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TRANSCRIPT
GLC 6486
George
Washington. Letter copy fragment:
Springfield, sent by John Mathews to Caesar Rodney, 1780 June 20.
3 p. + doc. + address leaf.
Extract
of a Letter from Genl. Washington Dated
Head Quarters Springfield 20th.
June 1780.
The
Honble the Committee will have informed Congress from time to time of the
measures which have been judged essential to be adopted for co-operating with
the Armament expected from France and of their requisitions to the States in
consequence. What the result of
those has been I cannot determine to my great anxiety as no answers on the
subjects of them have been yet received. The
period is come when we have every reason to expect the fleet will arrive and
yet for want of this point of primary consequence It is impossible for me to
form or fix on a system of Cooperation. I
have no basis to act upon and of Course were this generous succour of our
ally now to arrive I should find my self in the most awkward embarrassing and
painful situation. The General
& [inserted: the] Admiral from the
relation in which I stand as soon as they approach our Coast will require of me
a plan of the measures to be pursued; and there ought of right to be one
prepared; but circumstanced as I am I cannot even give them Conjectures.
From these considerations I have suggested to the Committee by a Letter I
had the honor of addressing them yesterday the indispensible necessity of their
writing again to the States urging them to give immediate and precise
information of the measures they have taken and of the result.
The interest of the States the honor and reputation of our Councils, the
Justice [2] and gratitude due our Allies - a regard to my self all require that
I should without delay be enabled to ascertain and inform them what we can or
cannot undertake. There is a point
which ought now to be determined on which the success of all our future
operation may depend which for want of knowing our prospects I am altogether at
a loss what to do in. For fear of
involving the fleet and army of our Allies in circumstances which if not
seconded by us would expose them to material inconvenience and hazard I shall be
compelled to suspend it and the delay may be fatal to our hopes.
Besides
the embarrassments I have mentioned above and upon former Occasions there is
another of a very painful and humiliating nature. We have no shirts from the best enquiry I can make to
distribute to the Troops when the whole are in great want and when a great part
of them are absolutely destitute of any at all.
Their situation too with respect to summer over [struck: h]all I fear is
not likely to be much better. There
are a good many on hand at Springfield it is said, but so indifferent in their
quality as to be scarcely worth the expense and trouble of transportation and
delivery. For the troops to be
without cloathing at any time is highly injurious to the service &
distressing to our feelings, but the want will be more peculiarly mortifying
when they come to act with those of our Allies.
If it is possible I have no doubt immediate measures will be taken to
relieve their distress. It is also
most sincerely to be wished that there could be [3] some supplies of cloathing
furnished for the Officers There
are a great many whose condition is really miserable still, and in some
instances it is the case with almost whole State lines.
It would be well for their own sakes and for the public good - if
they could be furnished. When our
friends come to co-operate with us they will not be able to go on the common
routine of duty - and if they should they must be held from their appearance in
low estimation.
[verso]
Extract of a Letter from
Genl. Washington to
Congress Dated 20th.
June 1780.
[docket]
Letter from
Jno Mathews
with a Copy of a Letter
from Genl. Washington
to Congress
Augst. 1780
[address]
Public
service.
His Excellency,
Caesar Rodney, Esr.
State of
Delaware.
Jno. Mathews
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