From John Jay to Edward Rutledge, 11 October 1776
To Edward Rutledge
Fishkill, 11th October, 1776
Dear Rutledge:
Be so kind as to forward the enclosed by the first opportunity to your brother. It is in answer to one from him to Messrs. Duane, Wm. Livingston, and myself, mentioning the losses sustained by General Lee in consequence of entering into the American service, and recommending a compliance with the resolution of Congress for indemnifying him.1 As he has doubtless written to you on the subject, I forbear enlarging on the propriety, policy, or justice of the measure. I am for my own part clear for it, and wish with all my heart that it may take place: I shall write to my colleagues on the subject.
Let no considerations induce you to excuse General Mifflin from the office of quartermaster-general. Moyland acted wisely and honestly in resigning. Try no new experiments: you have paid for the last. Let me repeat it—keep Mifflin.2
Although extremely anxious to be with you, the circumstances of this State will not admit of my leaving it. Governor Tryon has been very mischievous: and we find our hands full in counteracting and suppressing the conspiracies formed by him and his adherents.
What is your fleet and noble admiral doing? What meekness of wisdom and what tender-hearted charity! I can’t think of it with patience. Nothing but more than lady-like delicacy would have prevailed on your august body to secrete the sentence they passed upon that pretty genius. I reprobate such mincing, little, zigzag ways of doing business: either openly acquit, or openly condemn.3
If General Lee should be at Philadelphia, pray hasten his departure—he is much wanted in New York. I wish our army well stationed in the highlands, and all the lower country desolated; we might then bid defiance to all the further efforts of the enemy on that quarter. I am, my dear Rutledge, Your friend,
John Jay
Printed: , 1: 92–93; , 2: 6–7; original manuscript not located. Enclosed letter to John Rutledge not found.
1. John Rutledge’s letter has not been located. For the impact of the Revolution on Charles Lee’s fortune, see his letter to JJ of 27 Feb. 1779, below.
2. Washington appointed his aide-de-camp Thomas Mifflin quartermaster general in August 1775, but Mifflin resigned in May 1776 after being promoted to brigadier general. Stephen Moylan, appointed 5 June 1776, was criticized for the loss of supplies during the evacuation of New York, investigated by a congressional committee, and asked to resign on 27 Sept. 1776. Washington reappointed Mifflin on 28 Sept., and Congress confirmed the appointment on 1 Oct. 1776. Mifflin, who preferred a regular army command, again resigned in October 1777. , 30, 34, 35.
3. Congress charged that Commodore Esek Hopkins “during his cruize to the southward, did not pay due regard to the tenor of his instructions, whereby he was expressly directed to annoy the enemy’s ships upon the coasts of the southern states.” In June, Congress ordered that he appear to answer the charges; it heard his testimony on 12 Aug., declared his answers unsatisfactory, and formally censured him on 16 Aug. Nevertheless, on 19 Aug. he was ordered to resume his command. John Adams declared the attack on Hopkins by delegates from the southern and middle states an example of the “anti-New England spirit.” , 5: 439, 648, 658–59, 661–62, 667; , 4: 662–64; 5: 16, 18–20; , 3: 405–9.