To George Washington from John Sullivan, 2 January 1781
From John Sullivan
Philadelphia January 2d 1781
Dear General
The only apology I can make for not answering Sooner your Excellencys favor of the 17th ulto is that I wished to forward my Letter by Colo. Laurens who has been unexpectedly Delayed from Setting off for Head Quarters1—Since Rivingtons Publication I feel Some reluctance at venturing my Letters by the Post.2
Your Excellencys Letter of the 27th ulto was Yesterday read in Congress & Refered to General Varnum myself & I think Colo. Bland I shall call the Committee together as Soon as I receive the papers and Endeavor to have Some Rule adopted respecting promotions which will avoid the Difficulties Your Excy has been pleased to mention I will Endeavor to Avail myself of Your Sentiments upon the Subject.3
I am much Mortified that I could do nothing respecting the Jersey Line the Jealosy of the States prevented any thing being done though often attempted by Mr Clark & Myself I could not Avail Myself of Your Exceys Sentiments upon the matter as I had no right to Communicate any part of a Confidential Letter which Your Excey had honored me with4—I had much Difficulty to Save Colo. Smith who I know Your Exy would reluctantly part with Mr Duane was Indisposed & did not tend Congress yesterday but a resolution for his being Continued was obtained by a very great Majority a Motion was Made this Day and warmly urged for reconsideration but did not prevail So a valuable officer is Saved to the Army.5
I am not Certain but Dayton may yet be Saved by our Report on Your Excys Letter of the 27th.6
I have no news Except that the Enemy have Landed under Lesley at Bald Head in North Carolina7 I really fear much for the Southern States I beg Yr Excy will be so oblidging as to present my most respectful Compliments to Mrs Washington & that You will believe me to be Most Sincerely Dr General Your Excellys Most obedt Servt
Jno. Sullivan
ALS, DLC:GW. Sullivan wrote “1780” in the dateline.
1. GW had written at length regarding officer promotions (see his letter to Sullivan, 17 Dec. 1780). Congress had just appointed GW’s aide-de-camp John Laurens special minister to the French court (see Laurens to GW, 7 Jan. 1781, n.2).
2. Some of Sullivan’s letters, along with those of other delegates to Congress, had recently been intercepted by the British and published in James Rivington’s Royal Gazette (New York). For more on the interception of the letters and their publication, see GW to Samuel Huntington, 15 Dec. 1780, n.6; see also Henry Clinton to George Germain, 16 Dec. 1780, in , 18:256–58. For the list of those letters that British general Henry Clinton sent to Germain, see , 16:458.
3. Sullivan refers to GW’s letter to Huntington of 20–26 Dec., which was read in Congress on 1 Jan. and referred to a committee consisting of Sullivan and delegates James Mitchell Varnum and Theodorick Bland. GW’s letter to Huntington of 27 Dec. with intelligence regarding a British embarkation at New York was read the same day, but Congress did not refer it to a committee (see , 19:1).
4. In his letter to Sullivan of 17 Dec. 1780 on officer promotions, GW had especially focused on that of colonels to brigadier generals. In particular he had mentioned the case of the colonels in the New Jersey line and his hope that Elias Dayton, the senior colonel, could be promoted to brigadier general.
5. For the retention of Lt. Col. William Stephens Smith in the army, see James Duane to GW, this date, n.2.
6. Sullivan is again referring to GW’s letter to Huntington of 20–26 Dec.. The committee reported to Congress on 8 March (see , 19:242–44). It recommended a resolution appointing Dayton a brigadier general, but Congress did not promote Dayton until 7 Jan. 1783 (see , 24:38; see also , 23:790–91).
7. British major general Alexander Leslie had landed 1,000 of his 2,500-man corps at Wilmington, N.C.; the remainder continued with him to Charleston, S.C. (see Duane to GW, this date, n.5).
The cape known as Bald Head, located about twenty-five miles south of Wilmington, lies on the western end of Smith Island, the southernmost point of which is Cape Fear.