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Col. Albert Pawling |
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Col. Albert Pawling |
COL. ALBERT PAWLING. Col. Pawling was a native of Dutchess Co., N. Y., and a son of Col. Levi Pawling, an officer of the American army. Col. Albert Pawling also joined the army as second lieutenant in a regiment commanded by Col. James Clinton and went to Canada, where he served under Montgomery in the fatal expedition of 1776. In 1776 he was appointed a brigade major under Gen. George Clinton. As such he served till 1777, when he was made a major in one of the sixteen additional regiments under Col. William Malcolm. Under a mistaken view of the situation in 1779 he sent in his resignation, which the following letter from Washington could not induce him to recall. The original is in the library of the Young Men's Association of Troy:
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"Headquarters, Middlebrook, "Sir, - In your letter of the 25th ult., you seem to have misconceived the intentions of Congress, upon which is founded your application for leave to resign. It is not their purpose to reduce Col. Malcolm's regiment. This will be incorporated with Col. Spencer's, and as you are the only major in the two regiments, of course you will be continued. After considering the just claims which the country has on good officers, I am persuaded you will suspend your application. " I am Sir, |
Col. Pawling afterwards served as colonel of a regiment of Swiss raised to protect the New York frontier.
Pawling Avenue perpetuates his memory in the city of his adoption.
