George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Jeremiah Wadsworth, 11 October 1779

From Jeremiah Wadsworth

Murderers Creek [N.Y.] Octo. 11: 1779

Sir

I have your Excellencys letter of the 9th respecting rum and hard Bread⟨.⟩ The Issuing Comisarys return of this day will inform you what quantity of each are on hand.1 I have about one hundred Hhds of rum on this side Boston not in this return. I have applied to Congress for their Prize Rum at Boston which I expect they will order to this army and that it will give us a full supply. Very little hard Bread can be baked here & if baked it cannot be transported by Land without great Loss which our scanty supplies of flour will not bear.

I am informed the Agent for the marine of France has made very considerable demands on Congress for supplies, but am not yet favored with the particulars, but conclude Congress have taken measures to have the demand satisfied.2 I expect momently to have particular intelligence respecting the circumstances of my department from Philadelphia and will immediatly communicate them to your Excy.3 I am &c.

Jere. Wadsworth

LB, CtHi: Jeremiah Wadsworth Papers.

1. This return has not been identified.

2. For the reply of a committee of Congress to Wadsworth’s request of 26 Sept. for supplies of rum and flour for the army, see 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 14:34. The committee noted the expected necessity of supplying the French fleet, notified him that they had 800 barrels of flour ready to ship to the army, and authorised Wadsworth to draw 200 hogsheads of rum for the army from the Continental marine stores in Boston (see also Wadsworth’s letter to Congress of 30 Sept., DNA:PCC, item 78; 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 15:1130–32; Hastings and Holden, Clinton Papers, description begins Hugh Hastings and J. A. Holden, eds. Public Papers of George Clinton, First Governor of New York, 1777–1795, 1801–1804. 10 vols. 1899–1914. Reprint. New York, 1973. description ends 5:318–19; and John Jay to GW, 26 Sept., n.2).

3. Wadsworth’s deputy, Royal Flint, who was in Philadelphia, did not report until his return to New Windsor, N.Y., on 7 November. Wadsworth wrote to GW on 8 Nov., enclosing a copy of Flint’s report. Both reported the continued scarcity of bread and flour in the army’s magazines, but they expected sufficient supplies of flour to become available in November (both DLC:GW).

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    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from Jeremiah Wadsworth, 11 October 1779
    Author
    Wadsworth, Jeremiah
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    11 October 1779

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from Jeremiah Wadsworth, 11 October 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-22-02-0576. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 22, 1 August–21 October 1779, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2013, p. 709.]

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