1From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
The appeal contained in your letter of the 11th instant, is equally unexpected & surprising. Not knowing the particular changes which are alledged against you, it is impossible for me to make a specific reply. I can therefore only say in general terms, that the Employments you sustained in the year 1776—and in that period of the year, when we experienced our greater distress, are a proof that...
2From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 18 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have given The Adjt General the necessary orders respecting the matter you mentioned to me today—and he will direct the officer Commanding at the Barracks—Colonels Humpton & Nicola—& Mr Colfax (of my Guard) to be particularly attentive to the Men under their respective Commands—In confidence, I have mentd the reason to Genl Hand, but he will assign none to the Officers to whom he gives the...
3From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 November 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to thank you most sincerely for your Congratulations conveyed in your Favor of the 27th ulto. That our Success against the Enemy in the State of Virginia, has been so happily effected, & with so little Loss— and that it promises such favorable consequences (if properly improved) to the Welfare & Independence of the United States— is Matter of very pleasing Reflections. I beg...
4From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellencys Letter of the 18th inst. and observed with much Pleasure the Train into which the recruitg the proposed Rifle Corps is thrown—& hope they will soon be obtained. As this Body of men will be exceedingly essential to our Designs, & may be very usefully employed in Detatchments, I have to beg of your Excellency that you will be pleaced to give Orders, that...
5From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 16 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your Excellency’s Favor of the 7th. I am exceedingly happy to find that the mode of procuring the specific Supplies demanded of the state is now upon such a footing that we may hope for a full & regular Compliance in future: and I doubt not but if the other States will follow the Example, and appropriate a proportion of their Revenue to the Disposal of the Superintendant of...
6From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 24 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
In the course of our expected operations we shall stand in need of a species of troops, which are not at present to be procured either in this Army or in any of the States to the Northward of Pennsylvania—They are expert Rifle Men. The use of these Men will be to fire into the embrasures and to drive the enemy from their parapets when our approaches are carried very near to their Works....
7From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Favor of the 17th of May and 6th of this Month. the first did not reach me until the 7th inst. “By the Rules of Promotion which existed previous to the Resolve of Congress of the 25th of May, Lieut. Colo. Carrington of the 1st Regiment of Artillery will succeed to the command of the 4th vice Proctor and Lieut. Colo. Forrest, if he remains in Service, must be...
8From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform your Excellency that at a late conference between His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau and myself it has been agreed that the principal part of the French Force shall march, as soon as circumstances will admit, and form a junction with me upon the North River. The enemy have so exceedingly weakened themselves by repeated detachments to support the War to the southward,...
9From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 5 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 14th of April, inclosing a remonstrance of Colonel Proctor and the officers of his Regiment against the promotion of Captain Eustace to a Majority in it, and the late annexation of Captain Simonds—I am not a little surprized to see Field officers, who certainly are acquainted with the principles of promotion which have been understood and...
10From George Washington to James Potter, 21 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I returned yesterday to this Place from Rhode Island, and now take the earliest opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 19th Ulto which was put into my hands on my arrival. I am extremely obliged to you, Gentlemen, for this communication of the Proceedings with respect to the late unhappy affair, which has taken place in the Pennsylvania Line—Sensible that the circumstances...
11From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 20 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 15th is just come to hand —I cannot suffer myself to delay a moment in pronouncing if Arnold by the words (in his letter to his wife) “I am treated with the greatest politeness by General Washington and the Officers of the Army who bitterly execrate Mr Reed and the Council for their villainous attempt to injure me” meant to comprehend me in the latter part of the expression...
12From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received information from New York that a person who is called George Fustner, and who is Brother in law to Rankin formerly of York County, comes frequently out as a Spy by way of Shark River thro’ Jersey and from thence to Lancaster. He left New York the 27th ulto and is probably at this time upon that Business. Your Excellency may perhaps, from the foregoing Clue, have him intercepted...
13From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
With respect to prisoners of War mentioned in yr Excellency’s Letter of the 3d Instt—I beg leave to observe that it has been my wish from the beginning of the contest to the present day, that no distinction should exist with respect to them—that the whole should be considered on one general & liberal scale as belonging to the States, and not to this or that State—be exchanged according to...
14From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 18 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
By your favor of the third from Bethlehem, I perceive my letter of the first had not got to your hands; but I have the pleasure to find that the business you were upon anticipated the purposes of it, and was in a fair way to answer the end. Arnolds conduct is so villainously perfidious, that there are no terms that can describe the baseness of his heart—That over-ruling Providence which has so...
15From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 1 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am under the necessity of laying before your Excellency, the Copy of a representation made to me yesterday, by the Commy General of Issues, on the subject of Flour. The representation goes so fully and truly into our present situation and prospects, that I shall only refer your Excellency to it, and then intreat you to exert your authority and influence, with the Agents and all others...
16From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 26 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was last evening favd with yours of the 22d and the day before with that of the 21st. I should have concurred with your Excellency in the propriety of keeping the Militia embodied for the reasons and under the circumstances you mention, had I not last night received dispatches from Count Rochambeau, from which I think it more than probable that the 2d division will not arrive before the...
17From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 20 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this morning the honor of yours of the 17th from Trenton. When I ordered the Militia of Pennsylvania to assemble at their place of rendezvous, I was in hopes that our supply of provisions would have been adequate to their subsistence with the Army: But, from repeated and a lately pointed representation from the Commy General, I find myself very unfortunately disappointed. I can with...
18From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 1 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform Your Excellency, that the exigency of the service makes it necessary for me to call the German Battallion from Sunbury to join this Army, & that I must embrace the earliest opportunity to transmit an Order for the purpose. I have thought it proper to communicate this to Your Excellency, that You may, if You deem it essential, supply it’s place, by incorporating & ordering...
19From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have no scruple of announcing to you, that New York is the object of my preparations, and, if the respective States comply with the requisitions made on them, there is a well grounded hope of putting a speedy and happy termination to the War. Taking it for granted that the Militia of your State who were requested to rendezvous at Trenton by the 25th Inst. are there by this time, I have to...
20From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Motives of friendship, not less than of public good, induce me with freedom to give you my Sentimt⟨s⟩ on a matter, which interests you personally as well as the good of the common cause. I flatter myself you will receive what I say in the same spirit which dictates it, and that it will have all the influence circumstances will possibly permit. The Legislature of Pensylvania has vested you in...
21From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 25 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with Your Excellency’s favors of the 20th and 22d instants. I am exceedingly sorry to find you express a doubt of being able immediately to procure the number of 250 Waggons in the State of Pennsylvania—if we should be disappointed in that quarter, I know not where we are to apply. The Quarter Master General has, as you observe, a considerable number of Waggons laying idle...
22From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The arrival of Admiral Arbuthnot at New York with a fleet of from sixty to seventy sail said to contain a part of the Southern army is an additional motive for extraordinary exertions at this juncture. West Point is far from being in security. Our stores and baggage in this state are almost at the mercy of the enemy, if they advance in force. A great proportion of the Jersey teams are in...
23From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 16 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Board of War having informed me, that the city-light horse were held in readiness to march to the army, whenever I should signify the necessity of their services —I am to inform your Excellency, that in the present posture of things, they would be of very great utility, and therefore I should be glad, they might march as speedily as convenient. If they ⟨come⟩ I hope they will be able to...
24From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your favor of the 23d —Nothing could be more necessary than the aid given by your State towards supplying us with provision. I assure you every idea you can form of our distresses will fall short of the reality. There is such a combination of circumstances to exhaust the patience of the soldiery that it begins at length to be worn out—and we see in every line of...
25From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 11 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
It has been represented to me by Brig: General Irvine, and by Lt Colo. Hay of the 10th Penna Regt that Michael Everly a Serjeant of that Regt was promised an Ensigncy by Colo. Humpton for his extraordinary exertions in inducing the Soldiers to reinlist, and upon many other services—From the above consideration and from the want of Subaltern Officers in the Regt I would recommend Mr Everly to...
26From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of the 18th Instant. I am sorry to find the Council are apprehensive that difficulties will attend the collecting of the Supplies required of the State, by the Resolution of Congress of the 25th of February; but I cannot see that it is in my power to prevent them in any degree. Your Excellency and the Council will perceive on recurring...
27From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 23 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had last night the honor to receive Your Excellency’s letter of the 16th with the papers you have been pleased to refer to me. There is certainly a good deal of weight in the observations and objections which Colo. Hazen has made, and it were very much to be wished, that the supplies of Cloathing and necessaries in every instance were perfectly equal to the officers & men respectively,...
28From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am much indebted to your Excellency for announcing my election as a member of the Philosophical Society. I feel myself particularly honored by this relation to a society whose successful efforts for promoting useful knowledge have already justly acquired them the highest reputation in the literary world. I entreat you to pres[en]t my warmest acknowledgments, and to assure them that I shall...
29From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform Your Excellency and the Council—by the conveyance which now offers by Express—that Monday the 20th Instant is appointed for proceeding on the trial of Major Genl Arnold. The Court Martial will sit at the Camp in the vicinity of Morris Town. I have written to Mr Matlack and inform’d him of these circumstances —and I request the favour of Your Excellency to communicate...
30From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 25 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received Your Favor of the 15th and am exceedingly sorry to find that your indisposition continued so long. I hope it is now entirely over—and that the change of season will prevent a return of it. As there is nothing that is more interesting to us, than œconomy in our public expenditures—both in money and provisions—I am happy that nothing more was done, with respect to your Militia,...
31From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 22 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
Three days ago I received your obliging favor of the 14th and was sorry to find you had been so much indisposed. Before this I hope you have perfectly recovered. Your early attention & that of the Assembly to my requisitions, have my warmest thanks—and the more so, from the situation in which they found you. I could wish however—that the three months service of the Militia had been made to...
32From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 30 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
By a letter from General Sullivan of the 20th I am informed that he expected to be joined by Genl Clinton at Tioga the day following—and to move forward the 23d. He expresses his apprehensions, that the stock of provisions, which he then had on hand, would not be more than sufficient, if enough, to carry him thro’ the Indian Country; and therefore wishes that a further supply may be deposited...
33From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 22 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
Mr Tilghman delivered me your favour of the 8th Instt for which, & the favourable sentiments expressed of me in your publication, addressed to the Printer of the Maryland journal, you will permit me to offer my grateful acknowledgements. The loss of Fort Washington simply—abstracted from the circumstances which attended it—was an event that gave me much pain, because it deprived the army of...
34From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 29 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have a pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of your obliging favor of the 15th Instt, and in finding by it, that the author of the queries “Political & Military” has had no great cause to exult in the favourable reception of them by the public. Without a clue, I should have been at no loss to trace the Malevolent writer; but I have seen a history of the transaction, and felt a pleasure...
35From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 9 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Doctor Hodges will have the Honor of presenting this to Your Excellency. The Inclosed, a Copy of a Letter from Governor Trumbull, will inform you of the business he is upon. It is important & interesting and I am persuaded the Doctor will meet with every assistence that you can give him in the prosecution of it. I have the Honor &c. Df , in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick...
36From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have not yet been favoured with an answer to the letter which I did myself the honor to wr[i]te you on the 27th Ulto—Whatever may be the determination of the Council respecting the alternative proposed of the fir[s]t of June or July for General Arnolds trial, I am anxious to be informed of it, that no time may be lost more than cannot be avoided—If the Witnesses are to be called from...
37From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 8 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have delayed acknowledging the receipt of your favor of the 1st in expectation that it would soon be followed by an official one which would enable me to take final measures on the subject of the trial. The explanation with which you have obliged me gives me pleasure in the same proportion as the disagreeable inferences I had drawn gave me pain—It wounds me sensibly to see appearances of any...
38From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
In a line of yesterday, as I did not think it proper to detain the express & delay the notice then given till I could prepare a more explicit answer, I only briefly acknowledged the receipt of your two letters in Council of the 24th and 25th inst, to which I should have added that of the 26th —I am now to enter into a particular consideration of their contents, and to offer such explanation as...
39From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with yours of the 14th instant. I shall not fail to recommend to the Officer, who will command upon the Susquehannah, the cultivation of a good understanding between the setlers at Wyoming and the inhabitants of Northumberland County. Upon estimating the Force necessary to be employed upon the intended Expedition, so as to give the most probable assurance of success, I find...
40From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 8–9 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favor without a date, acknowledging the receipt of my letters of the 28th & [2]9th ulto came to hand a day or two ago. Colo. Patterson (as he is called) was a stranger even in name to me, till he came here introduced by Colo. Cox as a person capable of giving the best information of the Indian Country between the Susquehannah and Niagara of any Man that was to be met with; and as one who...
41From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 5 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favr of the 29th March reached me a day or two ago—I cannot conceive from whence can arise the antipathy of Colo. Proctor and His Officers to the Uniform adopted by all the other Regiments of Artillery. In every service, it is customary to distinguish Corps by particular Uniforms, and as Black and Red has been pitched upon for that of the American Continental Artille[r]y, it is...
42From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 29 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since mine of yesterday, I have received the inclosed extract of a Letter from General Maxwell at Elizabeth Town; which I send lest the suggestion contained in my letter should have made a deeper impression than I intended; which was no more than to hint at the advantages which might result from a systematical plan of assembling the Militia at certain points, on any sudden exigency & with more...
43From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
The enemy have some enterprize in view—New London, on Acct of the Frigates in the river, and because Boats have been preparing at the East end of long Island, and Troops for sometime past drawing thitherward, is supposed to be the object. Probably it is so —but as the Season is now approaching when either Negociation, or vigorous exertions must take place; and General Clinton doubtless will,...
44From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 26 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I lately recd, from Colo. Proctor, a Return of the Names and Ranks of the Officers of his Regiment, which I called for in order to endeavour to settle the relative Rank of the line of Artillery —I observe that Colo. Proctor stiles his Regt “The pennsylvania State Regt of Artillery.” from whence I am led to imagine that the Regiment may have been, by some late act of Congress, returned to the...
45From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is a letter which I had written your Excellency, previous to the receipt of your favor by Mr Keen —If Congress have not given you official notice of their intentions relative to the defence of the Western frontier—You will be pleased to regard my letter on the subject in the light of a private and confidential intimation. I am with great regard and esteem Your Excellencys most obedt...
46From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 3 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
The President of Congress has transmitted me the instructions of the Assembly of your state to their delegates, founded on a representation of the distresses of your western frontiers—and farther the opinion of a Committee of the house on the subject of their defence—together with the two Resolves made in consequence. I am therefore to inform your Excellency that offensive operations against...
47From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
It is very probable, that necessity or choice, may induce us, to undertake some offensive operations against the Indians this summer in case the situation of affairs on the Sea-board will admit of any thing of this kind. At all events it will be necessary to obtain such information of the country and the avenues leading into it, as may be advantagiously applied under favourabl circumstances—I...
48From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 12 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
In my last I omitted to answer that part of your Excellency’s letter of the 5th inst. respecting Capt. Campbells proposal of attempting to bring off our Officers prisoners upon parole on Long Island. Was the measure justifiable, of which I have my doubts, it would in my opinion be impolitic. We could not hope to be compleatly successfull, and strict confinement would certainly be the fate of...
49From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 9 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of your Excellency’s favr of the 5th instant inclosing sundry Resolves of the Executive Council respecting the Conduct of Major General Arnold during his command in the City of Philada: previous to the Rect of your letter, General Arnold, who had arrived at Head Quarters the day before, had shewn me a letter from the Council to him accompanied by a Copy of the same Resolves,...
50From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have had the Honor to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of Yesterday—and I am extremely sorry that it is not in my power to inform the Council, with precision, in the several points of their inquiry. The State supplies of Cloathing hitherto sent to Camp, have been but small and partial. These, I believe, have been generally issued by Officers appointed by the respective states—and comformably...