From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 4 November 1779

To Jonathan Trumbull, Sr.

Head Quarters West-point 4th Novr 1779.

Dr Sir

I have to acknowlege your Excellency’s favor of the 30th of last month relative to the case of Lt Sylvanus Meade.1

I am induced to beleive on considering the peculiarity of the circumstances attending Mr Meade’s coming out of New-York, that he acted without design of violating any engagement which the indulgence he received from the enemy implied. And I shall direct the commissary of prisoners to account for him by a regular exchange, without his returning to the enemy.2

I would beg leave to request your attention to a subject which I mentioned to your Excellency in a former letter. I mean the piracies on the wretched inhabitants of Long Island.3 A very late one, said to be committed by some subjects of the State of New-York, makes me renew my application, for your endeavours to stop a practice so contrary to good policy and the interests of our cause.4 I have written to Governor Clinton more particularly on this business.5 I am Dr Sir, with great regard—Your most obt servt

Go: Washington

LS, in James McHenry’s writing, Ct: Trumbull Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

1. This letter from Trumbull to GW of 30 Oct. has not been found. Silvanus Mead (1739–1780) served as a lieutenant in the 6th Connecticut Regiment between July and December 1775. He then joined Col. Philip Burr Bradley’s Connecticut State Regiment and was taken prisoner at Fort Washington, N.Y., on 16 Nov. 1776. Mead subsequently gained his release and was given command of a Connecticut ranger company by August 1777 (see Conn. Public Records, description begins The Public Records of the State of Connecticut . . . with the Journal of the Council of Safety . . . and an Appendix. 18 vols. to date. Hartford, 1894–. description ends 1:375). He received a captain’s commission and was authorized to raise another “company of rangers” in July 1780 (Conn. Public Records, description begins The Public Records of the State of Connecticut . . . with the Journal of the Council of Safety . . . and an Appendix. 18 vols. to date. Hartford, 1894–. description ends 3:122).

2. No communication from GW to John Beatty related to Mead’s prisoner status has been found.

3. GW is referring to his letter to Trumbull of 30 September.

4. See Benjamin Tallmadge to GW, 1 Nov., and GW to Tallmadge, 2 Nov.; see also Thaddeus Burr to Trumbull, 5 Nov., in Trumbull Papers, description begins The Trumbull Papers. 4 vols. Boston, 1885-1902. In Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 5th ser., vols. 9–10; 7th ser., vols. 2–3. description ends 3:453–54.

5. See GW to George Clinton, 3 November.

Index Entries

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 4 November 1779
Author: Washington, George
Recipient: Trumbull, Jonathan Sr.
Date: 4 November 1779

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 4 November 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-23-02-0144. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 23, 22 October–31 December 1779, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2015, p. 152.]

More between these correspondents