I. To Ralph Pomeroy, 14 May 1781
I
To Ralph Pomeroy
Head Quarters New Windsor 14th May 1781.
Sir
I have appointed to meet Count de Rochambeau—and Count de Barras at Weathersfeild on Monday the 21st Inst. they will be accompanied by the Chevalier de Chattelus and probably with several other Gentleman—I purpose being at Weathersfeild on saturday Evening—General Knox and General du portail with the Gentlemen of our several families will attend me.1 You will endeavour to obtain Quarters for us all, and to provide Forage for two or three days at least. The number of Horses will be considerable.2 I have fixed upon Weathersfeild, as it will be the time of the meeting of the Assembly at Harford and that Town will be full.3 I am Sir Yr most obt Servt.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The purported LS has been advertised for sale (see Charles Hamilton Galleries, auction no. 119, 19 April 1979, item 237, and Doris Harris Autographs, catalog no. 13, item 72).
1. GW and his party reached Wethersfield on Saturday, 19 May. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman concluded a letter to Richard Platt, deputy quartermaster general of the main army, docketed 17 May: “Will you be pleased to order both the Boats to be on this side tomorrow Morning by day light and there wait to take over the Generals and General Knox’s Horses. … Be pleased to send an Express here to go on The Philad. Route” (DNA: RG 93, manuscript file no. 26000). The express probably conveyed GW’s letter to Samuel Huntington, 17 May.
2. The Connecticut legislature provided Pomeroy with “five hundred pounds in bills of this State” to cover expenses related to the American and French suites meeting in Wethersfield. The funds also were meant to defray Maj. Gen. William Heath’s expenses while he was in Hartford during his mission to the eastern states (, 3:393; see also GW to Heath, 9 May, and n.9).
3. The Connecticut general assembly met at Hartford from 10 May to 16 June (see , 3:368).