1From George Washington to Colonel Israel Angell, 1 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours of yesterday. As it is my wish to cut off the intercourse with Phila. as effectually as possible, I desire that no passes may be granted by you to any persons upon any pretence whatsoever; and that you will do all in your power to apprehend those who attempt to go into the City with marketting. There is no way so likely to put a total stop to this practice as making an...
2From George Washington to Major General John Armstrong, 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have this Morning receiv’d your Favor of 26th Inst. The Method you have adopted for preventing the Intercourse & Supply of Marketting from the Country, I think is a good One, & I expect will have the intended effect, though I fear it is impossible to put a total Stop to it even by the greatest exertions of the Officers, as there are many Avenues to Town which it will be found difficult to...
3From George Washington to Maj. Gen. John Armstrong, 21 February 1778 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Maj. Gen. John Armstrong, 21 Feb. 1778. Tench Tilghman wrote at the bottom of the last page of Armstrong’s letter to GW of 5 Feb. : “Ansd 21.”
4From George Washington to Major General Benedict Arnold, 20 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you will receive a Commission, by which you will find, that you are restored to the rank you claim in the line of the Army. This I transmit by direction of Congress and in pursuance of their Resolution of the 29th of November. The situation of my papers & the want of Blank Commissions prevented me doing it before. May I venture to ask whether you are upon your Legs again—and if you...
5From George Washington to Colonel Clement Biddle, 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
As the Season advances when falling weather and the badness of Roads will be almost insurmountable obstacles to the transporting forage from any distance—you are without delay to form magazines for our winters Supply contiguous to the Rear of the Camp—and to take every favorable opportunity of keeping them amply furnished—so that even in case of a series of bad Weather there may be no...
6From George Washington to Major Samuel Blackden, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Being appointed by Colo. Sheldon to procure Cloathing and Accoutrements for the Regiment agt the ensuing Campaign, you are to repair immediately to Boston as the most probable place of furnishing yourself. Upon your arrival there, you are, thro’ General Heath, (to whom I have written) to apply to the persons purchasing Cloathing for continental use, for as much as will be sufficient, and as...
7From George Washington to Ephraim Blaine, 31 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
This Letter will accompany one from the Committee of Congress requiring your attendance at this Place. In addition, I shall Inform you that by a return from the Commissary of Issues we have only 90 head of Cattle in Camp, and the troops only served for this day; Moreover that he Knows not of any supplies Coming on. It also appears by the said return that there is only 560 Barrels of Flour this...
8From George Washington to the Board of War, 2–3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your several Letters of the 23d, 24th & 27th Ulto have been recieved. Agreable to your request I shall communicate to Genl Howe the information you have recieved respecting Captn Dick and the other American Officers, with your determination to retaliate on an equal number of their Officers, till Captain Dick &c. are relieved from their cruel & unjustifiable treatment. It would be a happy...
9From George Washington to the Board of War, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Sullivan who will deliver this was bearer of a Letter to me from Col. Gibson Commanding Officer at Fort Pitt, in which the Garrison is represented as exceedingly distressed for want of Cloathing and I am sollicited to give such directions as may facilitate the procuring a Supply —I have in consequence written to you on the subject, and have no doubt that every thing on your part will be...
10From George Washington to Thomas Bond, Jr., 3 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your letter of yesterday I am sorry to inform you that however willing to oblige your father and yourself, I do not think I can with propriety comply with your request. I cannot suppose your father would mean to make the least ill-use of the privilege he wishes for; but every indulgence of this kind becomes a precedent for others, and you will easily be sensible that it must be...
11From George Washington to Elias Boudinot, 3 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
A Letter from Congress will accompany this containing two resolutions relative to prisoners. You will perceive by them that Congress go upon the presumption of our furnishing our prisoners in the Enemy’s hands wholly and intirely with provisions. Their fixing no rule for liquidating and accounting for the rations heretofore supplied by the Enemy, is a proof that they do not intend them to...
12From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel William Brent, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
You are to proceed to Wms Burg as expeditiously as you possibly can. You will apply to His Excelly the Governor & the Honorable The Council & take their advice on the most speedy mode for apprehending the Deserters from the Regt to which you belong—A return of which You have with you. You will also apply for the residue of the men to Complete the Regt previous to It’s March from Willms...
13Circular to Brigadiers of the Virginia Line, 18 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As the time of service of part of the Virginia Troops has already expired, and many more will shortly petition for discharges upon the same claim; It will be necessary for the Brigadiers, and Commandants in that Line, to meet, and come to some determination with respect to the mode of doing it. I have therefore to request that you will take such steps, and precaution, as will put it out of the...
14From George Washington to William Buchanan, 7 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
The occasional deficiences in the Article of provisions, which we have often severely felt, seem now on the point of resolving themselves into this fatal crisis—total want and a dissolution of the Army. Mr Blaine informs me, in the most decisive terms, that he has not the least prospect of answering the demands of the army, within his district, more than a month longer, at the extremity. the...
15From George Washington to William Buchanan, 28 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
As the Season advances in which bad weather and broken Roads will render the transporting provision from any distance, for the most part subject to considerable delay, and sometimes impracticable—it becomes indispensibly necessary to form with all possible expedition ample magazines for our Winters Supply contiguous to the Rear of the Camp—and to embrace every favorable opportunity of keeping...
16From George Washington to Captain Thomas Cartwright, 21 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was favoured last night with your Letter of the 14th Instant and with its inclosure. As no person under our present Military system can appoint a General Court Martial but the Commander in Chief or Commanding General in a particular state, I cannot determine on the proceedings transmitted. Those sent by major General, the Marquiss de la Fayette, he omitted to deliver. I have written to Colo....
17From George Washington to Captain Stephen Chambers, 27 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
You are aware, that the purposes of the party, under your command, are, as much as possible to cover the roads leading into Philadelphia—cut off the communication between the city and country, and prevent the depredations, dayly committing by the Enemys parties. Your own discretion also and knowledge of the country will point out the best means of accomplishing these ends. I shall only observe...
18Circular to the Chief Executives of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, 19 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
For reasons that will be obvious to you, it is thought the publication of the inclosed address may answer valuable ends; and I beg leave to submit to you, whether it may not serve to increase its effect, if it were ushered into the papers of your State with a recommendatory line from yourself. If you should suppose there will be any impropriety in this, you will be pleased notwithstanding to...
19From George Washington to John Clark, Jr., 24 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with yours of the 13 Inst. I hope you will determine without delay, whether you will accept the appointment of auditor, and if you do, that you will repair as soon as you possibly can to the Army to enter upon the duties of it. An office of this nature has been long thought expedient, and for want of it, I am persuaded the Public have suffered greatly as well as many...
20From George Washington to George Clinton, 16 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
It is with great reluctance, I trouble you on a subject, which does not properly fall within your province; but it is a subject that occasions me more distress, than I have felt, since the commencement of the war; and which loudly demands the most zealous exertions of every person of weight and authority, who is interested in the success of our affairs —I mean the present dreadful situation of...
21From George Washington to Peter Colt, 7 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
The present situation of the army is the most melancholy that can be conceived. Our supplies in provisions of the flesh kind for some time past have been very deficient and irregular—a prospect now opens of absolute want, such as will make it impossible to keep the army much longer from dissolving, unless the most vigorous and effectual measures be persued to prevent it. Jersey Pensylvania and...
22From George Washington to the Commanding Officer at Albany, 1 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been informed that a number of broad Swords and other horse accoutrements taken in the Course of the last Campaign are deposited at Albany if this be the case you are to deliver those Articles to Colonel Sheldon o[n] his order for the use of the Brigade of Light Dragoons. I am Sir Yours &c. Df , in John Laurens’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The commanding officer at...
23From George Washington to a Continental Congress Camp Committee, 29 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The numerous defects, in our present military establishment, rendering many reformations and many new arrangements absolutely necessary, and Congress having been pleased to appoint you a Committee, in concert with me, to make and recommend such, as shall appear eligible, in persuance, of the various objects, expressed in their resolution for that purpose —I have in the following sheets briefly...
24From George Washington to Major General Thomas Conway, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am favor’d with your Letter of yesterday, in which you propose (in order to loose no time) to begin with the instructions of the Troops. You will observe by the Resolution of Congress relative to your appointment, that the board of War is to furnish a Sett of Instructions, according to which the Troops are to be Manœuvred—As you have made no mention of having recd them, I suppose they are...
25From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you will receive a Copy of a Letter from General Varnum to me, upon the means which might be adopted for completing the Rhode Island Troops to their full proportion in the Continental Army—I have nothing to say in addition to what I wrote the 29th of last month on this important subject, but to desire that you will give the Officers employed in this business all the assistance in your...
26From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 31 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
By Lieutt Colo. Barton I was honored with your Favor of the 5th Ulto with it’s Inclosure. The spirit and disposition of this Gentleman for enterprize and of the Officers concerned with him in capturing Genl Prescot, give them a ⟨hi⟩gh claim to the thanks and esteem of ⟨their⟩ Country. Congress, persuaded of this, ⟨promoted Mr Ba⟩rton on the 24th Instant to the ⟨Rank and pay of a⟩ Colonel in...
27From George Washington to John Parke Custis, 1 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I will just write you a few lines in acknowledgment of your Letter of the 14th Ulto; which was detaind by the Posts not being able to cross Susquehanna, till the Evening before last. I congratualte you upon the birth of another daughter, & Nelly’s good health; & heartily wish the last may continue, & the other be a blessing to you. The money received for your Land was, I think, well applied,...
28From George Washington to Bartholomew Dandridge, 15 February 1778 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Bartholomew Dandridge, 15 Feb. 1778. In his letter to GW of 12 April 1778, Dandridge referred to “Your favor of the 15th of Feby.”
29From George Washington to Colonel Elias Dayton, 20 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I recd yours of the 13th instant last Evening, and have immediately written to Govr Livingston upon the Subject. I make no doubt but the prosecution will be immediately stopped upon my representation of the matter in its true light, and of my pointing out the impossibility of getting persons to undertake this kind of Business in future if they are not protected by us. Df , in Tench Tilghman’s...
30From George Washington to William Duer, 21 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours of the 16th instant, communicating the intelligence you had received, respecting the scheme of investing this camp and cutting off its supplies. Your being unacquainted with our present position and the circumstance you mention of an intimation from General Sinclair, of the possibility of such an event, very naturally occasioned Biddles insinuation, to make the...