1To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 29 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here the 24th past 11, ocloack at night found things not in so good a state as I could wish. General McDougal Commanded and as he seemed to be well aquainted with the state of the Troops and where the different necessarys was most likely to be found to support them I was not anctious to take much of the Command upon me for some days but assisted all I could He says I must take it all...
2To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 9 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am going to explain some querys I find in Your Excellency’s Letter of the 27th Jany pr favour of Mr Vanzant. You desire to know by what authority Pearson and others took away a Quantity of Iron Rum and other Stores from Acquackonock Bridge. The next Morning after my arival at Springfield I found that the Enemy had evacuated Newark and gone to Elizh Town, the next night I had information that...
3To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 17 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency Favours of the 16th I have Recd and shall take care to note the contents The Morriss Militia under Coll Cook, their Times is out the 20th inst. and of course must go home and not likely any to come out from that Quarter shortly as they have heard that Innoculation for Your Troops begins on Wedensday next and they must stay at home to take care of their Familys, I think if the...
4To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 18 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys Favour of this date I have Just now recd and am but very lately returned from near Woodbridge I did suspect the Enemy would be out to day after yesterdays Truce, and found it so when I was at Colo. Potters Quarters about 9 oclock. I had given Orders sometime ago that the whole of the Eastern Division except those on scouts & Picquets should Assemble at some apointed parade...
5To George Washington from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 28 July 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 28 July 1777. GW wrote Maxwell on 30 July that “I was this day favoured with your Letter of the 28th.”
6To George Washington from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 1 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 1 Sept. 1777. GW in his first letter to Maxwell of this date refers to “your Letter of this morning .”
7To George Washington from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 2 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 2 Sept. 1777. GW wrote in his first letter to Maxwell of this date : “I have your two favs. of this date,” and in his second letter to Maxwell of this date, GW wrote: “I am just favd with yours of this Evening.”
8To George Washington from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 3 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 3 Sept. 1777. GW wrote Maxwell on this date : “Yours of three oClock this morning, I have received.”
9To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 16 September 1777 (Washington Papers)
I had Your Orders from Coll Hamilton last night, and had ordered every thing cimilar to Your Excellencys I have had a party of 50 Just come in from the Turks head, at 12 oclock they found a party of the Enemys light Horse a little on this side but on the first discovery they made off and the Officer by enquirey found they had a piquet of foot about one Mile in the other side of the Turk the...
10To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier Generals William Maxwell and Anthony Wayne, 23 … (Washington Papers)
May it please your Excellency, We the Subscribers, General Officers in the American Army, beg leave to represent, That we have severally been accus’d of unsoldierly Conduct, dangerous Neglect, and other Crimes, which, had they been prov’d, must have blacken’d our Characters as Officers, and sunk us beneath the Reproaches of our Country. In Consequence of these malicious Accusations, Courts...
11To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 25 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to Your Excellencys request of last night that I should give my opinion this morning in writing concerning the making an attact on Philidelphia immediately. I am not for attacting it at present and will proceed to give some reasons why I would not Viz. It is but a few days ago; before Generals Green & Huntington crossed the Dellaware that we determined in a full council that an...
12To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 1 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to Your Excellencys request of last evening, that we should give our opinion concerning the most eligible place for Quartering or incamping the Troops during the winter. As much has been said on the Subject of Quartering in different places some with a view of covering the Country, & others for recovering, recruiting, and gathering the Troops together for another Campaign and to ly...
13To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 4 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys Favour of yesterday I received concerning the Adviseability of a winter Campaign, and the practicability of an attack upon Philada with the Aid of a considerable body of Militia asembled at an apointed time and place. I do ashure Your Excellency I think the object a verry desireable one could it be put properly into execution and without tacking a winter Campaign to it, which...
14To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 9 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Enemy having returned ingloriously and the season far advanced makes it necessary that the Troops should be fixed to some place for the Winter. I have now thought proper to mention to Your Excellency, a subject that I once tuched on before, which was, that it was absolutely necessary to relieve the Jersey Militia from their constant duty, by Continental Troops to enable them to fill up...
15To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 25 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency Questions for consideration—handed to the Generals dated the 20th Inst. I have carefully considered. The first General plan of operation proposed, Viz. the recovery of Philadelphia, in my opinion is the most eligible and promises the most permanent success, I would recommend at first to begin with Blockadeing the City, till Billings Port and some other places in the Jersey was...
16To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 11 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am now at the Cross roads refreshing the Men Major Haws sent me a light horse by way of crooked Billet that he was near there on his way to joyn me with the Cannon and Provisions I have heard nothing certain from Trenton or Bordenton to day but some flying reports that the Enemy was gone back when I get farther Inteligen[c]e I will inform you and am your Excellencys most obedient Humble...
17To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 13 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 13 May 1778. On 13 May, Tench Tilghman wrote Maxwell for GW: “His Excellency commands me to acknowledge the Rect of yours of this date” (see GW to Maxwell, 7 May, n.1 ).
18To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 28 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I arived at this place last evening, as did General Dickesons Artillery the others I left with Coll Dayton who was to stop at Penny Town last night to draw provisions; we had a wet morning of it, and wet the night before. When the Troops comes here I intend to halt them for the Remr of the day to draw more Provisions rest them selves and clean their Arms. I have had some talk with General...
19To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 1 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I inclose to your Excellency a Letter from Coll Shrieve which contains all the Inteligence we have in these parts. I inclose the whole to General Dickeson who I make no doubt will forward it immediate to you. One of my Pickets took up James Burnett with the Inclosed pass he says he belongs to the 12th Virginia Regt and I thought it improper to let him pass & go on board a Privateer I will send...
20To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 5–7 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I imbrace this opertunity to writ to Your Excellency by Major Conway who goes to Camp for sundrys the 4 Regts are in much want of. I have no intiligence from the Enemy that will alter what I sent by way of General Dickeson. They are lying verry still at Coopers Ferry and as far as Coopers creek & bridges where they keep a guard or centrys, in short they give us no opertunity to pick any of...
21To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 14 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take this oportunity by a Man of Coll Huggs that is going to Head Quarters to Inform your Excellency of any thing worthy of notice on this side. The Enemy is dayly giving out they are coming through the Jersey, by the best accounts they have 300 & odd two Horse waggons & above 100 four Horse waggons on this side at Coopers Ferry and they were Impressing Negros & others for drivers some days...
22To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 24 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I Received a Message from General Dickenson last night to return to Trenton again that the Enemy was in force in the other side of the Drawbridge and attempted to lay it but He had beat them off I could not go then as my People had been Marching all day with out Provisions besides I informed him I thought it was a faint of the Enemy & I would wait his further Intiligence of this Morning which...
23To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 25 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
My Troops is all got into Quarters and I have Just now received a letter from Major Bloomfield of my Brigade who I sent to bring me crtain Intiligence Viz. he says he was at Mr Edwd Taylors in upper Freehold he dates at 7 P.M. He was within ¼ of a mile of their light Horse they on one hill and he on another the Enemy had Pitched their Tents at his first going there he now ashures me that they...
24To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 1 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to Inform your Excellency that the Letter which accompanys this was delivered a little way below this place a few minutes ago, by a Capt. Murray one of General Clintons Ade D. Camps, I was surprised that he was not stoped sooner but the Militia did not know Your Excellencys former Orders I suppose and I suppose they purposely eluded Coll Morgan. He delivered General...
25To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 5 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have to Inform your Excellency that the main body of the Enemy lyeth about 3 miles below middleton on a chain of Heights, that reaches from the bay to Shrewsberry River, which is verry narrow and not come[–]at[–]able. By several accounts they have been busy embarkquing since the night before last, (that is their Baggage only & possably some of their Artillery[)]. We have no certainty of any...
26To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 26 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take this opertunity by Mr Furman to in form Your Excellency of what I know respecting the Enemy. Viz. the night before last a Deserter came in from the Island to Amboy seem’d to be verry intiligent; says, he is shure that the 5th Regt—10th 15th 27th 40th 55th Regts lyeth on Statten Island, besides some of the new Leveys; that the 15th came there the day before he Deserted. There is two...
27To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 2 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Brig.Gen.William Maxwell, 2 Aug. 1778. On 4 Aug., GW wrote Maxwell : “I was last Night favd with yours of the 2d with a York paper.”
28To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 7 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, 7 Aug. 1778. On 8 Aug., GW wrote Vice Admiral d’Estaing : “I have just received a letter from Brigadier General Maxwell … dated yesterday at nine oClock in the forenoon”; GW also wrote Maxwell on 8 Aug. : “I just now rec’d your favor of yesterday.” For quotations from Maxwell’s letter, see GW to John Laurens, 8 August .
29To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 18 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Brig. Gen. William Maxwell, c.18 Aug. 1778. On 21 Aug., GW wrote Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene : “By a Letter which I received yesterday from Genl Maxwell, inclosing one from Major Howell … it appears certain, that Sixteen of Lord Howes fleet entered the Hook on the 17th.” GW’s other correspondence with Maxwell around this time suggests that the travel time for letters...
30To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 22 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have little to inform your Excellency of but even that will be more agreeable to you, I emajin than not to hear from us at all. I have intiligence almost dayly from the likelyest places for news. The Troops lyeth mostly as they did when I wrote you of the partys going to Cow neck which is still confirmed, & that a party had gone to Joyn Governor Tryon on the East of the Island. besides the...