601To George Washington from Captain Lieutenant John Henderson, 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
With the greatest deference and Respect I would beg leave to lay before your Excellency my Claims to Rank as a Captain in the Third Pennsylvania Regiment, from the ninth Day of March 1778. When the Twelfth Pennsylvania Regiment was Ordered to be raised and the Officers appointed to it, I was Commissioned a First Lieutenant on the first day of October 1776, and upon Captain Brady’s Resignation,...
602From George Washington to Major Henry Lee, Jr., 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
This morning I received your favor of yesterdays date —I did not think it necessary to change your position or, the kind of duty I had alloted to you—therefore only repeated to you, that it was my wish you should keep a good watch down the river—This I have now to request you will do in the most effectual manner—I am happy to hear of the fate of the Marauding party your letter mentions—The 24...
603To George Washington from Major Henry Lee, Jr., 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Four deserters from the army encampped opposite Dobbs ferry, who left camp yesterday noon, & arrived here this moment, mention the embarkation of the British forces. They belonged to Lord Rodans [Rawdon’s] Corps, the orders for embarkation were not general, as that Corps was not included. They say it was rumoured among the troops that Baltimore is the place of destination. They report that...
604From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel William Palfrey, 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received your letter of the 13th Inst. I am fully persuaded it will be a difficult task to collect, & properly arrange all the accounts of the army at this late Period. but I have no doubt but that your Industry & care will surmount every obstacle, & place the Business on the footing congress desire. It is an important & necessary work. I am exceedingly obliged by your tender of Services, &...
605From George Washington to John Penn, 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received Your favor of the 12th Instant. I was exceedingly sorry for Major Taylor’s resignation—and used my interest to dissuade him from it, as I deemed him a valuable Officer—capable of rendering his Count⟨ry⟩ good Service. But The Major having resigned, I do not see how he can be reintroduced, more especially after so long an absence. Attempts of this sort when they have succeeded,...
606To George Washington from Colonel Oliver Spencer, 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
the Bearer Cap: Combs, late of Forman’s Corps, waits on your Excellency to inform you that their Situation at present, is not So agreable as they could wish, Originating in Some degree from a want of their Commissions, and not knowing whether they are annexed, or incorporated with the Regt which I have the Honor to Command; which last circumstance, renders it also Somewhat inconvenient to the...
607From George Washington to Colonel Goose Van Schaick, 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received Your favors of the 9th and 15th Instant, the latter inclosing Lieut. Hardenburg’s Map. I am exceedingly obliged to him for it—and I request that you will return him my thanks. You will herewith receive Commissions for the Officers in the 1st York Regiment, except for Captain Copp, who resigned the 14th of this Month. Commissions for the Officers in the Other Regiments have also...
608From George Washington to Brigadier General William Woodford, 22 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this morning received your letter dated yesterday. Col. Nevils regiment will be ordered up to join you—no relief will be required. The inclosed letter I must beg the favor of you to have forwarded to Mr Skinner. I am Sir Yrs &c. P.s. Major Lee will shortly send a small number of Prisoners lately taken to Junes —His Lordship will be pleased to relieve the escort that conveys them there,...
609General Orders, 23 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
A board of General Officers to be composed of Major Generals Heath and St Clair and Brigadier Generals Nixon, Parsons Smallwood, Knox and Paterson are to sit tomorrow morning ten ôclock at General Heath’s quarters to make a complete and final arrangement of the officers in the Massachusetts line. The board will be pleased to fix the precise rank & station of every Field officer and also the...
610To George Washington from Col. Nathaniel Gist and Officers of the Virginia Line, 23 July 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Col. Nathaniel Gist and Officers of the Virginia Line, 23 July 1779. GW wrote Gist and the other officers on 24 July: “I have received your letter of yesterday.”
611To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 23 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty of begging leave of your Excellency to forward the enclosed by the first flag which may happen to be going into New york. They are addressed to [a] good man in distress which I am sure will apologize with you for my asking your intervention. I am with the greatest respect your Excellencys mos. obdt & most hbl. servt Copy, DLC : Jefferson Papers. GW replied to Jefferson from...
612From George Washington to Philip Schuyler, 23 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received Your favor of the 7th some days ago and was extremely happy to hear that Our friend Colo. Lewis had returned. I really feared that some accident had befallen him—and that he might have been sacrificed for his attachment to our cause. His intelligence if well founded, is interesting; as we shall have little to apprehend from any force below—and I think not a great deal from the...
613General Orders, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
General Heath will please to give names to the redoubts he is establishing on the heights east of the river, and General McDougall to those on the West Side & on the Island that the whole may be readily distinguished and known. Any soldier who presumes to fire his musket without leave from the commanding officer of his regiment (who is not to give it but in cases of necessity and then to...
614From George Washington to a Board of General Officers, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Col. Harrison will have the honor of delivering the Board the papers relating to the arrangement of the Massachusettes line—As these have passed through his hands and he has had occasion to inquire into the circumstances on which the determinations of the Board will turn he may be able to give information which will facilitate the business. I have the honor to be Gentlemen Your most Obedt...
615To George Washington from Major Thomas Cogswell, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Humble Petition of Thomas Cogswell Major in the Massachusetts Line, Sheweth. That in settling the Rank of the Feild Officers of the Fifteen Battalions from said State, at Valley Forge Your Petioner was (as he thinks) much injured, in not having justice done him as to his Rank, in a number of instances, He mentions only one instance, which will be Sufficient to convince your Excellency that...
616From George Washington to Colonel Nathaniel Gist and Officers of the Virginia Line, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of yesterday and am sorry for the uneasiness which has taken place on so disagreable a subject. I assure you I have not heard any charges against your Brigade in particular relative to the transaction of the night of the 15th. I have only heard it said in general terms that some of the common soldiers had embezzled part of the Articles taken upon that occasion and...
617To George Washington from Brigadier General John Glover, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
After much Labour & pains I have Completed The Arrangements, of the four Regits in my Brigade, which are annexed, and Signd, by all the field Officers now on the Ground, agreeable to your Excellncys Letter of the 29 May; and are Sent on to the Board of Genl Officers appointed to Sett at Major Genl Heaths Quarters. I am Desired (by Col. Harrison in his Letter of yesterday) to transmit to your...
618To George Washington from Maj. Gen. William Heath, 24 July 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Maj. Gen. William Heath, 24 July 1779. GW wrote Heath on this day: “Your favor of this morning inclosing a letter from Captain Hopkins I have just received.”
619From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of this morning inclosing a letter from Captain Hopkins I have just received. The present situation of the enemy and our ignorance of their designs induces me again to express my anxiety that you should use your utmost exertions to obtain a knowledge of their plan—I know of no means so effectual as that of employing a faithful inhabitant—if you can meet with such a one—by giving the...
620From 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...
621From George Washington to Colonel Stephen Moylan, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 21st came to hand yesterday—You have my thanks for the intelligence it contained. You will receive orders from Genl Heath to join Genl Glover at Ridgefield under whose command you will be for the present —I have only to request your utmost exertions to render the Cavalry as serviceable as possible. I am &c. Df , in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript ,...
622To George Washington from Edmund Randolph, 24 July 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Edmund Randolph, 24 July 1779. GW wrote Randolph on 1 Aug.: “I recd with pleasure & thank you for your obliging favor of the 24th Ult.” ( DLC:GW ).
623From George Washington to Philip Schuyler, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Permit me to thank you for your obliging Letter of the 15th, & to acknowledge with pleasure & gratitude, Mrs Schuylers intended favor to Mrs Washington; who, I am sure, would have been exceedingly happy in seeing her at head Qrs if it had been convenient to her to have stayed. My Letter of yesterday’s date will convey to you the acct of the taking of Stoney point. I was tolerably sanguine in...
624From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Having received intelligence (though not in so precise a manner as I could wish) of a pretty considerable imbarkation at Dobbs’s ferry, and that the Transports which received the Troops had fallen down the River, I think it advisable that your division should remove to Suffrans. By the time you reach that place some further information of the Enemys movements and designs may point to the...
625From George Washington to Major General Oliver Wolcott, Sr., 24 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was favored with your letter of the 17th Instant a little time past and prevented from giving it an earlier answer, from the hurry of unavoidable business. Be assured Sir that I have felt much pain at the destruction of your Towns, and been unhappy that I could not consistent with the general good afford such an aid of Continental troops as might have prevented it; I hope however that the...
626General Orders, 25 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Lieutenant Colonel Brooks a Sub-Inspector in the Army is to be considered as Deputy Adjutant General in the Garrison at West-Point and its dependencies and is to be respected and obeyed accordingly. Major Platt who has done that duty at said post is desired to accept the Commander in Chief’s thanks for his faithful services. Major Andrew Peters of Colonel Bailey’s regiment is appointed Brigade...
627From George Washington to the Board of War, 25 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your two letters of the 15th and 16th. I am very happy to learn the Board have adopted the salutary expedient they mention for repairing the men’s cloaths and shoes. Something of this kind has been long wanting; and I hope the present plan will answer very valuable purposes, save much expence to the public and conduce greatly to the comfort and decency of the troops. An extra...
628From George Washington to Colonel Richard Butler, 25 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I conclude the rain to day will prevent you from reconnoitering Stony point, as you proposed when I saw you. As I am very desirous of obtaining good information respecting it, I request the favor of you when you go on the business to be as particular & critical in your examination as you can; ascertaining the several Works the Enemy are carrying on—their number and nature—whether inclosed or...
629From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 25 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your favour of the 18th With respect to the ration for the Artificers at Springfield it ought to be regulated by the contract which has been made with them as far as the state of supplies will permit—As you can best judge of this being on the spot, I shall be obliged to you to give direction to the Commissary accordingly. I do not know by what authority the usual ration...
630To George Washington from Major General Horatio Gates, 25 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Last Night the inclosed Letter, & paper of Intelligence, came to my Hands from the Council of The State of Massachusetts Bay; at their Request I forward it immediately by Express to Your Excellency — The informant being an Enemy, ought to be believed with Caution, indeed there are circumstances which induce me to think His Intelligence is by no means to be dispised, in the Main, I am inclined...