George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Thomas Mifflin, 22 June 1793

From Thomas Mifflin

Philadelphia, 22 June 1793

Sir

In compliance with your request, expressed, this day in a letter from the Secretary at War, I shall, with the utmost dispatch, ascertain, and communicate to your Excellency, the state of the Little Sarah, as an armed vessel, when she entered this port as a prize to the Ambuscade; her present situation; and the changes which she has undergone since her arrival, with respect to herself, or to any additional number of Guns, Men, &c.1 I am, with perfect respect, Sir, Your most obedt Hble Sevt

Tho. Mifflin2

Df, PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99; LB, PHarH: Executive Letter-Books.

1On the instructions contained in Henry Knox’s letter to Mifflin of 22 June, see Mifflin to GW, 22 June (first letter), n.1. GW enclosed this second letter from Mifflin in his letter to Knox of 23 June 1793. On 24 June, Mifflin sent GW a copy of Master Warden Nathaniel Falconer’s report of 24 June “upon the inquiries, respecting the Little Sarah, suggested, by your order, in the Letter from the Secretary at War, dated 22d instant” (PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99; see also “Papers of the Governors,” Pa. Archives description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. Pennsylvania Archives. 9 ser., 138 vols. Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–1949. description ends , 4th ser., 4:253). Falconer’s report described several minor changes to the Little Sarah and the transfer of two of its four small iron cannons to the Citoyen Genet, another French privateer (PHarH: Executive Correspondence, 1790–99). On 24 June, GW left Philadelphia for a visit to Mount Vernon, and he did not receive Mifflin’s letter of 24 June until his return on 11 July (JPP description begins Dorothy Twohig, ed. The Journal of the Proceedings of the President, 1793–1797. Charlottesville, Va., 1981. description ends , 189–91). For the cabinet’s response during GW’s absence to the arming of the Little Sarah, see Cabinet Opinion, 8 July 1793.

2The writer struck out “A. J. Dallas” on the draft and inserted Mifflin’s name in its place.

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