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To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 22 January 1778

From Henry Laurens

[York, Pa.] 22d Jany 1778.

Sir

Since my last of the 19th Inst. ⅌ Messenger Ness—I have received Your Excellency’s several favours of the 12th & 13th.1

The former is Committed to the Marine Committee, from whence I understand a Report will be delivered, this day or to morrow.

Monsieur Duplessis who will be the bearer of this & also of two hundred & fifty signed Commissions which he is so good as to take charge of—returns to the Army well Satisfied, having through your Excellency’s representation of his vigilance skill & valour obtained a Brevet to Rank Lieutt Colonel in the Artillery of the Army from the 26th Novemr last—to the Brevet is annexed a testimonial of his singular merit—these, I judge from his own expressions of pleasure, comprehend all the wishes he brought into York Town.2

Your Excellency will find inclosed an Act of Congress of the 19th Inst. for regulating the pay & Rations of Officers made prisoners by the Enemy. and another Act of the 20th for exempting the Members of the Board of War who were appointed of a Committee to confer with your Excellency in Camp from attendance of that Duty—& for appointing two more Members of Congress for that purpose.3 I have the honour to be with the utmost &ca.

LB, DNA:PCC, item 13.

1. See GW to Henry Laurens, 12 Jan., source note and note 2.

2. GW had recommended Duplessis in his letter to Laurens of 13 January. Henry Laurens wrote his son John Laurens on this date, “Your friend & fellow Soldier Duplessis leaves York Town with a heart full of happiness” (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 , 8:636). Some artillery officers were not pleased by the promotion of Duplessis, however (see Continental Artillery Officers to GW, 10 February).

3. The resolutions are in 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 , 10:61–62, 67. The two additional members appointed to the camp committee were Charles Carroll and Gouverneur Morris (see GW to Robert R. Livingston, 27 Dec. 1777, n.3).

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    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 22 January 1778
    Author
    Laurens, Henry
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    22 January 1778

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 22 January 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-13-02-0272. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 13, 26 December 1777 – 28 February 1778, ed. Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2003, pp. 313–314.]

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