George Washington Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Washington, George" AND Author="Washington, George" AND Recipient="Huntington, Samuel"
sorted by: date (ascending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-22-02-0493

From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 2 October 1779

To Samuel Huntington

West point Octob. 2d 1779

Sir

I have the honor to transmit Your Excellency an Extract from a Letter of the 24th of last month, which I have received from Major General Gates.1 In Answer to his question, so far as it respects the time from which the Resolve, the subject of his Letter, is to operate; I have written him,2 that it operated from the time it passed: but I have not given him any opinion, with respect to the claims of the Militia, which he mentions. Congress will be pleased to determine whether they are or are not—to receive the subsistence granted by the Act, and to honor me with their decision, as it will be the rule to govern my Answer in this and in similar cases.3 I have the Honor to be with the greatest respect & esteem Your Excellency’s Most Obedt servant

Go: Washington

LS, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read this letter on 9 Oct. (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 15:1156).

1The enclosed extract consisted of the third paragraph of Horatio Gates’s 24 Sept. letter, with some minor textual variations and absent the final seven words (DNA:PCC, item 152).

2See GW to Gates, this date; for the resolution, 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 14:978.

3Huntington’s reply, dated 9 Oct. at Philadelphia, reads: “You will herewith receive enclosd an Act of Congress of this day, in answer to your Excellencys Letter of the 2nd Instant” (ALS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 14). The enclosed extract from the journals of Congress, dated 9 Oct. and signed by Charles Thomson, reads: “Resolved, That General Washington be informed in answer to his letter of the 2d Inst. that the subsistence money granted by the act of the 18th of August, extends only to the Officers, and privates of the Continental Army; And that the Militia, who are or may be called out are only to receive the subsistance granted previous to the act aforesaid” (DLC:GW; 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 15:1156). GW forwarded the resolution to Gates on 22 Oct. (NHi: Gates Papers).

Index Entries