To George Washington from Major General Philemon Dickinson, 12 January 1781
From Major General Philemon Dickinson
Princeton [N.J.] Jany 12th 1781 3 oClock P.M.
Sir,
As I came thro’ Trenton, I saw the Commissioners, who were just going to begin the happy work1—The Cloathing promised by the Council of Pennsylvania is arrived2—An account was received at Trenton this Morng by a Gentleman from Philada, that the Enemy had captured seven fine Vessels off the Coast.3 I have the honor to be, Your Excellency’s Most Obt Servt
Philemon Dickinson
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Dickinson refers to the settlement with the mutineers.
2. On 10 Jan., William Moore, vice president of the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council, wrote Joseph Reed, president of the council, from Philadelphia that the clothing would be sent off “to-morrow, if not to-day.” It consisted of 1,200 shirts, 2,500 overalls, about 1,200 pairs of shoes, and 1,000 blankets (, 2d ser., 11:666).
3. An item headed “TRENTON, JANUARY 17,” in The New-Jersey Gazette (Trenton) for that date reads: “It is reported that several outward bound vessels from Philadelphia, were captured last week by the enemy’s cruizers off the capes of Delaware.”