George Washington to William Greene, 1 July 1781
To William Greene
Head Quarters Peekskill July 1st 1781
Sir
I have not been favored with any Letter from you since General Heath went to the Eastward1—from his account & Gen. Cornell’s I have reason to believe your Excellency’s Dispatches for me have Miscarried.2
General Cornell informed me the State of Rhode Island had contracted for 30,000 lbs. of Beef, to be forwarded to the Army in the Month of June & the same quantity in the Month of July—that half the Money was advanced to the Contractor, & that he was laid under heavy Bonds to comply effectually with the terms of the contract.3 I have now to acquaint your Excellency, that not a pound of Beef has arrived from Your State, & that the Army cannot be subsisted unless the Requisitions upon the States are punctually complied with.4
Let me entreat your Excellency that the supply of Beef Cattle may instantly be forwarded from Rhode Island.5 I have the honor to be &C.
Df, in David Humphreys’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Maj. Gen. William Heath departed West Point for New England on 11 May (see GW to Heath, 9 May, n.9).
2. Board of War member Ezekiel Cornell was traveling and probably conversed with GW (see Henry Knox to GW, 29 June; see also Cornell to GW, 24 May). Heath corresponded regularly about prospects for supplies from New England, but see Heath to GW, 7 June, and n.1 to that document, and GW to Heath, 15 June. Greene had written GW on 7 June.
3. See Heath to GW, 24 June, and n.4 to that document.
4. See Greene to GW, 7 June, n.5.
5. Replying on 11 July, Greene assured GW that Rhode Island would provide ample supplies of beef (DLC:GW).