Sullivan, John, 1740-1795 to William Whipple
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04845 Author/Creator: Sullivan, John, 1740-1795 Place Written: Newport, Rhode Island Type: Letter signed Date: 23 August 1778 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket Height: 32.4 cm, Width: 21 cm Order a Copy
Requests Whipple's opinion on the best course of action regarding the siege of Newport now that "The Count De Estaing...abandoned us in the present Enterprise and opened the Harbour for...Reinforcements." Believes the British have only 6,000 men, while the American forces number "8,174. Rank & File exclusive of 628...Artillery Men." Asks Whipple whether he thinks it best to continue the siege without French naval support and risk the British reinforcing their position by sea, or to attack immediately with what seems a superior force, or to withdraw at once. Desires that Whipple's reply explain the reason for his choice and how best to carry it out. General Sullivan posed this question to a number of officers. GLC03232 is a reply by John Crane to a letter of Sullivan's that must have been almost identical to this one.
The French and Americans had planed to mount a joint assault on the British at Newport. When many of the French ships were damaged in a storm their commander Vice Admiral d'Estaing was forced to move his fleet to Boston for repairs, taking his 4,000 French troops with him. Sullivan was furious at d'Estaing, and was forced to quickly abandon the siege.
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