A 1779 letter is one of the few surviving examples of writing by Samuel Jordan Cabell.  He was 22, had been a major for less than a year, and was already making his case for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. With the resignation of several lieutenant colonels the prior spring, Samuel and his commanding officers believed he was entitled to the promotion to fill a vacancy, given prior protocols.

An undated 18th Century document listing the Field Officers of the Virgina Line, shows that someone already considered to be a Lieutenant Colonel. The document is amended with scratch outs. In the list of majors, Samuel Jordan Cabell’s name is crossed out and a new name added. Above in the list of Lt Colonels, Holt Richardson’s name is scratch out, with “resigned” noted. Samuel Jordan Cabell’s name is written to the right as a Lieutenant Colonel, commissioned on May 12, 1779.

Apparently, the promotion was assumed to be final too soon by Samuel and his superiors Colonel Davies and Generals Woodford and Muhlenberg. The officers understood vacancies would be filled by those below. The Continental Congress, however, seems to have informed the commander in chief that fewer field officers were needed in the Virginia Line since it had been reduced. Rules for promoting those held captive were also being addressed.

Samuel Cabell wrote his letter on August 17, 1779 from “Rammapau”, New Jersey (present day Ramapo). He addressed his petition to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison, General Washington’s military secretary and de facto chief of staff. Harrison, in his service in Headquarters had become close friends with fellow aid de camp, Alexander Hamilton. He called the young officer “the little lion”. Hamilton in turn called Harrison, “the old secretary”, likely with affection.

Cabell’s respectful request for promotion to Harrison for “his Excellency’s” consideration included the endorsements from Colonel Davies and Generals Muhlenberg and Woodford, and references several resignations, one of which he felt was his to fill. He had the audacity to ask for a quick reply, regretting any inconvenience this petition will cause the commander in chief, and notes – perhaps in a play for sympathy – that his 800 men have been reduced to foraging full time for their subsistence.

Excerpts from the National Archives of the full correspondence follow.

One of these letters from Cabell to Robert Hanson Harrison, dated 17 Aug. at “Rammapau,” N.J., reads: “I am exceedingly sorry that circumstances and the rep⟨eat⟩ed applications of the officers of the Regiment—where the Vacancy happen’d for me—Obliges me to request the favour of you—to lay the Certificate that I obtained respecting my Claim to the rank of Lt Colo. Signed by Colo. Davies, and Countersigned by Genls Woodford & Muhlenberg, before His Excellency, and give me the earliest Notice of the resu⟨lt⟩.

“Since I obtained the Certificate—I am info⟨rmed⟩ Lt Cols. Richardson[,] Ballard—Cropper & Fleming have resigned—which brings me in and leaves Vacancies for the field officers that are prisoners. The Determination of the Board of Field Officers of the Virga Line for Setting and filling the Vacancies of the said Line—as follows—That all Vacancies should be filled as th⟨ey⟩ happened by the Officers present—and in case—The Offic⟨ers⟩ who are now Prisoners, and entitled to Promotion—should be exchanged—the Junior Officers of the same rank (should the Officers so exchanged—express their desire of continuing) ⟨mutilated⟩ Retire—I would have sent you the Arrangement but Colonel Davies’s Absence prevents me—If my applicati⟨on⟩ should be thought just—by His Excellency—I will ⟨consi⟩der it as a particular favour if you will forward my Appointment—I assure you—Sir—It gives me infinite pain, that I am compelled to mention the Subject, at ⟨mutilated⟩ Season—as I would wish to be active—and perhaps it m⟨mutilated⟩ give ⟨mutilated⟩ Excellency some Trouble—No interesting News preval⟨ent⟩ in our Camp—Our Troops are continually employed in procuring Forrage—800 Men are Ordered on a forraging party—thus you see how our time is employed” (DNA, RG 93).

The certificate signed by Col. William Davies and brigadier generals Peter Muhlenberg and William Woodford, dated 19 June at “Camp Smith Clove,” reads: “We do hereby Certify that its our opinion that Major Saml Jordan Cabell of the 10th Virginia regiment is entitled to rank as lieutenant-Colonel from the resignation of Lt Colo. West July 6th 1778, and not from Lt Colonel Richardson, as he was entitled to the rank of Lt Colo. some time before the reduction of regiments took place in the Virginia line.

“The reason of his not being arranged as Lt Colo. at the White plains, was to prevent his being a Supernumerary, as he would have been one of the youngest of that rank, which by the settlement of the Board of Field officers of that line, would have excluded him from the Line, and made him a Supernumerary—in order to prevent which he ⟨illegible⟩ to continue as Major—Capt. Knox of the 8th Virginia regiment was promoted to the rank of Majr upon the principle of Major Cabells being a Lt Colo. and was considered as Major from the above mentioned Date—the resignation of Lieut. Colo. Richardson now makes a Vacancy for him as Lt Colo. in the Virga Line.” A note on the document, in a different hand, reads: “Note—Majr Cabells promotion must be in the 5th Regt vacant by Lt Colo Richardsons resignation.” Harrison docketed the letter: “received—24 at night” (DNA, RG 93).

Chapter 11 A Reply from the Commander

Works Consulted
  • George Washington to Major Samuel Jordan Cabell, 26 August 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-22-02-0204. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 22, 1 August–21 October 1779, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2013, pp. 260–262