Lot 283

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GEORGE WASHINGTON
(1732 -1799) First President of the United States and commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Important content L.S. "Go: Washington" as Commander in Chief, 2pp. 4to. "Head Quarters Dobb's Ferry" July 14, 1781 to Col. Marinus Willett commanding forces around Albany and the Mohawk Valley informing that he can spare no more troops to the Northern frontier which was due to the need to reinforce Rochambeau reinforcement which would ultimately lead to Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown. At the same time, Washington was still pursuing his plan to attack the British posts in Northern Manhattan in order to relieve pressure on Lafayette in Virginia and Greene in the Carolinas. However, it was feared that the British would mount another expedition into New York from Canada, more additional strain on Willett's already stretched forces on the New York frontier. Well aware of that situation Washington offers Willett the following advice: "I have rec. your favor of the 6th. The dispositions which you are making for defence of the Country upon the Mohawk R[iver] appear to me judicious as I have ever been [of] opinion, that small Stationary Garrisons w[ere] of no real utility- By having your parties [con]stantly in motion and ready to unite upon occasion, the small parties of the Enemy - [will] be checked, and their main Body may be [sud]denly attacked, if they commit themselves too [far] into the Country Settlements. A proportion of the Massachusetts M[ilitia] will be ordered to reinforce your command. U[pon] them and the Levies of New York you must place your dependence, for it will be impossible for me, while our present operations are in hand, to spare any of the Continental troops. From your letter and from Major Villefranche's representation, I find it will be impossible to construct a new work. I have therefore desired him to put Fort Herkimer in the best posture of defence. And as the greater part of the Artillery and Stores will, as you observe, in that case be superfluous, you will send down all that are not wanted to the Comm[issar]y of Military Stores at Albany. A small magazine by way of reserve may be kept at Schenectady. I am [etc]... " Several days following the writing of this letter, Washington would reconnoiter the northern edges of Manhattan with Rochambeau, and begin to conclude that the operation would require formal siege operations, for which they were not equipped. On August 14, Washington received word that French Admiral De Grasse's fleet had arrived off the Chesapeake Bay, thus allowing a brilliant ruse permitting most of the army to march south to Virginia while Sir Henry Clinton, in New York, remained convinced Washington would attack him there. Marinus Willett did not have long to wait for trouble on the frontier. Joseph Brandt was ranging virtually unopposed in the upper Mohawk Valley in the early months of 1781 and the Northern Department was also receiving numerous reports of a large British column moving down Lake Champlain under Sir John Johnson. Willett defeated that force, which proved much smaller than rumored, at Johnston on October 25, only days following Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown. Moderate toning along usual folds, left margin rough which costs several letters from several words on first page, else very good condition with a bold dark signature by Washington.

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June 3, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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