To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 29 March 1778
From Henry Laurens
29th March 1778
Sir
Since my last of the 25th by Colonel Armand I have had the honour of presenting to Congress your Excellency’s favours of the 24th & 24th Inst. the former Committed to the Board of War & not reported—the latter came under Cover from Colo. Lewis of Virginia accompanied by his Commission which Congress have received & accepted that Gentleman’s resignation—Congress by an Act of the 24th Inst. accepted also the Resignation of Brigadier General Learned.1
Inclosed herein Your Excellency will receive two Acts of Congress. Vizt.
- 1. 19th March. Recommending to the several States to take the most speedy & effectual measures for raising their respective quota of Men for procuring complete Sets of Accountrements &ca.2
- 2. 28th March. for authorizing Count Paulaski to raise an Independent Corps &ca retaining his Rank of Brigadier General in the Army.3
Colonel Armand is now or will probably be in Camp in a few days, I therefore judge it proper to return the Inclosed Letter directed by your Excellency to that Gentleman.4 I have the honour to be with the utmost Esteem & Respect.
LB, DNA:PCC, item 13. An notation on the letter-book copy indicates that this letter was sent “by Genl Duportail.”
1. Charles Lewis’s resignation was accepted on 28 Mar. (, 10:292). For the resolution accepting Ebenezer Learned’s resignation, see ibid., 281.
2. The enclosed copy of the resolution has not been identified. Among other things the resolution directed that inspectors be appointed “to examine and receive the accoutrements, with orders to reject such as are bad and insufficient,” and specified that cartridge boxes “be made to hold at least 29 rounds of cartridges when made up with ounce-balls, and the cover of good substantial leather, with a small cover or flap under it,” or that “instead of the cartouch boxes, an equal number of tin cartridge canisters be furnished agreeable to a pattern or description to be sent by the Board of War” (ibid., 270–71).
3. The enclosed resolution has not been identified. Congress revised the resolution slightly on 30 Mar., and the text printed in for 28 Mar. is the revised, not the original, text. For the revised text, see Laurens to GW, 30 Mar., n.1.
4. Laurens enclosed GW’s letter to Armand of 25 March.