To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 6 December 1780
From Samuel Huntington
Philadelphia December 6. 1780
sir,
Your Excellency will receive enclosed, Copy of several resolves of Congress of the 4th Instant, in which you will observe, the Officers are prohibited from making any Contract or Bargain, or giving Orders for the Purchase of Articles for the Use of the Troops; in the Department of Cloathier General, Quarter Master General, or Commissary General of Purchases, except in Cases of Necessity, as mentioned in the resolve; of which your Excellency, or any Commanding Officer of a Detachment will be able to judge, as the Case may happen. This resolution is in Consequence of repeated contrary Practices, which have occasioned Difficulties, as reported by the Board of War.1
You will also please to observe the Augmentation of the Pay allowed to the Officers in the Inspectors Department.
That the Corps of Mare Chaussee are continued upon their former Establishment.
And that Mr Simeon De Witt is appointed Geographer to the Army in the room of Robert Erskine deceased.2 I am Sir with every Sentiment of Esteem & respect your Excellency’s most obedient & most humble Servant
Sam. Huntington President
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 15.
GW had urged action on pay for inspectors and the Maréchaussée Corps when he wrote Huntington on 26 Nov.; in the same letter, he recommended Simeon DeWitt (see n.1 below; see also DeWitt to GW, 23 Nov.).
1. Huntington enclosed a single document with copies of four congressional resolutions passed on 4 Dec., the first being a restriction on officers “of the line of the Army” from making purchases “except in cases of necessity for provisions & forage for detachments or parties in places where the same cannot be drawn from the public stores or Magazines.” The other three resolutions listed the revised pay for inspectors based on rank, continued the Maréchaussée Corps, and appointed DeWitt (DLC:GW; see also , 18:1117–18, and the source note above).
2. GW acknowledged this letter when he wrote Huntington on 15 Dec.; see also General Orders, that date.