TO THE COMMITTEE OF CO-OPERATION. - 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).
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- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1779.
- To the Rev. Dr. William Gordon.
- To Thomas Jefferson, Governor of Virginia. 1
- To Samuel Purviance.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Dr. John Cochran, Surgeon-general.
- To Lund Washington. [extract.]
- To President Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Parke Custis.
- Circular to States.
- To Major Henry Lee.
- To Major-general Greene. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Jay.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette, Paris.
- To Count D’estaing.
- To John Beatty, Commissary-general of Prisoners.
- To Major Benjamin Tallmadge.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette, Paris.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count D’estaing.
- To Count D’estaing.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- To Benjamin Harrison.
- To Edmund Pendleton.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Henry Laurens.
- To Brigadier-general Duportail and Lieutenant-colonel Hamilton.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Robert Howe.
- To Governor Jefferson.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Jefferson.
- To Major-general Lincoln, In South Carolina.
- To Governor Clinton.
- To Brigadier-general Woodford.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Sullivan.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Woodford.
- To Major-general Heath, At West Point.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Greene.
- 1780.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel Daniel Brodhead, At Fort Pitt.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Magistrates of New Jersey.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Lord Stirling. Instructions.
- To the Board of War.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To Messrs. Gerry, Livingston, and Mathews.
- To Major-general St. Clair. Instructions.
- To Elbridge Gerry, In Congress.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the Chevalier De La Luzerne.
- To Major Benjamin Tallmadge.
- To Baron Steuben, At Philadelphia.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Lieutenant-colonel Willett.
- Circular Letter to the States.
- To the Board of War.
- To Major-general Lincoln, In South Carolina.
- To Don Juan De Miralles.
- To Lord Stirling. [private.]
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general St. Clair, and Lieutenant-colonels Edward Carrington and Alexander Hamilton. Instructions.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Baron De Kalb.
- To Lord Stirling.
- To the President of Congress. 1
- To John Mathews, In Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Philip Schuyler, In Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Baron Steuben.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel John Laurens, At Charleston.
- To President Reed.
- To Major-general Howe.
- To the Reverend Doctor William Gordon.
- To James Duane.
- To James Duane.
- To Governor Jefferson.
- To Major-general Heath, At Boston.
- To Governor Rutledge.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette, At Philadelphia.
- To Brigadier-general Wayne.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Philip Schuyler.
- To Philip Schuyler, John Mathews, and Nathaniel Peabody, a Committee From Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- To the Hon. Committee of CoÖperation.
- To Joseph Jones, In Congress.
- To the Chevalier De La Luzerne.
- To Major-general Howe.
- To the Committee of CoÖperation.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Howe. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- To Robert R. Livingston, In Congress.
- To Governor Weare.
- To President Reed.
- To Fielding Lewis.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene, Quartermaster-general.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette. Instructions.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Jones.
- To Sir Henry Clinton.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Brigadier-general Fellows, Massachusetts Militia.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Major-general Arnold. Instructions.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To Major-general Arnold.
- To Joseph Jones.
- To the Chevalier De Ternay.
- To the Committee of Co-operation.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- Circular Letter to the States North of Virginia.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To James Bowdoin, President of the Council of Massachusetts.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Wayne. [private.]
- To the President of Congress.
- To Count De Rochambeau.
- To John Mathews, In Congress.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To Count De Guichen.
- To the Chevalier De La Luzerne.
- To John Rutledge, Governor of South Carolina.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene. Instructions.
- To Abraham Skinner, Deputy Commissary-general of Prisoners. Instructions.
- Conference At Hartford.
- To Colonel Wade, At West Point.
- To Lieutenant-colonel John Jameson.
- To Governor Clinton.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To Major-general St. Clair. Instructions.
- To John Mathews, In Congress.
- To James Duane, In Congress.
- To Brigadier-general John Cadwalader.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To Major-general Greene. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Benjamin Franklin, Minister Plenipotentiary At the Court of France.
- To Colonel James Wood.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lieutenant-colonel John Laurens. 2
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the President of Congress.
- To President Reed.
- Circular to States.
TO THE COMMITTEE OF CO-OPERATION.
Headquarters,Orange Town,
17 August, 1780.
Gentlemen,
We are now arrived at the middle of August; if we are able to undertake any thing in this quarter, this campaign our operations must commence in less than a month from this, or it will be absolutely too late. It will then be much later than were to be wished, and with all the exertions that can be made, we shall probably be greatly straitened in time.—
But I think it my duty to inform you, that our prospects of operating diminish in proportion as the effects of our applications to the respective states unfold, and I am sorry to add that we have every reason to apprehend we shall not be in a condition at all to undertake anything decisive. The completion of our Continental battalions to their full establishment of 504 rank and file, has been uniformly and justly held up as the basis of offensive operations. How far we have fallen short of this, the following state of the levies received and of the present deficiencies will show.
By a return to the 16th instant, we had received from
| Rank & file. |
| New Hampshire | 457. |
| Massachusetts | 2898. |
| Rhode Island | 502. |
| Connecticut | 1356. |
| New York | 283. |
| New Jersey | 165 |
| Pennnsylvania | 482. |
| 6143. |
The deficiencies of the battalions, from a return of the 12th, allowing for the levies since arrived to the 16th are of
| Battalions. | Rank & file. |
| New Hampshire | 3 | 248. |
| Massachusetts including Jackson’s, adopted | 16 | 3514. |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 198. |
| Connecticut including Webb’s, adopted | 9 | 1866. |
| New York | 5 | 1234. |
| New Jersey | 3 | 569. |
| Pennsylvania | 11 | 2768. |
| In the whole | | 10,397 |
If the amount of these deficiencies and the detached corps necessarily on the frontier and at particular posts be deducted, and a proper allowance made for the ordinary casualties, and for the extra calls upon the army for wagoners, artificers etc., it will be easy to conceive how inadequate our operating force must be to any capital enterprise against the enemy. It is indeed, barely sufficient for defence.
Hitherto all the militia for three months, that have taken the field under my orders have been about, 700 from New Hampshire, 1700 from Massachusetts, 800 from New York, 500 from New Jersey.
A part of the Eastern militia has been detained to assist our allies at Rhode Island, and will shortly march to join the army. But from all the information I have, the number of militia will fall, as far short of the demand as the Continental troops, and from the slow manner in which the latter have for some time past come in, I fear we have had nearly the whole we are to expect.
In the article of provisions, our prospects are equally unfavorable. We are now fed by a precarious supply from day to day. The Commissary, from what has been done in the several States, so far from giving assurances of a continuance of this supply, speaks in the most discouraging terms, as you will perceive by the enclosed copy of a letter of the 15th instant, in which he proposes the sending back the Pennsylvania militia, who were to assemble at Trenton, the 12th, on the principle of a failure of provisions.
As to forage and transportation, our prospects are still worse.—These have lately been principally procured by military impress,—a mode too violent, unequal, oppressive and consequently odious, to the people, to be long practised with success.
In this state of things, Gentlemen, I leave it to your own judgment to determine, how little it will be in my power to answer the public expectation, unless more competent means can be, and are without delay, put into my hands. From the communications of the General and Admiral of our allies, the second division, without some very unfortunate contrariety, will in all probability arrive before the time mentioned as the ultimate period for commencing our operations. I submit it to you, whether it will not be advisable immediately to lay before the several States a view of our circumstances at the juncture, in consequence of which they may take their measures. I have the honor to be, &c.
N. B. The return of the Rhode Island recruits is of the last of July; more may have since joined.
There is a body of Connecticut State troops and militia employed in preparing fascines, etc., on the Sound.
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