From John Jay to George Washington, 27 July 1779

To George Washington

Philadelphia 27th July 1779—

Sir

The Success of the Enterprize against Stoney-Point was splendid & important—1 It has added another Laurel to your wreath, and given a grateful Country a fresh opportunity of presenting You their Thanks for the vigilance, Wisdom, & Magnanimity, with which their Arms have been conducted— I have now the Honor of conveying them expressed in the enclosed Act of Congress— Prudence forbids me to indulge my feelings or my Pen on this interesting Occasion lest in their warmth too little attention might be paid to the delicacy blended with the virtues they wish to celebrate— Permit me however most sincerely to assure You that I am With the greatest Respect & Esteem Your Excellency’s most Obedient and Humble Servant—

LbkC, DNA: PCC, item 14, 154–55 (EJ: 1448). This letter was dispatched to Washington in accordance with the unanimous resolution of Congress, 26 July 1779, to thank him for the “vigilance, wisdom and magnanimity, with which he hath conducted the military operations.” JCC description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends , 14: 887.

1. On 16 July 1779, General Anthony Wayne recaptured Stony Point on the west bank of the Hudson, twelve miles below West Point. On 26 July, Congress voted Wayne a resolution of thanks, awarded medals to Wayne and the two officers who led the assault, and conferred brevet promotions on three other officers under Wayne’s command (LDC description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds., Letters of Delegates to the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (26 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1976–98) description ends , 13: 298–99; JCC description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends , 14: 887, 890–91). See JJ’s congratulatory letter to Wayne of this date, ALS, PHi: Society Collection and Wayne Papers, 7: 70 (EJ: 1115, 1167); LbkC, DNA: PCC, item 14, 155 (EJ: 1449), and Wayne’s response of 10 Aug., NJMo (EJ: 2833). JJ also sent congratulatory letters to Lieutenant Colonel François Louis de Fleury, Major John Stewart, and Lieutenants James Gibbons and George Knox, LbkCs in DNA: PCC, item 14, 156–57 (EJ: 1450–1453).

Index Entries

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Jay Papers
Title: From John Jay to George Washington, 27 July 1779
Author: Jay, John
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 27 July 1779

Reference

Cite as: “From John Jay to George Washington, 27 July 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jay/01-01-02-0391. [Original source: The Selected Papers of John Jay, vol. 1, 1760–1779, ed. Elizabeth M. Nuxoll. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2010, pp. 653–654.]

More between these correspondents