George Washington to Brigadier General Henry Knox, 28 May 1781
To Brigadier General Henry Knox
Head Quarters New Windsor May 28th 1781
Dear Sir
As you are perfectly acquainted with the Measures which have been concerted with the Count De Rochambeau, I have only to request that you will be pleased to make all the necessary Estimates of Articles wanted in your Department, and also put the whole business for the Operation (so far as is within your reach) in the best train of execution, which our embarrassed circumstances will possibly admit.1 Under the present appearances of an evacu[a]tion ⟨of N. York⟩,2 I think it will be ⟨more adviseable⟩ to draw the Stores from the Eastward, rather than from the Southward.3
I enclose you Letters from Brigr General Clinton, and Capt. Moodie respecting Stores for the Northward, part of which I understand from General St Clair have been sent4—I wish you to attend to the matter, and give such further Orders as you may think necessary on the subject—You will be so good as to return the Enclosure to me, when you have done with them. I am Dear Sir With the greatest regard & esteem Your Most Obedient Servant
⟨Go: Washington⟩
L[S], in David Humphreys’s writing, NNGL: Henry Knox Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Material lost because of the clipped signature on the L[S] is supplied in angle brackets from the draft, which is also in Humphreys’s writing.
1. Knox attended the allied gathering (see The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June, editorial note).
2. For these erroneous rumors, see Arthur St. Clair to GW, 21 May, and n.2.
3. On the draft, Humphreys initially wrote “than from Philadelphia.” He then struck out “Philadelphia” and wrote “as far southward as Philadelphia” before striking out that phrase and writing “the Southward.”
4. For the enclosed letters, see James Clinton to GW, 17 May, and n.1 to that document.