Washington, George, First President, as Commander-in-Chief

Letter signed (G:^{o Washington") written in the hand of Alexander Hamilton, one page (11 3/4 x 7 in.;  299 x 178 mm), Headquarters, New Windsor, [New York], 13 July 1779 to Colonel Daniel Brodhead; browned, neat repairs to several fold tears, a few closed internal tears, one long tear affecting 3 lines of text expertly repaired, minor loss to left margin.}

Fitzpatrick 15:418-419 (draft)

Letter signed (G:o Washington") written in the hand of Alexander Hamilton, one page (11 3/4 x 7 in.; 299 x 178 mm), Headquarters, New Windsor, [New York], 13 July 1779 to Colonel Daniel Brodhead; browned, neat repairs to several fold tears, a few closed internal tears, one long tear affecting 3 lines of text expertly repaired, minor loss to left margin.
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Washington orders Brodhead to retaliate against Britain's Indian allies on the frontier borders. "I inclose you a duplicate of mine of the 23d [not present in the lot] which gave my consent to an expedition against the Mingoes. I am glad to hear you had received a supply of provisions and only waited my concurrence to make an expedition against the Senecas. ... I have more than once applied to the Board of War to supply you with some articles to reward the Indians. I shall renew my solicitations." In a postscript, Washington  advises Brodhead to coordinate his movements with General Sullivan. "It may be well for you to endeavour to open a correspondence with General Sullivan that your movements if possible may be serviceable to each other."

Brodhead, a lieutenant colonel with the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment saw his first action in 1776 at the Battle of Long Island where his bravery and initiative were recognized by Washington. In 1778 he led successful expeditions against native tribes in the Ohio Country. In 1779 he became commander of the Western Department which included the frontier forts of Pitt, McIntosh, and Armstrong in Pennsylvania, Laurens and Tuscarora in Ohio, and Wheeling in West Virginia.

From his headquarters at Fort Pitt, Brodhead conducted numerous raids against the Wyandot, Mingo, Shawnee, Seneca, and other native tribes allied to the British. His most famous action came against the Seneca between 11 August and 14 September 1779. He left Fort Pitt with 600 strong, following the Allegheny River into New York. 

Simultaneously, New Hampshire's John Sullivan was conducting one of the most brutal campaigns in the North in 1779. Washington had instructed Sullivan to wreak "total destruction and devastation" of the Iroquois nation in central New York.  He specified that their territory was not to be "merely overrrun but destroyed."  Brodhead was supposed to join Sullivan's superior force of  2,500 at Genessee for the capture of Niagara, but for lack of adequate guides he turned back fifty miles short of his objective. In his march of four hundred miles, he destroyed crops and burned ten villages including Connewango (subsequently Warren, Pennsylvania). Brodhead met with little resistance as most of the warriors were away fighting against Sullivan. This joint strike into the the Iroquois nation's homelands eliminated a key British ally without necessitating Washington to deploy troops from outside New York.

The balance of the letter treats the punishment of a soldier. "I approve the sentence against Straffain. He appears justly to merit the punishment ... If the circumstances of the Garrison require an example, let it be made."  In the future, however, Washington only wishes to be apprised of proceedings when "the sentences affect life, or the dismission of an officer."