To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 26 July 1780

From Samuel Huntington

Philadelphia July 26. 1780

Sir,

Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed an Act of Congress of this Day, by which the Frigates and Sloops of War therein mentioned are put under your Direction to be employed in cooperating with the Fleet of his most Christian Majesty commanded by Chevalier de Ternay.1

The Minister of France being informed of the Situation and Condition of the Frigates, and the proper Signals, will give the necessary Information to the Commander of the french Fleet.2

By the Acts of Congress of the 24. & 25. Instant enclosed you will be informed that Charles Pettit Esquire is appointed Assistant Quarter Master General—Brigadier Maxwells resignation is accepted,3 and that the Board of War are directed to procure a Quantity of Shot and Shells agreeable to the requisitions made by the Commander in Chief.4 I have the Honor to be with the highest respect & Esteem your Excelly’s most obedt humble servant

Sam. Huntington President

P.S. your favours of the 20th & 22d have been receivd.

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 15. GW replied in the postscript of his letter to Huntington of 3 August.

1. The resolution quoted in the enclosed document placed the frigates Confederacy, Deane, and Trumbull as well as the sloop of war Saratoga under GW’s direction (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 , 17:669–70).

Earlier in July, GW had suggested that Congress give the Committee at Headquarters power to call Continental ships of war to any location required for allied operations (see Philip Schuyler to Huntington, 6 July, in 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 , 15:404).

2. See Huntington to La Luzerne, 27 July, in 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 , 15:515.

3. The enclosed document with the resolutions of 25 July on Brig. Gen. William Maxwell and Charles Pettit is in 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 , 17:663, 665.

4. The resolution of 24 July quoted in the enclosed document directed the Board of War to procure 615 tons of shot for siege cannon and 947 tons of shells (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 , 17:658–61).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 26 July 1780
Author: Huntington, Samuel
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 26 July 1780

Reference

Cite as: “To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 26 July 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-27-02-0257. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 27, 5 July–27 August 1780, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2019, p. 307.]

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