From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 1 November 1779
To Major General Horatio Gates
Head Quarters West-point 1st Novmr 1779
sir
Major General Greene communicated to me on friday last a letter from Mr Bowen D.Q.M.G., giving an account of the total evacuation of Rhode Island, on the night of the 25th Ultimo.1 Not hearing from you on this event, I have concluded that your express must have met with some accident;2 and under this idea I communicated Mr Bowen’s advice for the satisfaction of Congress.3
I am anxious to learn the troops you are bringing on with you; or whether you have marched the State as well as Continental.4 You will be pleased when this meets you to dispatch a messenger for this purpose, that I may know what measures to take on the occasion.
I observe by Mr Bowens letter that the enemy have left a quantity of hay and some other articles of lesser value. As the hay in particular is of much importance, I make no doubt but that you have given the proper directions for its security.5
We have very agreeable news of our Southern affairs. In the Philadelphia paper of the 26th6 it appears that Col. Maitland had precipitately evacuated Beaufort leaving behind him, his hospital, artillery-stores and baggage, and had formed a junction with Genl Provost at Georgia. The English shipping had fallen into the Counts hand, one of which is the experiment, Sir James Wallace. General Provosts force was about 3000 and the allied troops amounted to above 9000. Our batteries of 38 heavy pieces of cannon, and 8 mortars would be in readiness to open on the 2d or 3d of Octbr and there was every appearance of reducing the place in the course of five or six days. I congratulate you on this pleasing and promising prospect, and am sir Your most ob. & hble servt
Go: Washington
LS, in James McHenry’s writing, NHi: Gates Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. For Col. Ephraim Bowen, Jr’s. letter to Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, written at Newport, R.I., on Tuesday, 26 Oct., see GW to Duportail and Alexander Hamilton, 30 Oct., n.1; see also n.2 to that document.
2. A letter that has not been found, Gates to GW, 27 Oct., presumably contained the desired official report on the British evacuation of Rhode Island (see GW to Gates, 2 Nov.; see also Gates to GW, 31 Oct.). It is probable that this unfound letter to GW shared language with a communication Gates sent Samuel Huntington, president of Congress. Written at Newport on 27 Oct., that letter reads: “I have the Honour to acquaint Your Excellency that this Island was Evacuated by The Enemys Troops on the Night of the 25th Instant, & The next morning The Army under my Command took possession of the Town of Newport; I have further the pleasure to inform Your Excellency that The Enemy did not Commit any Wanton destruction upon their leaving the Island; The Batteries & Defences towards the Sea Line only being Demolish’d; about Fourteen Hundred Tons of Hay, four hundred & fifty Cords of Fire Wood, Six Hundred Cords of peet, & a large Quantity of Straw were left in The Enemys Magazines.
“previous to my Arrival in Newport, I sent the Deputy Clothiers General Messrs Reynolds, & Mumford Forward, to Secure all the Woolens, Linnens, Hats, & Shoes, that were therein, for the Use of The Continental Army; & I likewise Dispatch’d the Dep. Comsy of purchases, to lay his Hands upon all the Salt; I am inform’d by those Officers, that they have had considerable Success in executing the Orders I gave them, and that the Continent will be much Benefited by their Services upon this Occasion: if the United States do not secure every Advantage that can be made from the Enemys precipitate Retreat from this Island, it will not be for want of Faithfullness & Assiduity therein for I Assure Your Excellency that neither myself nor the Officers under my Command have any Object but the public Good.
“I am now wholly employed in Securing the Advantages we have Gain’d, by fixing Batteries of Heavy Cannon to the Sea Line, and in Fortifying every post that Commands the Harbour. This so entirely engrosses all my Time that I must beg Your Excellency will excuse my referring You to my Aid de Camp Major Armstrong for the further particulars relating to the Evacuation & Repossession of Rhode Island.
“Before I close my Letter I must in Justice to the whole Army under my Command, Say; That I have ever discover’d in Them, the Utmost Zeal, & Alertness in their Obedience to all the Orders I have Given—Civil Liberty, and The Rights of Mankind, are well Supported by such Gallant Men—permit me further to Add that Major Armstrong has served four Campaigns in the Rank he now holds. As a good Soldier, & a good Citizen, I beg leave to recommend Him to Congress, for some Honourable Mark of Their Approbation of His Services” (DNA:PCC, item 154). Congress read this letter on 5 Nov. and referred the portion on the British evacuation “to the Committee of Intelligence” ( 15:1241; see also 15:1277, and Huntington to Gates, 7 Nov., in Smith, Letters of Delegate, 14:158–59).
3. See GW to Huntington, 30 Oct., and n.4 to that document.
4. Gates supplied this information in a letter to GW of 8 November.
5. That Gates attended to this hay is suggested by a letter he received from Rhode Island deputy governor Jabez Bowen, written at Providence on 17 Nov.: “Yours of the 16th from Hartford came safe to hand this Day at 10 oClock … your advice respecting the removal of the Forrage and destroying the Enemys Works shall be punctually followed” ().
6. GW is referring to The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser (Philadelphia) for 26 October. Henry Laurens provided this unconfirmed intelligence, which later proved erroneous (see Laurens to GW, 24 Oct., especially n.2).