George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 28 June 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters Peekskill 28th June 1781
sir
I have been honored with your Excellency’s several Letters of the 20th & 21st instant—with their several Enclosures1—sir Henry Clinton has indeed refused to make any Exchange of Genl Burgoyne in the Military Line, but upon my Consent to put the Prisoners taken at the Cedars upon a footing of Exchange equal with any other Prisoners of War.2 I know of nothing at present subsisting between Sir Henry & me to prevent a Proposition being made by Congress for the Exchange of Mr Laurens for Genl Burguoyne, in the Mode mentioned by your Excellency.3
As to Genl Bailey’s Memorial, I am persuaded that Congress, from a Knowlege of our Circumstances, will be fully sensible that an Expedition into Canada, must be utterly impracticable4—they may also be informed, that in the present Situation of our Troops, & their Numbers, with respect to our intended Operations; it is equally out of my Power to lend any Aid for the support of that Frontier.5
The Regulations of the Cloathing Department, were we in suitable Circumstances, are very agreable to my Ideas respecting it. But I beg Congress will be pleased to consider, whether at this Time, when there is great Reason to suppose the Loss of the Marquiss le Fayette, expected from France, it will not be best to suspend that Part of the Resolution, which abolishes all State Appointments & Regulations, respecting their Purchase or procuring any further Supplies, unless Congress are fully assured of a sufficient Supply by means of their own Resources, without any Aid from individual States, I have great Reason to fear, the Army will fall much short of its real Needs—that part of the Regulations which I have mentioned, will most probably give the States an Idea of the Competentcy of the Continental Resources independant of their Assistance; and they will be very glad to relax their Attention to this Article, which has already given them much Trouble & Expence to obtain—were your Expectations equal to our Wants, I should be fully satisfied without the Intervention of individual States—but some peculiar Fatality seeming to attend all the Attempts for obtaing Cloathing from abroad,6 that have hitherto been made by Congress, I am greatly apprehensive, that, without the Aid of the States, we may, by another Campaign, have an Army literally Naked.
Inclosed I send for the Observation of Congress, Copy of a Letter from M. Genl Schuyler, who has undertaken to build a Number of Boats for Public Use7—as this Gentleman has been already particularly serviceable to the public by his Advancements, & his Aid may be further needed in our Operations, I beg, that Congress will be pleased to take the most effectual Measures that he may be enabled to fulfill his Engagements in the Time mentioned by him, so8 that his Credit may not be injured by his Exertions in Favor of the Public.9 I have the Honor to be—with the most perfect Regard & Estimation sir Your Excellency’s most Obedient and humble Servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read this letter on 2 July and ordered that “so much thereof as relates to the regulations of the cloathing department be referred to the committee who brought in the report on that subject, and that so much thereof as relates to General Schuyler’s engagement, together with the letter, of 20 June, from General Schuyler, be referred to the superintendant of finance” (, 20:715; for the committee that considered the clothing department, see , 20:662).
The committee, “to whom was referred an extract of General Washington’s letter of 28th June last, respecting the cloathing department,” reported on 23 July. Congress then referred the extract “to the Board of War; who are directed to confer with the superintendant of finance and the cloathier, and make the best contracts in their power for procuring cloathing for the army” (, 21:777).
1. See Huntington to GW, 20 and 21 June.
2. See Abraham Skinner to GW, 19 May, and notes 2 and 6 to that document; see also Skinner to GW, 10 March, notes 5–6, and GW to John Mathews, 7 June, n.6.
3. Huntington wrote Benjamin Franklin, U.S. minister to France, from Philadelphia on 5 July that “you are authorized & empowered to offer Lieut. General Burgoyne in Exchange for the honorable Mr. Laurens” (, 17:380; see also Huntington to GW, 20 June, n.2).
4. On the draft, which Trumbull also penned, “cannot be undertaken” is written instead of the preceding four words.
5. For the intended operations, see The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June, editorial note.
6. For similar phrasing, see William Heath to GW, 7 June.
8. The draft does not include the preceding sixteen words.