121To George Washington from Colonel Daniel Morgan, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
General Potter Militia he tells me, will all leave this place today, which will leave this post very weak, General Polaskey sent for all the horse that was with me to join their rigts, I did not think it advesable to send them before I aquinted your excellency, As none has Come to reliave them, and without Horse we should be very liable to be surpris’d—I have two butchers that Come out of...
122To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Palfrey, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have just receiv’d a Letter from Boston which contains a Paragraph that may not be worth your Excellency’s attention, but which I think it my Duty to Communicate. “The British Officers will lay any Betts whatever that before this Day (the Letter is dated Decr 15th) General Washington is no more. What they mean by their Talk we know not, but suppose some infernal Scheme at the Bottom. It...
123To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As you were pleased to desire my Sentiments upon sundry Matters, I have thrown them together upon the following Sheets without Method as they occurred to me—if they should happen to fall in with your Excellencys, it will be to me a convincing proof that I have not been mistaken. It has appeared to me that the Quarter Master Generals Department has been for some time very ill executed, from...
124From George Washington to Major Peter Scull, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago I recieved your Favor of the 27th Ulto. I wish it had been on any other subject than that of your resignation, and am extremely sorry the situation of your Affairs should have made such an application necessary. I must request, Sir, if it can be done, that you will not entertain an idea of it. It is no time for Officers of merit in which class I consider you, to leave the Army....
125General Orders, 6 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The difficulty of procuring Forage for such horses as must necessarily be detained for the common purposes of the camp obliges the Commander in Chief to call upon the General Officers, & Commanding Officers of Regts to see that no Officer under their respective Commands (except those who are allowed Forage by Congress & even to those it is recommended to part with their horses if they can)...
126To George Washington from James Craik, 6 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Notwithstanding your unwearied diligence And the unparalleled Sacrifice of Domestic happyness and ease of mind which you have made for the good of your Country yet you are not wanting in Secret enemies who would Rob you of the great and truely deserved esteem your Country has for you—Base and Villainous men thro’ Chagrin, Envy, or Ambition, are endeavouring to lessen you in the minds of the...
127To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 6 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with yours of the 17th and 20th Ultimo. It gave me pain to find myself censured by your Excellency for not attending to your orders in the inoculating the Recruits before they were sent on to join the Army. If I have misapprehended your Excellency’s orders, I hope you will excuse such my mistake: But after you had been pleased repeatedly by Letter to order me to hurry on...
128From George Washington to Colonel William Malcom, 6 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 4th Inst. When you reflect how lately you Joined the Army—What indulgencies you have had, and how long you were at & in the Neighbourhood of your Home, after your Appointment, you cannot be surprized, that I disapproved your Application for a Furlough and with some degree of displeasure. It has been a custom with several Officers to resign of late when...
129From George Washington to Trenton and Mercer County Magistrates, 6 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I received your Letter of the 2d Instant pointing out the many inconveniencies that will attend Trenton & its Neighbourhood by Quartering the Light Horse there. Before this Step was determin’d on I made Enquiry of the Forage master Genl, who reported that plenty of Forage &Ca could be got convenient to the Town—my desire of adding in some degree to the Security of that Neighbourhood & the...
130From George Washington to an Unknown Person, 6 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I recd yours of the 20th decemr inclosing a letter from Colo. Marbury’s Freind to Majr Molleson. It was immediately forwarded and I hope will have the desired effect. I am Sir Yr most obt Servt LS , in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PHi : Etting Papers. The letter may have been intended for Maryland governor Thomas Johnson. Luke Marbury of Prince Georges County, Md. served in 1776 as a captain of...
131To George Washington from Martha Washington, 6 January 1778 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Martha Washington, c.6 Jan. 1778. James Craik wrote GW on this date : “I get the favour of Mrs Washington to Send this under Cover to you.”
132General Orders, 7 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Quarter Master General is to apply to the Adjt General for a fatigue party & cause all dead horses in and about the camp, and all offal to be buried, after which each division Quarter-Master is to see this regularly performed once a week in & near their own divisions—The Officers commanding Divisions are required to know that this order is executed. The Depy Clothier Genl desires those...
133To George Washington from the General Officers, 7 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Officers of the Army being fixed to this particular Camp, are not in a Situation to procure many Articles, wch would be very necessary for them; And being informed that in the Vessell taken from the Enemy by Genl Smalwood there were a number of such Articles, which would be of more Utility to the Officers than to any other part of the Community; & being apprehensive that if they should be...
134To George Washington from Major Peter Scull, 7 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had this day the honor of receiving your Excellency’s Letter of the 5th Instant. Imprest with the warmest sentiments of Gratitude & attachment, I return you thanks for the polite & obliging manner in which you are pleased to answer my late application. At the time I made the Request I was conscious, Sir, that there was some impropriety in doing it, but that or inevitable distress was the...
135From George Washington to Brigadier General William Smallwood, 7 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Learning that the Captured Brig contains a great quantity and variety, of officers baggage; and necessaries proper for them; many articles of which from the length of time I have been in the service and difficulty of procuring them at first, I stand much in need of, I shall be obliged to you for sending me, if to be had, the things contained in the Inclosed memm. I will pay the appraised...
136From George Washington to Brigadier General William Smallwood, 7 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed to Govr Johnston, on the subject of compleating and Cloathing the Troops of Maryland, is left open for your inspection. After reading, be pleased to seal and transmit it to the Governor with the Returns for which I have referred him to you. The Officers in this Camp are anxious to come in for a share of the Baggage taken in the prize Brig. That justice may be done to all, I...
137To George Washington from Major General Joseph Spencer, 7 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The strength of the Land Force of the Enemy at Rhode Island, remains much as it has been, for several Months past; they have Fortifyed Latterly Considerably, and Especially, near New Port; I have obtaind a Return of four Regiments, in October last, which I Enclose adding the other two Hession, and the 22nd Brittish Regiments, together with the Grenadiers, and Light Infantry of the 54th and the...
138General Orders, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Commander in Chief is informed that gaming is again creeping into the Army; in a more especial manner among the lower staff in the environs of the camp: He therefore in the most solemn terms declares, that this Vice in either Officer or soldier, shall not when detected, escape exemplary punishment; and to avoid discrimination between play and gaming forbids Cards & Dice under any pretence...
139From George Washington to Brigadier Generals John Glover and Ebenezer Learned, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As the short time we have to lay in Winter Quarters ought to be spent in training the Men, and endeavouring to bring them into the Feild in a more regular manner than they have hitherto been, I must desire that you will join your Brigade as soon as possible, in order to effect this Measure. I have another reason, which is, that so many of the Brigadiers and Colonels Commandant, who have been...
140To George Washington from William Gordon, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The cares & fatigues of the campaign are, I hope, so far over, as to admit of your perusing the following lines without interruption, & of writing me an answer however short, as I am desirous of knowing the state of your Excellency’s health, after all the many hardships & difficulties you have been called to pass through. I have been told that they have worn you greatly, but I flatter myself...
141To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
From several peices of Intelligence which we have lately received, I think there are some grounds to apprehend that the Enemy are removing some of their Troops from philadelphia to New York, and from thence to Newport. Whether these movements are for the security of those places, or with further design is matter of conjecture. It has long been my Sentiment that the great Sea-port Towns are...
142From George Washington to General William Howe, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am directed by the Board of War to acquaint you, that they have received undoubted information, that a Captain Dick and a number of American Officers are confined in Dungeons in England. It is not known with whom this injurious and unwarrantable treatment originated, nor by what authority it is continued; but it is expected that you will interest yourself to have it redressed. The Board...
143To George Washington from General William Howe, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the earliest Occasion, after being made acquainted with the circumstances, to make known to you the coming in of 2d Lieutt Eyre of the 23d Regiment of Foot from the Place of his Confinement in Maryland, to lay his Grievances before me, finding no Probability of being otherwise redressed—His Treatment is explained in the Representation enclosed, which by his desire is transmitted to you,...
144From George Washington to Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I desire you will immediately detatch a proper Officer from your Brigade with orders to bring forward all the Men that may have been left upon command at the posts where the Brigade has been stationed, and who have recovered in the different Hospitals to which they have been sent—If any of the Men left at the Elaboratories have become expert at the Business and therefore useful in preparing...
145From George Washington to Brigadier General Henry Knox, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have thought proper to give you the following Instructions relative to the Ordnance Department under your command. My wish to have so essential a Department of the Army in the best order the next Campaign induces me to desire that no time may be lost in geting every thing forward with the utmost expedition. As the short enlistments of the Artificers have been, and still may be, productive of...
146From George Washington to Brigadier General Henry Knox, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
In addition to the Instructions I gave you to day, I beg may be added that of providing a number of Gunscrews for the purpose of Drawing Ball. I concieve this to be a matter well worthy of attention—will prevent the disorderly firings in our Camp—and be a considerable Public saving. If they are to be made, Let them be stout & substantial. but I recollect something of a large importation of...
147To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I shall take particular care with respect to the Gun screws, and if those imported should not be sufficient they shall be made. The Artillery Artificers will make the cover’d ammunition Waggens and travelling forges. I expect they will be able at Carlile and Springfield to make 200 ammunition Waggons by the Spring which in addition to those we alredy have will be nearly sufficent. I have given...
148To George Washington from William Livingston, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was just now honoured with your Excellencys favour of the 31 Ultimo, & immediately issued orders to Collo. Ellis a Copy of which I inclose you. your Excellency will observe that the Council of Safety have no Authority to order the removal of any other Articles save those mentioned in the orders to Collo. Ellis. So that with respect to Forage & Provisions your Excellency must recur to the...
149To George Washington from Richard Peters, 8 January 1778 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Richard Peters, 8 Jan. 1778. GW wrote Peters on 24–25 Jan. : “I have recd your favr of the 8th instant.”
150From George Washington to Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, 8 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was this Evening favored with your Letter of the 29th Ulto. I had heard before of your unfortunate expedition & captivity, and not without concern. It would give me pleasure to render you any services in my power, but it is impossible for me to comply with your request, without violating the principles of Justice and incurring a charge of partiality. You are sensible, that we have several...