From George Washington to Ralph Pomeroy, 4 March 1781
To Ralph Pomeroy
Hartford 4th March 1781
Sir
From the representation made by you of this date1—I am clearly of opinion that it will be of the greatest public advantage to have as much of the salt provision of your State as possible brought immediately forward to the North River, without touching at the places of deposit pointed out by me,2 and I think further—that—as it will tend to lessen the public expence very considerably in the end, you will be fully justified in appointing the necessary number of persons to go thro’ the several town ships and engage the Inhabitants to bring forward the provision in the manner you propose. I am Sir, Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, CtHi.
1. Pomeroy’s “representation,” mistakenly docketed by GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman as dated 4 March at Hartford, is dated 1 March at New Windsor and reads: “It being represented by the Deputy quarter master of the state of Connecticut that the provisions collected in the western towns of that state might be removed on directly to Fishkills by the assistance of each town which may be done without the expenditure of much public money although it will be attended with some expences to the D.Q.M. or his Assistants which would not arise at receiving and forwarding the same at a Magazine yet upon the whole the expence will be much less to the public.
“The General would wish if it may be consistently be done that the provisions move on immediately from each town according to the Orders of the Commissy Genl of Purchases and that the Deputy quarter master or Assistants keep an Accot of all expenditures in this matter.” Tilghman wrote on the docket: “desired to bring the provision immediately to the North River in the manner proposed” (DLC:GW).
2. GW had designated Jacob Bull’s ironworks and Hartford as places to deposit provisions in Connecticut (see Circular to State Executives, 10 Dec. 1780).