From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 14 December 1779
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters Morris-town 14th Decr 1779.
sir
I have had the honor of your Excellency’s favors of the 7th and 10th, with their respective inclosures.
The act to regulate the proceedings of officers absent on furlough, or otherwise, has been communicated to the army in general orders.1 In consequence of the resolution of the 10th, directing a successor to Col. Bland, in the command at Charlotteville, I have appointed on this occasion Col. Wood of the 8th Virginia Regiment, and shall give him orders to repair to this post as soon as possible.2 I have the honor to be with great respect, your Excellency’s, most obt servt
Go: Washington
P.S. since my last intelligence transmitted to Congress on the subject of the embarkation from New-York,3 I have been informed (tho’ not in such a manner as to give it perfect authenticity) that a number of boats, with cavalry, were taken on board. The same account says the fleet sailed on the 12th.4
LS, in James McHenry’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read GW’s letter on 17 Dec. ( 15:1389).
1. See General Orders, this date.
2. See GW to James Wood, this date.
3. See GW to Huntington, 10–11 Dec., and n.12; see also GW to Huntington, 13 Dec., n.3.
4. This suspect intelligence came from “some Gentlemen from Newark” (GW to Anthony Wayne, 15 Dec.; see also GW to Huntington, same date). For GW’s eagerness to confirm reports of a major British detachment from New York, see his letter to Huntington, 29 Nov., and n.1 to that document; see also Henry Lee, Jr., to GW, 30 Nov., n.4.