George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-27-02-0053

To George Washington from the Board of Admiralty, 11 July 1780

From the Board of Admiralty

Admiralty Office Philadelphia 11th July 1780

Sir

The Board have been duely honored with your Excellencys letter of the 29th May by Captain Van dyke which they deferred answering ’till an Opportunity offered for carrying your request into effect—they have now the pleasure to inform your Excellency that Captain Van dyke is appointed to command the Marines on board the Continental Armed Ship Saratoga. On the 6th of May the Board sent to your Excellency two pipes of Maderia Wine, should be glad to know if they have been received.1

On the 10th instant Congress directed the Board to deliver Colo. Blaine 2 pipes Maderia with a quantity of french Wine for your Excellencys use—we have Accordingly delivered one pipe & 2 hogsheads of Maderia and Colonel Blaine has undertaken to procure the french Wine.2 I am yr Excellencys very Obedt & most Hble servant

(Signed by order) Fras Lewis

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, Miscellaneous Papers, Marine Committee Letter Book.

GW replied to Francis Lewis on 18 July from headquarters in Bergen County, N.J.: “I was yesterday honored with yours of the 11th. I beg leave to present my thanks, thro’ you, to the Board for their attention to my recommendation of Capt. Vandyke, and for their past and present provision of Wines—The two pipes to which you advert came safely to hand, I acknowledged the receipt of them to the Quarter Master who forwarded them, not knowing that I was obliged to the Board for them” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).

1Despite his statement in his reply (see source note), GW had acknowledged the receipt of the wine in his letter to Lewis of 13 May (see Board of Admiralty to GW, 6 May, source note).

2The following note, apparently referring to the numbers on the wine containers, is appended below Lewis’s signature: “No. 4: a Pipe. qt. 103 Galls. [No.] 10. a Hogshead qt. 5⟨1⟩. Galls. [No.] 12 a Hhd. qt. 51 Galls.”

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