From George Washington to Major General Philip Schuyler, 15 July 1776
To Major General Philip Schuyler
New York July the 15th 1776.
Dear Sir
Inclosed You will receive a Letter from Congress, Which came to Hand this Morning, with a Copy of some resolves to which You will pay Your Attention as their Execution will be under Your Direction.1
I have also enclosed a Letter for General Burgoyne Which I request You to seal & forward to him as soon as You have perused the Important & Necessary Resolves It contains.2
The spirited Measures Congress have entered into, I am hopeful, will make the British Troops more regardful of that Faith, which ought to be preserved inviolate between Nations, & that the Rights of Humanity may not be Infracted in future.
Admiral Howe arrived on Friday last & We hourly expect his Fleet.3 The same Day, just before he came in, Two ships of War, one of 20 & the Other of 40 Guns, & three Tenders passed our Batteries without any certain Damage that I could perceive, tho an incessant Fire was kept up. They availed themselves of a Brisk & favorable Wind & Tide. Our last Intelligence is, that they are at Tappan Bay. You [may] readily conjecture4 a Variety of bad Purposes intended by this Manouvre. I am Dr Sir Your most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
P.S. I directed Intelligence of the Ships passing by Us to be sent to Albany, That proper Precautions might be Used, to prevent Vessels falling into their Hands. This You will also Give Directions about.5
LB, NN: Schuyler Papers; LB, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Hancock’s letter to Schuyler of 13 July apparently accompanied his letter to GW of that date. For the enclosed resolutions, see note 1 to the latter document.
3. The previous Friday was 12 July.
4. The clerk who copied the LB in the Schuyler Papers inadvertently wrote “You You readily conjecture.” The LB in DLC:GW reads “You may readily conjecture.”
5. The postscript to the LB in DLC:GW reads: “P.S. I wrote to Fort constitution & directed that Intelligence should be forwarded respecting the Ships passing by us, to Albany that precautions might be used to prevent Vessells falling into their hands—you will give further directions in this matter.” See Richard Cary to James Clinton, 12 July, quoted in James Clinton to GW, 13 July, n.1.