To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 7 March 1780
From Major General Nathanael Greene
Morris Town March 7th 1780.
Sir.
Inclosed are returns of articles wanted for the use of Colo. Sheldon’s & Moylan’s Regiments of Dragoons which have been demanded of Mr Hubbard the Deputy Quarter Master General of the State of Connecticut who has written to me for instructions in the business.1 Will your Excellency please to give order in the matter. The Swords Pistols and Cartouch boxes, I should suppose ought to be provided by the ordinance department. Indeed the Board of War once gave me a hint that the whole provision for the horse belonged to that Department; but would not give any directions in the matter or provide any means by which they might be furnished.
If there is any way that they could be supplied without our assistance, I should be glad of it, as our means are far less than the demands upon us.
I wish for an answer as soon as convenient, as I am desirous of answering Mr Hubbard by this post.2 I am with great respect Your Excellency’s Most Obedient Humble Servt
Nath. Greene Q.M.G.
LS, DLC:GW. A note under the docket in Tench Tilghman’s writing reads: “Ansd.”
1. These returns have not been identified. GW forwarded them to the Board of War on 8 March. For Nehemiah Hubbard’s letter to Greene, dated 24 Feb., see 5:415–16.
2. GW’s answer may have been verbal. No letter from GW to Greene on this subject has been found. The answer Tilghman alluded to in the docket may refer to GW’s letter to Hubbard of 27 March, in which GW explained that the Board of War expected to be able to supply the dragoons with caps, boots, breeches, swords, pistols, and cartouche boxes, but the quartermaster department would have to supply the saddles and saddle furnishings (DLC:GW; see also the Board of War to GW, 17 March, and GW to the Board of War, 25 March, both in DLC:GW).