From George Washington to Colonel Theodorick Bland, 21 May 1779
To Colonel Theodorick Bland
Hd Qrs [Middlebrook] May 21st 1779
Sir
Inclosed is an order of Congress of the 7th instant.1 You will be pleased to take immediate measures for the execution of its objects. I have forwarded a copy to Lt Col. Washington for his government on this occasion.2
I would suppose it is not intended by the resolve that you should leave the command at Charlotte Ville. I am sir &c.
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW sent this letter under cover of his letter of 22 May to the Board of War.
1. Determining that the troops in South Carolina and Georgia should be reinforced “without delay,” Congress had resolved on 7 May to send Bland’s and Col. George Baylor’s regiments of light dragoons to their assistance. The resolves specified that “the colonels of those regiments be authorized and enabled to engage as many men as they have horses and accoutrements to equip,” and that “the commanding officer of Colonel Baylor’s regiment of light dragoons, be directed to order as many of the mounted men of the said regiment as Colonel Bland has spare horses for, to join Colonel Bland without delay: That the said commanding officer be directed to detach all the mounted and equipped men of the said regiment, under officers proportioned to the number of men, to join Colonel Bland’s regiment, and proceed therewith to reinforce the southern army” (, 14:559–60).