101From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 8–14 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your Favor of the 3d Instant and with its Inclosure. As General McDougal’s late severe illness and present feeble state will not permit him to proceed on the intended incursion into Canada, Baron de Kalb will follow the Marquiss agreable to his wish and the direction of Congress. According to the promise contained in my last, I take the liberty of transmitting you...
102From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 26–27 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday morning honored with your Favors of the 22d Inst. I wish the measures Congress have adopted may effectually suppress the disturbances in the Western Department. Should they prove successful & the Savages & wicked deluded Inhabitants receive a severe check, it is probable, they will not be induced again to take a part against us—or at least for some considerable time. Colo....
103From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 22–23 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been Honoured, in due order, with your favors of the 13 & 16 Instant; the former came to hand on Sunday Evening —the latter to day. The several matters, which are the Objects of them, shall have my attention, as far as it shall be practicable. With respect to the practices complained of by Governor Livingstone, the Extract from his Letter, transmitted by Congress, conveyed the first...
104From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 4 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have now the honor to acknowledge your several letters of the 21st 29th and 30th ulto with their inclosures, which have been duly received. It gives me pain to observe, they appear to contain several implications by which my sensibility is not a little wounded. I find myself extremely embarrassed by the steps I had taken towards an Exchange of prisoners and the formation of a general Cartel,...
105From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 26–27 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of your letter of the 22d Instant with its several inclosures to-day, at noon. I shall pay a proper regard to the act of Congress respecting Monsr de Vrigny. For information on the second resolve, for obtaining a return of the re-inlistments, I must beg leave to refer Congress to my letter of the 24th. I have complyed with the intention of the 3d, and transmitted the act to Sir...
106From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 12 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
On sunday night I had the honor to receive your favors of the 1st & 5th Instant with their Inclosures. I am happy to find that my past conduct respecting Citizens in the correspondence between Genl Howe & myself is approved by Congress. They may rest assured, that their rights are strongly impressed on my mind, and that in all my transactions every support in my power shall be given them. I...
107From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 21 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor of transmitting to Congress the inclosed Memorial of Colo. Rawlings, presented in behalf of himself and the Maryland Officers, who were under his command in the year 1776. The facts which are stated in it, are generally true—and I can not but feel myself exceedingly interested in favor of these Gentlemen. The conduct of this whole Corps, when Fort Washington was attacked...
108From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 12 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed, I have the honor to transmit Congress a copy of the report of a Board of Officers, who were appointed by me to consider what would be the most eligible plan for invading Canada; in case our future prospects and circumstances should justify the entreprise. The pains which General Gates has, for some time past, taken to inform himself on the subject, and the knowlege, which General...
109From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 24 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had yesterday the pleasure to receive your favor of the 18th Instant with the inclosure and packets, which you mentioned. I should have been sorry, if you or Monsieur Gerard had found the smallest difficulty in recommending the packets for the Count D’Estaing to my care; and I am happy to inform you, that they will meet with a speedy and safe conveyance to him by an Officer, who has set off...
110From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 18 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your two favors of the 11 & 15 Instant, with the several papers alluded to; the former by Monsr Jemat—the latter by Express yesterday. Colo. Johnson set out on saturday afternoon to wait on Congress upon the subject of his appointment, and I presume will be at York to day. I shall announce the Resolution of the 15th to the Army, and would flatter myself, it will quiet...
111From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 7 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday afternoon I had the Honor to receive your favor of the 30th Ulto. Major Gibbs is now at Rhode Island. I shall embrace the first safe opportunity to transmit him your Letter and the Commission, with which Congress have been pleased to honor him. Since my Letter of the 3d & 4th Instant, I have received no advices from General Sullivan, so that I can give no information of our...
112From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 17–18 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to inform you that Fort Mifflin was evacuated the night before last, after a defence which does credit to the American Arms, and will ever reflect the higher honor upon the Officers and Men of the Garrison. The Works were intirely beat down, every peice of Cannon dismounted, and one of the Enemy’s Ships so near, that she threw Grenades into the fort, and killed the men upon the...
113From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 20 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
Mr Wheelock will have the honor of presenting this letter to your Excellency. He waits on Congress upon the affairs of a regiment, under the command of Colonel Bedel, which it seems was raised in the Coos Country—or at least has been kept up since March last, upon the recommendation of the Marquis Fayette, when at Albany. This Corps according to the inclosed state by Mr Wheelock, who is the...
114From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 7–8 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the Liberty of transmitting you Copies of three Letters from Genl Howe of the 14th & 21st Ultimo, & of the 2d Inst., with their Inclosures. The unhappy Violation of the Flag of Truce has laid us under no small Embarrassments, and has afforded the Enemy good Grounds for Complaints & Triumph at the same Time. This, however, is the natural Consequence & must ever be the Case, where...
115From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 10 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your favor of the 4th Instt, inclosing a resolve of Congress of the same date empowering me to call forth five Thousand Militia from the States of Maryland, Pensylvania, and New Jersey. I thank Congress for the power; at the same time it is incumbent on me to assure them, that granting the practicability of collecting such a number, it would prove a work of...
116From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 1–3 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was duly honored with Mr Hancocks Letter of the 25th with its several Inclosures. I shall take the case of John More under consideration, and will transmit Colo. Mason my determination upon the same. At this time, I cannot inform the Commissary whether any alterations have, or have not been made by Genl Orders in the Original ration establishment. I have been under the necessity from time to...
117From George Washington to Thomas Burke and Henry Laurens, 18 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your letter of the 15th with its inclosures—and shall with pleasure give you my opinion on the points which you have been pleased to suggest. With respect to the negotiation on the subject of an Exchange of Prisoners—I think the propositions held out on our part are substantially right, and, on general principles of justice and policy ought to be adhered to—How far the...
118From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 26 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
Mr John Dodge will have the honor of delivering this Letter to your Excellency—His history is—that he is a native of Connecticut—and about eight years ago, as he informs me settled in the Country between Detroit and Pitsburg as an Indian trader—That he carried on commerce till January 1776, when, for his attachment to our cause and the measures he had taken to promote it, he became obnoxious...
119From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 30 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I thank you much for your obliging favor of the 27th. I think with you, that a most important crisis is now at hand; & that there cannot be too much wisdom in all our Councils for conducting our affairs to a safe and happy issue. There should in my opinion be a full representation of the States in Congress, which I have often regretted has not been the case for a long time past. I also concur...
120From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 22 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of addressing you on the 14th, I have been favoured with your Letters of the 11th and 17th, with their respective inclosures. The next morning after the receipt of the former, which came to hand on the 17th, I dispatched Lt Colo. Hamilton another of my Aides, with the best pilots and the most skilful masters of ships, I could procure, to Admiral Count D’Estaing, to...
121From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 23 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of addressing you on the 12th Instant, I have received your several Favors of the 10th—12th & 16th with the Resolutions, to which they allude. I transmitted the British Commissioners the Resolve of the 4th Instant, respecting the Convention Troops, the morning after it came to hand; and also wrote to Sr Henry Clinton upon the subject of passports. I have not received his...
122From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 10 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your Favors of the 4th and 5th Inst., with their several Inclosures. Among those of the former, I found the Resolution you are pleased to allude to, respecting your Appointment as president. permit me, Sir, to congratulate you upon this Event, and to assure you, I have the most entire confidence, that I shall experience in you, during your presidency, the same...
123From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 1 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
I embrace this first moment of leisure, to give Congress a more full and particular account of the movements of the Army under my command, since its passing the Delaware, than the situation of our Affairs would heretofore permit. I had the honor to advise them, that on the appearances of the enemy’s intention to march thro’ Jersey becoming serious, I had detatched General Maxwells Brigade, in...
124From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 9 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Mr Fuhrer & Mr Kleinsmit have lately left the British lines and come in to us. The account they give of themselves is this—That they had been first lieutenants in the Hessian Corps—were taken prisoners at Trenton, resided during their captivity at Dumfries in Virginia—were lately exchanged and have since resigned their commissions—That having solicited permission to come out from the enemy and...
125From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 5 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am much indebted to you for your obliging favors of the 7th & 24th of last month, and offer my thanks for the several agreeable pieces of intelligence contained in the latter. No part of which believe me Sir, gave more sincere pleasure than the acct of your appointment to the States of Holland—No person (if you will permit me to say as much) is more impressed with the importance of those...
126From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 14 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
This will be accompanied by an Official Letter on the subject of the proposed Expedition against Canada —You will perceive I have only considered it in a Military light—indeed I was not authorized to consider it in any other, and I am not without apprehensions, that I may be thought in what I have done, to have exceeded the limits intended by Congress—But my sollicitude for the public welfare...
127From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of transmitting to you the Inclosed Copies of a Letter from me to Genl Conway since his return from York to Camp, and of Two Letters from him to me, which you will be pleased to lay before Congress. I shall not in this Letter animadvert upon them, but after making a single observation submit the whole to Congress. If General Conway means by cool receptions mentioned in the...
128From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 26 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Baron De Steuben will have the honor of delivering you this. I am extremely sorry, that this Gentlemans situation and views seem to have determined him to quit the service, in which he has been heretofore and is capable still of being extensively useful. Some discontents which arose among the Officers on account of the powers with which the Office was at first vested, induced me to arrange...
129From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 20 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am now to acknowledge my obligations for your favor of the 31st Ulto & for its several Inclosures. The conduct of Governor Johnstone has been certainly reprehensible—to say no worse of it—and so I think the world will determine. His Letters to Messrs Morris and Reed are very significant and the points to which they conclude quite evident. They are, if I may be allowed so to express myself,...
130From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 23 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to transmit you a Letter, which I received yesterday from Governor Tryon, enclosing the draughts of the Two Bills, I forwarded before, with his certificate of the manner in which they came to his hands; accompanied by his more extraordinary and impertinent request, that through my means, the contents should be communicated to the Officers & Men of this Army. This Engine of...
131From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 27 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honored with your favor of the 20th with its several inclosures—Congress will be pleased to accept my acknowledgements for the communication of the treaties between his Most Christian Majesty and the United States—The resolve respecting the exchange of Prisoners has been transmitted to Sir Harry Clinton, and I have appointed commissioners if he thinks proper to meet his at...
132From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 12 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As I do not recollect with precision, whether any or what Resolutions have been made by Congress respecting Captures by the Army or Detachments of It, and not having all their proceedings with me, with which I have been honored from time to time, to assist my inquiries upon the subject, I must take the liberty to request, that they will determine and favor me with their decisions upon the...
133From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 11 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
The condition of the Army for want of Cloaths and Blankets, and the little prospect we have of obtaining relief according to the information I have received from the Board of War, occasion me to trouble you at this time. The mode of seizing and forcing supplies from the Inhabitants, I fear, would prove very inadequate to the demands, while it would certainly imbitter the minds of the People,...
134From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 14–15 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
On Thursday Evening I had the Honor to receive your Favor of the 8th Instant. From the Several Letters which have lately passed between Genl Howe & myself, I am fully convinced that any propositions by me to release the Baron St Ouary from captivity, either by an Exchange or on parole would be unavailing. In his Letter of the he has explicitly stated his Sentiments, and has declared himself to...
135From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 24 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
Herewith I do myself the honor to inclose copies of a Letter from an Officer of Militia at Elizabeth Town to me, & an extract of a Letter from one of Mr Boudinots deputies, at Boston, to him; both tending to induce a belief, that the enemy have some enterprize in contemplation —what this is, time must discover—I have, this whole winter, been clearly of opinion, that Genl Howe’s movements would...
136From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 4–5 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your favors of the 28th, and that of the 30th Ulto with the several Inclosures, to which they refer. Congress may rely, that I will use every possible means in my power to conciliate any differences that may have arisen, in consequence of the Count D’Estaings going to Boston—and to prevent a publication of the protest upon the occasion. Several days before the...
137From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 20 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have to thank you and I do it very sincerely, for your obliging favors of the 2d & 16 Inst. & for their several inclosures, containing Articles of intelligence. I congratulate you most cordially on Colo. Campbells precipitate retreat from Fort Augusta—what was this owing to—it seems to have been a surprize even upon Williamson. But I rejoice much more on acct of his disappointed application...
138From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 3 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your favour of the 27 of September, with the inclosed resolves of Congress; a copy of which has been transmitted to Major General Lincoln, for his information and direction. Being separated from my papers, I am uncertain, whether I mentioned in my last, that the enemy in the Jerseys having received a reinforcement and made some forward movements, I had thought it expedient to...
139From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 24 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
The letter, which I had the honor of addressing to you the day before yesterday, would inform Congress of the embarkation and sailing of a considerable detachment of the enemy from New York; and of the measures I had taken, in expectation of—and upon the happening of the event. Whether this will be succeeded by a further embarkation, or by a total evacuation of the posts, which they hold...
140From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 16 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
This will be delivered you by Captain Sullivan, who waits on Congress upon the subject of pay and the loss of his rank in the line of the Massachussets Officers. He is one of the Gentlemen, who in going with Major Sherburne to relieve the post we had at the Cedars in 1776, after a brave and gallant conduct fell into the Enemy’s hands. In a few days after on the treaty which General Arnold...
141From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 12 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago I wrote, in haste, a Letter to you by Major Morris, and took the liberty of returning the gold you were so obliging as to send me by Jones —For your kind intention of forwarding that sum, and goodness in bringing Congress acquainted with my want of specie you will please to accept my sincere and hearty thanks—These are also due to you for your polite attention in forwarding, for...
142From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 23 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Full as I was in my representation of matters in the Commissary’s department yesterday, fresh and more powerful reasons oblige me to add, that I am now convinced beyond a doubt, that unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things. Starve—dissolve—or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the...
143From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 29 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday forenoon I had the honor to receive your favor of the 23d Instant, with a Resolution of Congress of the preceding day, appointing Major General Gates to command in the Eastern district. A copy of the Resolution was immediately forwarded to him at Hartford, with a request that he would repair to Boston in compliance with it. Your Excellency’s letter to him, was also dispatched by the...
144From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 12 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor of returning to Congress the report of their Committee on the subject of an Inspectorship, transmitted in your Letter of the 20th Ulto, which was not received till the 31st—with such observations as have occurred to me, in considering the matter, and which I have made with a freedom, that I trust will be agreable to Congress. I wish it had been in my power to have...
145From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
The following is an extract of a letter of the 17th inst. which I had the honor to receive from the Count D’Estaing. “I intreat you to promote the exchange of prisoners already planned by Mr Gerard. The unhappy persons taken before the commencement of Hostilities cannot be fully regarded as prisoners—their lot is dreadfull—The mode adopted for exchanging them by means of your Commissary,...
146From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 16 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
By the time this reaches you General Du Portail will probably be at Philadelphia. One part of his business is to prosecute the directions given him, some time since, for forming a plan for the defence of the River Delaware, to be submitted to Congress. Another part is to understand from Congress, what may be their views and wishes with respect to his further continuance in America and that of...
147From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 27 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am now to acknowledge the Honor of your several Favors of the 18–19 & 21st Instant, which with their respective Inclosures have been duly received. In compliance with the Resolution of Congress of the 5th Inst., transmitted in your Letter of the 7th—I was about to take measures for appointing a Court Martial and bringing on the Trials, which they direct; But on recurring to the papers, you...
148From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 9 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday Evening had the honor to receive your favor of the 5th Instant with its Inclosures. The power Congress have been pleased to vest me with for appointing Aids de Camp, I shall use with œconomy, and I will not appoint more at any time, than shall be necessary & essential to advance the public interest. Any future appointments that may be material, will be made out of the line of the...
149From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 23–24 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 18th with the inclosure referred to, came to hand yesterday. I had before received the intelligence contained in Mr Dean’s Letter—and in consequence, made part of the detachments, which have been mentioned in my late Letters. It is highly probable—that the late incursions and outrages were committed by the parties comprehended in Mr Deane’s intelligence—and I...
150From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 11 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
On Wednesday afternoon I received a Letter from the Honble Mr Lee & Mr Lovell, of the Committee for foreign affairs, inclosing a plan and sundry Resolutions of Congress for attacking Canada the next Campaign, in conjunction with the forces of his most Christian Majesty; and requesting my observations upon the same, to be transmitted to Congress—and a Copy to be delivered to the Marquiss De la...