From George Washington to George Clinton, 3 August 1779

To George Clinton

West point August 3: 17791

Dr Sir

I this minute received a Letter from General Sullivan of the 30th Ulto and a Copy of One to yo⟨ur⟩ Brother the General; of both which I inclose you Copies.2 Your Excellency will be pleased to direct the march of Lt Colo. pauling at such time—and in such manner as you shall judge best.3 You will also receive a Letter ⟨addre⟩ssed to you, which came with ⟨mine.⟩4

I have inclosed a line to the ⟨Ge⟩neral, covering a Copy of General Sullivans orders for his march,5 which you will be pleased to transmit him, if you have an opportunity, lest any accidents should have prevented him from receiving the Original, a Duplicate of which, according to Genl Sullivan, has been also sent him.6 I am Dr Sir with the greatest regard & esteem Yr Excellency’s Most Obedt servt

Go: Washington

LS, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; LS (photocopy), NHi; Df, DLC:GW; copy (fragment), N: George Clinton Papers; Varick transcript, DLC: GW. The text in angle brackets, where both the LS and LS (photocopy) are faded or mutilated, is taken from the draft.

1. The following additional text appears in the dateline on the draft: “OClock P.M.”

2. See John Sullivan to GW, 30 July, and n.2 to that document.

3. For the expedition of Lt. Col. Albert Pawling, which GW and Clinton had designed to support Maj. Gen. John Sullivan’s expedition against the Six Nations, see Clinton to GW, 18 May, and n.4 to that document. GW ordered that Pawling, with 200 levies from his command, continue on the Sullivan expedition after effecting a rendezvous with Brig. Gen. James Clinton’s brigade (see GW to Sullivan, 21 June; see also GW to George Clinton, 28 June [first letter], and Clinton to GW, 1 July). For George Clinton’s marching orders to Pawling, see Clinton to Pawling, 5 Aug., in Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:181–83. For James Clinton’s intentions for effecting the rendezvous with Pawling, see James Clinton to George Clinton, 5 Aug., in Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:183. For the ultimate failure of Pawling’s expedition, see George Clinton to GW, 31 Aug. and 1 Sept.; see also GW to Sullivan, 3 Sept., and GW to George Clinton, 6 September.

4. This enclosure has not been identified.

5. See GW’s letter to James Clinton of this date, quoted in Sullivan to GW, 30 July, n.2.

6. James Clinton received the orders from Sullivan on 4 Aug. (see Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:183).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to George Clinton, 3 August 1779
Author: Washington, George
Recipient: Clinton, George
Date: 3 August 1779

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to George Clinton, 3 August 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-22-02-0021. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 22, 1 August–21 October 1779, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2013, pp. 21–22.]

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