From George Washington to George Clinton, 28 June 1779

To George Clinton

Head Quarters New Windsor June 28th 1779

Dr Sir,

I have the honor to inclose you an extract from my letter of the 21st to Genl Sullivan by which you will perceive I have informed him that Lieut. Col. Pauling with a part of his command will join Genl Clinton at Ononquaga and proceed on the ulterior operations of the expedition.1 As you left the matter to my determination whether the party should return or proceed on the western service after effecting the primary object2—I have preferred the latter as the safest. By some intelligence from Canada received through Col. Hazen concurring with what Col. Van Schaick communicated some time since, it is said that 1500 Men were sent early in the spring to the posts on the Lakes.3 Though I do not give intire credit to this account, yet as it may be true, I am willing to strengthen the expedition as much as possible, to avoid an accident. I am to request your Excellency will give directions to Lt Col. Pauling accordingly.4 I have the honor to be With the greatest respect & esteem Sir Yr Most Obet, servant

Go: Washington

LS, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, NNPM; Df, DLC:GW; copy, enclosed in GW to John Jay, 15 Aug. 1779, DNA:PCC, item 166; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to Clinton at Poughkeepsie, New York.

1. The enclosed extract of the letter from GW to John Sullivan on 21 June consisted of the entire first paragraph and the second paragraph except for its final two sentences.

2. GW is referring to a proposed operation against Indians and Loyalists at Shandaken, N.Y. (see Clinton to GW, 18 May).

3. The communications from Col. Moses Hazen and Col. Goose Van Schaick have not been identified.

4. Continental levies under Lt. Col. Albert Pawling were delayed from joining Brig. Gen. James Clinton for the campaign against the Six Nations by a lack of funds for outfitting and an attack on Minisink in Orange County, N.Y. (see George Clinton to GW, 1 July, and n.3 to that document; Pawling to George Clinton, 22 and 24 July, and George Clinton to Pawling, same dates, in Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:150–51, 160–61). George Clinton voiced his frustration to Nathan Ker in a letter of 30 July, written at Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: “The Levies under Colo. Pawling are by the Direction of his Excellency Genl. Washington under marching Orders, & as I have reason to believe they will move very soon, I cannot, therefore, take upon me to order any Part of them to Minisinck, especially as in Consequence of a Letter written by the Legislature to our Delegates in Congress, they are taken into the Pay of the Continent & of Course are subject to the Orders of the Commander in Chief. . . . The Source of our present Missfortunes is the uncountable Delay of Genl. Sulivan at Wyoming; we have had every Reason to expect that long before this he woud have been with his Army in the Heart of the Enemy’s Country & all our Measures have been calculated to facilitate his Movements & Cooperate with him, which has unavoidably left our Frontier more exposed than it otherwise woud have been, as it has occasioned our collecting our Troops from their former Stations to certain Points” (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:164–66; see also Ker to George Clinton, 29 July, in Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:162–63). For Pawling’s failure to rendezvous with James Clinton, see GW to George Clinton, 3 Aug. (NHi), and George Clinton to GW, 31 Aug. and 1 Sept. (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:244–48, 252–53); see also George Clinton to Pawling, 5 Aug. (Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:181–83), and GW to John Sullivan, 3 Sept. (NhHi).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to George Clinton, 28 June 1779
Author: Washington, George
Recipient: Clinton, George
Date: 28 June 1779

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to George Clinton, 28 June 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-21-02-0237. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 21, 1 June–31 July 1779, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2012, pp. 290–291.]

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