Letter from George Washington to New York Governor George Clinton 1780

Dated December 1790, this letter from George Washington to George Clinton concerns the Continental Army's armory at Albany. Washington requests that Mr. Shepard, the armorer, be excused from military duty because his services are essential to the maintenance of arms. Written during Washington's first term as president, this letter provides insight into the challenges of establishing a new nation. The context of this letter lies in the debates about the role of a standing army. The concept of a standing army was contentious. A well-regulated militia was seen as a safeguard against tyranny, and maintaining an armory and a skilled armorer was vital for national defense. Historians rely on documents like these to reveal the complex social, political, and military considerations that shaped the early republic.