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

TO MAJOR-GENERAL GREENE. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. IX (1780-1782) [1891]

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. IX (1780-1782).

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

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TO MAJOR-GENERAL GREENE.

Dear Sir,

Your favor of the 8th of Feby. was acknowledged in mine of the 18th of March.

I have now received yours of the 9th ultimo from Pompton, covering the correspondence you have had with the Count de Rochambeau, and a general return of your Army.

Your apprehensions, in consequence of the movement of the legion of Lauzun, need not be much alarmed; the present situation of the enemy in New York, I am persuaded, will not afford any reinforcements to your quarter.

The recruits raising in the States, from whence your army is composed, are completing as far as circumstances will admit, and, if needed, will be ready to go to you as early as the operations of the campaign are decided; which, at present, from a variety of circumstances, (among which a want of intelligence from Europe is not the least,) are held in a state of uncertainty. The State of Maryland had some time ago about three hundred men enlisted, and waiting only for their clothes, which have been sent on from Philadelphia. A number also is collected in Pennsylvania. But, until our information respecting the enemy’s intentions, and their future mode of war, is more clearly ascertained, as well as our knowledge of the support and assistance, which we expect from our ally, it may not be well to hasten on the recruits to your army. You are not insensible of the disadvantages we have ever experienced in attempts to reinforce at your distance by land; it having hitherto proved a weakening of the main army, without any essential augmentation to yours.

In present circumstances, without the aid of naval forces and water conveyance, your own experience and the general knowledge you have of the country will readily decide upon the impracticability of transporting by land such heavy stores and artillery, as would benecessary for great operations. So that you have only to content yourself with such a force as will be competent to the purpose of confining the enemy to their lines, and preventing them from carrying their ravages into the country. I wait with impatience for intelligence, which will decide the intentions of the enemy, and fix the operations of the campaign on our part. This, I hope, is not far distant. I am, &c.1

[1 ]Such parts of this letter as are printed in italics were written cypher.