To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 12 November 1780
From Samuel Huntington
Philadelphia November 12. 1780
sir,
Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed, Copies of several Acts of Congress, of the 4th 7th 9th & 10th Instant.
By that of the 4th, the several States therein mentioned, are called upon to levy a Tax equal to Six Millions of Silver Dollars, to be paid partly in specific Articles of Provision, & partly in Money, at the Times & in the Manner expressed.1
By the Act of the 7th, (a Copy of which will be forwarded to Genl Greene,)2 your Excellency is authorized to effect an Exchange of all Continental Prisoners of War & now in Possession of the Enemy, and of the Hostages given in Canada; all Officers on Parole & Officers Violators of Parole & Militia actually taken in Arms & remaining Prisoners of War, for an equal Number of Prisoners in our Hands, including the Convention Troops if an Exchange can be effected upon the Terms mentioned in the Act.3
It is needless to remark to your Excellency how exceedingly the Individuals of our Troops in Captivity feel themselves injured, if they are not exchanged in the Order of their Captivity; as I take it to be a rule you have ever adhered to when not inadmissible from peculiar Circumstances, which have caused a Deviation therefrom in some particular Cases.
The Act of the 9th will inform your Excellency that the Hospital Chaplains are discontinued, & Brigade Chaplains from Time to Time are to attend the established Hospitals.
The annexed Orders enjoining the Officers of the Cavalry to purchase no more Horses on public Account without the Order of Congress was passed several Days before your Letter of the 7th Instant came to Hand which mentions the Propriety of such Practice in the Commanding Officers of Corps in the Cavalry. Orders in future may be given for that purpose if Congress should think proper.4
By the Act of the 10th, Congress propose (if practicable) to make a Saving of Forage in Camp, by removing all Horses that in your Opinion are not absolutely necessary to be retained with the Army for public Use; to be disposed of or fed at a Distance from Camp.5 I have the Honor to be with the highest respect your Excellency’s most obedient Servant
Sam. Huntington President
P.S. Your several Dispatches of the 1st, 4th 5th & 7th have been received. The latter came to hand this moment.6
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 15. GW replied to Huntington on 20 November.
1. The enclosed copy of the congressional resolutions adopted on 4 Nov. specified that the provisions be provided “at the prices hereafter enumerated, and the residue in Gold or Silver or bills of Credit emitted pursuant to the resolution of the 18th March last.” The requests were as follows: New Hampshire: beef, rum, and $47,623; Massachusetts: beef, pork, rum, salt, and $273,831⅔; Rhode Island: beef, pork, rum, and $23,797⅔; Connecticut: beef, pork, rum, salt, and $202,399⅓; New York: beef, pork, flour, and $89,295; New Jersey: beef, pork, flour, salt, and $107,152; Pennsylvania: beef, pork, flour, rum, salt, and $273,832⅔; Delaware: pork, flour, rum, salt, and $20,240⅔; Maryland: beef, pork, flour, rum, salt, and $188,111; Virginia: beef, pork, flour, rum, salt, and $297,645; and North Carolina: beef, pork, flour, salt, rum, and $119,060. Various delivery dates were set for 1781, and “the sums of Money above mentioned” were to “be paid into the treasury of the United States in four Equal quarterly payments, and that the first payment be made on the first day of May 1781.” The resolution included a financial adjustment mechanism if states exceeded or fell below their quotas. (DLC:GW; see also , 18:1011–18, and Philip Schuyler to GW, 12 March, and notes 3 and 4 to that document). For criticism of this legislation, see Benjamin Lincoln to GW, 28 November.
2. See Committee of Congress to Nathanael Greene, 13 Nov., in , 16:327–28.
3. Huntington enclosed a copy of a resolution dated 7 Nov. that passed Congress after review of a committee report which took into consideration GW’s letter to Huntington on 7 October. The resolution’s specific directives required that exchanges be “rank for rank, and where similar rank will not apply to pursue the exchange on the footing of Composition According to the valuation or tariff Agreed on by the Commissioners at Amboy in March last.
“That the Exchange of Officers next in rank to such as Cannot be exchanged on the principles of equality be Considered and exchanged on the principles of composition.
“That all prisoners taken by the American forces in the Northern department & permitted to return home on parole be considered & exchanged Agreeably to their rank & order of Capture.
“That the expence incurred for removing & supporting the Convention troops from the time of their Capture be adjusted by Commissioners to be Appointed for effecting the said exchange, And the ballance, after deducting the expence due for support of our prisoners in the hands of the Enemy paid prior to the Exchange of any part of the said troops.” The commissioners could submit any disputes “to some proper arbitrating power” or agree “to give hostages” to ensure eventual financial satisfaction. Additionally, the resolution required “hostages be mutually given as a security that the Convention troops and those received in Exchange for them do not bear arms prior to the first day of May next.
“That Genl Washington be informed it is not the sense of Congress to make this last article an Ultimatum, unless from the present State of our Army, the improbability of his being joined by the french troops or other circumstances, he shall be convinced that the Convention troops will by the exchange be put in a situation to act with the british army at the southward prior to our having an equal force in readiness to oppose them.
“Resolved That the Commander in Cheif be directed to insist upon the Exchange of those persons prisoners of war under the capitulation of Charles Town alluded to in the order of the 23d day of September last” (DLC:GW; see also Document XVI with Major John André’s Capture and Execution, 23 Sept.–7 Oct., editorial note; and both letters from the Commissioners for the Exchange of Prisoners to GW, 26 March [letter 1; letter 2]). The congressional resolution adopted on 23 Sept. involved civilians (see , 18:851, and GW to Henry Clinton, 6 Oct.).
, 18:1028–31;4. The enclosed copy of congressional resolutions adopted on 9 Nov. directed GW “to appoint brigade Chaplains from the Army from time to time to attend the established hospitals.” Additionally, cavalry officers were enjoined “to make no more purchases of horses on public account, without the order of Congress” (DLC:GW; see also , 18:1035–36; GW to Huntington, 7 Nov.; and the postscript to this document).
5. The enclosed copy of the resolution that Congress passed on 10 Nov. authorized GW to remove “all horses in the Army whether of public or private property.” John Neilson and Q.M. Gen. Timothy Pickering had urged the measure. The resolution also gave GW discretion to “dispose of” some public horses “for draft oxen” prior to “the ensuing campaign.” Finally, GW was required to “Cause returns to be made to the Board of war of all horses both of public & private property kept in camp at the public expence; And also of those removed noting at what places kept and on what business employed” (DLC:GW; see also , 18:1045–47; GW to Stephen Moylan, 27 Nov.; and General Orders, 22 Dec., source note).
6. See GW to Huntington, 1, 4, and 5 Nov.; see also n.4 above.