From George Washington to Major General Benedict Arnold, 28 March 1780
To Major General Benedict Arnold
Hd Qrs Morristown 28th March 1780
Dr Sir,1
I have to acknowlege your favor of the 6th of this month, and that of the 20th containing a duplicate of the former.
In a letter to the Board of Admiralty of the 15th I communicated my sentiments respecting the subject of your letter. I observed to the Board “with respect to the troops, that, from the detatchment lately sent to the Southward, and the great diminution of our force besides, occasioned by the daily expiration of the mens inlistments, it appears to me, that none can be spared from the army consistently with prudence or policy. But should the board finally determine on the proposed enterprise and the troops be essential to its success,” I further observed, “that under the circumstances of the army I have stated, I should not think myself authorised to send them without the concurrence and direction of Congress.”
This will shew you the footing on which I found myself obliged to place the business. As to the second point, should the enterprise be undertaken so far as my concurrence may be considered as necessary, I shall have no objection to your going on the command.2
With regard to a leave of absence from the army during the ensuing summer should it be found inexpedient to go into the proposed enterprise and under the representation of your health, you have my permission, tho’ it was my wish and expectation to see you in the field3 but provided your views extend to a voyage leave for this purpose must be obtained from the Congress, as I have in no instance whatsoever ventured to grant a furlough to any place not within the United States. I hope you will find the experiments you propose to answer your expectations, and that you may soon experience a situation for actual service.4
Let me congratulate you on the late happy event.5 Mrs Washington joins me in presenting her wishes for Mrs Arnold on the occasion.6 I am Dr Sir, with great regard, your Obt & hble sert.
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. GW wrote the salutation on the draft.
2. The Board of Admiralty scuttled Arnold’s proposed expedition (see the board’s letter to GW of 23 March found at GW to the Board of Admiralty, 15 March, n.3).
3. After striking out portions of the draft, GW inserted the previous thirteen words in his own writing.
4. In his letter to GW of 20 March, Arnold related advice from physicians that he bathe in salt water to improve his injured leg. For the full letter, see Arnold to GW, 6 March, source note.
5. Above the struck-out phrase “your good fortune” on the draft, GW wrote “the late happy event.”
6. Arnold’s second wife, Margaret, had given birth to their first child, a son named Edward Shippen Arnold (1780–1813), who became an officer in the British army and died in India (see , 407).
Margaret Shippen Arnold (1760–1804) was born into a wealthy and politically prominient Philadelphia family suspected of Toryism during the American Revolution. Known as “Peggy” and widely admired for her physical beauty, she married the widower Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold in April 1779. His determined courtship included a letter he wrote to her on 25 Sept. 1778: “Dear madam, your charms have lighted up a flame in my bosom which can never be extinguished your heavenly image is too deeply impressed ever to be effaced. … On you alone my happiness depends, and will you doom me to languish in despair?” ( 25:30–31). Generally implicated in her husband’s treason, which was discovered in early fall 1780, she left quarters near West Point for British-controlled New York City. The Arnolds resided after the war in England, where Margaret raised their children, eventually received a pension from the British government, and died from cancer. For additional biographical details, see , and ; see also Klein, Shippens of Pennsylvania.