John Sullivan to George Washington, 2 May 1781
From John Sullivan
Philadelphia May 2d 1781
Dear General
I Take the Liberty of inclosing your Excellency a Motion which I intend making in Congress provided it meets with your approbation. I have reasons for this motion which were not proper in my Opinion to Lay before Congress but which I beg leave to lay before your Excellency.1 I Suppose it at Least possible That our reinforcement from France may be followed by a Superiour Naval Armament which may Arrive before any thing decisive can be Effected; Should this Event take place we shall find ourselves unable to regain a Single Post the Enemy now possess & consequently the Campaign must be lost. unless by Some diversion we can reduce that force at Least to an Equality; & this in my Opinion cannot be So effectually done as by making a Diversion in Canada as they cannot reinforce but by water; & This will demand a Convoy of Capital Ships. but Should not this Event take place Namely a Naval Superiority on their Side no injury can Arise from making the Necessary preparations as this will make a diversion in favor of our intended plans in this Quarter and Enable us in case of Disappointment to turn the feint into a real Attack. I am clearly of opinion that our whole force should be employed to regain what we have already lost so Long as there remains a probability of Success: but when the possibility of that Success ceases to Exist we ought not to loose the Campaign & Neglect to Conquer Posts completely in our power because we are unable to gain those we prefer. In Short I am for doing something in case it Should become impossible to do what I most ardently wish viz. regaining the Posts already lost. & I submit to Your Excellency whether even this will be possible unless the necessary preparations are previously made. These in my opinion may be made without much Expence the Eastern States may be called upon to Embody some Battalions & make other necessary preparations which in case of a Naval Superiority may be employed against New York & Enable us to Detach from the Main Army to the southward. I beg your Excellency to Excuse the Length of this letter as it was only my intention when I began to give the hints without going into a Long train of reasoning upon the Subject but have been invaribly led into it by perhaps too Warm an Attachment to a Plan which your Excellency may convince me is Not Eligible.2 I have the honor to be with the most respectful attachment Dear General Your Excellencys Most obedt Servant
Jno. Sullivan
ALS, DLC:GW. Sullivan signed the cover. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman docketed the letter: “Recd at Wethersfield.” GW arrived at Wethersfield, Conn., on 19 May to consult with French officers and departed on 24 May (see the entries for those dates in , 3:368, 371).
1. Sullivan enclosed the undated motion that he proposed for congressional consideration: “Gentlemen when I consider how much this Country has suffered by languid efforts; which instead of expelling the common enemy, have only served to exhaust the treasures of the United States; prolong the war and discourage the Citizens by a series of misfortunes. When I consider that the enemy are now entirely possessed of two States; occupy important posts in several others: and hold uninteruptedly the Province of Canada; containing more territory than all the thirteen United States: and that this Province, which almost encircles them, must from its situation, and by the natural increase of its inhabitants, soon become sufficiently powerful in conjunction with the naval force of Britain, to deprive us of those privileges for which we have so long contended. That a peace ratified by Great Britain at this time, should even every post in the United States be given up to Congress: must finally end in the destruction of our liberties; for a long continuance of peace would only serve to render a conquest over us more certain. …
“These considerations induce me to propose to Congress an immediate invasion of Canada, as the only means of relieving the Southern States, securing the liberty, and independence of the whole; and obtaining a peace upon terms favourable to their interest to accomplish which no great expence of men or money will be requisite. As the inhabitants of Canada since our Alliance with France are well disposed to second us in the attempt; as that Country abounds in flour and other articles of subsistance for the Army; and the possession of the lower part of Canada will of course reduce every fortress of the enemy on the Lakes, and compell their Indian allies to sue for peace.” Sullivan then sketched specific plans for an invasion and concluded “that the commanding Officer be impowered to inlist such volunteers in Canada as he may find necessary for making a sudden and complete conquest of the Country.” Sullivan struck out a subsequent paragraph in which he offered “to undertake the Command and to be answerable for its success (unless prevented by some unforeseen stroke of providence or unexpected arrival of a large reinforcement from Britain) provided Congress will for the time restore me to that rank in the Army which an ill state of health compelled me to relinquish and which I shall willingly yield up when the expedition is completed” (DLC:GW; for the full enclosure, see , 17:210–11). Sullivan decided not to submit the motion (see Sullivan to GW, 11 June, DLC:GW).
2. GW explained in his reply to Sullivan on 29 May why he considered an invasion of Canada impracticable (MiU-C: Clinton Papers).