George Washington Papers

George Washington to Brigadier General James Clinton, 30 June 1781

To Brigadier General James Clinton

Head Quarters Peekskill June 30th 1781

Dear Sir

I am favored with your Letters of the 27th and 28th Inst. and am pleased with the account you give of the perfect readiness in which the Troops are kept for a Movement.1

On the receipt of this, you will instantly put the three Regts of Continental Troops, under your command, in motion for West Point2—You will be pleased to have a sufficient number of Vessels for transports immediately procured by hire or impress; & forward the Troops by Regiments, or Detachments of Regts as soon as possible.

It will be necessary for you to remain a little time,3 to make arrangements respecting the Levies & Militia who are to supply the place of the regular Troops,4 and to give General Stark, upon his arrival at Saratoga (where he will establish his Head Quarters) every information which will be5 necessary for the advantage & safety of his future Command.6 I am Dear Sir With very great regard Your Most Obedt Servant

Go: Washington

LS, in David Humphreys’s writing, NNPM; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

1See Clinton to GW, 27 and 28 June, the latter found at GW to Clinton, 25 June, n.6.

2GW refers to the Canadian Old Regiment and the New York regiments under colonels Goose Van Schaick and Philip Van Cortlandt.

3Humphreys wrote and struck out “at Albany” at this point on the draft, which he also penned.

4GW refers to New York levies and militia as well as Massachusetts militia (see Samuel Huntington to GW, 4 April, and GW to Clinton and to John Hancock, both 25 June).

5Humphreys included this word on the draft but inadvertently omitted it from the LS.

6Clinton replied to GW on 6 July (DLC:GW; see also GW to John Stark, 25 June).

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