Philadelphia March 18th. 1780
Sir
I do myself the Honour to Transmit you the enclosed intelligence from his Excellency Genl Washington, as it may be of Importance if you Should not have obtaind the Information from the fleet before this comes to hand.1
I have the Honour to be with the highest Respect your Humble Servt,
Sam. Huntington
Receiver’s copy, Henry E. Huntington Library, HM 22565. Addressed: "His Excellency Govr. Lee." Papers of Continental Congress, item 15, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. Addressed: "To His Excelly. Governor Lee. N.B. The like to the Marquis de la Fayette."
1 Huntington’s enclosure consisted of a March 11 letter from Washington, who reported that the French squadron at Newport had just embarked, and that "By advices from New London the British, which were in Gardiner’s Bay, did the same yesterday morning with their whole force." With Washington’s letter was also one of the same date to the marquis de Lafayette, which Lee, in his March 23 reply to Huntington, explained that he had forwarded upon receipt. See MdAA, Brown Books, 1:64; PCC, item 70, fols. 461 - 64; and Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 21:333-34.
2 Lee’s March 14 letter to Huntington is in PCC, item 70, fols. 457 - 60.