3571To George Washington from Ezekiel Cheever, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
By direction of Hone Genl mcDougal I would accquaint yr Excelly I have only Forty broken Drums not Two fit for Service. Here & at FishKill, none are to be add, nor Hands &c. to repair them. Genl mcDougal hopes you will please to give the necessary directions for furnishing them. I have just recd an order from Genl Parssons to send five hundred fire arms of equal bore to Farefield to be...
3572To George Washington from Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates, 31 January 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates, 31 Jan. 1777. The dealer’s catalog includes the following excerpt from this autograph letter signed, apparently written at Philadelphia: “... I immediately consulted with Doctor Shippen & Mr. Morris, upon the best method of preventing the spreading of the infection of the small-pox & have issued orders to oblige all the troops & recruits ... to...
3573From George Washington to John Hancock, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have none of your favors unanswered at present. There is such a demand upon me from all Quarters for Money, which I am unable to answer, that I cannot help again pressing you to send on a Supply. The recruiting Service is almost at a stop here for want of Money, and Governor Trumbull writes me word that it is totally so in Connecticut. He adds, that their loan Officers cannot proceed in...
3574To George Washington from James McHenry, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of the inclosed application to Gen: Howe the sick privates and those who remained of the well were ordered off on parole under my care as Doctor, and the conduct of a bristish officer &c. But As the officer leaves them here, he gets no receipt. Six have died since our leaving New-York; But I flatter myself, should the weather moderate a little that most of the remainder will...
3575From George Washington to Brigadier General Thomas Mifflin, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Season is approachg when We shall have Use for Tents; You will therefore pay particular Attention to this Article—All the old ones should be collected & the necessary repairs be made now, that when called for they may be ready—The Tomhauks or light hatchetts also deserve yr Notice, they should be made light & substantial, so calculated as to be made apart of the Soldier’s Accoutremts &...
3576To George Washington from Robert Morris, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with several of Your favours lately but as they did not require an immediate acknowledgement and I have been much pressed with business it did not appear necessary to interrupt You or myself. We are told here the Troops have left Rhode Island & burnt Newport how true this [is] I do not know, but it is Certain they had embarked part of the Troops there before a Mr McCleary...
3577From George Washington to Col. Stephen Moylan, 31 January 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Col. Stephen Moylan, 31 Jan. 1777. In his letter to GW of 3 Feb. , Moylan informs GW that “your favor of the 31st is this moment come to hand.”
3578From George Washington to the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
As the times of a Number of the continental Artillerymen have expired, that department is left very bare. Major Proctor informs me that there are about one hundred and forty of his Corps now doing duty at the Forts upon Delaware, but as there is not the least probability of their being wanted during the Winter Season, I beg you will immediately detatch at least One hundred of those Men, to put...
3579To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
Col. Geo. Geiger of Northampton County an honest old German marches directly from Northampton to Head Quarters His Battalion is pretty large and from the known integrity of the Colonel, it is hoped he will be of much service to your Excellency. Inclosed is a return of the Arms &c. which the Colonel is in need of, and which the Council are unable to furnish him with and therefore have referr’d...
3580From George Washington to Captain John Paul Schott, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
You have herewith your recruiting Instructions, & Warrant to draw Money to begin with —You have Liberty to Nominate your Subaltern Officers, in doing which you cannot be too particular as your own Reputation & the good of the Service in a great measure depend upon this Choice, should it happen that upon my seeing them I think them Incapable of filling the Posts to which they are nominat’d with...
3581To George Washington from William Shippen, Jr., and John Cochran, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am honord with your two Letters, and shall pay a strick obedience to their contents, particularly with regard to the small pox; from which no danger will be dreaded after two or three weeks—The houses where they are kept, are out of the Town strictly guarded and no patient is suffered to remain a minute in the City with the small pox. For the future or after the persons now inoculated...
3582General Orders, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The General positively forbids all recruiting Officers whatever, giving a greater bounty for men, or making them any other promises, than what is particularly mentioned in the Resolve of Congress for that service; nor does he admit of officers inlisting men out of one State, to serve in another, unless they are of the Additional Battalions, the Congress’s own Regt, or the Train of Artillery,...
3583To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
You will scarcely expect a Letter from me dated at this place so far out of the line of yr Excellencys Orders —On my traversing a considerable part of the State of Pennsylvania as high as Carlisle I found that not only the inclemancy of the weather prevented my being able to draw out the Militia Battalions so fully as cou’d have been wished, but the numbers that were gone to Camp especially...
3584To George Washington from Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, 1 February 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, 1 Feb. 1777. In his letter to GW of 7 Feb. , Arnold says: “My Letter of the 1st Inst. by Cpt. Mansfield, I hope your Excellency has received before this.”
3585To George Washington from Colonel Henry Jackson, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor a few days sinse of receving by the hands of the Selectmen of this City, your Excellencys Letter of date, inclosing an appointment to the Command of one of the additional sixteen Regiments to be raised in the servise of the United States with my recruitg orders, accompanied with a warrant on the paymaster General for ten thousand dollars —This is the first opportunity I have...
3586To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
After my Letter to General Greene from Springfield of the 26th of January I sat out for this place in order to provide such materials as were necessary to carry on the various branches connected with the Laboratory and ordnance establishment. Upon my arrival here I was much surpriz’d at the very extrordinary bounty offer’d by this state for Recruits for the service. I wrote to General Greene...
3587To George Washington from William Livingston, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 24th January I had the Honour of receiving after the Assembly was adjourned to this Place, which is a Village in the County of Gloucester about six miles from Philadelphia. The several Points mentioned by your Excellency I think of the greatest Importance for the better regulating our Militia; and as the house have now a Bill for that Purpose before them, I shall in the strongest...
3588From George Washington to Joshua Loring, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since I wrote to you on the 20th of last Month I have recd a Return of the Officers and privates sent from Connecticut by Govr Trumbull, a Copy you have inclosed. I desire that Capt. Dearbone who was taken at Quebec on the 31st decemr 1775, and whose Parole has not yet been sent out, may have it done by the first Opportunity, in the room of one of the Captains, and that Captains Trowbridge and...
3589From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was a few days ago honoured with your favs. of the 4th and 17th last Month: I cannot but think, that altho your Inducements for granting an additional Bounty to the Troops to be furnished by your State, were certainly meant to serve the Cause, that you will find them most prejudicial in the End. One reason will be that by your departing from the Bounty prescribed by Congress, the Troops in...
3590To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday Mr Kirkland the Indian Missionary in the Service of the United States with nine Indians arrived here from Oneida & Fort Schuyler. Your Excellency will perceive by the enclosed, which is Copy of a Paper he delivered me, that It corroborates the Intelligence I have heretofore received that the Enemy intend to attack Tyonderoga as soon as they shall be able to cross Lake Champlain on...
3591From George Washington to Maj. Gen. Joseph Spencer, 1 February 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Maj. Gen. Joseph Spencer, 1 Feb. 1777. In his letter to GW of 16 Feb. , Spencer says that “yesterday I Received your Excellencys favour, of 1st and 6th Instant.”
3592From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure of yours of the 23d Jany by Majr Wyllys and thank you for your congratulations upon our late successes, which have been attended with very happy consequences, as the Enemy have remained very quiet at Brunswic and Amboy since the affair at Princetown. I have wrote to Congress in a very pressing manner not only to send on a present supply of money, but to forward the Cheque...
3593To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I this minute recd Your Favors of the 24th ulto & note the Contents, but have not Time to be very particular in my Answer at this Time, I most fully agree with You in the Importance of raising & furnishing the new Army, & wish it was in my power to do more than I can to forward it, nothing is wanting that I can, & some Progress is made therein & I hope soon to give You a more agreable Account....
3594To George Washington from Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to inform your Excellency I have this morning received an answer from Govr Trumbull that I cannot have the Bounty which is given the Eight Battallions raiseing in this State, Most of my Officers were appointed some of them began to recruit and to appearances my Regiment would have been early to take the Field, my Instructions were to promise the Men the same Bounty and allowances...
3595General Orders, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
3596To George Washington from James Bowdoin, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Boston, 2 February 1777 . “The Council being much crowded with public business could not write to you by this Opportunity but as I apprehended it proper your Excy should be made acquainted with the Contents of their Letter to Congress of the 30th Ulto I have enclosed it for your Perusal: After which You will please to forward it by the Express which brings it to you.” ADfS , M-Ar : Revolution...
3597Orders to Lieutenant Colonel Adam Comstock, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
You will proceed to Rhode Island and use yr utmost Industry and Influence in raising the Regiment on the Continental Establishmt to which You was appointed by the Genl Assembly of that State, on the Condition & Terms prescribed by Resolve of Congress on that subject. You will appoint some place to which the Recruits may conveniently repair to be disciplined, and omit no Opportunity of...
3598From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
In a Letter which I did myself the honour of writing to you on the 20th Ulto I could not help expressing my Sentiments of the Impropriety—as it appeard to me—of raising Troops on a Colonial establishment & thereby setting up a kind of seperate Interest, before your quota for the Continental Army was compleated. At the time of my writing that Letter, I was unacquainted with the terms on which...
3599From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have not been favd with a line from you since the 24th Ulto. Anxious for the Success of the Troops with You, I wish to hear from you frequently; An Express may meet with a ready Passage across the North River. While You are lying in that quarter I would by all means have the Forage & Provisions removed to some interior parts of the Country, entirely out of the Enemy’s reach; For altho’ the...
3600To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since I wrote you last 12 more Ships have come down the Sound—4 of which were supposed to be of 40 Guns. We are informed from Long Island that General How is arming the Militia for the Defence of the Island—and that such as refuse to take arms are imprison’d. I have formed our Line on this Side from Tarry Town to Maroneck, with our Guards as far down as Stephen Wards, from which we scout &...