31From George Washington to Elbridge Gerry, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 3d & 6th have come duly to hand, and Mr Adams’s return affords me an oppertunity of acknowledging the receipt of them, & thanking you for the attention paid to the several matters I took the liberty of mentioning as you passed this place. The Enemy have given us much time to collect our Strength, and erect the necessary Works of Defence—The Militia from Connecticut are...
32From George Washington to John Hancock, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform you that since I had the pleasure of addressing you Yesterday Nothing Interesting between the Two Armies has happened. Things remain nearly in the situation they then were. It is with peculiar regret and concern that I have an Opportunity of mentioning to Congress the Sickly condition of our Troops. In some Regiments there are not any of the Field Officers capable of...
33To George Washington from John Hancock, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Philadelphia, 16 August 1776 . “I have only time to Acknowledge the Rect of your Letter of 15th, and to Transmitt the Resolves pass’d since my last, which you will find Inclos’d.” ALS , DLC:GW . The enclosed resolves of 13, 14, and 15 Aug. include a request that GW send Congress a copy of the Massachusetts treaty with the St. John’s and Micmac Indians, a plan for encouraging Hessians and other...
34From George Washington to Frederick Jay, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of my Orders, the undermentioned persons have been apprehended and are now under a Guard at New Rochelle or its Neighbourhood. As the sending a Guard thro’ to Govr Trumbull with them would be attended with much Inconvenience to the public and cannot be agreeable to the Gentlemen Upon their giving you their Word & Honor to proceed to Lebanon to Govr Trumbull I am satisfyed to...
35To George Washington from Major William Smith Livingston, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am desired by General Green to inform your Excellency that Colo: Hand waited upon him this Morning and informed him that the Hessians were landing again Yesterday on the East End of Staten Island to a considerable Number—That there was nothing extraordinary happened—That by the Movements of the Enemy there did not appear any immediate Preparation for an Attack And that three Men of his...
36From George Washington to the New Jersey Convention, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am informed that in consequence of my Letter acquainting you that a number of Persons deemed unfriendly to the Interests of America were suspected of holding a Correspondence with the Enemy from Shrewsbury & its Neighbourhood, Mr Isaac Low late of this City has been apprehended, & is now detained under some kind of Confinement. Since that time I have received Satisfaction with respect to...
37To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
About eight last Night I returned to this place after a Month’s Absence; on a Business the most disagreeable to a Man accustomed to Civil Society that can possibly be conceived. On the 11th Instant, I was honored with your Excellency’s Favor of the 7th, but was unable to answer it from the German Flatts, altho’ I several Times attempted it being ever interrupted by a Croud of Savages. Last...
38From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been obliged to trouble you with some more disaffected persons whose residence here was dangerous to the American Interest. I trust I have now done with them, at least for the present, and hope you will excuse the disagreeable necessity I have been under of solliciting your care and attention to provide for them and dispose of them. As the case of these differs in no respect from that...
39To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 16 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Major General Schuyler has requested that two Hundred Seamen may be raised in this state to man the Vessells on the Lake. as most of our Seamen are marched with the Militia to join your Army, I have to ask the favour of you to permit Capt. David Hawly, and Capt. Frederick Chappel to inlist such Number of Seamen out of our Militia as may be necessary for that Service. I am sir with great...
40General Orders, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Benjamin Durant of Capt: Wadsworth’s Company & Col. Bailey’s Regiment, convicted by a General Court Martial whereof Col. Wyllys was President, of “getting drunk on Guard,” sentenced to receive Thirty Lashes. Patrick Lion of Capt: Curtis’s Company; Regiment late Learnad’s, convicted by the same Court, of “sleeping on his post”; sentenced to receive Twenty-five lashes. Benjamin Wallace of Capt:...
41Proclamation for the Evacuation of New York, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
B y H is E XCELLENCY GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esquire, General, and Commander in Chief of the Army of the United States of North-America. W hereas a Bombardment and Attack upon the City of New-York, by our cruel, and inveterate Enemy, may be hourly expected: And as there are great Numbers of Women, Children, and infirm Persons, yet remaining in the City, whose Continuance will rather be prejudicial...
42To George Washington from Lord Drummond, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Being deeply intarested in the welfare of America I think it my Duty to communicate a Matter of Intelligence which I flatter myself may be rendered conducive to the Restoration of a Disirable Peace And in this View I request your Excellency’s Permission to land at New York to go to Philadelphia in Order to lay the same before the General Congress. In the course of a Conversation I have had...
43From George Washington to Lord Drummond, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have your Lordships Favour of this Day, accompanied by Papers on Subjects of the greatest Moment, & deserving the most deliberate Consideration. I can allow much for your Lordships well meant Zeal upon such an Occasion, but I fear it has transported you beyond that Attention to your Parole which comprehends the Character of a Man of strict Honour. How your Lordship can reconcile your past or...
44From George Washington to John Hancock, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
The circumstances of the Two Armies having undergone no material alteration since I had the honor of writing you last, I have nothing particular or Important to communicate respecting them. In my Letter of Yesterday I forgot to mention the arrival of Lord Dunmore here. By the examination of a Capn Hunter who escaped from the Enemy and came to Amboy on the 14th transmitted me by Genl Roberdeau,...
45To George Washington from John Hancock, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 16th Inst: per Post this Minute came to Hand, & shall be laid before Congress on Monday. I do myself the Pleasure to enclose sundry Resolves for your Information, and likewise to forward the Commissions ordered by a Resolve of Congress on the 10th Inst., a Copy of which I transmitted in my Letter of that Date. With the most ardent and sincere Wishes for your Health &...
46To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Last night the Fire Ships & Row Gallies made an attempt, Upon the Enemys ships, which lay at Anchor up the River, The Fire ships were well Conducted, the Armed Schooner was Grappled and Burnt, The Phenix was Grappled for a Bought Ten minutes, But got herself Clear, The Lady Washington Galley and Independence, were Conducted with Great Judgment and Bravery, I wish I could Say that the Other...
47From George Washington to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 17 August 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 17 Aug. 1776. Heath’s letter to GW of this date is docketed in Joseph Reed’s writing: “Major Genl Heath Kingsbridge Aug. 17 1776 Answerd do.”
48From George Washington to Lord Howe, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Being authorized by Congress, as their Commanders in every Department are, to Negociate an Exchange of Prisoners, and presuming as well from the nature of your Lordships command, as the Information Genl Howe has been pleased to Honour me with, that the Exchange in the Naval Line will be subject to your Lordships direction, I beg leave to propose the following mode of Exchange for your...
49From George Washington to Major General William Howe, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to transmit the Inclosed Letter from Major French, & at the same time to inform you, that his Exchange for Majr Meigs, whose parole I am advised you have, will meet my approbation—I would take the liberty also to propose an Exchange of any Captn you may chuse for Capn Dearborn whose parole I have heard was delivered you with Major Meig’s. Give me leave to assure you Sir,...
50To George Washington from Major William Smith Livingston, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Colo: Hand has this Morning reported to the General that since Yesterday Evening four Vessels of War, one of them the Solbay have sailed from the Fleet at the Narrows—Two Brigs a Sloop and Schooner came in from Sea and the Man of War that lay off the Hook these two Days past came in—The Morning being very Thick he could discern nothing distinctly at the Hook but that late in the Evening of...
51From George Washington to the New York Convention, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
When I consider that the City of New York will in all human probability very soon be the scene of a bloody conflict: I can not but view the great Numbers of Women, Children & infirm persons remaining in It with the most melancholy concern—When the Men of War passed up the River the Shrieks & Cries of these poor creatures running every way with their Children was truly distressing & I fear will...
52To George Washington from Abraham Yates, Jr., 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Mr Denning hath made the Convintion Acquainted with your Excellenceys Sentiments upon obstructing the Navigation of the East River between the Grand Battery and Governor’s Island. we now take the Liberty of inclosing the Copy of our Resolution for that purpose, which together with this Letter will be handed to your Excellency by the Gentleman of the Committee to whom we make no doubt Sir that...
53To George Washington from Abraham Yates, Jr., 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am directed to inform your Excellency that immediately upon the receipt of your favor of this morning respecting the Women, Children and Infirm persons remaining in the City of New York—The Convention appointed a Committee for the purpose of removeing and provideing for such persons—I inclose a Copy of the Resolves for that purpose and hope you will soon be releived from the Anxiety which...
54From George Washington to Robert Yates, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours of the 13th & 14th inst. and am pleased to find you have been successfull in procuring Cannon for the Defence of Hudsons River; also that there is such a good prospect of effectually securing the Pass at Fort Montgomery, the mention you make of General Clinton’s attention to that & other important Objects gives me great satisfaction, & confirms me in the opinion that...
55General Orders, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
As nothing contributes so much to the good order and government of troops, as an exactness in discipline, & a strict observance of orders; and as the Army is now arranged into different divisions; those divisions formed into brigades, and the brigades composed of regiments; The General hopes and expects, that the several duties of the Army, will go on with regularity, chearfulness and...
56To George Washington from William Blodget, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Hands report, mentions no Uncommon movements of the Enemy. The General desires me to acquaint your Excellency that he finds himself considerably better this Morning than he was Yesterday, and is in hopes in a few days, to be able to go abroad, ’tho still very weak. I am with Respect Humble Servant ALS , DLC:GW .
57From George Washington to Benjamin Franklin, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been honourd with your favour of the 16th, and the several Inclosures contained therein, which are now return’d with my thanks for the oppertunity of perusing them —I also Inclose you a Letter from Lord Howe, sent out (with others) by a Flag in the Afternoon of yesterday. with it comes a Letter for Lieutt Barrington, who if not among those who broke their Parole, & went of for Canada,...
58To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have thought proper to communicate to you certain Intelligence which I have recieved from my Brother respecting Captain Grimes, whose Conduct (if I have been rightly informed) does not entitle him to that Place in your Esteem which he now holds, nor to that Confidence which you have thought proper to put in him. His leaving the Gally at Rode Island in the Time of the Attack, to take Convoy...
59From George Washington to John Hancock, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with your Favor of the 16th with Its Inclosure and am sorry It is not in my power to transmit Congress a Copy of the Treaty as they require, having sent It away with the Other papers that were in my Hands. The Resolution they have entered into respecting the Foreign Troops, I am persuaded would produce Salutary Effects, If It can be properly circulated among them. I fear...
60To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Early this morning the Phoenix Man of War, Rose Frigate & the Two Tenders, came to Sail & stood down the River, keeping close under the East Shore, in order to avoid the Fire of our Cannon; but notwithstanding this Precaution, the Phoenix was thrice Hull’d by our Shot from Mount Washington, & one of the Tenders once—The Rose was Hull’d once by a Shot from Burdit Ferry—They kept their men...