George Washington to Colonel Timothy Pickering, 7 May 1781
To Colonel Timothy Pickering
Head Quarters New Windsor May 7th 1781
Dear Sir
Since I wrote to you the last Evening, respecting the transportation of the salted Provisions; I have received Letters from General & Governor Clinton, informing that the Troops on the frontier, are on the point of Mutinying, and the Garrison of Fort Schuyler of abandoning that Post, for want of Provisions of every kind;1 in consequence of which, I have thought proper to have 100 Barrels of flour, forwarded to Albany, which you will be pleased to have transported accordingly.2
The total want of Meat was the sole reason, why I have not sent a quantity of that Article also. As soon as any arrives & can possibly be spared, the Troops in that quarter must be supplied with a proportion of it—This, you will observe, makes the transportation of the whole of the salted Provisions, on the West side of Connecticut River, immediately & indispensably Necessary; and as this seems to exceed the Commission of Colonel Hughs; it will require some farther attention.3
I do not mention any thing further about the flour on the communication from Pennsylvania; because, I suppose the Arrangements are all properly made, & the business in the best train of execution.4 I am Dear Sir Your Very Hble Servt
Go: Washington
P.S. Be pleased to forward the enclosed by the Express who came from Albany; & instruct him not to fail of calling on Governor Clinton, by any means.5
G.W.
LS, in David Humphreys’s writing, DNA: RG 93, manuscript file no. 26368; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Pickering docketed the LS: “answd instantly” (see Pickering to GW, this date).
1. See James Clinton to GW, 4 May, and George Clinton to GW, 6 May; see also GW to Pickering, 6 May, and n.1.
2. See GW to George Clinton, this date; see also GW to James Clinton, this date; GW to Samuel Huntington, 8 May; and Pickering to GW, 10 May.
3. Col. Hugh Hughes, deputy quartermaster for New York, had been ordered to use military impress to transport salted provisions to camp from around Fishkill (see GW to Hughes, 24 April; see also Pickering to GW, 6 and 9 May).
4. The army anticipated flour from Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey (see Ephraim Blaine to GW, 13 April; see also Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council to GW, 17 May).
5. GW presumably enclosed his letters to George Clinton and James Clinton, both this date.