Washington, George

Letter signed ("G^o Washington"), 3 pages (13 3/8 x 8 1/2 in.; 340 x 215 mm), the body of the letter in the hand of William Grayson, "Head Quarters near the Liberty Pole, Bergin County," [Englewood, New Jersey], 27 August 1780, to Governor George Clinton; silked, second leaf inlaid, first leaf nearly detached, formerly folded with a few fold tears, tape residue in left margins not affecting text.

J. Macy Willets (his sale, American Art Association–Anderson Galleries, 11 November 1937, lot 65)

Writings of George Washington, ed. Fitzpatrick, 19:449–451

silked, second leaf inlaid, first leaf nearly detached, formerly folded with a few fold tears, tape residue in left margins not affecting text.
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A splendid war letter about the desperate condition of the army from lack of provisions with the ultimate necessity of either plundering the inhabitants or disbanding.

General Nathanael Greene had been sent on a foraging expedition and his soldiers had plundered the locals for supplies; Washington ordered the execution of a soldier and a deserter as examples to the rest. In this circular letter, also sent to Governor Livingston of New Jersey, Washington informs the New York Governor: "The Army is again reduced to an extremity of distress for want of provisions. The greater part of it had been without meat from the 21st to the 26th. To endeavour to obtain some relief I moved down to this place with a view of stripping the lower parts of the Country of the remainder of the Cattle, which after a most vigorous exaction is found to afford between two and three days supply only ... Military coercion is no longer of any avail, as nothing further can possibly be collected from the country in which we are obliged to take a position, without depriving the inhabitants of the last morsel. This mode of subsisting, supposing the desired end could be answered by it, besides being in the highest degree distressing to individuals, is attended with ruin to the morals and discipline of the Army — during the few days which we have been obliged to send out small parties to procure provision for themselves, the most enormous excesses have been committed.

"It has been no inconsiderable support of our cause to have had it in our power to contrast the Conduct of our Army with that of the enemy and to convince the inhabitants that while their rights were wantonly violated by the British troops by ours they were respected. This distinction must unhappily now cease and we must assume the odious character of the plunderers instead of the protectors of the people ...

"From the above state of facts it may be foreseen that this Army cannot possibly remain much longer together, unless very vigorous and immediate measures are taken by the States to comply with the requisitions made upon them ... Without a speedy change of circumstances, this dilemma will be involved; either the Army must disband, or what is, if possible, worse, subsist upon the plunder of the people."