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From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 27 December 1780

To Samuel Huntington

Head Quarters New Windsor 27th Decr 1780

Sir

In my letter of the 13th instant, I did myself the honor to inform Congress, that an embarkation was preparing at New York, and that it was to consist, in part, of the British Grenadiers and Light Infantry. I have since learned, from some of our Officers who have been exchanged, that those Corps were once under embarkation orders, but that there had been a change, and others substituted in their room.1 I have not yet been able to ascertain the Corps, but they amount, by the best accounts to about 2500. The Fleet, with those troops on board, fell down to the Hook on Wednesday last, and, as the wind was fair, it is thought they went to sea the same day or the next. My distance from New York prevents me from obtaining so frequent intelligence as before, but I hope, in a few days, to hear of their real Force and destination.2 I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect Your Excellency’s Most obt and humble Servt

Go: Washington

P.S. I have recd your Excellency’s favr of the 16th the Resolve of the 12th respecting the Garrison at Wyoming shall be complied with.3

LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; copy (extract), MdAA: Red Book; copy (extract), MiU-C: Greene Papers; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read this letter on 1 Jan. 1781 (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 , 19:1). Huntington acknowledged this letter when he wrote GW on 2 Jan., postscript (DLC:GW).

1For the arrival of these exchanged prisoners at West Point, see William Heath to GW, 21 Dec. 1780.

2The previous Wednesday was 20 December. For the sailing of this fleet, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 25 Dec., and n.2 to that document.

GW soon learned that the departed ships were a British expedition to Virginia under the command of Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold (see GW to Alexander Hamilton, 29 Dec. 1780, n.5). How to employ Arnold since his desertion had occupied the thinking of both Gen. Henry Clinton and his eager new subordinate. Operations against West Point and Philadelphia received consideration, but the final decision targeted Virginia (see Wallace, Traitorous Hero description begins Willard M. Wallace. Traitorous Hero: The Life and Fortunes of Benedict Arnold. New York, 1954. description ends , 267–68, and Willcox, American Rebellion description begins William B. Willcox, ed. The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton’s Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782, with an Appendix of Original Documents. New Haven, 1954. description ends , 234–35).

Specifics came in a letter Clinton wrote Arnold from New York on 14 Dec.: “Sir, you will be pleased to proceed with the troops which are embarked under your command to Chesapeak Bay, and if a favourable opportunity of striking at any of the enemy’s magazines should offer itself you are at liberty to attempt it, provided it may be done without much risk. But if there should be no prospect of effecting that or any other essential service you are as soon as possible to establish a post at Portsmouth on Elizabeth River in Virginia, make known your intention of remaining there, distribute the proclamations you take with you which are to be addressed to the inhabitants of Princess Ann and Norfolk Counties, and assemble and arm such of those people as you shall have reason to believe are well affected to His Majesty’s government and are inclined to join you. It is, however, by no means my intention that you should invite the inhabitants of other districts to join you till such time as you can establish yourself and afford them the like protection as is held out to those of Princess Ann and Norfolk Counties.

“After having established yourself at Portsmouth, I would not have you make any excursions from thence unless they can be effected without the smallest danger to the safety of that post which is always to be considered as the primary object of this expedition.

“Having sent Lieut.-Colonels Dundas and Simcoe, officers of great experience and much in my confidence, with you I am to desire that you will always consult those gentlemen previous to your undertaking any operation of consequence.

“You will be able to judge from appearances on your arrival in Chesapeak whether it may be expedient to immediately establish the intended post. Should Lord Cornwallis, who will have been informed of your move, require any cooperation on your part before that is done, you are directed to obey his lordship’s commands; but after you shall have established the post as beforementioned it is (as I have already said) my request that you do not undertake any operatons with the least risk to that important station, unless after consulting the abovementioned gentlemen your reasons should be such as you shall think sufficient for so doing or Earl Cornwallis should positively direct” (Davies, Documents of the American Revolution description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends , 18:256; for the proclamation, see Sabine, Smith’s Historical Memoirs description begins William H. W. Sabine, ed. Historical Memoirs from 26 August 1778 to 12 November 1783 of William Smith. . .. New York, 1971. description ends [1971], 353).

Clinton discussed “the Propriety of giving Arnold a Command” with William Smith, royal chief justice of New York, who “replied that it was prudent as to the Rebels, because no American could be ashamed to declare his Conversion to him.” Smith continued: “I ask’d in turn how the British would bear it, to which he [Clinton] replied that he had no Anxiety upon that Account, with which I declared my Satisfaction; and he repeated it, that he had no Fears of the free Submission of his own Troops. He speaks highly of Arnold’s Capacity. Is surprized at his Knowledge” (Sabine, Smith’s Historical Memoirs description begins William H. W. Sabine, ed. Historical Memoirs from 26 August 1778 to 12 November 1783 of William Smith. . .. New York, 1971. description ends [1971], 357). Clinton later explained: “I was induced to select Brigadier General Arnold for this service from the very high estimation in which he was held among the enemy for active intrepidity in the execution of military enterprises, and from a persuasion that he would exert himself to the utmost to establish an equal fame with us in this first essay of his capacity. I had it also in prospect that the confidence I thus appeared to place in an officer who had acted against us might be a strong incitement to other able leaders of the rebel army to desert their cause and seek employment in that of the King, where their advantages and emoluments were likely to be so infinitely more considerable and certain” (Willcox, American Rebellion description begins William B. Willcox, ed. The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton’s Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782, with an Appendix of Original Documents. New Haven, 1954. description ends , 235–36).

Active preparations for the expedition had begun in early December, and New York City printer Hugh Gaine recorded in his journal entry for 8 Dec. apparently widespread rumors that it was “for Virginia under the Command of General Arnold” (Ford, Journals of Hugh Gaine description begins Paul Leicester Ford, ed. The Journals of Hugh Gaine, Printer. 1902. Reprint. [New York] 1970. description ends , 2:106; see also the diary entry for the same date in Gruber, Peebles’ American War description begins Ira D. Gruber, ed. John Peebles’ American War: The Diary of a Scottish Grenadier, 1776–1782. Mechanicsburg, Pa., 1998. description ends , 423). Over the course of three weeks, British, Loyalist, and Hessian troops boarded ships near New York. It is difficult to state with precision the number of men because contemporary accounts range from 1,500 to 2,200 (see Baurmeister, Revolution in America description begins Carl Leopold Baurmeister. Revolution in America: Confidential Letters and Journals, 1776–1784, of Adjutant General Major Baurmeister of the Hessian Forces. Translated and annotated by Bernhard A. Uhlendorf. New Brunswick, N.J., 1957. description ends , 396; Ewald, Diary description begins Johann Ewald. Diary of the American War: A Hessian Journal. Translated and edited by Joseph P. Tustin. New Haven and London, 1979. description ends , 255, 258; Willcox, American Rebellion description begins William B. Willcox, ed. The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton’s Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782, with an Appendix of Original Documents. New Haven, 1954. description ends , 235; and James Robertson to Jeffrey Amherst, 19 Dec., in Klein and Howard, Letter Book of Robertson description begins Milton M. Klein and Ronald W. Howard, eds. The Twilight of British Rule in Revolutionary America: The New York Letter Book of General James Robertson, 1780-1783. Cooperstown, N.Y., 1983. description ends , 165–69, especially 166; see also Simcoe, Operations of the Queen’s Rangers description begins John Graves Simcoe. Simcoe’s Military Journal: A History of the Operations of a Partisan Corps, Called the Queen’s Rangers, Commanded by Lieut. Col. J. G. Simcoe, during the War of the American Revolution . . .. 1844. Reprint. New York, 1968. description ends , 158–59). Gaine followed activities related to the expedition in his journal entries for December: “Saturday 9TH The Expedition will go next Week said about Saturday next. … 11TH Dull Weather continues yet, and much Talk of the Expedition. … 14TH The Troops all on board, and the Fleet may sail To-morrow. … 18TH The Expedition said to sail as soon as the weather clears up. … 21ST General Arnold sailed this Morning for the Chesapeake with a fair Wind” (Ford, Journals of Hugh Gaine description begins Paul Leicester Ford, ed. The Journals of Hugh Gaine, Printer. 1902. Reprint. [New York] 1970. description ends , 2:106). After the expedition’s departure, stormy weather and unidentified “armed ships” impeded progress (Ewald, Diary description begins Johann Ewald. Diary of the American War: A Hessian Journal. Translated and edited by Joseph P. Tustin. New Haven and London, 1979. description ends , 258).

Arnold described what happened next when he wrote Clinton from Portsmouth, Va., on 21 Jan. 1781: “On the 26th and 27th of December a hard gale of wind at northwest separated the fleet, which joined again off the Capes of Virginia and arrived in Hampton Road on the 30th, except three transports and one armed vessel with upwards of 400 troops on board which did not arrive until the 4th of January. Some of the vessels were damaged in the gale of wind, about one-half of the cavalry horses were lost. …

“On the 31st of December, embarked the troops which had arrived in small vessels and boats (part of which were captured upon our first arrival) and proceeded up the James River.” Arnold then recounts in detail how his force sailed to Richmond, raided that place, and then operated against other locations in Virginia until 20 Jan., when “the whole army to the great joy of the inhabitants marched into Portsmouth in good health and high spirits” (Davies, Documents of the American Revolution description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends , 20:40–43, quotes on 40, 42).

3For fulfillment of the congressional resolution to post a neutral garrison at Wyoming, Pa., see GW to Zebulon Butler, 29 Dec., found at GW to Alexander Mitchell, 30 Dec., n.2; see also Huntington to GW, 16 December.

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