From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 5 July 1779
To Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Head Quarters New Windsor 5th July 1779
Dr Sr
I have received your letter of this day1 and have issued a General order for regulating the manner in which Cloathing is to be drawn for the Infantry—I have also directed a Briga⟨de⟩ Qr Master Forage Master & Conductor to be appointed. though I have not assigned the duty of Clothier to the first. If it should be found necessary it may be done hereafter. I have appointed the regimental Qr Masters to do the duty of Regimental Clothiers and to observe the same rules and forms which they are bound to observe.2
I agree perfectly with you as to the importance of dress and it is my intention that the Infantry shall have a pretty full supply—But after all our circumstances must govern and it might have an ill effect to make too great a difference between the infantry and the troops of the line at large. I shall direct the Clothier to endeavour to complete you to a hat or a cap, one Blanket, two shirts, one p. of overalls & one p. of Shoes $ man & a small quantity of thread & needles—More than this cannot be afforded—I have not given an order on the returns you inclose, because the matter may be at once taken up in the established mode which is analogous to the practice in the line.
I shall remind the Quarter Master Genl about sending you a Boat and direct the Commissary to keep you as well supplied as he can with rum.3 But the misfortune is our stock of this article is very scanty.4
I shall speak to Baron Steuben about the regulations—I believe he has not enough ready to give a full supply; but he may perhaps spare a few more than he has done—one to each field Officer and one to each Captain.
I expect to have the pleasure of seeing you in the morning5 and am Dr Sir, with great regard Yr Most Obet, servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, PHi: Wayne Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to “Brigr Genl Wayne at Fort Montgomery” in Meade’s writing. This cover was offered for sale by Alexander Autographs, Stamford, Conn., in June 2008. Material from a mutilated portion of the LS has been supplied in angle brackets from the draft manuscript.
1. This letter has not been found. For the draft of this letter, dated 4 July, see Wayne to GW, that date.
2. An extract of the general orders for this date, complete except for the parole and countersigns, is in PHi: Wayne Papers. Material related to the light infantry appears under the heading “After Orders.”
3. Wayne’s draft letter does not mention rum. He evidently added this request to the letter sent GW (see n.1 above).
4. For the army’s rum shortage, see GW to Alexander McDougall, 28 June, and n.1 to that document.
5. For GW’s intention to reconnoiter Stony Point, N.Y., with Wayne on 6 July, see Wayne to GW, 3 July, n.9. Capt. Allen McLane, recently transferred to Maj. Henry Lee, Jr’s., command, then operating near Stony Point, wrote in his journal entry for 6 July: “lay on the line All this day his Excllny Gl Washington reconiterrd the Ene[m]ys works” (NHi: McLane Papers).