Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council to George Washington, 6 June 1781
From the Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council
In Council Philadelphia June 6th 1781
Sir
We had the honor of your Excellencys favour of the twenty seventh Ult: requesting sixteen hundred Militia of this state.1 The Congress at the same time made a requisition of four battalions of Infantry consisting of two thousand two hundred and twenty eight rank and file a Company of Artillery, and Corps of sixty four horse for the southern service.2 A demand has also been made of three hundred Men for the frontiers. we are sorry to inform your Excellency that the present situation of the Militia in pay and equipment forbids an expectation that these requisitions can be complied with untill the House of Assembly shall make a more effectual provision for that source. The present pay is thirty old Continental dollars per day and the fines of delinquents which is the fund of payment is in the same proportion. The Assembly now sitting we have laid your Excellencys letter before them with such farther additional arguments and recommendations as we hope will produce the desired effect.3
As soon as we are enabled to give your Excellency a more satisfactory answer we shall not fail to do it; in the mean time we beg leave to assure you that we are with the greatest respect and regard Your Excellencys Most obedient and very humble servant
Jos: Reed President
LS, DLC:GW. The docket reads: “receivd 11th June.” GW replied to Joseph Reed on 15 June.
1. See GW to Reed, 27 May.
2. For this congressional resolution, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 3 June, n.2.
3. At its meeting on 4 June, the council sent a message to the general assembly in which it declared that it had “receiv’d very important requisitions from the Honourable Congress, his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the Fœderal army, and the Board of War, which we now communicate.” After observing that “the operations of the campaign will materially depend upon the measures which may be adopted in consequence of these requisitions,” the council asked that the assembly give them “your immediate consideration” (, 12:742).