To George Washington from Elbridge Gerry, 12 January 1780

From Elbridge Gerry

Philadelphia 12th Jany 1780

sir

The Requisitions to the several States for Reinforcements to the Army, proposed in your Letter of the 18th Novr last, are not yet adopted by Congress; & a fresh application from your Excellency, appears to me necessary for promoting that important Business. a Report has been long since made on the Subject, & been several Times under the Consideration of Congress,1 but an Opinion has been lately suggested, & I fear with too much Effect, “that the Number of Men inlisted for the War is already sufficient, & that Reinforcements are not necessary for the Army in this Quarter.”2 should this Sentiment prevail, or the Requisitions be much longer delayed, We shall probably lay the Foundation of an inactive Campaign, if not of greater Misfortunes; & renew the Uneasiness of the Court of France, who last year remonstrated in very friendly, but expressive Terms, against the Delays of our military preparations for that Campaign.3 as the Measures of our good Ally for the Establishment of our Independence, as well as those of the common Enemy against it, are prosecuted with the greatest Vigor, it appears to me that We are urged by every principle of policy, Generosity, & Honor, to be equally vigorous & decisive, & I have been thus induced to trouble your Excellency on the Subject. I hope that the Measures taken, & such as are under the Consideration of Congress for obtaining Supplies of provision, will effectually relieve the Wants of the Army, which I confess distress me exceedingly.4 I remain sir with every Sentiment of Esteem & Respect your most obedt & very hum. ser.

E. Gerry

ALS, DLC:GW.

1. In his letter to Samuel Huntington of 18 Nov. 1779, GW discussed the state of the army and the necessity of recruiting it to greater strength. Gerry served on the committee to which Congress referred the letter (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 15:1312). The committee made its first report on 7 Dec. (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 15:1357–59) and additional reports on 14 and 16 Dec. (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 15:1376, 1385–86). On 18 Dec., Congress debated but came to no decision on a resolution requiring the states to fill their regiments to full strength (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 15:1393–96; see also 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 15:1384).

2. The Continental Congress committee on reducing the army, of which Gerry was a member, had the previous day sent GW a set of resolutions on the reduction of the army (see the committee to GW, 11 Jan.).

3. The remonstrance had come in July 1779 from Conrad-Alexandre Gérard, then the minister plenipotentiary of France (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 14:827–30 and 832–33). Congress had issued a circular to the states on the subject (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 14:942, 953). For the text of the circular, see John Jay to GW, 18 Aug. 1779, n.2.

4. GW replied on 29 January.

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: To George Washington from Elbridge Gerry, 12 January 1780
Author: Gerry, Elbridge
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 12 January 1780

Reference

Cite as: “To George Washington from Elbridge Gerry, 12 January 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-24-02-0077. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 24, 1 January–9 March 1780, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2016, pp. 92–93.]

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