Lieutenant Colonel Van Cortlandt’s Complaint

Posted on July 15, 2026

Lieutenant Colonel Van Cortlandt’s Complaint

In July 1776, Lieutenant Colonel Philip Van Cortlandt was feeling aggrieved. Despite his faithful service for more than a year in the Continental Army, he was still only a lieutenant colonel, while others around him were promoted. Even today, it can be frustrating watching colleagues being promoted over your head, but in the 18th century it was an even more serious matter. In a letter written at Ticonderoga on July 15, 1776—250 years ago today—Van Cortlandt explained why. 

Van Cortlandt’s letter was written to Robert R. Livingston, a friend and New York delegate to the Continental Congress. He begins with an explanation: “I am informed of Sundry Gentlemen (who were Capts in the Second and Third N. Y. Regts last Year) applying for Regts… And that Some of them have Succeeded… Those Gentlemen were [commanded] by me formerly and now Order’d to this place where I must in my present Situation be Commanded by [them].”  

The 18th-century concept of military seniority dictated that relative rank should be maintained when it came to promotions. Captains being promoted directly to the rank of colonel while Van Cortlandt remained only a lieutenant colonel broke these rules. As most officers would, he took this as a slight to his honor. Failing to promote him implied an insult to his character, especially as most other field officers who had served in the New York Line in 1775 had been promoted. He asks Congress, “If they thought me fit to Command these Genlemen last Year, why not this?” 

Van Cortlandt is polite in his letter and “Apologize[s] for the Trouble” his request to bring his case before Congress may cause. However, he makes the stakes clear: “I shall be under the Disagreeable Necessaty of Resigning my Command if I am Superceeded, Even Degraded without Assigning any Reason.” While it took several months, Congress did satisfy Van Cortlandt’s honor; on November 21, he was promoted. He served as colonel of the 2nd New York Regiment for the rest of the war and even received a brevet promotion to brigadier general in 1783. 

Learn about this letter (object ID MS.2086) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/30091