To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 2 January 1781
From Samuel Huntington
Philadelphia January 2. 1781
Sir,
Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed, an Act of Congress of the 29th Ulto relative to the Exchange of Prisoners.1
I have also enclosed an Act of the 1st Instant, with an Extract of a Letter from the Honorable John Adams Esquire of the 23d of August.2
Your Excellency will please to observe on this Subject your Opinion is desired on the Expediency of ordering the Forces of his most Christian Majesty now at New Port in Rhode Island, to take Post in Virginia.
From the Plan for future Operations which it is presumed you have concerted in Conjunction with the Count de Rochambeau, as also many other Circumstances incident to your Station, you are best able to determine the Expediency of the proposed Measure; and I need not inform you that as Congress have thought proper to make the Proposal, your Opinion will give them entire Satisfaction on the Subject.
The enclosed resolve respecting Lt Colonel Wm Smith it is to be hoped may prove agreable to your Wishes, and from his particular Circumstances create no Disatisfaction in the Army.3
Your Excellency will note the last resolve respecting the Officers lately exchanged or now in Captivity, how far it may be carried into Execution I am unable to determine. I have the Honor to be with the highest respect your Excellency’s most obedient & most humble Servant
Sam. Huntington President
P.S. I have been honored with your Despatches under the 20th 22d & 27th Ulto.4
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 15. GW replied to Huntington on 15 January.
1. The enclosed “Extract from the Minutes” reads: “In Congress Decemr 29th 1780[.] Congress took into consideration the report of the Committee on Genl Washington’s Letter of the 8th whereupon:
“Resolved that the Commander in Chief be and hereby is fully authorised and empowered to agree to an exchange of Prisoners with the Commander in chief of the British Forces in such manner as he shall think proper always keeping in view the former resolutions of Congress respecting the exchange of the Prisoners under the capitulation of Charles town and Fort Moultrie.
“That the adjustment of the accounts between the united States and the british are to be referred to Commissioners to be settled and that the exchange of Prisoners be not delayed on that account” (DLC:GW; see also , 18:1203–4).
In his letter to Huntington of 8 Dec., GW had queried Congress regarding impediments to prisoner exchange negotiations involving the British Convention Army troops.
2. The enclosed document reads: “In Congress Jany 1 1781—Ordered, That so much of the letter from Mr Adams as relates to the probable operations of the enemy against the southern States be transmitted to the commander in chief, and that he be desired to give his opinion to Congress on the expediency of ordering the forces of his most Christian Majesty now at New Port in Rhode Island to take post in Virginia. …
“Resolved, That in the new arrangement of the army it is the sense of Congress that the officers of the continental lines who have been exchanged since the said arrangement or are now in captivity ought to be considered and arranged according to their respective ranks in the same manner with those who have not been prisoners” (DLC:GW; see also , 19:1–3).
Huntington enclosed an extract of John Adams’s letter to him of 23 Aug. 1780, written at Amsterdam in Holland, which reads: “The truth is according to my information that orders are already sent out by the british cabinet to prosecute the war with vigour in North Carolina and Virginia the ensuing fall winter and Spring. Genl Prevost is sailed with some frigates to aid their operations on cape fear river” (DLC:GW).
3. The first document described in n.2 above included this resolution on the assignment of Lt. Col. William Stephens Smith. For the text, see James Duane to GW, this date, n.3.
4. In his letters to Huntington of 20–26, 22, and 27 Dec. 1780, GW discussed, respectively, his views on promotions in the army, provision shortages, and intelligence received about a British expedition that had sailed from New York City.