George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-26-02-0388

To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 24 June 1780

From Major General Robert Howe

Highlands [N.Y.] 24th June [1780]

Dear Sir

I have received your Excellency’s Letters, which the Hurry I am in, will I hope excuse my not being able to answer fully—Those Measures which you recommend that have not already been executed, shall be carried into Effect with all possible Expidition—what you have said in one of yours relative to Verplank’s & stony Points, will I am much afraid in our present Situation if literally complied with, be attended with Inconveniences to this Post1—Our Situation requires that they should not only alarm us, but check the Progress of the Enemy—I had refered this to the General Officers who were unanimously of Opinion that those Works should be maintain’d even at the Risk of the Garrisons—I laid it before them again & they reiterated the Opinion upon me in still stronger Terms—Major Genl McDougal—Brigadiers Clinton, Poor & Patterson compos’d the Council—The Works are in a very defensible State—the Officers brave—the Men in good Spirits, & if the Works should be lost in the Result, they will give us the Time we want, & be sold I am persuaded for more than they are worth—it would not be proper to go fully into this Matter by Letter, even if I had Time, but there are such Reasons for it, as induce me to unite my Opinion with that of the Council—your Excellency will direct as you please, & be so obliging as to let me hear from you upon the Subject immediately.2 I inclose you Sir, Letters I have received from Governor Trumbul and Mr Adams & Mr Gerry3—I had sent to forbid the immediate March of the Troops they speak of, but upon the Intelligence you give me, & what I have myself received, should think they had better be put in Motion—it would take some Time to collect them, & a Countermand if you chuse it, may in Season prevent their Approach—This Measure also the Generals recommend, as they think with great Propriety those Bodies are easier sent back than put in Motion. To benefit Service is my utmost Pride, & the ultimate End I aim at—any Errors I commit therefore will be the Result of the best Intentions. I have the Honor to be with the greatest Respect & Regard your Excellency’s most obedient Humble Servant

Robert Howe

P.S. Please return the inclosed Letters, as I have not had Time to copy them.4

LS, DLC:GW.

1Howe is referring to GW’s letter to him of 20 June.

2GW replied to Howe the next day in the postscript of a letter to Howe.

3These letters from Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., and Massachusetts delegates Samuel Adams and Elbridge Gerry have not been identified, but GW wrote Brig. Gen John Fellows from Ramapo, N.J., on 27 June: “I have been informed that You are marching with a Brigade of Militia to the succour of West point, in consequence of a requisition from the Honble Messieurs Adams & Gerry. That post for some time seemed from a variety of intelligence, to be the Object against which the Enemy meant to direct their operations, and in this view & from the importance of keeping it secure—and the divided State in which we were compelled to hold our Continental force, these Gentn thought it material I presume, to make the requisition; but the Enemy having left the Jersey’s and circumstances in consequence admitting our Troops to be more collected, such arrangements have taken place for it’s defence, as to render I trust the aid you were bringing unnecessary at least for the present however material it might have been considered before. You will therefore, if You have begun your march, be pleased to return with the Militia and if you have not and they are not assembled You will prevent it. At the same time I am confident that You and the Militia will upon application give us succour with the greatest chearfulness, and I would recommend that they should hold themselves in the best state of readiness circumstances will permit, that they may be the better able to do it, if at any time it should be found requisite” (Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).

The preamble of an act that passed the Massachusetts legislature on 23 June reads: “Whereas the present State of the Continental Army & the fortresses on the North River are such as may render it necessary to call upon the Militia from some parts of this State & Whereas the Honble Samul Adams & Elbridge Gerry Esqrs. by their Letter dated at Hartford on the Twentieth of this inst have requested Brigr Fellows of the County of Berkshire to hold the Militia of his Brigade under Marching Orders to repair to Hudsons River with a suitable Quantity of Provisions upon the Application of Major Genl Howe to him for that purpose” (DLC:GW).

4GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote notes on the last page of the LS that may indicate the contents of these letters: “Militia from Connecticut[:] From Sillimans Brigade—300 men[.] Harts [Heart’s]—600[.] Wards—600[.] Wolcotts—500[.] [total] 2000[.] Colo Wells’s Regt from Greenwich.

“From Massachusetts Fellow’s Brigade.

“All the above are ordered to bring 14 days provision.”

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