Governor Jonathan Trumbull Calls the Connecticut Council of Safety Into Session to Consider a Plan to Feed Washington’s Army in the Cold Winter of 1781

Though in retrospect Washington’s victory over Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown in October 1781 ended the Revolutionary War, yet at the time no one had that perspective. So Washington had to retain his army, and began preparing it, in North and South, for the winter. He wrote General William Heath on the 27th, “There will be no occasion for forwarding on any more beef Cattle from the Northward for this Army. Should there be a greater quantity of Cattle sent from the New England States, than the daily consumption of your Army shall require, I could wish the surplus might be salted (if practicable) at some convenient place on the North River; Otherwise it will be necessary for you to give Orders to the Agents and Commissaries, to prevent their sending more Cattle than you shall have occasion for. I have also to request, that you will take measures, to have all the salted Provisions on Connecticut River (that which was formerly shipped for Rhode Island included) transported to West Point before the Roads become impassable.”

On the 26th of December, General Heath replied to General Washington, “On receiving your Excellency’s orders some time since, I directed Mr Pomeroy, deputy quarter master at Hartford, to forward on to this place the thousand barrels of salted provisions which were shipped for the Chesapeak. He soon after wrote me, that those provisions were unloaded and stored at Providence—that it would be extremely difficult if impossible to get them up Connecticut river to any suitable place from whence he could transport them here, and proposed sending them up the sound to Stratford river, and from that place convey them here. I had doubts on my mind as to the safety of this measure, and desired him to consult the governor and council on the best and safest way of transportation. He writes me this evening, that he had consulted governor Trumbull and his council on the subject, that they have given him an answer, that as the provisions have been delivered to the continent, it might be improper for them to give an order, as it might be attended with hazard. And thus the matter remains. Mr Pomeroy writes me, a gentleman is coming on who will offer to exchange a quantity of provisions in this vicinity for a part of that at Providence. This may be a lucky circumstance: but if this should not take place, or only in part, I wish your opinion and direction as to running the hazard at this season of bringing them down the Sound.”

Jonathan Trumbull Sr. served as Royal Governor of Connecticut from 1769 until the Revolution. When the Revolution broke out, he was the only Royal governor to change sides and declare for the Revolution. He was a friend and advisor of General Washington throughout the Revolutionary period, dedicating the resources of Connecticut to the fight for independence. Washington declared him “the first of the patriots.” When Washington was desperate for men or food during the war, he could turn to “Brother Jonathan.” Trumbull served as Governor until 1784, thus through the entire Revolution.

This is Trumbull’s letter calling the meeting of the Connecticut Council of Safety that Washington discussed in the above letter.

Autograph letter signed, by Jonathan Trumbull, Lebanon, December 24, 1781, Christmas Eve, to Council member Thomas Mumford. “Sir, Please give your attendance as early as on Thursday morning as can be convenient.”