Feddeman, Joseph (fl. 1776) to Henry Knox
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00316 Author/Creator: Feddeman, Joseph (fl. 1776) Place Written: Fort Montgomery Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 26 May 1776 Pagination: 1p.+addr. 32.7 cm. x 20.7 cm. Order a Copy
Captain Burbeck's company collectively write to their commander to inform him of their ill treatment and poor conditions at Fort Montgomery. They seek relief from duty there. Knox had detached Burbeck's company to assist in the campaign against Canada.
Captain Edward Burbeck's birth and death dates vary according to different sources. While most report that he was born in 1740 and died in 1783, some also report that he was born in 1738 and died in 1782.
[draft]
Fort Montegomery May ye 26 1776
We the Petitioners to the ever Honnoured [sic] Henry Knox Esqr. Coll. in Chief of the Regimts of the Royal american artillery We Being Now under the Spetial Command of Lieut. John Briant Now in Fort Montegomery take this oppertunity to Rite to you to inform you of our ill Treatment and yousage we have Met with Sence we have Landed in this Place it Being a willderness and Mountagies Land our Provitions Being all intirely Salt which you Know is Hurtfull to Mens Constitutions. Not haveing any [Fresh] to Revive and Nourish our Spirits their not being any Milk Nor any Such thing to Be had to Nurrish A Poor Soldier with For [Love] Nor Money we have had a great Cumfort until ToDay and that is in haveing good Barraks But to Day they turned us out of them into a room that is Most PerDegious Lowsey But we are Determined to Build us a boath in the Desest woods and By that Means to Prevent that Shocking Disaster For Very well you know that their is No Such Disgrace to a Soldier that takes any Pride in himself as I hope all under your Command Do as Being Lowsey theirfour We hope your Honnour will Be kind a Knough to Send us a releaf and take us at home to york As now we think the Fortnight all Most Compleated in which the adjutant Promised us that we Should Be relieved and knowing that your honnour By the treatment we Recieved Whilst in york had More Regard For your Men that are under your than to Let Suffer as we are in a Likely way to Do if we Tarry any Longer in this Most Deplorible garrison what men their was of us are Now Devided and one half Sent up to Fort Constitution and I intend to inform you of the iluseage they Recieved when they First went their [two] of them happened to go to DivineServic and through a mistake Went into aseat Where their was an officer alone and Being ignorant was Put Immediately under guard By Coll. [Leviston] But Coll. Nicolson Soon Releaced them and to have men Confind upon So Simple accation as that was [inserted: is a [text loss]] and to Conclude hopeing your honnour will [Exquese] our Bad Conduct Honnourable [Esquir] and Coll. I Remain your Most obedient and humble Servant Joseph Feddeman a Mattross in Capt Burbecks Company
[address leaf]
To
The Honourable Henry Knox Esqr
Colonel in Chief of the Regmt. of Artillery
In New York
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.