31To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Board of War, 31 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
By Appointment under the new frame of Government established in this State, we succeed the late Council of Safety in the Military Department, of course your Excellency’s letter of the 28th Inst. came before us, and from our knowledge of the late Council, we can assure your Excellency that it was thro’ inadvertency that they infringed upon the powers invested in you by Congress, and not by...
32From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 31 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since I did myself the pleasure to write to you yesterday, I have received information, that the Enemy have embarked three thousand men, some said, with an intent to go to Chesapeak Bay, others, to go up the North River again. As this last is the most probable, I beg you will hasten your Militia to Peekskill with the utmost expedition, and also what Continental Troops are ready. Should the...
33To 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...
34General Orders, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
35From George Washington to Elias Boudinot, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am authorizd by Congress to appoint a Commissary of Prisoners —The pay will, I expect, be about Sixty Dollars pr Month. The Duty, except as to confinement, not hard; at least after the business is once put into a proper train. Close attendance on the Army will be requisite, in order to receive and distribute the Prisoners to places assign’d for their confinement; at each of which some person...
36To George Washington from Brigadier General John Glover, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I recd your Excellys esteem’d favour of the 3 Ulto Adviseing that by a Resolve of the Honble the Continental Congress, they were pleas’d to promote me to the Rank of Brigr General. I esteem it, a mark of grate respect & Honor don by that August body—unmerited by me. I Could wish myself Qualified, but when I Consider my owne inabilities, & inexperience, I Cannot think myself in any Degree...
37To George Washington from Colonel William Grayson, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I return’d the day before yesterday from Maryland, & am sorry to inform you that the recruiting service in that quarter does not by any means answer my expectations or wishes; Mr Smallwood & Mr Jones will I think (from present appearances) succeed; but Mr Tilly & Mr Brown have not got a man; the latter has resign’d his commission & return’d the bounty money for that reason; I wrote you by the...
38To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
This will be handed to your Excellency by Monsieur Mauduit de Plesis, who lately arrived here with the French General De Borre—He has represented to the Council of this State, that he is charged with Dispatches to the Honble Congress—The Council have desired me to assist & forward him. I take the Liberty to enclose Copy of a Letter from Col. Wayne dated at Ticonderoga the 25th of March 1777,...
39From George Washington to Major General Charles Lee, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am to inform you, that Congress not perceiving that any advantage would be derived either to yourself or the public Interest from an interview between you and a part of their Members, could not consider ⟨them⟩selves at liberty to comply with your request. At the same time I am to assure you, that every ⟨means⟩ will be pursued to provide for you⟨r safety and⟩ the attainment of your liberty....
40From 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...
41To George Washington from Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum, 1–4 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Commands of the 3rd March last, I received the 18th of said Month; Agreeable to which I called upon the Colos. for a Return of their Battalions; I have finally got them. On the 28th ultimo your Excellency’s orders of the 6th of the same Month was received. The Troops who have had the small Pox will march on Monday next, about one hundred and forty or fifty as appears by the...
42To George Washington from Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, 1 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Want of proper intelligence from my recruiting Officers has been my principle reason for not giveing your Excellency a proper return before this, and I am yet unable to do it with that accuracy I wish, the whole of my returns amount to One Hundred and Thirty four, a number of the Officers out a considerable distance from this, have yet made me no returns, that I cannot but hope my number is...
43General Orders, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
44From George Washington to Major General Benedict Arnold, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was this day favd with yours of the 26th last Month and a few days ago with that of the 11th. It is needless for me to say much upon a subject, which must undoubtedly give you a good deal of uneasiness. I confess I was surprized when I did not see your Name in the list of Major Generals, and was so fully of opinion that there was some mistake in the matter, that I (as you may recollect)...
45From George Washington to Owen Biddle, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Proctor did me the honour to deliver your favour of the 31st Ulto. I have to lament that the Expressions intended to thank the late Council of Safety for easing me of a part of the heavy load I bear in forming our new Army, could be so misunderstood by your Board. I rejoiced at hearing that they had not only appointed their Officers in the first instance; but had arranged them likewise;...
46From George Washington to John Hancock, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you last, I have recd the inclosed from Genl Mcdougal which contains a full account of the late affair at peekskill. Every prudential step appears to have been taken by the General, and as good a disposition made as his small Number of men would admit of. I have heard nothing further respecting the embarkation of Troops which I mentioned in my last, I am in...
47From 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...
48From 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...
49Paper from Lieutenant Colonel William Walcott, 2 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Whereas General Washington did in his Letter to General Howe, bearing Date the Thirtieth Day of July 1776, declare that he was authorized to propose, and he did in the said Letter accordingly propose a general Exchange of all Prisoners of War in the Manner & upon the Terms following; viz: “Officers for Officers of Equal Rank; Soldier for Soldier; and Citizen for Citizen.” To which Proposal His...
50General Orders, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
It having been observed that the Waggoners, and those who have the care of the public Horses, use them very cruelly, by riding them extreemly hard upon all occasions, it is therefore recommended to the Quarter Masters, and Waggon-Masters, to give strict orders against such practices in future, which, if continued after such notice is given, the offenders shall be liable to immediate...
51From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with yours of the 18th of last Month. The late ample arrivals of Arms at Philada and at portsmouth, added to those which we before had, puts us out of all further uneasiness on account of that necessary Article. The Eleven hundred and Seventy six stand which you recd from the continental Agent at Boston, will be very near the number wanted for your two continental Battalions when...
52From George Washington to Colonel Jedediah Huntington, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 25th last Month inclosing a Return of the State of your Regiment. I am not only sorry to find your number so low as 250 men, but I do not apprehend from the tenor of your Letter that there is a probability of your being soon compleat. I however desire you to march all the men that are fit for duty immediately to peekskill, there to wait my further orders, and to leave...
53To George Washington from Colonel James Livingston, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you have a Copy of a Resolve respecting my raising a Regiment in the United States, by which your Excellency will perceive the Commander in Chief in this Department, was to recommend proper Officers under me to Congress—The List of Officers was accordingly made out and sent to Congress by General Schuyler the 18t. of Decr last, & in Consequence of which, I got Orders to recruit, and...
54From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
My Letters of the 20th & 29th Ulto will convey evident proofs to you, of my extreme sollicitude respecting the Assembling of our Troops—& yet, as I have but too much reason to believe that dissipation in some, and the comfortable enjoyment of domestick pleasures in others, have had an unhappy Influence upon the Conduct of the Recruiting Officers, I must again repeat the urgent necessity there...
55From George Washington to Major General Joseph Spencer, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with yours of the 26th Ulto inclosing proceedings of a Court Martial upon Nagel, Key and Querry, who are sentenced to suffer Death, for desertion. The plea, of ignorance of our law, is frivolous, and if admitted, we should never convict a Criminal. Examples must be made, to put a stop to that prevailing Crime, or we may as well disband the Army at once, I therefore desire that the...
56From George Washington to Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum, 3 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Not having been favoured with an Answer to my letter to you on the 3d Ulto I flattered myself that the Order it contained “that you would have innoculated all the Recruits of the two Regiments to be raised by Rhode Island as fast as they inlisted,” had been executed. But a letter from Governor Cook dated the 18th Ulto informs me that You are taking Methods to have the Regiments innoculated as...
57General Orders, 4 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
The detachments, commanded by Capts. O’Harra, Bicker, Talbot and Selin, to hold themselves in readiness (with two days provision) to march to morrow morning. They will receive their orders from Major Genl St Clair. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Henry O’Hara was a captain in the 2d Canadian Regiment. Anthony Selin (d. 1792) was a captain in Ottendorf’s independent corps, and Jeremiah Talbot (d....
58To George Washington from John Hancock, 4–8 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed Resolves of Congress, which I have the Honour of transmitting, will naturally claim your Attention from their great Importance. The Regulations relative to the Payment of the Troops and the Department of the Paymaster General, will I hope be the Means of introducing Order and Regularity into that Part of the Army; where, it must be confessed, they were extremely wanted. General...
59To George Washington from William Livingston, 4 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your Favor of the 1st Instant by General Forman. I apprehend your Excellency mistakes the Clause in our Militia Act respecting the Appeal in Case of a Fine. You seem to represent it as if the Delinquent was excused from paying the Fine till the Determination of the Appeal against him—But that is not the Case—The Act is however extremely deficient; and it...
60To George Washington from Colonel David Mason, 4 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Orders of the 12th of March last came to hand this Day The contents of which I Duly Notice and shall to the Utmost of my Power comply with; The State of my Regiment I cannot give your Excellency an exact account of at this time, but will inform you of the Number of Men that marched from this Station to day and Tomorrow, which will be about two Hundred and eighty, and I hope to have at...