George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 June 1781
To Joseph Reed
Head Quarters New Windsor June 15th 1781.
Dear Sir
I have been honored with your Favors of the 17th of May and 6th of this Month,1 the first did not reach me until the 7th inst. By the Rules of Promotion which existed previous to the resolve of Congress of2 the 25th of May,3 Lieut. Colo. Carrington of the 1st Regiment of Artillery will succeed to the Command of the 4th vice Proctor and Lieut. Colo. Forrest, if he remains in Service, must be removed to the 1st. Your Excellency has therefore only to call upon Lieut. Colo. Carrington or commanding Officer for an accurate Return of the Officers of the Regimt and I make no Doubt but it will be immediately furnished.
The Proceedings of the Court Martial on the Case of Lieut. Bigham were transmitted to me from Philadelphia and the Sentence, by which he was cashiered, has been approved. The Court unanimously recommended a Restoration of his Rank, but I could not think myself justifiable in doing it.4
In Consideration of the Number of Militia which have been required from the State, for the Assistance of Virginia, I have thought it but equitable to withdraw my request for the sixteen hundred Men which were intended to act with the Army. This I hope will enable Your Excellency with the more Ease to procure the Means of raising and equipping those for the Southern Service.5
I must confess to You that I am not a little alarmed at the Complexion of Your Excellency’s Letter of the 17th of May, as I cannot find that You are able to give me the least Assurance of a further Supply of Flour, and there is no other Quarter from whence it can be drawn in sufficient Quantities, by any Means within our Power. While I regret that internal Disputes and Divisions have for some Time past deprived us of the Resources of one of the most powerful States in the Union, I cannot but hope that Unanimity will take Place at the present Crisis, which is perhaps the most important of any which America has yet experienced. From your Excellency’s Zeal and Inclinations I have every Thing to expect, and I shall anxiously wait to hear how your Recommendations have been received and seconded by the Legislature.6 I have the Honor to be with very great Respect & Esteem Your Excellency’s Most Obedt & humble Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Richard Varick’s writing, PHi: Gratz Collection; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council received and read this letter on 19 June and ordered it “filed” (, 12:761).
2. GW inserted the preceding five words on the draft, which otherwise is in the writing of his aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman.
3. For this congressional resolution, see General Orders, 5 June.
4. See General Orders, 29 May.
5. GW had called for 1,600 militia in his letter to Reed dated 27 May. For the militia wanted for service in Virginia, see Samuel Huntington to GW, 3 June, n.2.
6. The Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council replied to GW on 7 July and informed him that Robert Morris had agreed to assume “the intire direction and responsibility” for procuring supplies required from Pennsylvania (DLC:GW; see also Arthur St. Clair to GW, 24 June, postscript).