George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 14 April 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters New Windsor April 14th 1781
Sir
By advices just received from Col. Brodhead, dated at Fort Pitt the 10th Ulto I am informed there are strong indications from several quarters, that Hostilities will be committed pretty extensively on the frontiers by the Savages, at the Opening of the Campaign—that the Troops under his command are very much distressed for want of Provisions, that they have been at half allowance of meat ever since the 26th of Decr and frequently both before & since without any, for several days successively—And that, should the Indians be as active & enterprizing as is expected, the Post could not be maintain’d without Magazines of Salted Provisions.1
In pointing out the Places of deposit for the Supplies of the several States; I had directed2 2400 Barrels of flour 1000 Barrels of Salt meat, or salt equivalent to put up that quantity on the spot, and 7000 Gallons of Spirits, to be deposited by the State of Pennsylvania at Fort Pitt.3 If No measures have been taken to carry this requisition into execution, I must entreat the attention of Congress to the subject, that the State may be urged to immediate compliance, and that effectual means may be adopted to releive the present distresses, and avert the calamities, which will be otherwise inevitable.4
I have been honored with your Excellency’s Letter of the 6th Inst. and am happy to see the tribute of gratitude paid to the galliant efforts of our generous Allies.5 With the highest respect I have the honor to be Your.
Df, in David Humphreys’s writing, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; copy (extract), PHarH; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The extract does not include the last paragraph (see also , 1st Ser., 9:75–76). Congress read this letter on 17 April and determined to send “extracts from the same and also from the letter, of 12,” to the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council (, 19:398; see also GW to Huntington, 12 April, n.3; Huntington to Joseph Reed, 18 April, in , 17:168; and n.3 below). For Huntington’s acknowledgment, see his letter to GW, 20 April, postscript.
1. See Daniel Brodhead to GW, 10 March, and notes 3 and 4 to that document; see also GW to Brodhead, 16 April.
2. At this place on the draft, Humphreys wrote and struck out “a sufficient proportion of those of Pennsylvania to be laid up towards the Western frontiers.”
3. GW issued these directives in accordance with a congressional requisition (see Huntington to GW, 12 Nov. 1780, n.1; see also Circular to State Executives, 10 Dec., n.8).
4. Following communications from Congress, the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council resolved on 5 July to have Jacob Morgan, superintendent of purchases, provide Robert Morris, “Superintendant of the Finances of the United States,” with the “requisition of Congress, the direction of General Washington thereupon, as to the places of deposit of such supplies, and the different quantities of each, with all such other papers as may be necessary to give clear information of the amount and disposition of such supplies, so as to enable the said Superintendant to judge what has been done and what remains to be done to comply with the said requisition of Congress” (, 12:779; see also the source note above and Reed to GW, 24 April).
5. Congress had recognized the French performance at the Battle of Cape Henry (see Huntington to GW, 6 April, found at GW to Alexander McDougall, 31 March, n.3).