Samuel Huntington to George Washington, 6 June 1781

From Samuel Huntington

Philadelphia June 6. 1781

sir,

A Resolve of Congress of the 2d Instant relative to the Bills emitted in Pursuance of the Act of the 18th of March 1780 is herewith enclosed for the Information of your Excellency.1

By sundry Prisoners from Charles-Town who are exchanged & just arrived at this Port in a Flag, we have received Information which seems not to admit a Doubt, that Lord Raudon had evacuated Camden and retreated to Charles town with his Troops, and was pursued by General Greene.2 ’Tis also reported, that on his Retreat he was attacked by General Greene with considerable Success, but this latter Report wants further Confirmation.3

From various Accounts it seems highly probable the Enemy have evacuated or lost all their inland Posts. It is said our People are in Possession of ninety six, Augusta and some other Posts nearer Charles town, but we have no Advices from General Greene later than those already communicated to your Excellency.4 I have the Honor to be, with the greatest Regard Your Excellency’s Most obedient & most humble Servant

Sam. Huntington President

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 16.

1. Huntington enclosed resolutions adopted on 2 June with procedures for handling “all Bills of Credit which issue in pursuance of the Act of the 18th of March 1780” to ensure proper interest computation. The resolution also requested “the several States” to “suspend as far as possible the issuing of such part of their respective Quotas of the said Bills as remain to be issued” (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 20:591–93; Philip Schuyler to GW, 12 March 1780, and notes 3–4 to that document; and Huntington to the States, this date, in Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 17:302–3).

2. For the exchanged prisoners, see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 20:661. Rhode Island delegate James M. Varnum wrote Rhode Island governor William Greene from Philadelphia on 8 June that he could give no “particular Account of our Affairs in the Southern States. … A Report by a Flagg from Charlestown has just come to us, that General Greene has gained very capital Advantages over Lord Rawden; but how extensive, Time must determine” (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 17:304–5).

3. For the harassed retreat of Lt. Col. Francis Rawdon’s command from Camden, S.C., see his letter to Charles Cornwallis, 24 May, in Saberton, Cornwallis Papers description begins Ian Saberton, ed. The Cornwallis Papers: The Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in The Southern Theatre of the American Revolutionary War. 6 vols. Uckfield, England, 2010. description ends , 5:288–90.

4. For the eventual report from Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, see his letter to GW, 9 June, and n.1 to that document. See also Rawdon to Cornwallis, 5–6 June, in Saberton, Cornwallis Papers description begins Ian Saberton, ed. The Cornwallis Papers: The Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in The Southern Theatre of the American Revolutionary War. 6 vols. Uckfield, England, 2010. description ends , 5:290–92; and Greene to GW, 22 June, and the enclosure printed with that document. For the transmission of Greene’s letters to Huntington written in April, see Huntington to GW, 23 May, and n.1 to that document; see also GW’s reply to Huntington, 16 June.

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: Samuel Huntington to George Washington, 6 June 1781
Author: Huntington, Samuel
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 6 June 1781

Reference

Cite as: “Samuel Huntington to George Washington, 6 June 1781,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-32-02-0273. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 32, 6 May–4 July 1781, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2023, pp. 363–364.]

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