To George Washington from Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler, 2 April 1782

As the ladies are not bound to enter into the views of military arrangements, Your Excellency, I imagine, will not be surprized that I take the liberty to trouble you with a request contrary to the order you have given for relieving the guard you have been so obliging as to allow the [Skeyler]. I found the poor fellows extremely unwilling to exchange their situation; and as several of them have large families who will be much distressed by their removal, and have been a long time with us, I wish Yr Excellency could think it convenient to let them still remain. As the greater part of them are cripples & half more small men, I should suppose that the Regiment would not lose much by their absence. One of them indeed is particularly circumstanced—he enlisted on a belief that they would be a permanent guard and remain in this part of the country, and has always been made use of as a guard to the scouting parties, in which from his knowledge of the country he has been very useful. He has a large family entirely dependant on him.

When I make this request I should be sorry Your Excellency from motives of politeness should be under any embarrassment, if you should have any particular raisons for withdrawing the present guard. I should be glad they might be permitted to continue, if there should be no inconvenience in it, but if there is, I should not wish my request to have any influence. With the greatest esteem I am Yr Excellency’s most obd servt

Catharine Schuyler