151From George Washington to Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have yr favrs of the 29th Ulto & without date, the last inclosing a Return of yr Regiment —I wish it had borne a more agreeable aspect; but I trust no pains will be spard & no means left untried to complete it. Genl McDougal transmitted me a full Account of the late Affair at Peekskill. I wish the state of our Treasury admitted of my sendg you the Sum of Money you wrote for; But We have been...
152From George Washington to Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, 1 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was some days ago favd with yours of the 19th May but the interruption occasioned by moving my Quarters & papers from Morris town to this post delayed my answering you sooner. I will not undertake to determine how far injustice has been done to you in regard to arranging any of the other Colonels before you, but it is evidently so in the Case of Colonels Gansvoort & Cortland, as far as may...
153From George Washington to William Livingston, 5 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of yours of Yesterday. I ⟨may⟩ have been mistaken in my interpretation of you⟨r⟩ Militia Law, but it however leaves open a door ⟨for⟩ much litigation and delay. As you must certainly be best acquainted with the Circumstances of your own State, I intirely acquiesce with any mode which you may think most expedient in regard to calling out your Militia ⟨at⟩ this time. I think the...
154From George Washington to William Livingston, 29 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor of transmitting the inclosed Resolve of Congress passed the 25th inst. I shall be obliged if you will, agreeable to the requisition therein made, order out One Thousand of the Militia of your State to continue in Service Four Weeks from the time they join the Army. I mention four Weeks because I think by your late Militia Law, you cannot insist upon their Service for a...
155From George Washington to William Livingston, 11 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am this day honoured with yours of the 2d instant, as I was a few days ago with that of the 30th April. previous to the Rect of it, I had desired Mr Boudinot, to demand Mr Fells release for that of Mr Hugh Wallace, Colo. Philipse or Mr Jauncey whose paroles we have and who are all Counsellors of the State of New York. If they refuse this, I shall call upon one of those Gentlemen to return to...
156From George Washington to William Livingston, 16 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with yours of the 14th. I dont know whether Colo. Duyckink comes under the Civil or Military Jurisdiction, but from the following State of the facts on which I ordered him to be secured, you will be able to form a Judgment, and if you think, he falls within the line of civil Authority, I will most cheerfully give him up to you. Colo. Duyckink, some time in the Winter came...
157From George Washington to William Livingston, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with yours of the 17th and 26th March. I communicated the intelligence you gave me concerning Govr Franklin, to Govr Trumbull, who will have his motions narrowly watched in future. I perceive many difficulties in the execution of your Militia law, particularly in suffering an appeal to lay before a Court of Judicature. That indulgence will always be claimed by the person...
158From George Washington to Joshua Loring, 30 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to refer you to a Letter from Elias Boudinot, Esqre, which accompanies this, for an Answer to your Two favors of the 24th Ulto & 8th Instant. That Gentn is appointed to the Office of Commissary of Prisoners in the Army of the American States, and I am to request that whatever business you may have to negotiate in that line, may be transacted with him in future. I am Sir Yr Most...
159From George Washington to James Lovell, 6 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 30th May inclosing [a] List of the French Officers who came over in the Amphitrite, with the Ranks which they are to bear. I have stated to Congress some difficulties that will arise upon granting them Rank from the Dates of their french Commissions. They will by these means supersede all our own Officers of equal Rank whose Commissions, upon the new establishmt of the...
160From George Washington to Major Henry Emanuel Lutterloh, 4 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have reciev’d your favor proposing a plan for the formation of a corps of light infantry. It wou’d be difficult for you to recruit such a Corps, & experience has fully taught us that it will never answer to employ deserters or Prisoners. Generally speaking no confidence can be placed in them. Deserters are for the most part without principle sufficient to insure their fidelity, and prisoners...
161From George Washington to Colonel Robert Magaw, 20 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I received your Letter of the 6th Instt by Ensign Fernandez. You may be assured, every thing in my power will be done to make our Officers and privates who are in captivity, as comfortable, as their situation will admit: their case has been represented to Congress, and I trust, a remittance will be made in a few days for their use. I had not been inattentive to them before, but it was...
162From George Washington to Colonel Malmedy, 16 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your letter of the 14th I must freely confess, I do not fully comprehend your meaning, nor can I forbear expressing my surprise, that you still hold out the idea of difficulties in your situation, notwithstanding the mark of attention you mention, which has lately been conferred upon you by Congress. It astonishes me, that a Gentleman of your discernment, should find it impossible...
163From George Washington to the Massachusetts Council, 25 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I took the liberty in a Letter of the 11th of February, to inform your Honble Board of the augmentation Congress had resolved to make to the Army they voted to be raised in September, and to sollicit your attention and good Offices in promoting the raising of your proportion of these latter Levies. I trusted, that I then urged such reasons for the measure and so clearly shewed the Quota...
164From George Washington to Brigadier General William Maxwell, 17 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
That the Enemy are upon the point of opening the Campaign can scarce admit of a doubt—where, or in what manner, is yet uncertain; it behooves us however to be as well prepard as possible, & keep every thing in such order as to move at an hours warning—one step towards this is, to have the number of our Posts reduced—the Men drawn a little more compactly together—and Scouts to supply the places...
165From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 23 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I, yesterday, had the pleasure of your’s of the 21st instant. I wish every Gentleman in the army could appeal to his own heart and find the same principles of conduct, which, I am persuaded activate you; we should experience more consistency, zeal and steadiness, than we do, in but too many instances. A disinterested attachment to the cause, we are ingaged in, can alone produce that line of...
166From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 25 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yours of yesterday came to hand late last Night. As I have heard nothing further of the Troops that embarked on the 20th I can only recommend it to you to keep a vigilant look out for them. The detatchments that are to come on need not bring Camp Kettles with them, if they are wanted with you, as we have a sufficiency here. I am so well convinced of the Justice of your Remark upon the...
167From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 18 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Just after I had wrote very fully to you this Morning I recd yours of the 17th. By the inclosed Resolutions of Congress, which came to hand this day, and which are additions and Amendments to the former Articles of War, you will find that every Continental General has a right to carry the Sentence of a General Court Martial into execution in the State in which he commands. And I shall esteem...
168From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 26 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I received your favour of yesterday this Moment. In my Opinion it is by no means improbable that the Enemy may aim at another descent upon the Country adjoining the North River; or if they are disappointed in their first design by your late additional strength, they may continue in the River in order to divert our Attention from their real attempt upon Philadelphia: during which Continuance...
169From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 10 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you have an Information which was given in Yesterday, by a Man who was in Newyork on Monday last, & which from a variety of Circumstances, I believe to be in a great measure true; therefore transmit it to you, that you may be prepar’d in case their Destination should be up North River, which at this time is not generally expect’d—I could wish you would give a Copy of this to Genl...
170From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 6 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I must beg the favour of you to look out for a sensible, honest, active, young fellow, well acquainted with Figures, & well qualified to discharge the duties of a Deputy Muster Master—His pay is low, 35 dollars ⅌ Month—On discovering such an one, you will be pleased to appoint him, & refer him to the Letter &C. from Colo. Ward that attend this. I am Dear Sir Yr most Obed. Servt P.S. I wish to...
171From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 1 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I last night received your Letter of the 29th Ulto, with its several inclosures. I regret much, that the Enemy should have accomplished their Scheme with so little loss on their part; but I confess, I feared, that it would be the case, and that their retreat would be effected before a sufficient force could be assembled, to cut them off, or to give ’em any great annoyance. I wish you to...
172From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 7 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with yours of the 5th: You make mention of a letter of Colo. Huntingdons of the 1st instant which you have not inclosed, there are a few lines from him of the 30th April, but they only respect a peice of intelligence of the Enemy’s having landed at Frogs point on their way down the Sound. I have a long time seen and felt the ill Consequences of the want of Arrangement in the...
173From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 31 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am much surprised at never having received any regular account from you, of the late Affair at peekskill. I am yet intirely at a loss to know the Quantity, Quality or Value of the Stores that were lost. A Captain of a Tobacco Ship taken and carried into New York, left that place on Saturday last, he informs that three thousand Men were embarked and laying on Board Transports at Staten...
174From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 31 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I last night received your favor of the 29th. Your Conjectures, respecting the Troops arrived, correspond with my own. I shall not be disappointed, if they are those, which were in Canada, having long thought, there was a probability of their coming to reinforce Genl Howe. I am much surprized, that more of the Connecticut Troops, have not reached Pecks Kill. I have repeatedly & in most...
175From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 3 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your detention of apart of Capt. Sewards Company of Artillery, for the reasons you assign, is intirely agreeable to me; and you will observe the same rule with respect to others which shall be coming on in the same circumstances. I should be glad to hear such further particulars of the Danbury expedition, as may have come to your knowlege, that bear the marks of authenticity. I am Dear Sir...
176From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 16 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was a few days ago favd with yours of the 6th: I cannot account for the Massachusets Troops coming on without Cloathing, in any other manner, than, that as they were all originally intended for Ticonderoga, their Cloaths may have been sent to Albany. If that is the Case, the Qr Masters should be immediately sent to bring them back, if it is not, they must certainly look to the State, because...
177From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 20 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I this day received your favor of the 19th. General putnam being thus far in his way to peeks Kills, and fully instructed upon most of the matters contained in your Letter, makes it unnecessary for me, to answer it so particularly, as I otherwise should have done; and as I wish to refer you to those instructions for my Sentiments & Ideas upon the Subjects of it. I shall observe However, that...
178From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 29th Ulto was delivered to me Yesterday by Mr Laurence. The loss we have sustained in Commissary’s and Quarter Masters Stores is to be regretted, as they are most useful to the Army and not to be replaced at this time, the Commissary’s particularly. I had repeatedly guarded him against suffering any large quantities laying near the Water in such places as were accessible to the...
179From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 10 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
So little room is left for doubting the Enemy’s designs are up the North River, that (notwithstanding proper Preparations for such an Event have been the frequent Subject of my Letters to you, which I am assured will claim a just share of your serious Attention) I can not help writing again on this head—Let me therefore, in order that no Measure for Defence may be left untried, desire you to...
180From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 23 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
The following are Extracts of Letters which I have just received from Genl Stephen, and are taken from the information of persons sent into New York and Bruswic. New Ark 22d April 1777. By a person to be depended upon, who left New York Yesterday—A Brigade consisting of the 15th & 17th (not exceeding 700 Men) and he believes the 36th & 4th embarked the 20th at night, and he supposes sailed up...