George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 11 March 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Newport 11th March 1781.
Sir
I do myself the honor to inform your Excellency that I arrived here on the 6th.1 In consequence of previous arrangements between the Count de Rochambeau and myself I found between eleven and twelve hundred of the French Grenadiers and Infantry already embarked and the Fleet nearly ready to sail. They however did not put to sea untill the evening of the 8th.2 By advices from New London the British, which were in Gardiners Bay, did the same yesterday morning with their whole force—They gave out that they were bound for Chesapeak.3
A meeting of the two fleets seems unavoidable—and perhaps the issue of a contest between them was never more interesting.4 I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect Yr Excellency’s Most obt and humble Servt
Go: Washington
P.S. I have recd several of Yr Excellency’s late favors, which I shall more particularly acknowledge on my return to New Windsor.5
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; copy, MdAA; copy, NNGL; copy (extract), DLC:GW, ser. 9 (but stamped “Archives of the State of Maryland”); Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The copy at MdAA does not include the postscript (see also Huntington to Thomas Sim Lee, 18 March, in , 17:68). The postscript on the copy at NNGL compares the strength of the French and British fleets and shows the French ships to carry significantly more cannon. The extract addressed to French minister La Luzerne contains only material in the letter’s first paragraph (see also GW to La Luzerne, this date, found at GW to Lafayette, 8 March, n.2). Congress read GW’s letter on 19 March (, 19:275).
The impact of GW’s communication can be sensed in a portion of the letter New York delegate James Duane wrote his wife, Mary, from Philadelphia on 20 March: “A few days will decide the fate of Arnold, as it is more than probable that by this time the French and British fleets have had an Engagement. Their force is equal and the French went to the Southward with an Intention to fight and an opinion that they woud be victorious” (, 17:69–70; see also Daniel Carroll to Lee, 18 and 20 March, as well as letters dated 20 March from William Floyd to George Clinton, from Samuel Johnston to James Iredell, from Virginia Delegates to Thomas Jefferson, and from Oliver Wolcott to Samuel Lyman, in , 17:67–74).
1. See GW to Alexander Hamilton, 7 March, source note.
2. See Destouches to GW, 8 March, source note. For arrangements to embark French troops, see GW to Rochambeau, 19 and 27 Feb., and Rochambeau to GW, 25 February.
3. The reports from New London, Conn., have not been identified, but see GW to Lafayette, 8 March, and n.2 to that document.
The Connecticut Gazette; and the Universal Intelligencer (New London) for 16 March reported that on 10 March “the British fleet, which has lain in Gardiner’s Bay for this some time past, came to sail, and stood to the southward, in consequence of the sailing of the French fleet which sailed from Newport on Thursday preceding.
“It is certain, that since this fleet has lain at Gardiner’s Bay, they have buried upwards of 200 men, and that a day or two before they sailed they landed between two and three hundred sick, which, on sailing, they took on board in the greatest seeming confusion.”
4. The French and British fleets clashed on 16 March in the Battle of Cape Henry (see Destouches to GW, 19 March, source note).
5. See GW to Huntington, 21 March. Huntington had written GW on 2 March, with intelligence related to the southern department, and on 5 March, enclosing items from Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene and Virginia governor Thomas Jefferson as well as announcing ratification of the Articles of Confederation. GW had acknowledged letters from Huntington dated in late February prior to leaving New Windsor for Newport (see GW to Huntington, 26 and 27 Feb.; see also GW’s second letter to Huntington, 1 March, postscript).