To George Washington from John Jay, 15 July 1779

From John Jay

Philadelphia 15th July 1779

Sir,

I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 9th Inst. with the papers referred to in it—They were immediately committed.

In a late letter I informed Your Excellency that Peter Wikoff Esqr. had been appointed Cloathier-General; That Gentleman not approving the terms of the appointment has declined it, & Lieut. Colonel Percifer Frazer was yesterday elected.1

Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed a copy of an Act of Congress of the 13th Inst., for forming Captain McClane’s Company & the dismounted Dragoons of Major Lee’s Corps into a fourth troop to be added to that Corps.2 I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect & Esteem Your Excellency’s most Obed. Servt.

LB, DNA:PCC, item 14.

1. For Peter Wikoff’s declination of his appointment, and Persifor Frazer’s election as clothier general, see Jay to GW, 9 July, and n.1 to that document, and 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 14:836.

Frazer’s election occurred on this date, not 14 July, and he subsequently declined his appointment in a memorial to Congress written at Philadelphia on 19 June that presented “the Salary annex’d” as inadequate (DNA:PCC, item 41; see also 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 14:836). Congress read Frazer’s memorial on the same date (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 14:853). In a letter of 17 July, Jay had informed Frazer that the annual salary for clothier general was $5,000 (see Smith, Letters of Delegates, description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends 13:248). For the selection of James Wilkinson as clothier general, see Jay to GW, 29 July.

2. The enclosure has not been identified, but see GW to Henry Lee, Jr., 30 June, and n.3 to that document; see also Lee to GW, 18 May, and GW to Lee, 9 June, and n.2 to that document.

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: To George Washington from John Jay, 15 July 1779
Author: Jay, John
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 15 July 1779

Reference

Cite as: “To George Washington from John Jay, 15 July 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-21-02-0410. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 21, 1 June–31 July 1779, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2012, pp. 494–495.]

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