George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 25 May 1781
To Jonathan Trumbull, Sr.
Weathersfield 25th May 1781.
Sir,
It having been represented to me that some powder has been made by Your Excellency’s directions, at Glassenbury & New Haven in this State, of materials belonging to the Continent,1 I take the liberty earnestly to request that such measures may be taken by the State as will transport it to Fishkill with the utmost expedition, great care being had that it should not be injured by the weather on its route.
The great demand we shall have for powder in the proposed operations of the campaign obliges me to apply to the respective States who have any for a loan to supply our deficiency.2 I therefore request of Your Excellency as great a loan of that necessary article as the State of Connecticut can possibly spare, and that it be transported by the State to Fishkill.3
If the measures which have been taken to procure an ample supply of powder from Europe shall prove successful, the Continent will soon have ability to repay any loan which may be furnished on this occasion.4 I beg a speedy and explicit answer on this subject.5 I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, Your Excellency’s most obedient huml. serv.
Go: Washington
LS, in Henry Knox’s writing, Ct: Trumbull Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Trumbull docketed the LS as received on this date.
GW also wrote Massachusetts governor John Hancock from Wethersfield on this date: “The great demand we shall have for powder in the proposed operations of the campaign constrains me to request a loan of that article, of the States who are possessed of it, to supply the deficiency of the Continental magazines. I therefore, Sir, earnestly request as great a loan of powder of the State of Massachusetts as can possibly be spared, and that the State would take most speedy and effectual measures to transport it to Fishkill.
“If the measures which have been taken to procure an ample supply of powder from Europe shall prove successful, the Continent will soon have ability to repay any loan which may be furnished on this occasion. I beg a speedy and explicit answer on this subject” (LS, in Henry Knox’s writing, M-Ar; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
The Massachusetts legislature formed a committee on 11 June to take GW’s letter “into Consideration, & report what may be proper to be done thereon,” and then adopted a resolution on 6 July requesting Hancock with “advice of Council to Loan to his Excy Genl Washington Powder & Military Stores” (“Mass. Senate Journal, 1780–81”). Hancock replied to GW on 15 Aug. (DLC:GW; see also GW to Hancock, 2 June).
1. For the powder mill at Glastonbury, Conn., see Trumbull to GW, 24 July 1780.
2. For the intended operations, see The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June 1781, editorial note. Brig. Gen. Henry Knox accompanied GW to this conference.
3. The Connecticut legislature promptly adopted a resolution that authorized Trumbull “with the advice of the Council of Safety … to dispose of such quantity of gun-powder belonging to this State as they shall judge can be conveniently spared, by sale or loan to the United States agreeable to the requisition of his Excellency General Washington of the twenty-fifth of instant May, and that they take the most speedy and effectual measures that the same be transported to Fish Kill” (, 3:389).
4. Congress had sought gunpowder from France (see John Laurens to GW, 24 March, n.4).
5. Trumbull later reported on gunpowder coming from Connecticut (see his letter to GW, 9 July, DLC:GW).