To George Washington from George Clinton, 31 October 1780
From George Clinton
Pokeepsie [N.Y.] Octr 31st 1780
Dear Sir.
I have to acknowlege the Receipt of your Excellency’s circular Letter of the 18th Instant covering a Return of the Troops credited to this State1 and also your Letter of the 21st enclosing Mr Duer’s letter with the Information respecting Mr Thos Smith.2
The Legislature previous to their rising provided for the completion of the quota of contl Troops of this State during the War, and charged me with the execution of it whenever it should be ascertained what were the number to be raised by this State.3
By the new Arrangement of the Army, a Copy of which has been transmitted me by the President, the Quota assigned this State is two Regiments of Infantry & one of Artillery.4 From the Return transmitted me by your Excellency it would appear that our Deficiency is three hundred & thirteen: But lest I may have misapprehended the Return or erred in my calculation I wish to have the number ascertained by your Excellency before I issue my Orders for raising the Men; especially as they are to be apportioned to the different Counties, and any mistake in the aggregate Number would be productive of Embarrassment and Delay. The Moment I am favored with your Excellency’s Answer on this Subject the Business will be commenced and I have little Doubt that it will be effected in due Season.5 I am unhappy to find that Congress have left an opening for temporary Inlistments in their new Arrangement—Experience has taught us that there are States who will avail themselves of it; by which Means our hopes of a permanent Army will be defeated.
I will deliver the Information respecting Mr Smith to the Commissioners for Detecting Conspiracies who will be able to make such Enquiries as to ascertain the Truth of it—at any rate it may be proper to direct his removal from his present Residence.6
Since writing the above I received the enclosed Information from Genl Ten Broeck & I have in consequence ordered out a considerable body of Militia to that quarter7—Gansevoort’s Regiment is properly situated to aid in opposing the Enemy.8 I have the honor to be with great Respect & Esteem Your Excellency’s most Obedt Servant
Geo: Clinton
LS, DLC:GW; Df (partially burned), N-Ar: Clinton Papers.
1. See Circular to the States, 18 Oct., and n.1.
2. William Duer investigated Joshua Hett Smith’s brother Thomas (see Documents IX and XIII with The Smith Family and Major General Benedict Arnold’s Treachery, 26 Sept.–30 Oct., editorial note).
3. For this act, adopted the day before the New York legislature adjourned on 10 Oct., see Alexander McDougall to GW, 30 Oct., and notes 2 and 3.
4. Samuel Huntington, president of Congress, had written state executives from Philadelphia on 26 Oct. and enclosed the act adopted on 21 Oct. to reform the Continental army. Huntington’s letter closed: “You will receive from the Commander in Chief the proper returns to ascertain the Deficiencies of Troops in the respective States.
“It may not be improper to add, that the inclosed resolution was adopted in Consequence of a Letter from the Commander in Chief expressing his Sentiments on the Subject in pressing & explicit Terms” (, 16:263; see also Huntington to GW, 26 Oct., and n.1 to that document, and General Orders, 1 Nov.).
5. GW supplied the figure required to satisfy New York’s troop quota when he replied to Clinton on 6 Nov. (first letter).
6. Commissioners for detecting conspiracies had operated in New York since early in the war.
7. The enclosed information presumably referenced letters that Col. Lewis Van Woert wrote Brig. Gen. Abraham Ten Broeck from Cambridge, N.Y., on 28 Oct., and Ten Broeck wrote Clinton from Albany on 29 and 30 Oct., regarding enemy movements along the New York frontier. Only Van Woert’s letter to Ten Broeck is in DLC:GW (see also , 6:344–45).
Ten Broeck’s letter to Clinton dated 30 Oct. reads: “I wrote your Excellency yesterday, since which I have Received accounts which seem to Contradict those of Col. Van-Woert sent you. The enemy had not Landed but are Still near Skeensborough; whether they will come into the Country is uncertain. I have Countermanded the Orders Issued in Consequence of Col. Van Woert’s Information, and directed the whole Brigade to be ready to march at the Shortest notice” (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, 6:350–51; see also , 6:344). Clinton wrote Ten Broeck from Poughkeepsie on 31 Oct. at 9:00 a.m.: “I have this moment rec’d your Letter of yesterday with the enclosed Intelligence of the return of the enemy to the northw’d. I approve your Conduct on the occasion and wish that the Regts. you have ordered out, may be forwarded without the least Delay.
“Nothwithstand’g the Conduct of the People on the Grants, I wish every Protection in the Power of the State may be afforded them ag’t the common Enemy. You will be pleased to forward to me by Express, every material account you receive of the Enemy’s Progress that I may take the necessary measures accordingly” (, 6:356).
8. Col. Peter Gansevoort’s 3d New York Regiment had marched to protect Crown Point, N.Y. (see Clinton to GW, 30 Oct.; see also Clinton to Ebenezer Russell, 26 Oct., in , 6:339).