An Unpublished Letter: General Nathanael Greene Asks George Washington for Funds to Conduct the Rhode Island Campaign in 1778

Greene writes, “Pray don’t fail sending the money. If His Excellency hesitates about giving the warrant…it must be replaced out of the first money that comes for the use of our department…”

 

This is the first time we have ever seen a letter pleading to Washington for funds to conduct a campaign in the Revolutionary War

 

“This expedition being to be executed so hastily, it will require greater exertions than common, and there is nothing that will put men in motion like money”

Nathanael Greene is remembered as the general who, aside from Washington, perhaps did the most to ensure American victory in the Revolution. He foiled the best plan the British had of winning that war, and in the end drove them into Virginia and surrender.

On March 28, 1778, word of an important event reached the American camp at Valley Forge. It was the news that on February 6, France and the United States had signed a Treaty of Alliance in Paris. This meant recognition of American independence, as well as the eventual arrival of supplies, munitions, French troops, and French naval vessels, to participate in the war. General Washington hoped to see them arrive in the spring and then launch an offensive. The first ships, led by Admiral d’Estaing, arrived in April. This news gladdened the hearts of patriots throughout the fledgling United States.

Washington now saw a future where combined operations of the Americans and French could be expected. The British had occupied Newport since 1776, and an offensive against British forces in Rhode Island was selected as the first combined one. The Franco-American operation would be under the command of General John Sullivan and French Admiral d’Estaing. To initiate this offensive, Washington wrote to General John Sullivan on July 17, 1778, ordering him to raise 5,000 troops for the operation. Sullivan received this letter on July 23, and it was followed the next day by the arrival from Washington’s camp of Colonel John Laurens, riding ahead of a column of Continental troops that included the brigades of John Glover and the Marquis de Lafayette, with confirmation that Newport had been chosen as the allied target, and instructions that Sullivan should quickly raise as large a force as possible. Sullivan’s force at that time amounted to only 1,600 troops.

News of the French involvement rallied support for the cause, and militia began streaming to Rhode Island from neighboring states. Half the Rhode Island militia, and large numbers of militia from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, along with the Continental troops and artillery came to Rhode Island to join the effort. This bolstered Sullivan’s force. But all was not well, as Sullivan being at the helm worried many. Sullivan had been regularly criticized in Congress for his performance in earlier battles, so Washington responded to these concerns.

In March 1778, Nathanael Greene accepted the position of Quartermaster General, making him responsible for procuring supplies for the Continental Army. Along with his top two assistants, Charles Pettit and John Cox, Greene reorganized his 3,000-person department, establishing supply depots in strategic places across the United States. As Quartermaster General, Greene continued to attend Washington’s councils-of-war, an unusual arrangement for a staff officer and indicative of Washington’s high regard for Greene. For his part, Greene venerated Washington and referred to him as His Excellency.

On July 27, 1778, responding to concerns about Sullivan, Washington sent Greene, a Rhode Island native and reliable officer, to the Rhode Island front to take part in Sullivan’s upcoming attack on British forces stationed in his home state, and to bolster Sullivan’s uncertain leadership. To do so, he gave Greene a temporary leave as quartermaster general, and urged Sullivan to take counsel from Greene and Lafayette. Already we see that Washington trusted Greene more than other generals. Greene followed up, writing to Sullivan on the situation and reinforced the need for a successful operation.

Charles Pettit was Greene’s chief aide, Deputy Quartermaster General, and a colonel in the Continental Army. He kept the accounts for the quartermaster’s corps from 1778 until his resignation in 1781. Ephraim Bowen, Jr. was an officer in the 2d Rhode Island Regiment. Bowen became an assistant deputy quartermaster in September 1776 and in June 1778, he was appointed by Nathanael Greene as Deputy Quartermaster General of the Continental Army for Rhode Island, with the new rank of Colonel, in which capacity he served for the remainder of the war. Bowen was assigned to the Rhode Island department for the campaign against Newport. Samuel Blodget, Sr. was an active entrepreneur whose extensive business interests included a clothing store and potash manufactory in New Hampshire. He had participated in the Louisburg expedition in 1745 and had been a sutler and quartermaster during the French and Indian War. A judge of the court of common pleas and an excise collector before the Revolutionary War, Blodget served in the New Hampshire general assembly from 1777 to 1778. His business interests led to his widespread activities.

Autograph letter signed, Guilford 17 miles from Saybrook [Connecticut], July 28 10:00 AM 1778, to Petit at Washington’s camp, asking him to apply to Washington for money to finance the Rhode Island campaign, and predicting that the campaign would be a difficult one. “Inclosed you have a letter from Major Bowen who writes for cash. If Major Blodget don’t bring any, you will be pleased to apply to His Excellency for a Warrant to get some from the military chest. Send 60, or $80,000 that nothing may be wanting in our line. This expedition being to be executed so hastily, it will require greater exertions than common, and there is nothing that will put men in motion like money.

“I got to New Haven last night and intend to get home tomorrow and be in Providence the next day morning.

“Pray don’t fail sending the money. If His Excellency hesitates about giving the warrant, if you cannot obtain it under any other conditions, it must be replaced out of the first money that comes for the use of our department…”

Meanwhile, American forces took some time to muster, and the majority of them did not arrive until the first week of August. Meanwhile, D’Estaing sailed from his position outside New York harbor on July 22. He initially sailed south before turning northeast toward Newport. The British fleet in New York consisted of eight ships of the line under the command of Admiral Lord Howe, and they sailed out after d’Estaing once they discovered that his destination was Newport. D’Estaing arrived off Rhode Island on July 29 and immediately met with Generals Greene and Lafayette to develop their plan of attack. In the end, the battle took place on August 29. But the French fleet withdrew due to bad weather conditions, spoiling Washington’s hopes for a combined operation, and the battle proved inconclusive. The British did retreat from the American position, but after the battle the American force under Sullivan left Rhode Island, while Greene returned to his duties as Quartermaster general.

We know Greene received the funds, as Ephraim Bowen wrote Greene from Providence on November 14, 1778, saying: “Have paid General Sullivan out of the money you last sent me, sixty-five thousand dollars, which leaves a balance of seventy-five thousand more. I have directed all accounts whatever to be made up to the last of this month, that you may have the true and exact amounts of the disbursements of the’ department.”

This is the first time we have ever seen a letter to Washington pleading for funds to conduct a campaign in the Revolutionary War.