From George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 24 February 1780
To Major General Arthur St. Clair
Head Quarters Morris Town 24th Feby 1780.
Dear Sir
I recd yours of yesterday late last night.1 I am sorry that the state of the Ice did not admit of the prosecution of your enterprize at the time you had determined to carry it into execution, but perhaps this change of Weather may again make the passage secure.2
You will be pleased to come up on Monday next,3 if the situation of matters below will permit—Your presence is necessary as a Witness on the trial of Lt Colo. Howard, and the Court have been obliged to adjourn for want of your evidence.4 should any thing turn up between this and Monday which you think will prevent your attendance on that day, you will be pleased to signify it previously.5 I am Dear Sir Your most obt Servt
Go: Washington
⟨P.⟩ S. I shall expect the pleasure of your Company at dinner on Monday.
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The postscript does not appear on the draft or the Varick transcript.
1. GW had already acknowledged St. Clair’s first letter of 23 Feb. (see GW to St. Clair, that date). This second letter has not been found.
2. On 23 Feb., GW wrote that late in the afternoon of that day the weather “grew cold and began to freeze very hard.” On 24 Feb., he recorded a “Hard frost” in the morning with the wind blowing from the northwest; the temperature was “very cold” with “No thawing” of the ground, “even in the Sun at Mid day though the roads & fields in many places were uncoverd” of snow ( 3:346).
3. The next Monday was 28 February.
4. Col. Moses Hazen had arrested Lt. Col. John Eager Howard (see St. Clair to GW, 31 Jan.). For Howard’s court-martial, which GW had convened on 16 Feb., see General Orders, 22 March.
5. No reply from St. Clair has been found.