George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 23 June 1781
To Major General Arthur St. Clair
Head Quarters New Windsor 23d June 1781
sir
Yesterday I received your Favor of the 16th1—I am much obliged by your Care & Attention for the Public Service—& at the same Time lament the sm⟨all Proba⟩bility of Success which you have Reason to expect from the Representation you give of the2 Disposition of the Assembly of Pensylvania. some favorable Circumstance, or some adverse Fortune—may possibly yet draw forth their Exertions. your Zeal for the common Cause I dare say, notwithstandg these Disagreable prospects,3 will induce you to continue your utmost Endeavours for the general Good.
Genl Wayne has given me a similar Return with that you have inclosed to me4—I am sorry to observe the smallness of his Numbers—I hope however they will soon be increased.
Of the Military Stores you mention to have been left at York Town—you will be pleased to order such as want Repairs, to be sent to the Laboratory at Carlisle; to be immediately fitted for use—those which are in Order may remain at York—& be Delivered for the Use of the next Troops which may rendezvous at that Place.
It appears somewhat strange to me, that our Accounts of the Operations in Virginia are so vague & uncertain—equally unaccountable appear to me to be the Designs of Ld Cornwallis from his rapid & devious Movements—By his latter Conduct, it would seem, that the Effect of all his Operations in North & South Carolina are totally lost5—& the Enemy are likely again to be reduced to the possession only of Charlestown.
The Time of your joining the Army must depend on the Exertions of the State, & their Success in furnishing such Number of Troops to their Line, as shall give you a suitable Comand in the Field—as soon as this shall be effected, I shall wish you to go on without Delay.
I am sorry to hear the ill State of Health of Mrs St Clair—I have the pleasure to inform that Mrs Washington is in a fair Way of Recovery.6
The Army in this Quarter is now takg the Field; their first point of Encampment is at Peekskill7—where I expect to be joined by the Count D. Rochambeau, with his Troops, which are on their March from R. Island.8
I have wrote Genl Irwine on the Subject of his Proposal.9 With much Regard & Esteem—I am sir Your most Obedt Servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.’s writing, PPAmP: David Library; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Mutilated material on the LS is supplied in angle brackets from the draft, which Trumbull also penned. St. Clair replied to GW on 4 July.
1. See St. Clair to GW, 16 June.
2. The preceding five words do not appear on the draft.
3. The preceding four words do not appear on the draft.
4. See Anthony Wayne to GW, 26 May, and n.1 to that document.
5. Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis and his army had begun operations in Virginia after marching from North Carolina (see Thomas Jefferson to GW, 28 May, and Lafayette to GW, 3 June).
6. For Martha Washington’s illness, see GW to John Parke Custis, 31 May, and n.2 to that document.
7. See General Orders, 18 and 19 June.
8. See Rochambeau to GW, 15 June, and n.2 to that document; see also Rochambeau to GW, 20 June and this date.
9. Brig. Gen. William Irvine had asked to command a corps raised in Pennsylvania for service in Virginia (see Irvine to GW, 14 June, and GW to Irvine, this date).