Brigadier General James Clinton to George Washington, 21 June 1781
From Brigadier General James Clinton
Albany June 21st 1781.
Sir,
My Letter of the 15th & 18th int. gave your Excellency an account of the Disposition of the Troops in this Department and of the Prospect of Supplies for their Support,1 since which I have been honored with your Excellency’s Favour of the 16th inst. the Contents of which shall be attendd to most punctually.2 I have given Major Villefranch Directions to contract the Plan of the Work at the German flatts least3 we should be obliged to leave it in an indefencible State, and requested him to contrive it in such Sort, as to be able to aford a temporary and immediate Service, with as little Work as possible, and which may be improved when Circumstances will admit of paying more attention to it.4
I have given the most pointed Orders to the Troops to be in the most perfect and constant readiness to move in the shortest Notice, and if Boats could be sent up for their Transportation I have not a Doubt but the whole could be landed at West Point in seven days of favourable Weather after marching Orders are recieved.5
As I have been full in my last and as no new Circumstance has occurred worth communicating I beg leave to subscribe myself Sir Your most obt Humble Servant
James Clinton
LS, DLC:GW; transcript, N. “Express” is written on the cover of the LS.
1. See Clinton to GW, 15–18 June.
2. See GW to Clinton, 16 June.
3. This word is mutilated on the LS and reads “least” on the transcript.
4. For completion of these fortifications, see GW to Villefranche, 4 March 1782 (DLC:GW); see also GW to Clinton and to Duportail, both 28 May 1781.
5. GW recalled Clinton’s Continental troops (see GW to Clinton, 25 and 30 June).