hearing that Greene is to receive cloathing for his army, he concludes: "could I not...be considered as part of that army, and be equipt with a suit of cloath, it would be needless [to] mention particulars for I [need] everything from top to toe."