Head Quarters, November 13th, 1782.

Sir,

I am honored with your Excellency's letter of the 6th instant, on a
subject not more distressing to you, Sir, than to myself. I have at
various periods of the war written to Congress and to the States,
endeavoring to convince them of the necessity of passing the most
vigorous laws, to prevent the inhabitants from furnishing the enemy
with provisions. I will write them again and will use every argument I
am master of for that purpose. In all other nations, I believe, the
persons guilty of that crime are punished with death, and unless the
States on this continent will pass similar laws, I see no means of
putting a stop to that destructive practice. Anything the military
could do in that matter, would be in vain. To post as many guards as
would be necessary, would be destructive to the army, as those guards
would be continually liable to be cut off by the enemy; and, indeed,
the whole army would not suffice to guard the extensive coasts where
this illicit commerce is carried on.

I have the honor to be, &c.

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

* * * * *

GEORGE WASHINGTON TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.

Head Quarters, Newburgh, State of New York, }
November 21st, 1782. }

Sir,

After I had the honor of receiving your Excellency's letter of the
29th of July, I lost not a moment in transmitting it to Congress, who
had then under deliberation the proceedings of the British Court
Martial upon Captain Lippincot for the murder of Captain Huddy, and
the other documents relative to that inhuman transaction. What would
otherwise have been the determination of that honorable body, I will
not undertake to say, but I think I may venture to assure your
Excellency, that your generous interposition had no small degree of
weight in procuring that decision in favor of Captain Asgill, which he
had no right to expect from the very unsatisfactory measures, which
had been taken by the British Commander in Chief to atone for a crime
of the blackest dye, not to be justified by the practices of war, and
unknown to this day amongst civilized nations. I flatter myself,
however, that our enemies have been brought to see this transaction in
its true light, and that we shall not experience a repetition of the
li