To George Washington from Henry Champion, Sr., 5 June 1780
From Henry Champion, Sr.
Colchester [Conn.] 5 June 1780
Sir
I am necessitated to inform your Excellency, That in consequence of Congress allowing Eight Dollars ⅌ Hundred for Beef from the 1st of January to the first of July, and but five and an half Dollars ⅌ Hundred from first of July to the first of December,1 and the Assembly of Connecticut state adopting their system and ordering me not to exceed their prices and have furnish’d me with state-paper-money which they call equal to silver to purchase with,2 I shall be able to buy four or five Hundred head of fat Cattle toward the close of this month which I shall order to start for Camp the last week in June & the first & Second weeks in July, beside perhaps 150 head to start weekly previous to that time, But I am unhappy to say, that from the great fall of price I expect to procure but very trifling supplies in July and August under the present regulation, Unless Massachusetts state omit adopting similar measures with Connecticut, which I hope they will, and I am allow’d to continue my purchases in that state by my present appointment under Col. Blane, under which circumstances I may probably continue the supply of One Hundred & fifty or two Hundred head of Cattle ⅌ Week Perhaps more. These are prospects I forgot to mention in my letter to you Wrote three days since.3 I am Sir, with the highest respect & Esteem Your Excellency’s Most Humbe Servt
Henry Champion D.C.G.Ps
LS, DLC:GW. GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison wrote “no answr requisite” on the docket.
On 6 June, Champion wrote GW from Colchester: “Since writing my letter of Yesterday my prospects with regard to supplying the Army with beef Cattle brighten, at least for the present, upwards of one Hundred head of good Cattle Starts this day for Head Quarters, whatever New occurs of this Nature I Esteem my duty to acquaint your Excellency with” (ALS, DLC:GW). Harrison wrote “no answer req.” under the docket. A notation on the cover indicates that the letter was sent “pr Express.”
1. For this resolution of Congress, passed on 25 Feb., setting the prices to be credited for the specific commodities requisitioned from the states to supply the army, see , 16:198–99.
2. For these orders of the Connecticut Council of Safety, see Champion to GW, 25 May, notes 3 and 5.
3. See Champion to GW, 2 June, found at GW to Champion, 26 May, n.3.