George Washington Papers
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To George Washington from James Duane, 4 May 1780

From James Duane

Philadelphia 4th May 1780

My dear General

We are here in anxious Suspence for the Fate of Charles Town: it is not to be wondered at when we consider the greatness of the Stake; and the Uncertainty and Importance of the Event. The Governour Council and Magistrates have shut themselves up in the Town determined to share the Glory of preserving it, or to perish in the Attempt! We understand that this Resolution was submitted to with Reluctance by the principal Officers of the Army, and in my Opinion it is rather a display of Heroism than of deliberate Policy.1 The Influence of Goverment woud have been well employed, as far as we can Judge at so remote a distance, in preparing against a disaster and drawing the Internal Strength of the Country to some point for it’s Defence: On the present plan the Loss of the whole State seems to be hazarded with the Capital. We learn from a Mr Cannon2 who left the neighbourhood of Charles Town on the 12th and parted with General Lincoln on the 9th that the Garrison and Inhabitants were greatly elated on the Arrival of the Virginia Line; and in full expectation of Success:3 and it is his opinion that if the Maryland Line were near the Scene of Action Sir Henry Clinton woud be glad to raise the Siege.4 We have endeavourd to learn from Him the Sentiments of General Lincoln on the Fate of the Town: but it appears that he is as reserved in his Conversation as his Letters ’tho his Activity & Vigour inspire the highest Respect and Confidence. These Circumstances do not appear in any Correspondence and I conclude tho’ they are not very material you will not think them too trivial to be communicated.

We are exerting every Means in our power to expedite the March of the Reinforcement destined for Charles Town. It is committed to the Joint Efforts of the Board of War and the Treasury and I hope every Obstacle is surmounted. I have but one wish left—that Virginia may on so decisive and interesting an Occasion be able to detach a Body of Militia which in Conjunction with the Continental Reinforcements will be sufficient to support the Communication between the Town and Country and harrass the Besiegers in their Rear—The Reluctance against the Southern Service, tho’ easy to be accounted for, is much to be deplored; and I reconcile myself to the Embarrasments which our Weakness in that Quarter Superadds to all our other Difficulties.

In spite of the disagreeable Aspect of our money Affairs I look forward to a happy Termination of our arduous Conflict. We have not experienced half the distresses which considering the power of our Enemies, every contemplative Mind must have expected. I am in this View much engaged in another Attempt to get the Confederation accomplished which in my Opinion woud fully compensate for the temporary Loss of any City on the Continent:5 & it gives me great pleasure to assure your Excellency that the Delegates from Virginia are warmly disposed to give it all the Aid in their power: & I, indeed, have the fullest Expectation that our Joint Exertions will Succeed: and the future Safety and Tranquillity of the States be fixed on a permanent Basis. Without a Fœderal Alliance peace itself, Independance, and Security from external Assaults, woud scarcely deserve the Name of a Blessing. The flame of disaffection to the British Administration has at length reached the Bosom of our Enemies. Remonstrances and Committees, always terrible to an Arbitrary Government, cannot fail of producing Embarrasment in publick Councils, or of enfeebling enfeebling the National Exertions. We have a Right to hope that they will be attended with Serious Consequences, and put an End to their Operations against these States.6 If Brittain unsupported by Friends or Allies, and rent asunder by domestic Jars and discontents, can continue an unjust and unpopular war against the Joint Efforts of America France and Spain, she will exhibit an Example of Obstinacy and of Vigour unparallelled in History.

To hold a place in your Excellency’s Confidence & Friendship is an Honour which I most highly prize; & which I shall always regard as one of the most happy Circumstances of my Life: for no Man can be more entirely Attatched to you by every Tie of Affection Esteem & Gratitude than my dear General Your most Obedient & most faithful Servant

Jas Duane

P.S. Be pleased to present my most respectful Compliments to Mrs Washington & the Gentlemen of the Family. We have this moment Letters informing us that Connecticut & the Massachusetts Legislatures have chearfully adopted the new plan of Finance.7 The Connecticut Traders have done themselves great Honour as well as the principal Farmers. The former in an address to the Assembly declare their Readiness to receive the new Money at its Value specified for by Congress in payment for their Commodities. New York I am perswaded will Concur & their Example will probably bring All the States into the Measures.8

ALS, DLC:GW. GW replied to Duane on 13 May (PP).

1Charleston, S.C., schoolteacher Samuel Baldwin wrote in his journal for 11 April: “Yesterday evening General Clinton sent in a flag demanding the town gates to be opened to him, or otherwise he should be under a necessity of using violence to obtain admittance. General Lincoln returned for answer, that we had a strong garrison in good spirits, and the place well fortified: that he expected violence and was prepared to oppose it. …

“General Gadsden has been lately appointed Lieutenant Governor, and General Lincoln has advised that the Governor and three members of his council should withdraw from the town to a place of security, that the state may not be without a head in case the town should fall.

“General Lincoln’s answer to Clinton’s flag was in these words—‘Both duty and inclination lead me to defend the town to the last extremity.’” (Baldwin, “Events in Charleston,” description begins Samuel Baldwin, “Diary of Events in Charleston, S.C., from March 20th to April 20th, 1780.” Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society 2 (1846–47): 77–86. description ends 83).

South Carolina governor John Rutledge and three state privy council members left Charleston on 13 April. Lt. Gov. Christopher Gadsden stayed with the remaining council members (see John Lewis Gervais to Henry Laurens, 17 April, found at Board of War to GW, 9 May, source note, and Hawes, Lachlan McIntosh Papers description begins Lilla Mills Hawes, ed. Lachlan McIntosh Papers in the University of Georgia Libraries. Athens, Ga., 1968. (University of Georgia Libraries Miscellanea Publications, no. 7.) description ends , 100–101).

2The “Mr Cannon” who reached Philadelphia received assistance from Henry Laurens, who wrote Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln from Wilmington, N.C., on 19 April that he sent papers “forward by Mr. Cannon for whom with much difficulty I obtained a Horse in Exchange for that which was seven days bringing him to this ground, the creature is scarcely worth sixpence & the exchange is very little better” (Laurens Papers description begins Philip M. Hamer et al., eds. The Papers of Henry Laurens. 16 vols. Columbia, S.C., 1968–2003. description ends , 15:279–81).

Laurens probably aided Henry Cannon (d. 1802), who became a South Carolina planter and served in the state legislature. His father, Daniel, a wealthy carpenter and landowner, held a prominent place in South Carolina politics. For further details on both men, see Faunt, Bio. Dir. of the S.C. House of Representatives description begins Joan Schreiner Reynolds Faunt et al., eds. Biographical Directory of the South Carolina House of Representatives. 4 vols. Columbia, S.C., 1974–84. description ends , 3:124–27.

3Sent as a reinforcement from New Jersey in early December 1779, the Virginia division reached Charleston on 7 April 1780 (see GW to Samuel Huntington, 29 Nov. 1779, and the source note to that document, and William Woodford to GW, 9 April 1780; see also John Laurens and Benjamin Lincoln to GW, both 9 April 1780, and the notes to each document).

4For the movement south of the Maryland division, see Huntington to GW, 6 April, n.2.

5Duane is referring to the Articles of Confederation, which finally were adopted on 1 March 1781 (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 19:208–23).

6Duane apparently is alluding to political dissent in Ireland (see GW to William Livingston, 10 March 1780, postscript, and n.5; General Orders, 16 March 1780, and n.1 to that document; GW to Lafayette, 18 March 1780; and GW to William Gordon, 3 May 1780).

7For the new congressional financial plan, see Philip Schuyler to GW, 12 March, and notes 3 and 4 to that document. Official acceptance of the plan from Connecticut arrived in Congress on 11 May and from Massachusetts on 29 May (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 17:422–23, 471; see also “An Act for the Establishment of Public Credit, and to Provide for the Exigencies of this State,” in 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 , 2:516–21, and “CHAPTER 40” in Mass. Acts and Resolves description begins The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay. … 21 vols. Boston, 1869–1922. description ends , 5:1178–83).

8Considerable opposition to congressional financial measures existed and persisted in New York (see John Holt to George Clinton, 15 April, and Clinton to Samuel Huntington, 8 July, in Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends , 5:622–26, 938–43).

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