1From George Washington to John Jay, 3 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
In the letter which I did myself the honor to write to Your Excellency the 25th of May, I mentioned the appearances which indicated that the enemy had some important enterprise in contemplation. These appearances have since increased ’till they seem to have arrived at a very interesting crisis. The inclosed extracts from the intelligence I have successively received will show their progress...
2From George Washington to John Jay, 3 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honor of transmitting to Your Excellency a Copy of a Report of a Board of General Officers in a dispute between the Captains in the pensilvania line and Captain prowell, who has been appointed to the majority in the 11th Regiment. If Congress approve the Report, they will be pleased to revoke Captain prowells Commission. They will see a Copy of the Memorial against his...
3From George Washington to John Jay, 3 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the Honor of addressing Your Excellency this morning, I received the inclosed papers, by which You will perceive that the Troops & fleet lately employed in Chesepeak bay have returned to New York. I have not received any advices respecting the Enemy since those transmitted in the morning. I have the Honor to be with sentiments of the most perfect respect & esteem Yr Excellency’s...
4From George Washington to John Jay, 6 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
On the 3d I had the Honor to address Your Excellency from Middle Brook and Morris Town—and to transmit you all the intelligence I had then received, respecting the movements of the Enemy on the North River; and of the measures I had taken and was about to pursue in consequence. I am now to inform you, according to the advices I have obtained since, that on the 2d in the morning the Enemy...
5From George Washington to John Jay, 11 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your Excellency’s favours of the 4th & 5th, to which due attention shall be paid. The enemy’s situation remains much the same as mentioned in mine of the 6th—One body of about 5000 Men is on Verplanks point and another of about 1000 on stoney point—They continue fortifying & no doubt mean to keep possession of those posts—The natural strength of the ground with very little...
6From George Washington to John Jay, 14 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
On Saturday Evening I was honoured with Your Excellency’s favor of the 7th Instant and with the papers to which it refers. The intelligence from Carolina is very interesting as related, and I should hope from it’s coming through so many channels & from its being told so circumstantially, that it is not destitute of foundation. I have nothing to communicate to your Excellency respecting the...
7From George Washington to John Jay, 23 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
Two days since I removed my quarters to this place where I am more contiguous to the forts and best situated to attend to the different parts of the army. By my last advices the enemy at Kings ferry were embarking their baggage and some heavy cannon and preparing for a movement either up or down the river. Your Excellency will find in the inclosed New York Gazette of the 19th two or three...
8From George Washington to John Jay, 27 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
It gives me infinite pain, that the circumstances of the service oblige me to trouble Congress with a frequent repetition of the same subjects—But every hour distracts my attention with fresh instances of the inconveniencies, that result from the want of system in a department which I have frequently mentioned. These compel me again to intreat that Congress will be pleased to take decisive...
9From George Washington to John Jay, 30 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
Col. Morgan of the Virginia troops, who waits on Congress with his resignation will have the honor of delivering you this—I cannot in justice avoid mentioning him as a very valuable officer who has rendered a series of important services and distinguished himself upon several occasions. I have the honor to be With the greatest respect & esteem Yr Excellency’s Most Obedt ser. LS , in Alexander...
10From George Washington to John Jay, 1 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor Yesterday to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of the 24th Ulto. I have ever taken all the pains in my power to prevent plundering, and the practice has been constantly reprobated and prohibited by my Orders. I will continue to use my best endeavours to suppress it. I transmit a Copy of a Letter of the 25th and of Two Reports which I received Yesterday from General Gates,...
11From George Washington to John Jay, 9 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
On the 1st Instant I transmitted Your Excellency a copy of a Letter I had received from General Gates, advising that a number of Vessels with Troops, had left Newport and directed their course up the Sound. I had previously on the 27th from the intelligence obtained through different Channels that the Enemy intended to draw a part or the whole of their Troops from Rhode Island, requested him...
12From George Washington to John Jay, 13 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
In my Letter of the 9th which I had the honor of addressing to Your Excellency, I informed you of the proceedings and ravages of the Enemy on the Sound till that time, as far as I had been advised. I now take the liberty to transmit an Extract of a Letter of the 10th (No. 1) from Governor Trumbull—and of the same date (No. 2) from General parsons, by which Your Excellency will find, that they...
13From George Washington to John Jay, 16 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to transmit Your Excy the inclosed Copy of a Letter from Brigadier Genl Wayne, which this moment came to hand. I congratulate Congress upon our success—and what makes it still more agreable—from the report of Captain Fishbourn who brought me Genl Wayne’s Letter, the post was gained with but very inconsiderable loss on our part. As soon as I receive a particular account of...
14From George Washington to John Jay, 20 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive your Excellency’s letter of the 13th, with the copies of the letters to which it refers. The British Cabinet may have planned the expedition which Messrs Lee & Johnson mention, but I cannot think that it will ever be executed. Perhaps the orders upon the occasion, were not so pointed as not to be dispensed with; and that the late expedition up the Sound was adopted...
15From George Washington to John Jay, 21 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
On the 16th instant, I had the honor to inform Congress of a successful attack upon the enemy’s post at Stoney Point, on the preceding night, by Brigadier General Wayne and the corps of light infantry under his command —The ulterior operations in which we have been engaged, have hitherto put it out of my power to transmit the particulars of this interesting event. They will now be found in the...
16From George Washington to John Jay, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since the letter which I had the honor of writing you the 20th instant, I have received your Excellency’s of the 15th and shall pay due attention to the contents. After two or three landings and reimbarkations, the enemy on the morning of the 21st seem to have repossessed Stoney Point in earnest and have been since fortifying with great industry. We have received intelligence of a very...
17From George Washington to John Jay, 29 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
In mine of the 24th I had the honor to inform Congress that a considerable embarkation of the enemy had taken place on the 21st— This intelligence I received through Major Lee, a channel in most cases, good; but from all my subsequent inquiries I have reason to believe he was mistaken in this instance. The movement among their Shipping going down the river to New York, and some stir among the...
18From George Washington to John Jay, 29 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
In my Letter of the 9th in answer to Your Excellency’s of the 30th Ulto upon the subject of Doctor Morgan’s charge against Doctor Shippen—I informed Congress, that the situation of affairs would not permit his trial to be entered upon for some time—and that General Arnold’s would of course precede it, which had been and still was necessarily suspended. Since this I have been honoured with Your...