From George Washington to the Board of Admiralty, 15 March 1780
To the Board of Admiralty
Head Qrs Morris Town March 15th 1780
Gentn
General Arnold has informed me by a Letter of the 6th, received the Afternoon of the 13th, that your Honorable Board had requested him to communicate to me, that they had i⟨n⟩ contemplation an expedition with several of our Frigates—and wished to know whether Three or Four Hundred Men could be spared from the Army to act in conjunction with them, and as Marines occasionally for about Two Months. He also informed me, that he had offered to command the expedition, if it should be agreable to me.1
With respect to the Troops, I beg leave to acquaint the Board, that, from the Detachm⟨ents⟩ lately sent to the Southward2 and the great diminution of our force besides, occasioned by the daily expiration of the Mens inlistments, i⟨t⟩ appears to me that None can be spared from the Army, consistently with prudence or policy. But should the Board finally determine on the proposed Enterprize and the Troops be essential to it’s success—I would farther beg leave to observe that, under the circumstanc⟨es⟩ of the Army I have stated—I should not think myself authorised to send them, without the concurrence and direction of Congress. And as to the second point—General Arnold’s offer to command the expedition—the matter will depend entirely on Congress, the Board & himself.3 I have the Honor to be with great respect Gentn Yr Most Obedt servant
Go: Washington.
Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
2. For orders directing the North Carolina and Virginia troops to the southern department, see GW to Thomas Clark, 19 Nov. 1779, and the notes to that document, and GW to Samuel Huntington, 29 Nov. 1779, and the source note to that document.
3. The Board of Admiralty replied to GW on 23 March 1780: “The Board was yesterday honoured with your Excellency’s letter of the 15th Instant relative to a Naval expedition proposed to be conducted by Major Genl Arnold.
“It was doubtfull whether a sufficient naval force could be collected in season for the purpose, and it was still more doubtfull whether three or four hundred men under its present circumstances be spared from the Army, which number of Men it seems were essential to the expedition, and therefore we informed General Arnold that previous to entering upon the business it was necessary to know from your Excellency whether those men could be spared. As they cannot, We shall drop every Idea of the proposed Expedition” (ALS, in private hands; LB, DNA:PCC, Misc. Papers, Marine Committee Letter Book; Sprague transcript, DLC:GW).