Maryland Legislature to George Washington, 27 June 1781
From the Maryland Legislature
In General Assembly Annapolis 27th June 1781.
sir
We are very desirous that Major General Smallwood should be permitted to stay in this State, if not inconsistent with your arrangements and the service; and we wish him to remain as long as you can permit; his advice and assistance is wanted to call forth the strength of this State and to put it in a proper posture for defence. We know no Gentleman, who from his personal influence, and the universal good opinion entertained by our people of his integrity, and Military abilities, so proper to command our Militia in case of Invasion of this State.1 We have resolved immediately to raise and March to the assistance of our sister State of Virginia two Battalions of our Militia, and a number of light Horse,2 and we think General Smallwood can greatly assist to arrange them, and to expedite their March to the Southward.
We must also acknowledge the service rendered by General Smallwood in the raising equipping and disciplining a body of Recruits, about four hundred, which we expect will march from this place in a few Days.
We present to your Excellency our warmest wishes for your health and happiness, and are with great respect and regard sir Your Most Obt Servts
Geo. Plater Presidt of the Senate
W. Bruff Speaker of the House of Delegates3
LS, DLC:GW.
GW replied to George Plater and William Bruff from headquarters near Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., on 9 July: “I am honoured with your favour of the 27 Ult. As the troops of Maryland compose part of the southern Army now under the immediate command of Major Genl Greene, I think there wd be an impropriety (as it may interfere with the arrangements of that Army) to give General Smallwood directions to remain in Maryland for the purposes you mention—but if his doing this is not incompatable with the orders or views of General Greene, I have no objection to his remaining in that state till application can be made to General Greene, who I make no doubt will acquiesce in a measure which seems calculated for the public good, if General Smallwood’s service with the Army can be dispenced with” (LS, in Peregrine Fitzhugh’s writing, MdAA, Brown Books; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW; the LS indicated that the legislature read GW’s letter on 19 Nov.). GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman penned the draft, but GW added “think there wd be an impropriety” and “but if his doing this is not incompatible with the orders or views of Genl Greene I have no objection to his remaining in that State till application can be made to Genl Greene who &ca.” GW’s contributions replaced struck-out material: “do not look upon myself at liberty” and “Your application will go with propriety to General Greene.”
1. Maj. Gen. William Smallwood had left the southern army to resolve a rank dispute and forward troops and supplies (see Nathanael Greene to GW, 28 Dec. 1780, and n.5; see also Greene to GW, 7 Dec., and n.14). He remained in Maryland for the remainder of the war.
2. For this act, see , pp. 65–66, 69–70.
3. Merchant and planter William Bruff (c.1741–1802) represented Queen Anne’s County in the state’s house of delegates from 1777 until 1781 and served as speaker during 1780–81. His firm William Bruff & Son went bankrupt in 1802.