Major General Steuben to George Washington, 23 March 1781
From Major General Steuben
Williamsburg Virga 23d Mch 1781
Sir
I take the liberty to refer your Excellency to the Marquiss Letter of this date for an account of our situation in this quarter.1
I only lament that the preparations we had made with so much trouble and expence appear to have proved useless and that so sure a stroke as that on Portsmouth seemed to be should have failed.
General Green in a Letter of the 11th informs me that his success depended greatly on ours and I have reason to believe that the certainty with which I spoke to him of our success accelerated the Engagement of the 15th of which I have just reced the inclosed Account.2
From every intelligence I can procure the English fleet have no Troops on board3 but should a Reinforcement arrive from New York nothing will hinder the Enemy from penetrating further into the Country—they will even be obliged to it to gain subsistence—in this situation Virginia asks Assistance & great part of the people expect it anxiously.
I am very apprehensive that this Invasion will stop all succour from this state to the southern Army—the Magazines will be exhausted All this merits the considerations of Congress & our Allies.4 I have the honor to be with great respect Your Excellencys most Obedt servant
steuben Maj: Gen.
LS, DLC:GW. “Sealed and forwarded at the special request of the Baron Steuben By your Excellencys Humble Servt” is written on the cover, followed by an illegible signature. The date “13” was rendered in the dateline before being struck out and “23d” written above the line; it is possible that the new date was supplied at a later time.
2. See Nathanael Greene to Steuben, 11 March, in , 7:427. The enclosure has not been identified, but for the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on 15 March, see Greene to Samuel Huntington, 16 March, printed as an enclosure with Greene to GW, 17 March.
3. A British fleet remained near the Virginia coast after driving off a French fleet at the Battle of Cape Henry on 16 March (see Destouches to GW, 19 March, source note; see also Destouches to GW, 8 March, source note, and GW to Lafayette, same date, and n.2 to that document).
4. GW replied to Steuben on 18 April.