91From George Washington to Thomas Wharton, Jr., 1 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
By this Express from General Armstrong he informs me he is of Opinion that 1000 Militia regularly reliev’d may be equal to effect the necessary duty on the North Side of Schuylkill—he also mentions that he writes you to this purpose, & requires my sentiments thereon. As it has been my constant desire & Study to conduct things in such manner as may be attended with the smallest expence &...
92General Orders, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Commander in Chief, to prevent unnecessary Applications for Furloughs informs the Officers that none will be granted by him unless the Officers who apply for the same produce Certificates from the Major Generals of the Divisions to which they belong, that the state of their Regiments will admit of their absence from Camp. And it is expected that the Major-Generals previous to their giving...
93From 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...
94From 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...
95From 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...
96From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Captain Hopkins of Colonel Moylans Light Dragoons goes to Boston to procure Cloathing & accoutrements for the Regiment against the ensuing Campaign. As the prices of many articles have risen from there being too great a number of Bidders, I have directed the Captain, if there are any Persons Purchasing for the Continent not to interfere with them, but, to apply to them for such articles as he...
97From George Washington to Captain David Hopkins, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Being appointed by Colo. Moylan to procure cloathing & accoutrements for the Regt against the ensuing Campaign, you are to repair immediately to Boston as the most probable place of furnishing yourself. Upon your arrival you will see Major Blackden, who has similar instructions with these, & with him you will determine on your manner of proceeding on this business, that you may not by any...
98From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel James Innes, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Continental Forces from Virginia being at present in a situation, that requires the exertion of some officer in that state to collect together the reinlisted Soldiers of the old Regiments—as well as the recruits & Draughts intended to compleat those & the six additional Battalions—you are while in Virginia, in aid to any superior officer who may be there with Instructions to pay particular...
99From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of introducing Major John Clark, the Bearer of this, to your notice. He entered the Service at the commencement of the War and has for some time past acted as Aid de Camp to Major Genl Greene. He is active, sensible and enterprising and has rendered me very great assistance since the army has been in Pennsylvania by procuring me constant and certain intelligence of the...
100From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of transmitting to you the Inclosed Copies of a Letter from me to Genl Conway since his return from York to Camp, and of Two Letters from him to me, which you will be pleased to lay before Congress. I shall not in this Letter animadvert upon them, but after making a single observation submit the whole to Congress. If General Conway means by cool receptions mentioned in the...
101To George Washington from Richard Henry Lee, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed came to my hand only a few days past altho from its date it appears to have been written long since. There are some useful suggestions in it, and therefore I send it to you—I do not know the Writers reason for dating it in April 1776 when from some parts in the body of the writing, it must have been written in the cours of the year 1777. The arts of the enemies of America are...
102To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am Directed by a Number of the Genl officers of the Army to Enclose your Excellency a memorial from them to Congress which they beg you to peruse & forward as Soon as Convenient—The General officers further Direct me to Inform your Excellency That The Inclosed Memorial Shows forth as well The Sentiments of the General officers absent as those who have Signed. I have the Honor to be with The...
103To George Washington from Trenton and Mercer County Magistrates, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Having, with much Concern, been informed that four Regiments of the Light Dragoons of the Army are ordered to be quartered in this Town for the Winter for the Purpose of recruiting, and to be exempt from Duty; and apprehending that, if our Information be true, Your Excellency must have been greatly misinformed respecting the present State and Condition of the Town and the adjacent Country, we,...
104To George Washington from Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The two Battalions from the State of Rhode Island being small, & there being a Necessity of the State’s furnishing an additional Number to make up their Proportion in the continental Army; The Field Officers have represented to me the Propriety of making one temporary Battalion from the two, so that one intire Core of Officers may repair to Rhode Island, in order to receive & prepare the...
105Lieutenant Colonel John Fitzgerald to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 2 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Inclosed Letter is just come to hand which his Excellency orders to be forwarded to you, that you make proper Enquiry into the truth of the Facts mention’d therin; & Issue such orders as you find necessary for the Reformation of those or any other Abuses or irregulariti⟨es⟩ you find to be committ’d in Lancaster, York, or other such places as you go to whilst absent from Camp. One Step the...
106General Orders, 3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
At a General Court-Martial held 28th ultimo whereof Coll Scammell was President, Captn Courtney of the Artillery appeared before the Court charg’d with “leaving his Howitz. in the Field in the Action of Brandywine in a cowardly and unofficerlike manner”—The Court having considered the Charge and Evidence are of Opinion that Captn Courtney is guilty of the charge exhibited against him and do...
107From George Washington to Patrick Henry, 3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Innes having staid a few days longer than he expected, it affords me an opportunity of inclosing you the Returns of the Virginia Regiments which I promised in mine of the 27th December. I refer you to Colo. Innes for more full information, than I have given you by letter, of matters relating to the Virginia line. A valuable prize has fallen into General Smallwoods hands at Wilmington, I...
108To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The following hints are humbly submitted to the consideration of your Excellency. The necessity of recruiting the Army is so very obvious, that there cannot be the least doubt but Congress will take the most speedy and effectual methods to induce the respective States to furnish their quotas of men, in such season that they may be collected and disciplind, before the Campaign opens. The mode...
109From George Washington to Brigadier General William Smallwood, 3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been regularly favd with yours of the 28th and 30th of December and of the 1st instant. I congratulate you upon the prize that has fallen into your hands, and the more so as she turns out more valuable than you at first expected. That her Cargo may be removed and secured with all possible expedition, I have sent Colo. Biddle to assist you, he will take down with him all the Waggons that...
110To George Washington from Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum, 3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Every Gentleman of the Army is convinced of the Necessity of recruiting our Troops to a much more respectable Number, than that of wch they consist at present. A retrospective View of the various Successes and Defeats we have met with from the Beginning of the War will indisputable evince that Superiority of Numbers hath given Superiority in the Field. The Scenes of Devastation and Slaughter...
111To George Washington from Thomas Wharton, Jr., 3 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday I had the Honor of receiving your Letter of the 1st Inst. which I communicated to Council, and it is with pleasure I can assure your Excellency that Council is perfectly convinced of the strict attention which you have always paid to the safety and ease of the inhabitants of this state. the proposal which Genl Armstrong has made and to which your Excelly has acquiesced in keeping up...
112General Orders, 4 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As fast as the men go into Hutts the tents are to be returned immediately to the Quarter-Master General: The Commanding Officers of Regiments will see this performed—The Brigadiers are also to pay proper attention to it; and the Officers of Companies will be answerable for those which have been delivered to them. The Commander in Chief is thus pointed because he is informed that some tents...
113From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 4 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 8th Ulto came to my hands a few days ago; and, to my great surprize informed me, that a copy of it had been sent to Congress—for what reason, I find myself unable to acct; but, as some end doubtless was intended to be answered by it, I am laid under the disagreeable necessity of returning my answer through the same channel, lest any member of that honble body, should harbour...
114From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 4 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Unwilling as I am to add any thing to the multiplicity of matter that necessarily engages the attention of Congress, I am compelled by unavoidable necessity to pass my answer to Genl Gates through their hands. What could induce Genl Gates to communicate a copy of his Letter to me, to that Honble Body, is beyond the depth of my comprehension upon any fair ground; but the fact being so, must...
115To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 4 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to your Excellency’s direction I have informed myself minutely with the country in the vicinity of Radnor-meeting-house. To effect the object of your Excellency’s wishes, vizt security to the camp: I conceive it absolutely necessary to establish two posts of horse. The one to appertain to the picquet, & patrole one mile, more or less, in advance of the advanced centinel. The other to...
116General Orders, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
At a General Court-Martial held 1st instant whereof Coll Scammell was President appeared Denham Ford Commissary in General Greene’s division charged with Theft—The Court having considered the Charge and the Evidence are of Opinion, That Denham Ford is guilty of the Charge exhibited against him and do sentence him to pay Mr Spencer and Mr Holliway two hundred dollars and that after he shall...
117To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
As your excellency’s opinion seems to gree with my ideas for ⟨taking⟩ in our service those Non commissioned officers who came with Mister du Coudray, I schall take the liberty of telling you what I know about the matter—how useful they would be in this army is a thing obvious for every body—those ⟨men⟩ join to a pretty great theory the greatest practice of theyr art—security and exactitude...
118From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday Evening had the honor of your Favor of the 1st Instant with it’s several Inclosures. The Letter you allude to from the Committee of Congress and Board of War came to hand on Saturday morning; But it does not mention the Regulations adopted for removing the difficulties and failures in the Commissary line. I trust they will be vigorous, or the Army cannot exist. It will never answer...
119To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I was honoured with your Excellency’s Letter of the 1st Inst. I presented it this Morning to Congress but have received no other Commands except to acquaint Your Excellency that Colonel Scammel by an Unanimous ballot is elected Adjutant General in the Army which will further appear by the inclosed Certified Act of the present date. I shall likewise inclose a Resolve of Congress of...
120From George Washington to Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh, 5 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Plan proposed by the Feild Officers of your Brigad⟨e⟩ is Similar to what is Adopted by some New England Corps, does them Honor, & is approved of. You are therefore as soon as possible to make up the 1st 2d & 3d Battalions of ⟨No.⟩ Carolina as nearly equal as Conveniently may be, from the Non Commissioned Officers & privates of the other Regiments of that state, and order all the...