Your private letter of the 18th Ulto came safe to hand1—although the honors of the field did not fall to your lot, I am convinced you deserved them. The chances of War are various—and the best concerted measures, and the most flattering prospects may, & often do deceive us, especially while we are in the power of Militia. The motives which induced you to seek an Action with Lord Cornwallis are supportable upon the best military principles—and the consequences, if you can prevent the dissipation of your Troops, will, no doubt be fortunate2—Every support that is in my power to give you from this Army shall chearfully be afforded—But if I part with any more Troops I must accompany them, or have none to command, as there is not, at this moment, more than a Garrison for West point—nor can I tell when there will.

I am much pleased to find by your letter that the State of Virginia exerts itself to your satisfaction—My public & private letters strongly inculcate the necessity of this, And I have again urged Congress to use every possible means in their power to facilitate the March of the Pensylvania line—as also to recruit, equip, and forward Moylans Dragoons to you with dispatch.3

I should be very sorry, on any occasion, to hurt the feelings of the Baron de Steuben, whom I esteem as a very valuable Officer—but in the instance you have mentioned there is no cause for complaint; for if he will advert to his own letters to me, he will find, that there was a great probability of his having marched with a detachment to reinforce you4—Besides which, there was a necessity for sending a General Officer with the detachment from hence—and political considerations as it was to be a combined operation (depending upon critical circumstances) with a French land & Sea force, pointed to the Marquis—add to this, I knew the French Troops were to be commanded by an Officer of Senior rank to either the Baron or Marquis5—these are the facts, the knowledge of which must, I am perswaded, Satisfie the Baron.

I am truly sensible of the merits & fortitude of the veteran Bands under your command, & wish the sentiments I entertain of their worth could be communicated with the warmth I feel them. It was my full intention to have requested you, to thank Morgan and the gallant Troops under his command, for their brilliant victory; but the hurry with which my letters are often written, occasioned the omission at the time I acknowledged the official accts of that Action.6 Your conjecture respecting the cause of the P——M——has more substantial ground for its support than the letter of the M——C——,7 and I am mistaken if the licentious conduct of tha⟨t⟩ line, was not more the effect of an overcharg⟨e⟩ of Spirits8 on the first of January, than of premeditated design.

I have the pleasure to tell you, tha⟨t⟩ as far as I am acquainted with the opinion of Congress with respect to your conduct, it is much in your favor9—That this is the ⟨senti⟩ment of all the Southern Delegates I have great reason to believe, because I have it declared to me in explicit terms by some of them.10 I hope the disorder of which you complained in your letter of the 18th was no more than the effect of over fatigue⟨,⟩ and that you are now perfectly recovered11—That success equal to your merits & wish⟨es⟩ may attend you, is the ardent desire of Dr Sir, Yr Affect. friend and Obedt Hble Servt