John Sullivan to George Washington, 2 July 1781
From John Sullivan
Philadelphia 2d July 1781
Dear General
Though I have nothing Important to write your Excellency at This moment I take the Liberty by his Excellencey the Chevelier de La Luzerne to assure you of my Earnest wishes for your Success against New york & That Every Effort of mine Shall be Employed while I remain in Congress to Second your attempt & to fulfil (or Even if possible to Anticipate) your wishes:1 my time in Congress will Soon Expire and my Domestic Concerns forbid my Suffering myself to be rechosen,2 of Course the Service I may render to your operations must be within a few weeks in which time I Shall be happy to Employ myself in that useful manner—I Suppose that the Resolutions respecting the Augmentations of the powers of a Court Martial have reached you The Report of the Committee impowered the Court to Inflict five hundred Lashes But this was Rejected upon the principles Laid Down in the Levitical Law Strongly urged by Roger Shearman Esqr. &ca & though a great major[i]ty of Congress were for it the Question was Lost for want of the assent of Seven States: This relation will Convince you of the Incompetence of Some Members in the American Senate as well as of the Absurdity of Some parts of the Confederation.3
I have had the Honor of Seeing Mrs Washington yesterday & to Day; She was fatigued with her Journey & was Indisposed when She Arrived, but Seems perfectly recovered4—our News from the Southward Continue to be agreable & Seem to be as well Authenticated as possible without official Information.5 I have the honor to be with the Most perfect Esteem Dear Genl Your Excellencys Most obedient Servant
Jno. Sullivan
ALS, DLC:GW. Sullivan wrote on the cover: “Honored by his Excellencey the Ministre of France” (see Theodorick Bland to GW, this date, source note).
1. For allied plans to attack the British around New York City, see The Wethersfield Conference and Aftermath, 14 May–16 June, editorial note.
2. Financial difficulties contributed to Sullivan’s decision to leave Congress. He departed Philadelphia for New Hampshire on 11 Aug. (see Samuel Livermore to Meshech Weare, 14 Aug., in , 17:515–16, and , 165–66, 178–79).
3. For the biblical injunction against more than forty lashes, see Deuteronomy 25:2–3. Sullivan had served on a congressional committee to address GW’s concern with the insufficient gradation of military punishments (see GW to Samuel Huntington, 3 Feb.). The committee submitted its report and a proposed resolution on 15 June: “That General, Special and Garrison Courts Martial in the Army of these United States are hereby authorized to sentence delinquents to receive any number of lashes not exceeding Five hundred, or may order such delinquents to serve on board any armed vessel belonging to these States, or to labor on public works, for a reasonable term, according to the discretion of the said Court” (, 20:656–57). Congress rejected the committee’s recommendation on 16 June; fourteen delegates opposed and thirteen in favor. The vote by states was 4 to 3, with three states divided (see , 20:658; see also , 20:650).
4. Martha Washington had been ill before she left GW’s headquarters for Philadelphia on 25 June (see GW to John Parke Custis, 31 May, and notes 2–3 to that document).
5. GW replied to Sullivan on 9 July (DLC:GW).