To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 16 September 1780
From Samuel Huntington
Philadelphia September 16. 1780
Sir,
By the two Acts of Congress of the 15. Instant herewith enclosed, your Excellency will be informed that the late Brigadier General Smallwood is appointed a Major General in the Continental Army, & Mr Abraham Skinner Commissary General of Prisoners.1
As also the Measures Congress have adopted to supply the Army with Beef.2
Expresses are sent off to all the distant States, urging in the strongest Terms an immediate & punctual Compliance with the requisitions for Beeves.3
Congress are determined to use every possible Means in their Power to prevent any future Distress in the Army for Want of Provision. It is supposed from the best Computation, if the quantity of Beef called for by these resolutions should be furnished, it will be more than sufficient for the daily Consumption of the Army, in which Case the Surplus, of the most suitable quality will be barrelled for future Use.4 I have the Honor to be with the highest respect your Excellency’s most obedient Servant
Sam. Huntington President
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 15. GW replied to Huntington on 1 October.
1. The enclosed acts, passed on 15 Sept., are in DLC:GW (see also , 18:828).
2. Huntington enclosed orders and resolutions related to the procurement of beef adopted on 15 Sept. after Congress “took into consideration the report of the Committee on the letter of the 20th August and subsequent letters from General Washington.” Demands were placed on Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Delaware, and New Jersey (DLC:GW; see also , 18:828–30, 843, and Ephraim Blaine to GW, 12 Sept., n.2).
3. For example, see Huntington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 15 Sept., in , 16:67.
4. For the computation, see , 18:826.