George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 10 May 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters New Windsor 10th [May] 1781
Sir,
I beg leave to introduce to your Excellency Colonel Menonville, Deputy Adjutant General to the French Army. This Gentleman, who is charged by his Excellency the Count de Rochambeau with matters respecting a contract entered into by Doctr Franklin, in behalf of the United States, for the Supply of a quantity of Provision, will, through your Excellency, lay his business generally before Congress.1
He will also, agreeably to the wishes2 of Count Rochambeau, make an application for some heavy Iron Cannon for the use of the Works at Newport which he understands were imported into New Hampshire for the 74 Gun Ship now upon the Stocks. The Brass Artillery at present in them, are the Artillery of Siege, and must be removed should the Army remove. If there are such Cannon in New Hampshire, and there is no probability of their being soon wanted for the purpose for which they were intended, I think a part of them cannot be better applied.3
I recommend Colo. Menonville to your Excellencys personal attention as a Gentn of peculiar merit.4 I have the Honor to be with gr[ea]t respect—Yr Excellencys Most Obedt & Hble Servt
Go: Washington
ALS, MiU-C: Schoff Collection; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW addressed the cover of the ALS to Huntington at Philadelphia. All versions of this letter erroneously have “April” in the dateline.
1. See GW to Huntington, 8 May, and the source note to that document.
2. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman, who penned the draft, initially wrote “at the desire” instead of “agreeably to the wishes,” which GW wrote above the struck-out phrase.
3. GW refers to the warship America. The French expeditionary force subsequently departed from their base at Newport to unite with GW’s army near New York City (see Rochambeau to GW, 9 June; see also The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June, editorial note).