To George Washington from Major General Johann Kalb, 29 March 1780
From Major General Johann Kalb
Springfield [N.J.] March 29th 1780.
Sir
Considering the Subject your Excellency have been pleased to lay before the Council of yesterday,1 our forces in all the parts of the United states compared with those of the Enemy, the Situation on both Sides and on our back Settlements with Several other Circumstances.
It is my opinion that no Troops can be spared to be Sent to S. Carolina from this Army, it might be attended with many inconveniencies without producing any good effect.
The length of time a march of 900 Miles would require, the losses the Troops must of necessity Suffer by desertion and Sickness, and in all probability they could not arrive but at the Season When the Armies go into Quarters in that Climat, and after the Enemies must, either have failed in their attempt, be repulsed from, or possessed of Charlestown. for if they do not Succeed between this time and the begining of July they will not be able to carry their point, because it is to be hoped that Gl Lincoln will have obtained the necessary reinforcement, from the adjacent States. On the other hand the Enemies might come back to New York, collect all their forces there to Strike a Blow on the North River which might prove more fatal to the Confederation then any operation to the Southward. I have the honor to be with the highest Respect Your Excellency’s most obedient and very humble servant
The Baron de Kalb
ALS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
Kalb also wrote GW from Springfield on this date, Wednesday, at 2:00 P.M.: “There is nothing new in these Quarters but a confirmation by Mr Caldwell of what I mentioned to your Excellency before this of the Enemies prepar[a]tions on Staten Island, of Simcoe’s pressing the inhabitants and their Teams on Sunday evening, Mr Caldwell thinks it is the high wind that prevented their coming over yesterday. he Adds—It Seems pretty certain that Lord Roden [Rawdon-Hastings] & three Regts are ordered to Carolina” (ALS, MH: Dearborn Collection). British forces had been ordered to Charleston, S.C., on 23 March. They sailed southward in early April (see , 136–37; see also James Robertson to Henry Clinton, 29 March, in , 84–88).
1. See Council of War, 27 March, and the source note to that document.