31From George Washington to John Hancock, 3 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honored with your Letter of the 29th Ulto, inclosing Sundry Resolves. Agreable to the directions of Congress, I have written to the States of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and urged them to compleat and forward their Troops, destined for Ticonderoga, with all possible expedition. The Brigadiers gone there for the present, are Fermoy—Poor—Patterson & Learned. Nixon & Glover...
32To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 18 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
Last Evening I had the Honor to receive Yours of the 11th Instant; That the Enemy will Harrass our Coasts and Injure the Maritime Towns, by sudden Debarkations and Attacks is beyond a Doubt; at the same Time, I Join [with you] that their Capital Object, is either Philadelphia, or Hudson’s River. Am sorry to find the Forces with You are so deficient and inadequate to Check the progress of the...
33From George Washington to Brigadier General George Clinton, 8 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of 4th Inst. I receiv’d this Morning —As the Movement of the Enemy & their Designs are as yet uncertain, I have to request that you will keep as large a Body of the Militia as you can collect, & have them in as good order as Circumstances will permit, in case Genl Howe should Incline up North River[.] I have no doubt but you have form’d such a Plan with General Heard as will best...
34From George Washington to Brigadier General Gurdon Saltonstall, 28 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
An abstract of pay for you from the 7th Septemr to the 27th November is this moment presented to me; in which you demand pay as Brigadier from the 10th of Septr: This I confess to be altogether unexpected, as, if I remember right you were but a very few days with the army; and when, your imperfect state of health required you to leave it, I had no other idea than that you meant at that time to...
35From George Washington to Major Colerus, 19 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I received your letter by Monsr Malmady. I am sorry some of the Gentlemen promoted by Congress render themselves unhappy, either by forming in their minds, the most groundless suspicions of neglect, or torturing themselves by an unwarrantable degree of jealousy at the promotions of others. It has always been my wish and design, that you should be provided for, so soon as you acquired a...
36To George Washington from Major General Thomas Mifflin, 8 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have just arrivd here and to my Surprize find very few of the Boats brought up from Trenton. Mr Coryel has been two days on that Service and says it is with great difficulty they brought up four Boats with 24 Men in 2 days. I send off a strong party this Night for the Boats and will have them up by some Means or other. We have here 3 large Artillery Flats; four Scows, each of which will...
37From George Washington to John Hancock, 31 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Captain Desheild of Mr Buchanans Ship from Baltimore who was taken by the Enemy and carried into York made his Escape from thence on Saturday Evening. He informs, that three thousand Troops, British & Hessian, embarked about Ten days ago from the City & Staten Island on board Transports which were laying at the Latter when he came away, he adds that the Enemy have built & are building a number...
38From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 21 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of yours of the 14th instant. I shall make it my particular Business to demand Capt. Chase’s Son in Exchange for Mr Hutchinson or Govr Shirley’s Son, as he is certainly justly intitled to it. I thank you for the enquiry you have made after Thomas Rogerson. I am pleased to hear that your General Assembly are determined to take such methods as shall seem to them most effectual...
39To George Washington from Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I just Received Your Orders of the 12th Instant Accordingly have sent You My Return enclosed being a true State of the Regiment Orders Are already issued for Assembling the Recruits at Peeks Kill the Greatest Part are Collected and ready for a March at any warning a Sufficiency of Officers have been left for the Recruiting Service And Your Excellency May depend that no Pleas for Delay will be...
40From George Washington to Colonel Jedediah Huntington, 21 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have yours of the 15th instant. If filling up your Regt can be accomplished any thing the sooner by your remaining in Connecticut, a while longer, I have no objection, but you must send one of your Feild Officers forward to Peekskill to receive and form your small detatchments as they come up. I hope the late Measures taken by your Govr and Council to compleat your quota will prove...
41From George Washington to James Mease, 17 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 12th by Colo. Campbell. All the Cloathing that has come from the Eastward within a few days is forwarded to you unopened, except a sufficient Quantity for Colo. Formans Regt of which they were in immediate want. I have directed the Colo. to have the heavy woolen linings taken out of the Coats and sent down to you, and I think if you have time, you had better have the...
42From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 7 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote to you the 12th Ultimo, desiring, that so soon as any other General Officer should arrive at Tionderoga, you would immediately leave it and repair to my Head Quarters. I must now repeat that desire, as your presence here is very much wanted; and I shall expect, that after the receipt of this, you will hasten to join me with all the expedition you can. The Troops from Pennsylvania are...
43From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 27 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have ordered the Assistant Commissary at this place, to repair immediately to Camp. It is the peculiar misfortune of this Army to have, generally speaking, the head[s] of the different departments always absent when they are most wanted—Two months was I labouring, as hard as a man could, to get the Comy Genl to this place, & had scarce accomplished it before the Congress ordered him to...
44General Orders, 18 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
All the Continental Arms, those in possession of the troops, as well as those in Store, to be marked immediately. Commanding Officers of Corps to see this Order put in execution—they will get the Brand by applying to the Commissary of Military stores. Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
45From George Washington to Thomas Johnson, 9 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Having heard that your State have appointed Lieutt Colo. Geo. Stricker to the Command of a Battalion, I hold myself bound to inform you That the Character he holds here as an Officer will not justify such an appointment—Yesterday he obtained my leave to resign, complaining that his private Affairs indispensably require his presence at home for several Months—Had there been any other Field...
46From George Washington to Colonel George Baylor, 23 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
By this day’s post, I received your favor of the 13th Instant. I am sorry to find you have to combat so many difficulties in raising your Regiment; These However, I flatter myself, in a little time will all be surmounted by your persevering activity. A Chaplain is part of the Establishment of a Corps of Cavalry, and I see no Objection to your having One, Unless you suppose yours will be too...
47From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 5 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with yours of the 25th March. I have had no request as yet from the Council of your State, for part of the new arrived Arms, to put into the hands of such of your Troops as were ready and only waited for them, but I desire that as many as are necessary, may be immediately drawn, and the Troops forwarded. So that there can be no further plea for delay upon that head. One thing I must...
48From George Washington to Colonel George Baylor, 25 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 14th is this day come to hand, & for the Instructions you require respecting your Cloathing, I refer you to mine of 28th Ulto the receipt of which you now acknowledge. The Mode of exchange you speak of (large Men for small of other Regiments) I have no sort of Objection to, provided, the Men receiv’d & given in exchange are made fully acquainted with the Particulars...
49To George Washington from John Hancock, 15 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honour to enclose you sundry Resolves of Congress, accompanied with a Commission for Monsr Armand, which I am to request you will order to be delivered to him, as he is now at Head Quarters. Ever since the appointment of Brigadiers I have been waiting to be informed of the Dates of their respective Commissions in Order to settle their Rank in making out new ones. But as there...
50To George Washington from Joseph Reed, 4 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was honoured with yours of the 29th May ⅌ Express & take the first Oppy to express my sincere & grateful Acknowledgments of the Favour intended me by appointing me to the Command of the Horse. The Difficulties which have arisen in Congress, the Time, Manner & Circumstances under which the Appointment as General Officer has been made so as to enable me to profit by your Favour, added to the...
51From George Washington to Samuel Washington, 5 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Thornton returns to you well recover’d of the Small Pox, as I hope to hear that my Sister, and the rest of your family are. I heartily congratulate you on the favourable manner in which you had it yourself. To save Thornton, or you, the expence of buying a Horse to ride home on, I have lent him a Mare of Mine which I beg of you to have sent by any safe conveyance which may offer to Lund...
52From 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...
53To George Washington from Major General Adam Stephen, 15 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
The General Court Martial yesterday seemd to hurry over Business without that Solemn Attention that is necessary to Command Respect & establish discipline. I orderd Doctr Griffith to be Summond to appear agt Capt. Russel—Who had been frequently at philadelphia, & Seen the Capn appearing abroad wt. a healthy Countenance—He was ⟨n⟩ot Summoned—The Captain notwithstanding the Repeated ⟨o⟩rders for...
54From George Washington to Major General Thomas Mifflin, 31 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours of the 27th giving me an account of the Tents that have been delivered out. By this it appears that 2306 have come on to the Army at this post, exclusive of Princeton, which are so many more than are necessary for the Troops here, that I shall cause an exact scrutiny to be made, and see what Regiments have drawn more than their Share. I have this day transmitted to...
55From George Washington to James Mease, 12 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
Being more and more convinced, of the impolicy of any part of our Troops being Clothed in Red and that many injurious and fatal consequences are to be apprehended from it, I think it necessary to repeat my request, mentioned in my last, that you will have all the Clothes in your hands, of that Colour, dyed of some other, as soon as you can. Yesterday an Escort to money from Colo. Moylan’s...
56From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 1 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have your favour of the 19th May. General De Coudrée arrived here last night, and set off this morning for Philadelphia. What his engagements with Mr Dean are, I cannot say; but as he is represented to be a Gentleman of great ability in his profession, I dare say his expectations are high. Congress will undoubtedly make a genteel and honorable provision for him; but I hope it may be done, in...
57From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 12 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
As you are appointed in the Arrangement of the Army to command a Brigade of Pensylvania Troops, I desire, that you will hold yourself in readiness and repair to my Head Quarters, as soon, as a General Officer arrives at the post where you now command. Your presence here, will be materially wanted, and I persuade myself, you will lose no time in complying with my requisition, when the...
58From George Washington to Samuel Gray, 3 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
Being unacquainted with the places proper for establishing magazines of Flour in Ulster and where that from the River should be removed, you will receive directions from Generals McDougall and Clinton upon the Subject, to whom I have written. I am Sir, &ca N.B. This Letter has respect to one written by Mr Trumbull to Mr Gray, leaving the place where the Stores should be deposited with the...
59To George Washington from Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, 13 April 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, 13 April 1777. In his letter to Hancock of 12–13 April, GW writes: “13th I have this Moment recd a line from Genl Lincoln informing me that the Enemy attempted to surprize him, early this morning, at his post at Bound Brook, but he made good his Retreat to the pass of the Mountains just in his Rear, with trifling Loss.”
60From George Washington to John Langdon, 3 May 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday morning Mr Champney delivered me your very agreeable favour, containing the Account of the Arrival of the Amphitrité with a large train of Field Artillery and other Military Stores from France. Mr Champney went immediately on to Philadelphia. I have wrote to Congress, pressing the necessity of the immediate removal of these truly valuable Articles from Portsmouth, to a place of...