To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 30 June 1780
From Major General William Heath
Providence June 30th 1780.
Dear General—
I am this moment honored with yours of the 20th Instant. General Glover left this place three days Since on his way to the Highlands. I have ordered an express to follow him immediately with a letter—It is probable the express will not over take him until he arrives at the Highlands.
I have given General Glover all the information your Letter to me would afford and have desired him to repair with all possible expedition to Springfield.1 I have written to the post master at Boston to forward your Letter from Boston to General Glover at Springfield2—and have advertised the recruiting officers in Massachusetts to repair to Springfield.3
As it may be Some time before your letter of Instructions may come to General Glovers hand, permit me to Submit to your Excellency the Sending a duplicate of that Letter, address’d to General Glover at Springfield.4
By a Gentleman who arrived here this day from Boston, we learn that a Vessell arrived a day or two Since at that place in about Eight weeks passage from France—the master of which reports that three days before he left France a Fleet of twelve Sail of the Line with 10,000 Land forces, sail’d for America5—and that Sixty Sail of the Line were to Sail in a few days—their destination unknown. I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect your Excellency’s Most Obedient Servant
W. Heath
P.S. Capt. La Touch in the Hermione sail’d this morning from Newport Harbour—I suppose on a short cruize.
W.H.
ALS, DLC:GW; ADfS, MHi: Heath Papers.
1. The draft of Heath’s letter to Brig. Gen. John Glover is in MHi: Heath Papers.
2. Heath’s letter to the postmaster at Boston has not been identified.
3. A draft of the advertisement that Heath wrote on this date directed “All officers belonging to the massachusetts Line of the Army, now on the recruiting Service … to repair immediately to Springfield, where they will receive further orders” (MHi: Heath Papers).
4. Glover already communicated to GW that he was on his way to Springfield, Mass., before GW replied to Heath on 5–6 July (MHi: Heath Papers).
5. The naval squadron with the French expeditionary army consisted of seven ships of the line. The troops numbered between 5,100 and 5,500.