George Washington Papers

Circular to the States, 16 December 1779

Circular to the States

Head Quarters Morris town 16th Decemr 1779.

Sir

The situation of the Army with respect to supplies is beyond description alarming,1 it has been five or six Weeks past on half allowance, and we have not three days Bread or2 a third allowance on hand nor any where within reach. When this is exhausted we must depend on the precarious gleanings of the neighbouring country. Our Magazines are absolutely empty every where and our Commissaries intirely destitute of money or credit to replenish them. We have never experienced a like extremity at any period of the War. We have often felt temporary want from accidental delays in forwarding supplies; but we always had something in our Magazines and the means of procuring more. Neither one nor the other is at present the case. This representation is the result of a minute examination of our resources.3 Unless some extraordinary4 exertions be made by the States from which we draw our supplies there is every appearance that the Army will infallibly disband in a fortnight. I think it my duty to lay this candid view of our situation before your Excellency, and to intreat5 the vigorous interposition6 of the State to rescue us from the danger of an event, which if it did not prove the total ruin of our affairs, would at least give them a shock from which they would not easily recover, and plunge us into a train of new and still more perplexing7 embarrassments than any we have hitherto felt. I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect Your Excellency’s Most ob. & hble Servt

Go: Washingto⟨n⟩

LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, addressed to New Jersey governor William Livingston, NjMoHP; LS, in James McHenry’s writing, addressed to Maryland governor Thomas Sim Lee, MdAA; Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; copy, in George Augustine Washington’s writing, PHarH; copy, NHi: Joseph Reed Papers; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The docket of the draft indicates that this circular letter was sent to Joseph Reed, president of the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council; Caesar Rodney, president of Delaware; and governors George Clinton of New York, Livingston, and Lee.

For replies, see Livingston to GW, 19 Dec.; Reed to GW, 22 Dec.; and Lee to GW, and Clinton to GW, both 26 December. No reply from Rodney has been found, but see Samuel Huntington to Rodney, 21 Dec., in Smith, Letters of Delegates, description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends 14:290–91, and JCC, description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends 15:1399.

In a letter to Q.M. Gen. Nathanael Greene written at Trenton on 20 Dec., Moore Furman, deputy quartermaster for New Jersey, feared “the present dark prospects of supplies. a small Quantity of Bread & Spirits lays over the [Delaware] River at Bristol. a Brigade of Teams was sent over yesterday to bring them on and cannot repass the River yet though expect if the Frost holds they be able to cross to-morrow or next day and will then push on to Camp. everything that can be called Bread that falls in my power shall go on as fast as possible for I shall be under the greatest uneasiness till I hear of a supply being arrived there” (Furman Letters, description begins Historical Research Committee of the New Jersey Society of the Colonial Dames of America, ed. The Letters of Moore Furman: Deputy Quarter-Master General of New Jersey in the Revolution. New York, 1912. description ends 45–46; see also Furman to John Mitchell, 21 Dec., in Furman Letters, description begins Historical Research Committee of the New Jersey Society of the Colonial Dames of America, ed. The Letters of Moore Furman: Deputy Quarter-Master General of New Jersey in the Revolution. New York, 1912. description ends 47–48).

1For a similar communication to Congress, see GW to Samuel Huntington, 15 December.

2The draft reads “at” rather than this word.

3Reports of impending catastrophic provision shortages began in late October (see GW to Jeremiah Wadsworth, 29 Oct., and n.1 to that document, and Wadsworth to GW, same date; see also Wadsworth to GW, 8 Nov., and the source note and n.1 to that document).

4The draft adds “and immediate” at this place.

5At this place on the draft, Hamilton initially wrote “request.” He then struck out that word and wrote “entreat” above the line.

6At this place on the draft, Hamilton first wrote “assistance.” He then struck out that word and wrote “vigorous interposition” above the line.

7At this place on the draft, Hamilton initially wrote “serious.” He then struck out that word and wrote “perplexing” above the line.

Index Entries