George Washington to William Greene, 24 May 1781
To William Greene
Weathersfeild 24th May 1781.
Sir
By the plan of operations settled between His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau and myself, the French Army, except a Guard over the Stores at providence, is to march as soon as circumstances will admit and form a junction with the American upon the North River:1 But as it has been deemed of importance to keep possession of the valuable Works which have been thrown up upon Rhode Island for the security of the Harbour and Road of Newport—I have stipulated to furnish 500 Militia for that service. The exact time at which the French Army will march cannot be fixed and consequently the Militia cannot be called in by any certain day. I must therefore request that the first tour of duty which will probably be short may be performed by Men intirely from the State of Rhode Island and that they may assemble whenever called for by the Count de Rochambeau, from whom the Commanding Officer will take his orders as to the particular distribution of them to the several posts. I shall in due time write to the State of Massachusetts to send a proper releif2—I could wish that care might be taken to make choice of an Officer of intelligence and spirit.3 I have the honor to be &.
P.S. As the deposit of French Stores at providence is extremely valuable it is hoped that every assistance will be afforded by the Militia of the Country should the Enemy make any attempt to destroy them.4
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; copy, enclosed in Greene to GW, 13 Aug., DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The copy does not include the postscript.
Lieutenant General Rochambeau wrote Greene from Newport on 27 May: “I have the honor to send to your Excellency, Major Fleury, who has the honor to be acquainted with you. He will deliver into your hands Gen. Washington’s letter. You will see by it that he requires you would call immediately five hundred militia men, which he has regulated for relieving the French body at Newport. The Admiral [Barras] and myself are of opinion that this is a very favorable instant to put our respective forces in motion, and fulfill the scheme determined in the late conference with Gen. Washington.
“I trust to your Excellency’s discretion, and under the condition of the greatest secrecy, this information. I beg, at the same time, you would give immediate order to collect at Newport, as soon as possible, the five hundred men. Gen. Washington and
Map 6. With Rochambeau’s army leaving Rhode Island to join GW’s army on the Hudson River, the two commanding generals agreed that a militia force would secure Newport. (Illustrated by Rick Britton. Copyright Rick Britton 2022)
I would wish their commander to be a man of abilities, firmness and spirit, and such that we could depend upon in all circumstances whatever. I beg your Excellency would send him here as soon as possible, that we could determine and agree.
“Your Excellency will, I hope, be persuaded how much I lament the loss of your friend and relation, Col. Greene. I had the greatest esteem and regard for an officer of such merit” (, 9:432).
Greene replied to Rochambeau from Warwick, R.I., on 28 May: “Yours of the 27th instant is now before me, and as the Assembly meets today, and will very probably enter upon business on the morrow, put it entirely out of my power to call in the militia during the time they may set; shall therefore embrace the earliest opportunity to lay His Excellency Gen. Washington’s and your letters before them when by themselves, and recommend to them to keep the contents thereof as a profound secret; and whatever resolutions they may pass shall be immediately forwarded to you.
“I sincerely condole with you for the loss of that brave gentleman you have been so kind as to mention, as also for those who fell with him. But as they were contending in the defence of a cause so just, and of such amazing importance to millions who may reap the benefit of their labors hereafter, flatter myself that the public’s loss will be their eternal gain, and therefore think it our duty to submit” (, 9:432). For Col. Christopher Greene’s death, see John Paterson to GW, 14 May (first letter), notes 2 and 3.
2. See GW to John Hancock and to Greene, both 4 June and found at GW to Rochambeau, same date, n.5.
4. The French staged artillery and heavy baggage at Providence for later shipment (see GW to Samuel Huntington, 27 May, and Rochambeau to GW, 15 and 28–29 June; see also Rochambeau to GW, 23 June, n.6). For earlier security concerns, see Rochambeau to GW, 12 April.