| Citation |
NYM(G.776.065
2 Sep 1776:22 (1299)
The following is the substance of an intercepted letter
written by Lieutenant Colonel Zedwitz, to William Tryon,
Esq, late Governor of New-York. After presenting his
compliments in a formal manner to Lord Howe, and begging the
contents of his letter to be explained to him, he proceeds
to profess a consciousness, that the world will censure him
for his treachery in corresponding with the enemy of those,
in whose service he had engaged: But he apologizes for
himself by appealing to the Governor, as a person who knew
he had been forced to accept his commission for fear of ruin
to himself and family; and as he had engaged through
compulsion (a most villainous lie, for he solicited for it)
from a rebellious mob, he infers, that he can be under no
obligation to conform to his engagements. Besides, this he
observes, that previous to his entrance in the Continental
Army he took the Governor's advice on the occasion, and
promised to do all he could in his new capacity, for his
Majesty's service. He next declares that ever since his
return from Canada, he had been laying plans for the
performance of his promise, and was in a fair way of doing
something, when Forbes and the mayor were detected in their
conspiracy, which obliged him to lay aside his schemes; as
Forbes had indiscreetly mentioned to the Court on his trial,
a message from Governor Tryon to him, to wit, "that he would
make his fortune, if he would execute a certain commission:"
This he says, rendered him suspected, and for the present
frustrated his designs. . . However, as an instance that he
was returning into favour, he informs the Governor that G.
W. had lately employed him to translate a paper into high
German, which was to be printed and distributed among the
Hessian troops.---He advises to keep a good look-out. In
his next paragraph he invents this abominable falshood, that
he had lately seen four villains at General W's house, with
14 bottles of a mixture as black as ink, with which they
were to poison the watering place on Staten-Island, and were
to receive a recompence of a 1000L. each from the General.
He then informs, that a person always near the General, who
was a friend to the King, though an interested one, had
offered to furnish him with weekly returns of the strength
and detail of the army till December, for the sum of 4000L.
sterling, to be paid beforehand in hard gold, --that he had
proposed a reward of 2000L. sterling, which was agreed to,
and he therefore desires (if the plan be agreeable) that the
money might be immediately conveyed to him. He concludes
with informing them that he shortly expected a full
Colonel's commission, with the command of the three forts up
the North River. The wickedness of this despicable man was
discovered by the person whom he engaged to convey his
letter. He endeavoured to debauch one Steen, who being a
German, in but indifferent circumstances and unemployed in
our service, he imagined would be a proper instrument for
his purpose. But Steen perceiving his intention, and being
an honest man and a friend to the country, only amused him
with a seeming compliance till he got his letter into his
hands, and then, without delay had it laid before the
General. Zedwitz on his trial acknowledged the letter to be
his own, but pleaded that it was intended merely as a trick
upon the enemy, to extract from them 2000L. sterling, in
lieu of certain expences he had put himself to in raising a
regiment in Germany, at the request of the Marquiss of
Granby, for which he had never been reimbursed. The verdict
of the Court martial is not yet known, but 'tis supposed he
will suffer according to the demerit of his crime.
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