Circular to the Executives of Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, 7 June 1781
Circular to the Executives of Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
Head Quarters New Windsor 7th June 1781.
Sir
By a Resolve of Congress of the 31st of May two Battalions of Infantry and a Corps of Horse consisting of sixty four Dragoons are required of the State of Maryland, to serve for three Months from the Time of their respectively rendezvouzing at the Place or Places directed by me.1 Your Excellency2 has, no Doubt, been made acquainted that the foregoing Requisition is founded upon the alarming Progress which the Enemy are making in Virginia.3 You will be pleased therefore to4 give Orders to the Officers commanding the respective Corps to march by Detachment as they are raised and equipped to whatever Place may be the Head Quarters of the American Army in Virginia or in Maryland (should the Enemy have advanced into that State) and take their further Commands from the General or other commanding Officer. I need but refer your Excellency5 to the Circular Letter of the President of Congress of the 1st inst.6 for the Reasons which ought to influence the Exertions of Your State7 most particularly at this Moment. I have the Honor to be with great respect Your Excellency’s Most Obedt & very humble Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Richard Varick’s writing, addressed to Maryland governor Thomas Sim Lee at Annapolis, MdAA: Brown Books, vol. 1; LS, in Varick’s writing, addressed to Pennsylvania president Joseph Reed, PHi: Gratz Collection; LS, in Varick’s writing, addressed to Delaware governor Caesar Rodney, in private hands; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW enclosed the three LS when he wrote Samuel Huntington on this date.
No significant differences exist among the letters except for the first sentence. The LS addressed to Reed begins: “By a Resolution of Congress of the 31st of May, four Battalions of Infantry, one Company of Artillery consisting of thirty two Matrosses and a Corps of Horse consisting of sixty four Dragoons are required of the State of Pennsylvania.” The LS addressed to Rodney begins: “By a Resolution of Congress of the 31st of May, one Battalion of Infantry and a Corps of Horse consisting of thirty two Dragoons are required of the State of Delaware.”
The Maryland Council replied to GW on 29 June. The Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council “receiv’d and read” the letter from GW on 12 June (, 12:753–54). No reply from Reed or Rodney to GW has been found.
1. For the resolution, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 3 June, n.2.
2. GW wrote this word above the line on the draft, which is in the writing of his aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman.
3. See Huntington to Certain States, 2 June, in , 17:285–86.
4. GW inserted “be pleased” and “to” on the draft.
5. GW interlineated this word on the draft.
6. For the circular letter, see Huntington to GW, 3 June, n.3.
7. GW wrote the three preceding words above the line on the draft.