George Washington Papers
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From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 4 November 1780

To Samuel Huntington

Head Quarters Prackness Novr 4th 1780

Sir

I have received some late advices from New York that speak of a large number of transports and other vessels which are getting ready to sail, and of a second embarkation of troops destined to the South.1 It is added that Rodney with a part of his fleet is preparing to sail to the West-Indies—that he is to detach two ships of the line, the Sandwich and Terrible to convoy a homeward bound European fleet, which is to sail immediately after the Cork fleet arrives.2

The New York paper mentions the arrival of the troops under General Leslie in Chesapeak Bay which intelligence is said to be derived from one of our prizes.3

It is with pleasure I can inform Congress that the communication of their late Resolutions relative to the new establishment, has given general satisfaction and excited the gratitude of the Army. I conceived it to be the spirit of both Resolutions, that the retiring Officers should be intitled to Land after the War and published it accordingly.4 I have the honor to be With the most perfect respect Your Excellencys Most Obedt humble servt

Go: Washington

LS, in David Humphreys’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; copy (extract), P.R.O.: 30/11/106, Cornwallis Papers. The extract omits the salutation, second paragraph, and complimentary closing. Congress read GW’s letter on 8 Nov. (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 , 18:1031). Huntington acknowledged this letter when he wrote GW on 12 Nov., postscript.

1For a possible source of this somewhat erroneous intelligence, see John Jameson to GW, 31 October.

2The sources of this intelligence from New York have not been identified, but for the arrival of the British supply fleet from Cork, Ireland, and the sailing of Adm. George Rodney’s fleet to the West Indies, see Rochambeau to GW, 29 Oct., and n.5.

3The Royal Gazette (New York) for 1 Nov. reported the arrival at New York on 31 Oct. of the Sukey. The captain of that ship had learned about the landing of Maj. Gen. Alexander Leslie’s British expedition, which had “left Sandy-Hook about a fortnight ago,” from “persons on board the last prize he took,” with confirmation “by a man who came off to him in Delaware Bay.” For Leslie’s expedition to Virginia, see GW to Huntington, 17 Oct., n.2, and Nathanael Greene to GW, 31 Oct., n.4.

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