TO GOVERNOR TRUMBULL.

DEAR SIR,

Philadelphia, 28 November, 1781.

I have the honor to acknowledge your favor of the 6th instant, and to thank your Excellency with great sincerity for the very cordial and affectionate congratulations, which you are pleased to express on our late success in Virginia.

I most earnestly hope, that this event may be productive of the happy consequences you mention; and I think that its good effects cannot fail to be very extensive, unless, from a mistaken idea of the magnitude of this success, unhappily a spirit of remissness should seize the minds of the States, and they should set

hall by two members. He was addressed by the president as follows. "Sir; Congress, at all times happy in seeing your Excellency, feel particular pleasure in your presence at this time, after the glorious success of the allied arms in Virginia. It is their fixed purpose to draw every advantage from it, by exhorting the States in the strongest terms to the most vigorous and timely exertions. A committee has accordingly been appointed to state the requisitions necessary to be made for the establishment of the army, and they are instructed to confer with you upon that subject. It is, therefore, the expectation of Congress, that your Excellency would remain for some time in Philadelphia, that they may avail themselves of your aid in this important business, and that you may enjoy a respite from the fatigues of war, as far as is consistent with the service."

To this address General Washington replied;

"Mr. President; I feel very sensibly the favorable declaration of Congress expressed by your Excellency. This fresh proof of their approbation cannot fail of making a deep impression upon me; and my study shall be to deserve a continuance of it. It is with peculiar pleasure I hear, that it is the fixed purpose of Congress to exhort the States to the most vigorous and timely exertions. A compliance on their part will, I persuade myself, be productive of the most happy consequences. I shall yield a ready obedience to the expectation of Congress, and give every assistance in my power to their committee. I am obliged by the goodness of Congress in making my personal ease and convenience a part of their concern. Should the service require my attendance with the army upon the North River, or elsewhere, I shall repair to whatever place my duty calls, with the same pleasure that I remain in this city."

themselves down in quiet with a delusive hope of the contest being brought to a close. I hope this may not be the case. To prevent so great an evil shall be my study and endeavour; and I cannot but flatter myself, that the States, rather than relax in their exertions, will be stimulated to the most vigorous preparations for another active, glorious, and decisive campaign, which, if properly prosecuted will, I trust, under the smiles of Heaven, lead us to the end of this long and tedious war, and set us down in the full security of the great object of our toils, the establishment of peace, liberty, and independence.

Whatever may be the policy of European courts during this winter, their negotiation will prove too precarious a dependence for us to trust to. Our wisdom should dictate a serious preparation for war, and in that state we shall find ourselves in a situation secure against every event.

Your Excellency's wish for some ships of our allies to be stationed at New London, I should have been happy to promote, if circumstances would have permitted; but Admiral de Grasse has taken almost all his ships of war with him; and, except a frigate or two left in York River for the security and aid of the French troops, who will have their winter-quarters in the vicinity of Yorktown, not a ship of force is left upon the American station. The supply of fresh beef to the Island of Martinico is certainly a desirable object to our allies, and is worthy of attention, but no security can be given to its transportation from the quarter you mention. I am, &c.

TO JOHN HANSON, PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, 30 November, 1781.

SIR, While I congratulate your Excellency on your appointment to fill the most important seat in the United States, I take the same opportunity to thank you, with great sincerity, for the very polite manner in which you are pleased to tender me the advantages of your correspondence. As a mutual free communication cannot fail to be attended with great satisfaction to me, and will undoubtedly be productive of very useful consequences to the public cause, you may be assured I shall pay very particular attention to your letters. sincerely accord with you in sentiment, that our public affairs at present assume a promising aspect; but suffer me to begin the freedom of our correspondence by observing to your Excellency, that upon our future vigorous improvement of the present favorable moment depend the happy consequences, which we now promise ourselves as the result of all the successful events of the last campaign. I am, &c.

I

TO MAJOR-GENERAL LINCOLN, SECRETARY AT WAR.* Philadelphia, 5 December, 1781.

MY DEAR SIR,

From the tenor of your private letter of this date, I presume you are unacquainted with my recommen

* It was determined in February, of the present year, that a department of war should be instituted, with a secretary at its head. The difficulty of a choice seems to have caused a delay in the appointment of that officer. Even as late as the 2d of October an election could not be made. In a letter of that date from General Varnum, then a member of Congress, he writes; "We have attempted to elect a secretary at war. Generals Greene, Lincoln, and Knox are in nomination. All the votes

dation of General Knox to Congress, at the time General Duportail was mentioned to that body by me. If my expressions in his favor were not warm and full, they fell as far short of my intention as of his merit, and did injustice to both; because I absolutely refused to recommend the latter without the former, whom I thought equally at least entitled upon every principle to promotion. If any thing further can be done by me, it must, I conceive, be obtained by some other means than a direct application to Congress. In the mean time I hope General Knox will take no hasty resolution, or at least suspend the execution of it, if he should. I am most sincerely yours, &c.

SIR,

TO SIR HENRY CLINTON.

Philadelphia, 6 December, 1781.

I am induced to mention a subject, which has already occasioned many discussions. The situation of those men ought to be attended to, who, by the chance of war, are subjected to the authority of your sovereign or mine. It is much to be wished, that all difficulties in exchange may be obviated, the expenses of maintaining prisoners liquidated, and solid arrangements made to provide for them in future.

From a sincere desire to accomplish these objects, I will, upon receiving your Excellency's approbation of the plan, appoint Brigadier-General Knox and Gouver

are for one or other of those gentlemen. We effected nothing. It is said, that General Greene cannot be taken from the army, considering the situation at the south." General Lincoln was chosen on the 30th of October, though he did not enter upon the duties till a month afterwards. Other facts respecting a choice of a secretary at war may be seen in Vol. VII. p. 460.-See also SPARKS's Life of Gouverneur Morris, Vol. I. p. 238.

neur Morris, on the part of the United States, to meet commissioners, properly authorized by you, either at Elizabethtown, upon Staten Island, or at any other place, which may be deemed mutually convenient. I have the honor to be, &c.

TO MAJOR-GENERAL GREENE.

MY DEAR SIR,

Philadelphia, 15 December, 1781.

I thank you for your kind congratulations on an event, which is certainly most important, considered in a public view, and which adds to my personal satisfaction, by finding that it in some degree relieves you from that load of difficulty and distress, with which you had so long been contending. The evacuation of the State of North Carolina is another very fortunate circumstance.*

I presented your recommendation of Colonel Williams to Congress, backed by my own, urging the expediency of filling up the vacant brigadierships; and, if thought proper at this time, there is no doubt of Colonel Williams being promoted.t

I hope General St. Clair has before this time joined you. The enemy have sent no reinforcement from New York to Charleston, nor do I learn that any preparations are making for such a measure. If it should be the opinion, that the British force in South Carolina is adequate to the maintenance of Charleston, I should not be surprised, if Sir Henry Clinton were to content himself with acting upon the defensive in that quarter,

* The British had recently retired from Wilmington.

As General Smallwood had been promoted to the rank of majorgeneral, Colonel Otho H. Williams was recommended by General Greene to supply his place as brigadier in the Maryland line.