From George Washington to George Clinton, 5 February 1780
To George Clinton
⟨Head Qrs Morris Town Feby 5. 1780⟩
D. Sir
I think it my ⟨duty to transmit⟩ Your Excellency the inclos⟨ed Representation⟩ and Request from sund⟨ry Officers⟩ in your line, which I re⟨ceived Two⟩ days ago.1 The Objects a⟨re of a⟩ delicate and interesting ⟨nature⟩ and such I am persuaded ⟨as will⟩ have, if they have not alread⟨y had⟩ it, the attention they deserve⟨. From⟩ the conversation and expostu⟨lations⟩ I had with the Gentlemen who p⟨resented⟩ the paper and the information ⟨I⟩ have otherwise derived, I fear ther⟨e⟩ is reason to apprehend that the line will receive a severe shock by Resignations if something is n⟨ot⟩ done to relieve the Officers. The⟨y profess the⟩ greatest disinclination to ⟨injure the⟩ service and proposed conti⟨nuing as⟩ Voluntiers2 till Other Officers could ⟨be appoi⟩nted, but I told them this was ⟨not admi⟩ssible3 and they seem for the ⟨present⟩ to have suspended the execution ⟨of the⟩ir plan and which they had the more unad⟨vise⟩dly fixed to a day. I should be happy ⟨if⟩ the State have it in their power to make ⟨the⟩m more comfortable & contented with ⟨th⟩eir situation.4 I have the Honor to be with the most perfect respect & esteem Your Excellency’s Most Obedt servant
Go: Washington
LS (mutilated), in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, N-Ar: George Clinton Papers; DfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The text in angle brackets, where the LS is mutilated, is taken from the draft, which also is in Harrison’s writing.
2. At this place on the draft, Harrison wrote “with the Regiments” but did not include those words on the LS.
3. Harrison’s original version of the draft did not include the foregoing twenty-eight words, which he added in a revised version of the second half of the draft.
4. Clinton replied on 10 March, notifying GW that the New York legislature had the issue of “a more suitable Provision” for the officers under discussion (DLC:GW). Clinton had already presented the legislature with an earlier memorial from the officers. Acting on that memorial, the legislature on 16 Feb. asked Clinton to write to the commander of the New York brigade with assurances that the delegates held “a high Sense of their Services; that they have paid a due Attention to their Memorial: And, that they are now devising Ways and Means to provide them with Clothing and Necessaries, and to make them a suitable Compensation at the Conclusion of the War” (, 58, 72–73).