To George Washington from Robert R. Livingston, 22 June 1780
From Robert R. Livingston
Trentown [N.J.] 22d June 1780
Dear Sir
My anxiety for the supplies of the army have brought me to this place in order that I might satisfy myself as to the quantity on hand, & the means of forwarding them—Genl Nox has communicated to me your Excellencys orders on this subject1—Nothing short of this would I am fully persuaded be of sufficie⟨nt⟩ force to produce the desired effect—And ⟨mutilated⟩ knowledge of them will in a great measure render the execution of them unnecessary—impressed with this Idea, I have been long labouring to bring Congress to assume the power which will enable them to call forth the resources of the States but unhappily without effect—However I hope much from their pressing & reiterated demands. What principally induced me to trouble your Excellency at this time is an apprehention which I, in common with many other gentlemen, entertain of the propriety of leaving the command at West point in the Hands of genl Howe[.] Having no personal acquaintance with him I can have no prejudices—But the Gent. from the Southward by no means speake so favourably of him as I could wish2—But in⟨depe⟩ndent of this I conceive that as he has yet had no opportunity of acquiring a military character—that Confidence which is so necessary to inspire courage especially in militia will I fear be wanting in him—I might presume so far I shd beg leave to submit it to yr Excellency whether this post might not be most safely confided to Genl Arnold whose courage is undoubted—who is the favourite of our militia, & who will agree perfectly with our Govr—Your Excellency will not consider this as designed to convey the most disreflection on Genl Howe, of whom I know nothing but by report which may very possibly be ill grounded—but if the most distant doubt remains in a matter of so much moment I conceive it should be removed3—I make no other appology for the liberty I take than the motive that suggests it—Which has before now induced your Excellency to pardon an interference in matters to which I was no ⟨more⟩ competent than the present—This hasty letter is written while the express waits whom I am unwilling to detain longer4 than while I declare the extream respect & esteem with which I am Your Excellencys Most Obt Hum: Servt
Robt R. Livingston
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. See GW to Knox, 21 June.
2. Congress removed Maj. Gen. Robert Howe from command of the southern department in September 1778 after the failure of his East Florida expedition and the emergence of animosity between Howe and the governors of Georgia and South Carolina.
3. GW and Philip Schuyler, a Committee at Headquarters member, already had discussed the possibility of an important command for Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold. On 2 June, Schuyler wrote Arnold about these discussions in a letter that reads in part: “The letter which I did myself the pleasure to write you on the 11th of May, you had not received when yours of the 25th was written. In that I advised you that I had conversed with the General on the subject which passed between us before I left Philadelphia; that he appeared undecided on the occasion, I believe because no arrangement was made, for he expressed himself with regard to you in terms such as the friends who love you could wish. When I received yours of the 25th May, I read it to him; he was much engaged; next day he requested to know the contents again. I put it into his hands; he expressed a desire to do whatever was agreeable to you, dwelt on your abilities, your merits, your sufferings, and on the well-earned claims you have on your country, and intimated that as soon as his arrangements for the campaign should take place, that he would properly consider you. I believe you will have an alternative proposed either to take charge of an important post, with an honourable command, or your station in the field. Your reputation, my dear sir, so established, your honourable scars put it decidedly in your power to take either. A State which has full confidence in you will wish to see its banner entrusted to you. If the command at West Point is offered, it will be honourable—if a division in the field, you must judge whether you can support the fatigues, circumstanced as you are” (, 15:240–41).
4. GW replied to Livingston from Ramapo, N.J., on 29 June: “I have had the honor to receive your favor of the 22d Instt from Trenton, & thank you for the aid you have been pleased to afford in getting the Provisions & Stores removed from that place—Happily for us—the transportation is in a better train, and in greater forwardness than I had reason (a few days ago) to expect it would be at this time.
“I am under no apprehension now of danger to the Post at West-point on the score either, of provisions—strength of the works—or Garrison. I am sorry however to find there are apprehensions on acct of the Commandant, and that my knowledge of him does not enable me to form any decisive judgment of his fitness to command. but as Genl McDougal & Baron Steuben (men of approved bravery) are both with him, and the main army is in supporting distance I confess I have no fear on the ground of what I presume is suspected—to remove him therefore under these circumstances, and at this period, must be too severe a wound to the feelings of any Officer to be given but in cases of real necessity.
“When a general arrangement is gone into—& a disposition is made for the Campaign, I can with propriety—& shall most certainly—bring G[eneral] H[owe]—into the line of the army, & place the Gentleman you have named at that Post; if the operations of the Campaign are such as to render it expedient, to leave an Officer of his rank in that Command. If the States mean to put the Army in a condition to adopt any offensive plan, the period cannot be far distant when this measure must take place.
“Your sentiments my dear Sir, upon this occasion, required no apology—the opinion, & advice of my friends, I receive at all times as a proof of their friendship; and am thankful when they are offered.
“I am so well perswaded of the safety of west-point, and of the necessity of easing as much as possible the Militia—& of husbanding our provisions & stores, that I have dismissed all the Militia that were called in for the defence of the Posts on the North River” (ALS, NHi: Robert R. Livingston Papers; ADfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; GW signed the cover of the ALS).
When GW moved the main army to the Hudson River in late July and early August, he gave division commands to major generals Robert Howe, Alexander Mc-Dougall, and Steuben (see General Orders, 1 Aug.). After initially naming Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold to a division command, GW assigned him to command West Point. Arnold had argued that wounds left him unfit for the field (see General Orders, 3 Aug., and GW to Arnold, same date, DLC:GW).