1. Greene had arrived at Philadelphia on 27 Oct. and presented Congress with GW’s letter to Samuel Huntington, president of that body, dated 22 Oct. (see also Huntington to GW, 1 Nov.).

Greene also wrote Huntington on 27 Oct.: “The Commander in Chief, in consequence of an Order of Congress to appoint an Officer to the Command of the Southern Army, has thought proper to confer that honor upon me. Whether I am to consider it a misfortune, or otherwise, will depend upon future events.” Greene asked Congress for “proper powers” and “the necessary Support” to give him “hopes of prescribing some bounds to the Enemies ravages.” He concluded: “Money is the Sinews of War, and without a Military Chest, it is next to impossible to employ an Army to effect; altho Troops may be levied and the great Articles provided to equip them for the Field, a thousand things essential to Success will occur in the course of Operations which cannot be foreseen or provided for.

“I have only to suggest to Congress my earnest wish of being with my Command as soon as possible; and the necessity there is of making the proper Arrangements before I go” (Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:436–37). Congress appointed a committee to consider Greene’s 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 , 18:982).

2. Greene had written the congressional committee appointed to address his concerns on 29 Oct.: “I have examined the Papers stating the Conditions of the Southern Army, and the Prospect of procuring Supplies and have made out an Estimate, which accompanies this, for a variety of Articles in the different Departments, which will be absolutely necessary to enable that Army to take the Field and must be had from the Northern States, as there is not the least Probability of procuring an Article of them to the Southward.” He requested that Congress order “the Heads of the different Departments, to furnish the Articles as soon as possible” (Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:441–42). Greene’s estimate has not been identified, but it apparently included covered wagons and forage (see his letter to Timothy Pickering, 1 Nov., in Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:453–55).

Greene wrote Col. Christian Febiger from Philadelphia on 2 Nov.: “You will remain in this City untill further Orders for the Purpose of forwarding the Public Stores provided by the different Departments for the Southern Army. Congress have passed a Resolution directing the Heads of the different Departments to furnish for the use of the Southern Army all such Articles as I may apply for and cannot be had in the States South of this.” Febiger was to identify “officers belonging to the Southern Army at this place or Command” and “spirit their Exertions to get their Business completed as soon as possible.” Immediate attention was needed to provide arms, wagons, and clothing (Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:457–59; see also n.5 below).

3. Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis’s army left Charlotte, N.C., on 9 Oct. and established winter quarters in Winnsboro, S.C., about thirty miles northwest of Camden in that state, before the end of the month (see Thomas Jefferson to GW, 25 Oct., n.4, and Wickwire and Wickwire, American Adventure description begins Franklin and Mary Wickwire. Cornwallis: The American Adventure. Boston, 1970. description ends , 221–22). An express had reached Philadelphia on 30 Oct. with news of the British departure from Charlotte (see John Hanson to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, that date, postscript, in Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 16:284–86).

For the defeat of Col. Patrick Ferguson’s force at the Battle of Kings Mountain on 7 Oct., see General Orders, 27 Oct., and n.2 to that document.

4. A British expedition under Maj. Gen. Alexander Leslie, with orders to divert attention from Cornwallis’s incursion into western Virginia, sailed from Sandy Hook, N.J., on 17 Oct. and arrived in Chesapeake Bay on 20 October. The troops landed at Portsmouth, Newport News, and Hampton, Va., over the next few days. Virginia governor Thomas Jefferson called out militia to confront the invasion and ordered British prisoners of war held near Charlottesville moved to prevent their liberation. Leslie subsequently concentrated his forces and occupied Suffolk, Va., but Cornwallis then ordered his command farther south (see Selby, Revolution in Virginia description begins John E. Selby. The Revolution in Virginia, 1775–1783. Williamsburg, Va., 1988. description ends , 216–21).

Leslie reported to Lord George Germain from the Romulus off Cape Hatteras, N.C., on 27 Nov.: “I arrived off the Capes of Virginia the 20th of October from New York with 2500 men under my command.

“My orders from Sir Henry Clinton were to put myself under the orders of Lieut.-General the Earl of Cornwallis and to cooperate with his lordship to the utmost of my power, and if I found he had got far into North Carolina to go up James River and form a junction with him from Petersbourg.

“On dropping anchor I ordered some detachments on shore in order to gain intelligence, get pilots, and to secure some of the violent leading people. I attended the commodore to Hampton where I had landed 300 men, and there I found in the Williamsbourg papers … the account of Major Ferguson’s defeat. This made me determine to establish a post at Portsmouth until I could get certain intelligence of Lord Cornwallis’s situation, for I knew he depended much on the support of the back settlers of N. Carolina and I concluded, if Major Ferguson was defeated, from my knowledge of the general disposition of the people that his lordship could not advance.

“I made Portsmouth in a short time a place of defence and secured the post of the Great Bridge and the post of the northwest landing near the Dismal Swamp, and I had another body of troops not far from Suffolk. This afforded protection to Princes Ann, Norfolk, and Nansemond Counties where I found the inhabitants in general at home expecting some of the violent leaders and the militiamen who were forced out to reinforce General Gates. During my short stay there an inclination appeared of the people wishing to return to their allegiance but the trusting much of those appearances, so often found to be deceitful, would have been by no means justifiable, nor could I think of issuing proclamations of my own to invite them to join the troops in that point of view as I always thought that I should be obliged to join Lord Cornwallis, and by quitting that country leave those who had taken our side to mercy of their enemies, and my command was too small to think of dividing it.

“A General Mulenberg was collecting the militia of the lower counties of James River. … I intended to move to dislodge them at the time I had a letter the 9th instant from Lord Rawdon (Lord Cornwallis being much indisposed) dated Indian Lands, west of the Catawba River, 23rd October 1780. His lordship requested me to come immediately to Cape Fear to cooperate with Lord Cornwallis and if possible to form a junction, for of late matters in that province appeared unfavourable. This I decided as soon as I heard of Ferguson’s fate.

“I immediately complied with his lordship’s wishes and embarked part of the troops the next day and made it believed it was for a secret expedition. I had the horse-sloops foraged and called in the outposts. The whole were on board the 15th instant and fell down to Hampton Road without any annoyance from the rebels. There we met with violent and contrary winds which retarded our sailing until the 22nd.

“This morning we fell in with the Camilla from Admiral Arbuthnot’s squadron in Gardner’s Bay who had orders to carry to England any account of our operations, which enables me to have the honour of communicating this to your lordship.

“At noon we came up with His Majesty’s ship Galatea from Charleston, with a letter from the commandant informing me that letters from Lord Cornwallis by the armed ship the Beaumont had sailed some days (which has not yet reached us) and left open for Lieut.-Colonel Balfour’s inspection. The contents were his lordship desired me to proceed to Charleston as he found we were in want of pilots for Cape Fear as also short of provisions, and the navigation being dangerous for large ships at this season, and principally that the assistance of my troops would best be [felt] by joining his army.

“I must confess I left Portsmouth with some regret for it may be made a strong post and commands a plentiful country, is the key to the wealth of Virginia and Maryland, and well adapted for sending out flying parties of 4 or 500 men with armed vessels into the several rivers to annoy the enemy. Many of the inhabitants offered to arm if they were sure of our continuing with them” (Davies, Documents of the American Revolution description begins K. G. Davies, ed. Documents of the American Revolution, 1770–1783; (Colonial Office Series). 21 vols. Shannon and Dublin, 1972–81. description ends , 18:234–36, brackets in source; see also John Rutledge’s “Report on the Military Situation in Georgia and South Carolina,” n.8, printed as an enclosure with Rutledge to GW, 28 Dec.; and n.3 above).

5. In his letter written from Hillsborough, N.C., on 13 Oct., Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates explained to Huntington: “The greatest Attention is absolutely necessary, both from Congress and the Board of War to supply this Army, for any Great Neglect may prove the utter Ruin of these States. Tents, Cloaths, Arms, Blankets Shoes, Carriages, and Provisions, are the Main Articles in Request; and neither Time, nor Expence, should be withheld to procure them” (DNA:PCC, item 154). Congress read this letter on 28 Oct. and referred it to the same committee that considered GW’s letter to Huntington dated 22 Oct. (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 , 18:985).

6. See Huntington to Greene, 31 Oct., in Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:450–52; 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 , 994–96.

7. For the congressional reform of the Continental army, see Huntington to GW, 26 Oct., and n.1 to that document; see also General Orders, 1 November.

8. French minister La Luzerne had met GW twice during his recent trip from Philadelphia to Newport (see Greene to GW, 23 Sept., n.4). Capt. Henry Sewall, then in camp, had written in his diary entry for 26 Oct.: “The whole army was reviewed by the Chevalier de la Luzerne, accompanied by his Excellency and a suite of cavalcade, also a discharge of three cannon” (Maine Farmer [Augusta], 5 Oct. 1872).

Major General Steuben wrote the Board of War from Philadelphia on 31 Oct.: “In conversation yesterday, with the Minister of France, I mentioned to him, the Distress’d situation, in which our Army was, with respect to Clothing Arms, and Am[m]unition. he said that he thought his Court had Satisfied the demand, we had made last Year: and that he was surprised Congress had not made a New Application for w[h]at was wanting for the next Campaign; he also said he was ready to forward any requisition to his Court, and was pursuaded that the disposition of the King his master, was to assist us in all our Wants—he said that there is a Vessell about to Depart for france, in a Short time, by which any demands might be made, among which, he recommended, we would not forget, Clothing for the Officers, having heard from His Excellency Genl Washington the distressd condition, in which they are.

“I think it my duty Gentlemen to advise you not to omit this Occation of providing for the Next Campaign—I beg even, you will mention this matter to the Honble the Congress, that the necessary measures may be taken” (DNA:PCC, item 147).

9. Greene soon abandoned the idea of obtaining clothing from Maryland or Virginia (see his letter to Huntington, 19 Nov., in Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:484–85).

10. Greene had written Brig. Gen. Henry Knox from Philadelphia on 29 Oct. about the inadequacy of ordnance in the southern department and asked for an artillery company with “Four Field Pieces and Two light Howitzers” (Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:442–43). For an artillery company sent to the southern army, see General Orders, 8 November.

11. Greene wrote Joseph Reed, president of the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council, from Philadelphia on 1 Nov. with a request that he lend “for the use of the Southern Army four or five thousand stand of arms,” which Greene promised “shall be replaced out of the continental magazines. If you cannot furnish this number let us have all you can spare” (Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:455, 457). Pennsylvania officials eventually committed 600 stand of arms to the southern army (see Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 6:457).