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

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. VIII (1779-1780) [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. VIII (1779-1780).

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

About Liberty Fund:

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.

West Point, 14 November, 1779.

Sir,

In my letter of the 4th, ulto., which I had the honor of addressing Congress, I informed them of the measures I had adopted for a co-operation with his Excellency the Count d’Estaing, in consequence of their act and favor of the 26th & 27th of the preceding month. Besides the measures which I then mentioned, several others which appeared to me essential for the occasion, and which would be naturally expected of me, have been pursued, and every disposition made, which our circumstances would admit and which the importance of the object in view, necessarily required. When I was first honored with the despatches of Congress on the subject of a co-operation with the Count, I hoped as Congress themselves must have done, that the operations at the southward would have been soon over, so as to have permitted his Excellency to have proceeded with his fleet and land forces in a short time after his arrival there to this coast, and, on this ground, that something important and interesting, if not decisive, might be attempted against the enemy in this quarter, with a good prospect of success; but the operations there having continued so long and hitherto prevented him from coming, I now beg leave to offer it to Congress, as my opinion, that the Count’s arrival, even if it were to take place immediately, would be too late on account of the advanced season for any extensive operation, or at least any that might require time and materially depend on our joint aid. In this view of matters, without taking notice of the incertainty in which we still are, with respect to southern affairs, and of consequence as to the precise time, when his Excellency might arrive, I would submit to Congress to decide, whether we shall continue measures for a co-operation, or relinquish all ideas of it for the present time without farther delay. I do not conceive myself authorised to determine the point, but I will take the liberty to observe, that the latter from every consideration of the subject, will, as it strikes me, be most for our interest, and for the interest and honor of the common cause. We are now on the eve of winter, and enterprises which might have bid fair for a successful and happy issue, if they could have been begun some time ago, and matters put all in train, would at best if commenced now, stand upon very precarious and uncertain footing; and the more so, as the execution would depend on troops but illy appointed and clad, and a great proportion of these, militia, unaccustomed to the hardships of the field, and who therefore, would be less able and less disposed to persevere against the rigors and difficulties which would unavoidably occur from the inclemency of the season. The enemy too have had great time for preparation, and their stores of fuel and forage, &c., and their defences are infinitely more compleat than they would have been found, if we could have begun our operations at a more early period. The state of our flour supplies, also, is much more opposed to a co-operation than was expected: they are now distressing and from recent reports by the Commissary General, it is much to be feared, that they may become so in the extreme. Our distress, on this head, at this instant, arises, in a great measure, from a long drought; but, this aside, the Commissary says he finds every day new and greater difficulties attending the business of supplies, from a more unhappy cause. * * *1

[1 ]Read in Congress, November 18th.

On the day after this letter was written Major Clarkson brought advices from the south that the siege of Savannah had occupied a longer time thar had been anticipated, and there being no certainty of reducing the place in a short time by regular approaches, an assault had been made on the 9th, which proved unsuccessful from a failure to carry out the plan of attack as laid down. Washington thought the assault had been decided upon because of D’Estaing’s engagements in the West Indies; but it was done because the French admiral was unwilling to expose his fleet on a dangerous coast to the autumnal storms. D’Estaing was twice wounded and Pulaski mortally. Immediately on receipt of this intelligence, Washington abandoned all idea of a co-operation with the French, and wrote to Gates on the 16th:

“It remains now to put the army in such a chain of winter Cantonments, as will give security to these posts, and to take a position with the remainder, which will afford Forage and subsistence, and which will at the same time preserve us from the insults of the collected force of the enemy. These several matters are now in contemplation, and untill they are determined, you will be pleased to halt the troops at Danbury. Should they have passed that place before this reaches you, you will halt them on the most convenient Ground, till you hear farther from me.”

To save expense and an unnecessary consumption of provision he ordered the New York and Massachusetts militia that had been called out, to be dismissed. To Schuyler, now in Congress, he wrote on the 24th of November:

“The Resolution, which you allude to, has reached me. You will see by my official Letter of this date to Congress, that after receiving their letter, with a Copy of Genl. Lincoln’s despatches, I did not wait for their decision on the point submitted. These despatches, and a copy of the act from the Marine Committee, for the sailing of the Three Frigates, which had been detained for a coöperation, seemed explicit as to the line of conduct to be pursued. The Disaster at Savannah puts matters, at least, on a delicate footing in the south. I do not know what we can do more. You will have seen, before this, a particular state of the army, transmitted in my public Letter of the 18th. Our finances depreciation, &c., are alarming. We have much to apprehend from them, if they are not remedied.

“I have touched upon the subject of the Commissary. I thank you for the hint, as I shall for every other you may be pleased to favor me with.”