1. GW had directed Wayne to take a detachment of the Pennsylvania line as soon as it could be formed to Virginia and support Major General Lafayette’s command (see GW’s letter to Wayne, 26 Feb.; see also his second letter to Lafayette, 20 Feb., and the source note to that document).

2. Wayne evidently refers to the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council’s actions in March to pay, clothe, and provision soldiers and new recruits in the aftermath of the mutiny in the state line (see Wayne to GW, 2 Jan., source note). On 3 March, the council, acting on legislation passed by the general assembly, appointed auditors to settle the depreciation pay of the officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania regiments of the Continental army. On 8 March, the council, acting on legislation passed by the general assembly that day, directed the payment of nine pounds in state money as a gratuity “to every non-commissioned officer and soldier” arriving at designated places of rendezvous who had been retained “in the Pensylvania line, and who was inlisted prior to the year 1780, to serve during the war.” On 10 March, the council also authorized the same bounty “to such non-commissioned officers and privates as having been inlisted for a less time than the expiration of the present war, were retain’d on the late settlement at Trenton; provided always, that they be regularly inlisted and attested as other recruits now are.” On 12 March, the council directed the state treasurer to draw orders on the treasurers of six eastern counties for £500 each for the recruiting service. On 14 March, the council provided £500 “for the purpose of procuring supplies of provisions for the use of the army.” And on 19 March, the council provided £3,000 “for the purpose of procuring cloathing for the use of the army” (Pa. Col. Records description begins Colonial Records of Pennsylvania. 16 vols. Harrisburg, 1840–53. description ends , 12:646, 651–52, 654–56, 658, 663).

3. Wayne’s draft does not include the highest troop figure.

4. In ancient Greek mythology, the Gorgons possessed the power to turn all those that looked at them into stone.

5. Wayne enclosed a copy of his letter to Samuel Huntington, president of Congress, written at Philadelphia on this date: “I have the honor of Inclosing you the Orders of His Excelly Genl Washington, and letters that have passed between the Marquis Lafayette & myself on that subject, & the Object of his Detatchment; I experience much anxiety on the Occation, as I have the strongest ground to believe that the Commander in chief intended that I should be present in case of an Operation; at the same time expected that a part of the Pennsa Line would have joined that Detatchment.

“this was rendered impracticable by the periods fixed for settlement with the respective Regiments (and the worst of all evils in War) an exhausted treasury, which has prevented the executive Council of this State from furnishing the Soldiery with a little money & necessary Clothing, which should have been complied with on the 15th of this Instant agreeable to promise, & altho’ I have Collected a sufficiency of Arms & Accoutrements, & procured tents & other Camp equipage for all the retained troops, we cannot put even those in motion that have been settled with except about 80 men in a Regiment, for the reasons already mentioned.

“I am therefore necessitated to request your Excelly to lay these facts before the Honble Congress, that they may adopt some mode to facilitate the advance of the troops.

“I feel my situation delicate—duty & Inclination, places me at the point of Operation, adverse and intervening circumstances keeps me at a Distance; may I hope for the Immediate Advice & Directions of Congress on the Occation” (DLC:GW). After reading Wayne’s letter on the same date, Congress recommended that the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council “forward the march of their line in detachments, with all possible expedition, to join the southern army” (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 , 19:275). The council considered the resolution on 22 March and ordered it “filed” along with a cover letter from Huntington (Pa. Col. Records description begins Colonial Records of Pennsylvania. 16 vols. Harrisburg, 1840–53. description ends , 12:669).

6. GW’s former military secretary Robert Hanson Harrison was at Philadephia (see GW to Harrison, 25 March, found at GW to Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., 16 April, n.1; and Harrison to GW, 14 April).

7. GW replied to Wayne from New Windsor on 8 April: “I was duly favored with Yours of the 19th ulto, by Colonel Harrison—at the same time, that I commend the laudable efforts you made to have a Corps of the Troops of Pennsylvania in readiness to march with the Detachment under the C⟨o⟩mmand of the Marquis De la Fayette, I deplore with you the causes which have occasioned this delay, and hitherto frustrated your endeavours.

“The critical situation of our southern affairs, and the reinforcements sent by the Enemy to that Quarter, urge the necessity of moving as large a proportion of the Pennsylvania line as possible, without a moments loss of time. Indeed I hope before this, by the measures you have taken, all the impediments to a movement, will have been obviated.

“I am persuaded, your utmost, and unremitting exertions, will not be wanting on this and every occasion of serving your Country so essentially—that they may ever be crowned with success, that nothing but propitious events may attend you on the march, and in the Field” (LS, in William Colfax’s writing, PHi: Wayne Papers; Df, DLC:GW; copy [extract], PHarH; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; the extract omits the opening paragraph; GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to Wayne at Philadelphia).