George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 31 March 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters New Windsor 31st March 1781.
Sir
I have received Your Excellency’s favor of the 26th with its inclosures.1 I do myself the honor to transmit, for the information of Congress, the duplicate of a letter from the Chevalier de Touche to me, giving a minute detail of the Naval engagement on the 16th inst: The good conduct and bravery exhibited by our Allies on that occasion intitle them to the warmest thanks of the public, for tho’ the plan which we had in contemplation has unluckily failed, they deserve the highest applause for the boldness of the attempt to carry it into execution.2
I very anxiously await the particulars of the action between General Greene and Lord Cornwallis.3
With respect to the exchange of Lieut. Colonel Hill for Lt Colonel DuBuyson, which Congress have been pleased to refer to me, I can only say, that there are several Officers of similar rank with the latter, who have a prior right to be exchanged before him, as I have, upon several applications made immediately to me, informed him4—I cannot therefore recommend the matter without deviating from a rule which I have invariably pursued, and without departing from the spirit of a letter of Your Excellency’s of the 12th of November 1780.5 If Congress find any thing particular in Colonel DuBuyssons case, they have but to direct his exchange and I will order it to be carried into execution.6 I have the honor to be with the highest respect and esteem Your Excellency’s Most Obet and Humble servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Huntington acknowledged this letter when he wrote GW on 5 April (see also n.6 below).
1. See Huntington to GW, 26 March, and notes 1 and 4 to that document.
2. The enclosed duplicate described the Battle of Cape Henry (see Destouches to GW, 19 March, and the source note to that document). For remarks critical of the French in private correspondence, see GW to Philip Schuyler, 23 March, to Joseph Jones, 24 March, to William Fitzhugh, 25 March, to John Armstrong, 26 March, and to Lund Washington, 28 March.
3. GW soon received information about the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (see Huntington to GW, 5 April, and n.3; see also GW to Rochambeau, 31 March, and to Nathanael Greene, 18 April).
4. For the extensive correspondence with Lieutenant Colonel Dubuysson, see Dubuysson to GW, 2 Sept. 1780, and n.2 to that document; see also GW to Dubuysson, 1 Feb. 1781.
5. GW refers to congressional directives on exchanging captured officers (see Huntington to GW, 12 Nov. 1780, and n.3 to that document).
6. Congress read GW’s letter on 5 April and approved “the reasons given by the Commander in Chief, for not exchanging Lieutenant Colonel Hill for Lieutenant Colonel du Buysson” (, 19:353).