George Washington Papers

To George Washington from the Board of War, 28 July 1780

From the Board of War

War Office [Philadelphia] July 28th 1780

Sir

In Consequence of your Excellency’s Letter on the Subject of the Jersey Arrangements1 the Board (fully sensible from Experience of the Justice of your Observations on the Impropriety of the individual States interfering in such Cases) reported the Matter to Congress in Hopes of an Alteration in the System being produced.2 But we are this Day informed that Congress have been pleased to negative our Report.3 Matters must therefore remain as they are until Congress shall alter their Sentiments on this Subject & restore Propriety to the Mode of arranging the Army. We cannot under present Circumstances issue the Commissions to the Jersey Officers from Considerations which must strike your Excellency on every View of the Subject. When the Government of the State transmitt us the Arrangement not a Moment shall be lost in sending your Excellency the Commissions.4 We have the Honour to be with the highest Respect & Esteem your very obedient Servants

Richard Peters
By order & in Behalf of the Board

ALS, DLC:GW.

1. See GW to the Board of War, 5 July; see also GW to the Board of War, 17 July.

2. The board, “entirely coinciding with his Excellency in opinion,” presented its report to Congress on 12 July (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 , 17:606–7).

3. Congress took the report into consideration and rejected it on 26 July (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 , 17:670).

4. GW acknowledged this letter when he wrote the board on 14 August.

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    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from the Board of War, 28 July 1780
    Author
    Board of War
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    28 July 1780

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from the Board of War, 28 July 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-27-02-0282. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 27, 5 July–27 August 1780, ed. Benjamin L. Huggins. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2019, p. 335.]

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