From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 14 July 1780
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters Bergen County July 14th 1780
Sir
I have the honor to inform Congress that I have this moment received a letter from Major General Heath dated Providence the 11th informing that the afternoon of the 10th the French fleet arrived off Newport—that the signals of recognizance had been made and the fleet was standing in to the harbour when the express came away.1
I congratulate Congress on this important event, and entreat them to press every measure in their power to put us as soon as possible in a Condition to begin the intended cooperation with vigor and efficacy.
I inclose a plan which in conjunction with the Inspector General I have framed for the consideration of Congress2—It is indispensable the department should be put in full activity without loss of time—the speedier the decision the better. A large additional allowance at least nominally for the Inspectors is proposed but it is a very imperfect compensation for the additional trouble, and unless some extra privileges and emoluments attend the office it will not be undertaken by Officers of Rank and abilities. I have the honor to be With the highest respect Your Excelleny’s Most Obedt humbe servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Caleb Gibbs’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read this letter on 17 July (, 17:636–37). Huntington replied to GW on 15 July.
2. The enclosed “Establishment of the Department of the Inspectorship,” dated July, proposed the repeal of Congress’s resolution of 18 Feb. 1779 that had established the army’s original department of inspection (see , 13:196–200), and its replacement by this new proposal designed to make the department “more useful by an extension of its powers and objects.” The plan called for an inspector general of the army; an assistant inspector general (who would also be the army’s adjutant general); an inspector for each division of the army; sub-inspectors for each brigade; and an inspector and a sub-inspector for the corps of cavalry, the corps of artillery, the independent corps and garrisons, and the militia when called into service with the army. Reflecting current practice, the sub-inspectors also would act as the brigade majors. The proposal set out in detail the duties of the inspectors, specified the records they were to keep from the required monthly musters or reviews, and the reports to be made to the inspector general, the commander-in-chief, and the Board of War (D, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
Congress took no action on the plan until 14 Aug., when, after reading a letter of 3 Aug. from Inspector General Steuben appealing for an answer to the proposal, it referred the plan to the Board of War (see , 17:727; Steuben’s letter is in DNA:PCC, item 164). On 24 Aug., the board reported a plan that contained much of the language of GW and Steuben’s proposal, and one month later Congress approved this plan with some minor modifications (see , 17:764–70 and 18:854–61). The congressional resolution included the increased pay and allowances GW desired for the inspectors.