From George Washington to George Clinton, 18 May 1780

To George Clinton

Morris-Town May 18th 1780

Dear Sir,

I have the happiness to inform your Excellency, that the Marquis De la Fayette has brought the interesting intelligence of a French fleet & Army which was to Sail from France early in April for the Continent, to co-operate with us. He is gone on to Congress, and measures will, it is to be hoped, be immediately taken by them to put ourselves in a situation to derive the advantage from this succour, which with proper exertion, we have a right to expect.1

You will be sensible that there will be a necessity for the concurrence of the Legislatures of the different States in providing men and supplies. As I am informed your Assembly is now sitting, and may probably be about rising; and as the determination of Congress may not arrive in time to prevent its adjournment, I have thought it proper to give this intimation in confidence that you may keep them together. If they once seperate it will be impossible to re-assemble them in time to answer our purposes; and it is of infinite importance that they should be Assembled.2

As this anticipates Congress, it is of course only intended for your private information, and is not to be officially made use of to the Assembly.

In the intended co-operation, to whatever point it may be directed, we shall stand in need of all the continental force we can collect. On this principle, I wish to have the regiment at Fort Schuyler relieved; and shall be glad your Excellency will be pleased to order two hundred and fifty men, of the 800 raised by permission of Congress, as speedily as possible, to that Post.3 I propose to leave Lieutt Colo. Van Dycke and some good Sergeants in the garrison to arrange the New Corps, & perform the duties with vigilance & propriety. It is my wish that the Officer who commands the 250 Men should be inferior in rank to Lt Colo. Van Dycke, as he is, I am told, an attentive deligent4 Officer, and the command may be safely reposed in him. I am with the greatest respt & affection Yr Excellys Most Obedt & Hble Servt

Go: Washington

ALS, PWacD: Sol Feinstone Collection, on deposit at PPAmP; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW considered this letter “confidential” (see GW to Clinton, 23–24 May).

1. For the expanded powers that Congress gave the Committee at Headquarters and GW, see GW to James Duane, 14 May, n.1, and Samuel Huntington to GW, 20 May, n.1.

On 19 May, Congress sent a circular to the states to ask for money and supplies now that the French king was “preparing to send a powerful Naval & Land force” (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 15:154–56; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 17:438–41).

2. At GW’s request, New York delegate Philip Schuyler had written Clinton from Morristown on 15 May. Referring to the cooperation with French forces, Schuyler advised that “a common friend of ours has wished me to Communicate thus much, with the Express view that the legislature may not seperate until they hear from Congress on the Subject” (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 , 5:708–10).

Clinton had issued a proclamation on 22 April to convene the New York legislature on 9 May, but the required quorum was not reached until 25 May (see N.Y. Assembly Proc, 25 May–2 July 1780, 157; see also Clinton to GW, 21 May, n.6).

3. On 11 March, the New York legislature had passed a law to raise militia for frontier defense on the condition that Congress “pay & subsist them.” The law stipulated that the militia would serve until 1 Dec. (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 , 5:556–58, 600–602; see also Huntington to GW, 6 April, and GW to Clinton, 12 April). In a resolution adopted on 4 April, Congress authorized New York officials to raise 800 “militia for the defence of that State; and that they be entitled to receive continental pay and rations, and be employed under the direction of the Commander in Chief of the continental army for that purpose” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 16:327–28). On 24 May, Clinton advised Col. Goose Van Schaick of GW’s directive to send 250 levies to Fort Schuyler and requested preparations to march the men (see 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 , 5:752–53). For orders countermanding the march of the levies and directing the 1st New York Regiment to remain at the fort, see GW to Clinton, 23–24 May; see also GW to Van Schaick, 19 May.

4. GW wrote the previous six words on the draft.

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You Are Looking At

Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to George Clinton, 18 May 1780
Author: Washington, George
Recipient: Clinton, George
Date: 18 May 1780

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to George Clinton, 18 May 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-26-02-0055. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 26, 13 May–4 July 1780, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins and Adrina Garbooshian-Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2018, pp. 78–79.]

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