From George Washington to Steuben, 9 January 1778
To Steuben
Head Quarters Valley Forge 9th Jany 1778
Sir,
I yesterday recd the honor of yours from Portsmouth inclosing the Copy of a letter from Messs. Franklin and Dean the original of wh. I shall be glad to receive from your own Hands as soon as it is convenient for you to undertake the Journey.1
As it will lay solely with Congress to make a suitable provision for you in the American Army you will be under the necessity of prolonging your Journey in order to lay before them at York Town, the honorable testimonials which you bear of your former Service.2
I return you my thanks for the polite manner in which you express your desire of serving under me3 and have the Honor to be Sir Yr most obt Servt.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. On this date GW wrote William Heath, enclosing this letter and asking him to forward it to Steuben, but Heath returned it to GW on 25 Jan., explaining that the impatient baron already had left Boston for York. See also William Gordon to GW, this date.
1. See Steuben to GW, 6 Dec. 1777.
2. Tilghman struck out the original version of this paragraph, which read: “As it will lay solely with Congress to make that provision for you in the American Army suitable to the rank which you have held in that of his prussian Majesty, I shall take the earliest opportunity of announcing your arrival to them and transmitting Copies of those Credentials which you have laid before me.”
3. Tilghman struck out an earlier version of this phrase, which read: “your warm expressions of personal Regard.”