George Washington Papers

To George Washington from the Continental Congress Committee of Arrangement, 30 August 1778

From the Continental Congress Committee
of Arrangement

Head Quarters Sunday at 12 o’Clock
[30 August 1778]

Dear Sir

It is submitted by the Committee to your Excellency’s Judgement, whether it would not be better to direct an adjournment of the Court Martial, which is composed of the principal Part of the Genl officers, for a few daies untill the arrangement of the army shall be completed, as all Information, & subject matter for the Committee to proceed upon is derived from these officers.1

The Committee also request your Excellency to order the attendance of Generals Poor, Patterson & Nixon, Tomorrow—They were Part of yesterday at a loss for Information, & have in Consequence thereof troubled you with the above Requests, hoping that no inconvenience may be derived from postponing the business of the Court martial, & great good result from a permanent Settlement of the Army. I am with every Sentiment of attachment & Regard yr Excellency’s respectful & obedient Servant

By desire of the Committee

John Banister

ALS, DNA: RG 93, manuscript file no. 29350. The date is taken from an endorsement on the letter.

1. The committee was referring to the court-martial for the trial of Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair, constituted in the general orders of 23 August. The court, which had adjourned “till tomorrow” on 29 Aug., subsequently adjourned “by his Excellency’s desire, until Thursday next” (3 Sept.) and then again “until Monday” (7 Sept.), when they resumed taking testimony ( St. Clair Court Martial description begins Proceedings of a General Court Martial, Held at White Plains, in the State of New-York, By Order of his Excellency General Washington, Commander in Chief of the Army of the United States of America, For the Trial of Major General St. Clair, August 25, 1778. Major General Lincoln, President. Philadelphia, 1778. description ends , 20).

Index Entries

    You Are Looking At

    Source Project
    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from the Continental Congress Committee of Arrangement, 30 August 1778
    Author
    Continental Congress Committee of Arrangement
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    30 August 1778

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from the Continental Congress Committee of Arrangement, 30 August 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-16-02-0467. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 16, 1 July–14 September 1778, ed. David R. Hoth. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2006, pp. 425–426.]

    More between these correspondents