LS, DLC:GW.

Sullivan tendered his resignation to Congress in a letter to Samuel Huntington written at Pompton, N.J., on 9 Nov.: “It is with the deepest regret, I find myself compell⟨ed⟩ to request from Congress, liberty to retire from the Army—my Heal⟨th⟩ is so much impair’d by a violent bilious dissorder, which seize⟨d⟩ me in the commencement, and continued during the whole of the western expedition that I have not the smallest hope of a perfect rec⟨o⟩very.

“The Physicians have assur’d me, that nothing but a total release from business, and a particular attention to my health, can restore me, and my own feelings indicate, that even this will fall far short of my own wishes; and their expectation⟨s.⟩ This induced me to make application at Head Quarters for a discharge—the General has been polite enough to call on me, and after having endeavour’d to dissuade me from my presen⟨t⟩ intention, and to assure me, that my health may be restored, sooner than I at present expect, referd me to Congress.

“I am sensibly mortified, in being compel’d to take my leave of a Service, to which, I am by principle, duty, and interest attached, and this at a time when matters, are drawing to a happy conclusion, and cou’d I persuade myself, that retiring from the service for a Season, wou’d so far restore my health, as to enable me again to take the Field, agreeable to my own wishes, and to answer the expectation⟨s⟩ of my Country, I shoud not give Congress this trouble. But as I have no foundation for such hope, I must beg Congress to grant me liberty to retire from the service, and that they will believe me, to possess in retiring, all that attachment to the American Interest and respe⟨ct⟩ for the representatives of the United States, which have regulated my conduct since the commencement of the present contest, and shou’d my Health (contrary to my expectations[)] be restored, I shall be as ready to promote the interest of my Country, in any capacity I may be called on, as I have hitherto been.

“As the season is far advanced, and my health will not permit me to indure the severity of a Winter’s Journey, I must beg a speedy answer to this request.

“I shou’d have remained with the Army, to give every assistance in my power towards reducing New York but the General assures me, that the Season is in his opinion too far advanced, to admit of the Count Destiangs cooporating with our force effectually this Season” (DNA:PCC, item 160; mutilated material supplied in angle brackets from Hammond, Sullivan Papers, description begins Otis G. Hammond, ed. Letters and Papers of Major-General John Sullivan, Continental Army. 3 vols. Concord, 1930-39. In Collections of the New Hampshire Historical Society, vols. 13–15. description ends 3:161–62; see also the source note to the general orders for 8 Nov.). Congress read Sullivan’s resignation letter and named a committee of three to consider his request on 13 Nov. (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 15:1263–64; see also Huntington to Sullivan, 12 Nov., in Smith, Letters of Delegates, description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends 14:184). After receiving a report from this committee, Congress accepted Sullivan’s resignation on 30 Nov. (see 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 15:1333–34). A letter from Huntington to Sullivan written at Philadelphia on 2 Dec. transmitted official notification and in part reads: “It is with the greatest sincerity I return you the thanks of Congress for your past services agreable to this order, tho’ at the same time I lament your indisposition which deprives the public of your military services” (DNA:PCC, item 14).