George Washington to Richard Henry Lee

The report of Genl. Conways promotion was so prevalent, and came from such authority, among others from Baron Kalb, who told me, that by some members of Congress he was informed it either had, or would take place, that I had not a single doubt remaining upon my mind of the Fact. what I said in my last, was with no design to injure General Conway, nor with a view to serve any individual, I then said, and still think, it would have an exceeding bad tendency; not, as I before observed, that I had formed my opinion from anything I had heard, because to this moment I have not exchanged directly, or indirectly, a single word with any Brigadier in the service on the subject, but from the nature of the case, well knowing that all officers are apt to entertain as high an opinion of their own merits as they deserve, and few of them are actuated by such pure and dis’interested motives as to submit to what they conceive a slight, in wch. light the promotion of a younger officer over them undoubtedly would be considered. These, and these only, were my motives for the letter I wrote you. how far he is qualified to discharge the duties of Adjutant Genl in case the present Gentn.¹ is appointed to, and accepts any other office, you can judge almost as well of as I. He must, no doubt, be well acquainted with the detail duty of an army from the length of his Services; but then he is a bad scribe, which however may in some measure be remedied by good assistants (which he or any other Adjutant Genl. must have), what weight there may be, in his being a Foreigner, you can judge as well of as I can. There is a Gentn., if Colo. Pickering should go out of the office, who I am told is well qualified to supply his place, he was formerly Deputy Adjn. Genl. to the Northern army, and of the name of Flemming, ² he had been an officer in the British Service, well acquainted with detail duty, and a good disciplinarian. He was in very bad health at the time Genl. Gates left that office; which was, I believe, the principal reason why he was not thought of as a successor; that he was not, caused his resignation. The part he has acted since, and his political Sentiments, can be known perhaps with precission from the Representatives of New York, where he formerly resided, and those of Jersey, where he is at present a resident; and in whose Treasury, I understand, he has imbarked his all. a good security if true.

The three Gentn.³ you have in contemplation for constituting a Board of War (not from your own body) are, in my judgment, equal to any you could make choice of. They want, what is not to be found among a people unused to war, a competent knowledge of the business; but they have a large share of understanding, great application, and as much experience in the business as any I know, having had as good opportunities of seeing, and feeling our wants as any among us. at the same time men of unquestionable attachment and Integrity. The advantages of having able members solely confined to this department are too obvious and important; and the benefits to myself and the army at large, too diffusive and extensive, to suffer local conveniences to interfere; for which reason if Messrs. Harrison and Pickering should Incline to accept the appointment, it will meet with my ready concurrance.

I congratulate you most sincerely on the important events to the northward; but cannot help complaining, most bitterly, of Genl. Gatcs’s neglect in not giving me the earliest authentic advice of it; as an affair of that magnitude might, and indeed did, give an important turn to our operations in this Quarter, at least in our designs, but which, for want of confirmation, we began to doubt the propriety of, from the time I wrote Congress on the 18th. (Inclosing the first acct. I had of the surrender, wch. was not altogether authentic) till the 26th. I heard not a tittle more of it (and actually began to doubt the truth of it), nor have I to this moment recd. the least advice of this Important transaction from General Gates. I wish Sir, the Situation of your Troops in this Quarter, and our Force, could give you well grounded hopes of a similar event; but as this will shortly become the subject of a Letter to Congress, I shall not inlarge upon it at present, in this.

Although the Surrender of General Burgoyne is a great, and glorious event, highly honourable to our arms, and to those who were immediately opposed to him. and although I am perfectly well satisfied that the critical situation in wch. Genl. Gates was likely to be thrown (by the approach of General Clinton up the No. River) would not allow him to insist upon a more perfect Surrender; I am nevertheless convinced, that this event will not equal our expectations; and that, without great precaution, and very delicate management, we shall have all these men, if not the officers, opposed to us in the spring. without the necessary precautions (as I have just observed) I think this will happen; and unless great delicacy is used in the precautions, a plea will be given them, and they will justify, a breach of the Covenant on their part, do they not declare (many of them) that no faith is to be held with Rebels? did not the English do the very thing I am now suspecting them of, after the Convention of Closter Seven,⁴ upon changing their commander? will they hold better faith with us than they did with the French? I am persuaded, myself, that they will not, and yet, I do not see how it is to be prevented, without a direct violation of the articles ourselves, or, by attempting to guard against the evil, give them a plea of justification on theirs.

It is reported among us that Genl. Mifflin has resigned his offices in this army, the truth you must know. It is also said, that Baron Kalb is desirous of going into that Department, being the one he has been regularly trained in for a number of years in the French Service, whether, admitting this to be the case, as it is a department not only of great trust, but through whose hands much of the Public Money is to pass Congress would choose to Intrust the Baron is left to themselves to determine; certain it is a knowing man will be much wanted, and as certain it is, I know of none such among ourselves.

I am etc.⁵