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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: War and Peace
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. V (1776-1777) [1890]

Edition used:

The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. V (1776-1777).

Part of: The Writings of George Washington, 14 vols.

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Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Middlebrook, 20 June, 1777.

Sir,

When I had the honor of addressing you last, I informed you that the main body of the enemy had marched from Brunswic, and extended their van as far as Somerset Court-House. I am now to acquaint you, that, after encamping between these two posts and beginning a line of redoubts, they changed their ground yesterday morning and in the course of the preceding night, and returned to Brunswic again, burning, as they went, several valuable dwelling-houses. We had constantly light troops hovering round them as far as circumstances would permit; but, being secured on their flanks by the Rariton and Millstone, they were difficult to approach; and, without loss, they effected their return to their former posts. This sudden and precipitate change in their operations has afforded matter for much speculation. We suppose their original design was to attempt an impression on our right, or to manœuver us out of our ground, or to advance towards the Delaware. Whether these conjectures were well founded, cannot be ascertained; but it is probable, if they had an impression in view, they found it could not be attempted without great loss (as to bringing on an attack, they effectually secured themselves against one by the post they took); or, as passing the Delaware was their object, that, from the temper of the people, the prosecution of it, if not impracticable, would meet with much greater opposition than they expected; for I must observe, and with peculiar satisfaction I do it, that, on the first notice of the enemy’s movements, the militia assembled in the most spirited manner, firmly determined to give them every annoyance in their power, and to afford us every possible aid.1 This I thought it my duty to mention in justice to their conduct; and I am inclined to believe that General Howe’s return, thus suddenly made, must have been in consequence of the information he received, that the people were flying to arms in every quarter to oppose him. I shall not reason upon this event; but I cannot but consider it as a most fortunate and happy one to us, and the most distressing Mr. Howe has yet experienced, unless he has schemes in contemplation beyond the reach of my conjecture.

I should have written to Congress more frequently respecting the enemy after they came from Brunswic, had I not been almost constantly on horse-back, and had their designs been clear; but as they were not, I did not wish to puzzle them with conjectures, more especially as I wrote to General Arnold (with whom I was obliged to correspond, that he might coöperate with me as circumstances should require) to transmit them copies of my letters;

* * * * * *

I omitted to mention in my Last, that in consultation with my Genl. Officers, it was agreed, that promotions should be Regimental in the Army, for all officers under the rank of Field Officers, and for all of that rank, in the line of their State. This is now settled as a General Rule, a right being reserved However, that it may be made for particular merit out of this line or refused for demerit or any substantial objection.1 I have, &c.

[1 ]“General Howe has suddenly quitted his new post between Somerest and Brunswick, and has returned to his old situation. The whole design of his making his late movement this way may possibly have been to induce us to draw off our troops from Peekskill; though I think it most probable that he was disappointed in his expectations of the manner in which we should act, and that finding the people turned out with great spirit to strengthen our opposition, he concluded it most prudent to relinquish his intentions and resume his former position. But lest the first supposition should be true, I have ordered Generals McDougal and Glover not to proceed. If they are at a distance from Peekskill they are to halt where they are; and if they are near it, they are to go back. You will cease sending any more on.”—Washington to Governor Trumbull, 2 June, 1777.

[1 ]The Board of War submitted the following propositions 4 June, 1776:—

“Whereas Congress did on the 16th day of September in the year 1776 resolve that the Legislative powers of each of the thirteen United States should appoint all the officers in the Regiments to be raised in their respective States; and whereas some States proceeded to the appointment of their officers at an earlier day than others, by which means many of those who were Junior officers before the said 16 September would take rank of Senior ones, altho’ they should both be promoted to the same rank in the new army, to prevent which and that no Controversies may hereafter arise on the Subject of Rank it is resolved.

“1. That every officer in the army of the United States under the Rank of a Brigadier General, who has been promoted or appointed by Congress, by the Commander in chief, or by the Legislative or Executive authority of any of the States, having authority so to do, by virtue of the above mentioned or any resolution of Congress since the said 16th day of September; and who are not yet commissioned, shall have their commissions dated as on the 17th September, 1776, and such who are already commissioned, the Commander in chief or commander in any Department, shall alter to that date; the date of said Commissions respecting only the rank of the officers, their pay shall commence from the respective times of their appointments.

“2. That all persons who were officers before the said 17th day of September and continue so to be, shall have their rank in the army determined from the dates of their commissions previous to that day, and if the commissions of any two or more were of equal date, the rank of such, with respect to each other, shall be determined by their future rank in the army of the United States, and where that has always been equal, then by ballot to be taken in such manner as the Commander in chief shall direct.

“3. That all Persons having heretofore served as officers in the army of the United States, and promoted on or since the 17 September, 1776, shall have their rank with respect to each other determined from their former rank and date of former commissions, and if two or more were of equal rank before such promotion, and all of whose former commissions bore the same date, their rank with respect to each other, shall be determined by ballot, to be taken in such manner, as the Commander in chief shall direct.

“4. That all persons who have not heretofore been officers in the army of the United States and who have on or since the 17th September last been made so, shall have their rank with respect to each other determined by ballot, to be taken in such manner as the Commander in chief shall direct.

“5. That the commander in chief and commander of each Department respectively, shall order return to be made to them by the colonels or commanding officers of corps, specifying the different ranks in which every officer of such Corps hath or doth serve, with the date of the Commissions he hath held, and the date of the Commission he doth now hold, and where no commissions have been issued to them, the date of the appointments noting by whom such appointment was made, and every officer what so ever that shall presume to make a false return of the date of his commission, or of the rank he holds, or did hold, shall upon conviction be ipso facto cashiered.

“6. That the Board of War immediately write to the Governors, Presidents or Councils of Safety of each of the United States to send a return, specifying the names of the different officers, times of their appointment, & rank they hold in the new established regiments.”

In Jno. Hancock’s MS. “Agreed to send a copy to Genl. Washington, he to point out the objections, if he has any.”