From George Washington to John Jay, 20 July 1779
To John Jay
Head Quarters New Windsor 20th July 1779
Sir,
I had the honor to receive your Excellency’s letter of the 13th, with the copies of the letters to which it refers. The British Cabinet may have planned the expedition which Messrs Lee & Johnson mention, but I cannot think that it will ever be executed.1 Perhaps the orders upon the occasion, were not so pointed as not to be dispensed with; and that the late2 expedition up the Sound was adopted as more eligible.3 If the plan however is pursued—Congress may rely—that I shall use my best endeavours to defeat it—or to avail myself of any opportunities it may give of distressing the enemy.4 I have the honor to be With the greatest respect Yr Excellencys Most Obet, servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS.
1. For the letters from Arthur Lee and Joshua Johnson reporting British plans to raid the interior of Connecticut, see Jay to GW, 13 July, n.1.
2. At this place on the draft manuscript, which is in the writing of GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison, these words are written and then struck out: “movements and devastations on the sound.”
3. For the British raids on Connecticut in early July, see GW to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 7 July, source note.
4. At this place on the draft manuscript, Harrison wrote and then struck out the words “in another quarter.”