To George Washington from Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg, 8 August 1780
From Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg
Fredericksburg [Va.] August the 8th 1780
Sir
By this days post I was honord with Your Excellencys Letter, directed to Major Genl Gates, or in his Absence to me—containing the Arrangement of the Officers, belonging to Colo. Gists Regiment.1 Enclosd I do myself the Honor to transmit Your Excellency The Bill for raising the 3000 New Levies;2 and likewise a Letter I have just receivd from General Gates.3 I shall set out in the Morning for Chesterfield Court house, in order to send in such of the Old Soldiers as are there at present. As some of the Officers were om⟨itted⟩ in the first Return I had the Honor to tr⟨ansmit⟩ Your Excellency,4 I have since arangd them to their Old Battallions as far as possible. I have the Honor to be with great Respect Your Excellencys Most Obedt hble Servt
P: Muhlenberg
ALS, DLC:GW.
2. The printed, undated “ACT for speedily RECRUITING the QUOTA of this STATE for the continental army” is in DLC:GW (filed with the 1780 no-date documents). The Virginia general assembly passed the act on 12 July (see Thomas Jefferson to GW, 2 July, n.4). For the call for these troops, see GW to the Committee at Headquarters, 25 May, and n.5.
3. The enclosed letter from Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates to Muhlenberg, dated 21 July at Hillsborough, N.C., reads: “The declining state of the regular force in this Department, has induced me to hasten the march of the Scattered remains of your line. I hope much from the industry of the officers appointed to collect them and can foresee but few obstacles in their immediate preparation for coming forward. In the article of cloathing, hunting shirts, over-alls & shoes will be sufficient, there’s little else wanted in this climate—and all woolen cloaths, I should consider as incumbrence. To Buford’s, Gibson’s & Brents Regiments you will attach such soldiers as may belong to the several corps taken in Charlestown & placing the whole (which I suppose will not exceed one full Regiment) under the eldest Officers in each rank, order them to proceed immediately to the Head Quarters of the Southern Department” (DLC:GW).
4. See Muhlenberg to GW, 4 July.