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

TO JOHN PARKE CUSTIS. - 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.

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TO JOHN PARKE CUSTIS.

Dear Custis:

Your letter of the 26th of July came to my hands yesterday, and I thank you for the account given of the scheme. I should have thought the omission unpardonable, as it must, in a manner have set our money afloat again, when every measure which human policy is capable of devising ought to be adopted to give it a fixed and permanent value. I much fear your act for raising three thousand men will rather fall short than exceed that number, because it is our fortune to have such kind of laws (though most Important) badly executed, and such men as are raised dissipated and lost before they join the army. Your scheme for association I must approve; it is certainly high time to retrench in all kinds of extravagance, and to adopt the most economical plans, that, by a return to virtue, we may be the better able to support the war and bring it to a happy issue. In consequence of General Clinton’s embarking a considerable part of the force at New York, and sailing down the Sound for Rhode Island, I put my troops in motion and crossed at King’s ferry, where, assembling my whole force, was determined to make a vigorous effort to possess myself of the city. This brought him back again, and, though I am disappointed by it, has answered the end of relief to the French troops at Rhode Island, which was the object of his destination. I am now, for the sake of shortening our transportation of provisions and forage, recrossing the river, and shall move down towards Dobb’s ferry till our reinforcements (not a fourth of which are yet come in) arrive, and the supplies which are to enable us to commence the operations of the campaign. * * *