1481General Instructions for Recruiting, 9 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
General Instructions for the Recruiting Officers of the Virginia Regiment. First: That no Officer shall enlist any Servant or Apprentice; nor discharge any man, after he is duly enlisted: neither are they empowered to impress Horses, &c. Secondly; That no Officer shall enlist any men under sixteen, nor above fifty years of age: nor are they to list men under five feet, four inches high; unless...
1482From George Washington to Robert Stewart, 9 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
You are hereby ordered to remain in this town until further Orders: when you are to receive and pass receipts for all the good Recruits which are brought to town. So soon as any Recruits come in, you are to review them; and if you find any that do not answer the instructions, you are immediately to discharge them. You are to be very particular in observing the day the Recruits are delivered...
1483To George Washington from John Carlyle, 9 January 1756 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Carlyle, 9 Jan. 1756. On 12 Jan. 1756 Carlyle wrote to GW : “I Wrote you the 9th Inst.”
1484Orders, 10 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Winchester. Saturday, January 10th 1756. Yesterdays Orders for Lieutenant Colonel Stephens’ march, are countermanded, and postponed until to-morrow; when he and the Officers are to set out for Fort Cumberland. Captain Stewart is to send off Sergeant Hughes, and one or two men of the Troop, upon Troop Horses, in pursuit of John Emre and David Christian, who deserted last night. Captain Bell is...
1485From George Washington to Thomas Walker, 10 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Instructions for Mr Commissary Walker. You are to lay in at Cockes and Ashby’s Forts, three months provision. As I can not yet determine where Store and Smoke-Houses are to be built; I would have you do the best you can, until you hear from me again. You are to provide three or four months provision to be carried on horse-back. If the Flour at Conongogee, should be demanded by the Kings...
1486From George Washington to David Bell, 10 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
You are to proceed to Fort Dinwiddie, to settle your Recruiting Accompt with Ensign Fleming. You are then to proceed to the borders of Carolina, or other places where you may hear of Deserters; and use your utmost endeavours to apprehend them. You must make application to all the civil Officers; who will assist you in apprehending and conveying them to the Regiment. You are to employ your time...
1487From George Washington to Peter Hog, 10 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Since writing you by Major Lewis, I have received yours; enclosing Returns of the eighth and fifteenth of December. In your letter, you speak of Johnstons claim to a discharge, as mentioned in a former letter—that letter I never received —and know of no pretence he can have, unless disobedience of Orders and other villanous practises, are sufficient grounds to claim a discharge. As he deserted...
1488From George Washington to Alexander Boyd, 10 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
You are, out of the public money in your hands, to pay off all the Troops of the Virginia Regiment to the first of this instant with what arrears are due both Officers and Soldiers. After doing that, if you do not receive a supply of cash from me; and should not have sufficient in your hands to pay the whole, this present months pay; you are, in order to keep the Soldiers quiet, only to pay...
1489From George Washington to Robert Rutherford, 10 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
You are to have regard to such order and Orders as you shall receive from Captain Stewart, relating to Provisions, Stores, &c. and deliver none without his directions, or the directions of a Superior Officer, during my absence. If any fresh provisions or other necessaries are wanted for the Hospital; you are to provide them, upon receiving an order for that purpose from Captain Stewart. You...
1490Memorandum, 11–14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Jacob Funckhouser received his discharge at William West’s, January 11th as Ensign Buckner had taken John Berry in his room. LB , DLC:GW .
1491The Organization of John Van Etten’s Company, 12 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
I. DS : New York Public Library. II. MS , and III. DS : Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission The three documents printed together here illustrate how a company of provincial troops was organized in 1756 and, in general, what was expected of its members. All three are in the hand of William Franklin, who accompanied and assisted his father throughout the period of service on the...
1492To George Washington from John Carlyle, 12 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
I Wrote you the 9th Inst. Acquainting you of the Arrival of the Cloathing. They are landed at Malbrough In Maryland, & I have Sent Six Wagons to bring their Loads & Expect them on Saturday Evening. I thought it better to Land them their at this Season of the Year & Trust to Land rather than Watter Carrage & Yr Men Will be upon a Certainty of Getting Cloathed 14 days Sooner & phaps a Month if a...
1493From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 13 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Majr Lewis being at Winchester when your Letter came to hand was immediately dispatchd to Augusta to take upon him the command of the Troops destin’d against the Shawnesse Town with orders to follow such directions as he shoud receive from you. this scheme thô I am apprehensive will prove abortive as we are told that those Indians are removd up the River—into the Neighbourhood of Du-quisne. I...
1494[January 1756] (Adams Papers)
At Worcester. A very rainy Day. Kept school in the forenoon; but not in the afternoon, because of the weather and my own indisposition. JA had come to Worcester “about three weeks after his commencement” at Harvard to keep a school. (Commencement in 1755 fell on 16 July.) The circumstances of his appointment are related in his Autobiography. The school he kept was the “Center School,” built in...
1495January the 14th. 1756. (Adams Papers)
At Worcester. A very rainy Day. Kept school in the forenoon; but not in the afternoon, because of the weather and my own indisposition. JA had come to Worcester “about three weeks after his commencement” at Harvard to keep a school. (Commencement in 1755 fell on 16 July.) The circumstances of his appointment are related in his Autobiography. The school he kept was the “Center School,” built in...
1496From Benjamin Franklin to Robert Hunter Morris, 14 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania As we drew near this Place, we met a Number of Waggons, and many People moving off with their Effects and Families from the Irish Settlement and Lehi Township, being terrified by the Defeat of Hays’s Company, and the Burnings and Murders committed in the Township on New Year’s Day. We found this Place fill’d with Refugees, the Workmen’s Shops, and even...
1497Orders, 14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
All the Recruits in Town are to be completed to six days provision; and are to-morrow to march to Winchester, under the command of Ensign Deane; who is to see that they commit no irregularities on their march. They are to Halt two days at Winchester, and then to proceed on their march to Fort Cumberland: they will receive provision at Winchester for that purpose. The rest of the Officers here...
1498George Mercer to William Cocks, 14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Washington has ordered the Commissary at Winchester to deliver you, from the public Stores there, thirty Blankets, thirty Shirts, thirty pair of Shoes, and the same quantity of Stockings. If you are not provided with them before you receive this; you are to send immediately down for them. The Things are calculated at the lowest prices; and ordered to be sold to the men at the following...
1499George Mercer to Robert Stewart, 14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Washington desires, (if Captain Cockes, of the Company of Rangers, should apply for any necessaries) you to order the Commissary to deliver him thirty Blankets, thirty Shirts, thirty pair Shoes, and the same quantity of Stockings. If you have not got the Horse for the Troop, which Colonel Washington left at old Edwards’s; you must send him word to contrive him to you by the first...
1500George Mercer to Mordecai Buckner, 14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
As Colonel Washington is doubtful that some of the men, to whom you delivered Shoes, Stockings, Shirts, &c. here, have received them a second time at Winchester—Desires you will examine the Commissary’s Book there; and if you find any such, give a list of them to the Pay-Master; in order that he may stop the value of them next pay-day. As soon as you receive this, you are to continue your...
1501After Orders, 14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
After Orders The Soldiers in town are not to march until further Orders—They are to remain here under the command of Ensign Deane, who is to be very careful that they commit no irregularities. He is to have the Rolls called over thrice every day; and if any of them desert, he is to send in pursuit of them immediately. The other Officers in town are to set out to-morrow for Fort Cumberland. LB...
1502From George Washington to Robert Dinwiddie, 14 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
When I was down the Committee among other things resolved that the Maryland and Carolina Companies shoud not be supported with our Provisions—This Resolve (I think) met with your Approbation; upon which I wrote to Colo. Stephen desiring him to acquaint Capt. Dagworthy thereof, who paid slight Regard to it, saying it was in the Kings Garrison and all the Troops had an equal Right to draw...
150315. (Adams Papers)
A fair morning and pretty warm. Kept school. Drank Tea at Mr. Swan’s, with Mr. Thayer.
1504From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 15 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We move this Day for Gnadenhutten. If you have not Cash sufficient, call upon Mr. Moore, the Treasurer, with that Order of the Assembly, and desire him to pay you £100 of it. If he has not Cash in hand Mr. Norris, (to whom my Respects) will advance it for him. We shall have with us, about 130 Men, and shall endeavour to act cautiously, so as to give the...
150516 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A fine morning. A large white frost upon the ground. Reading Hutcheson’s Introduction to moral Phylosophy. A beautiful Day and Evening. Din’d with Major Chandler. Francis Hutcheson, A Short Introduction to Moral Philosophy, in Three Books; Containing the Elements of Ethicks and the Law of Nature , Glasgow, 1747 , and later edns., was long a popular textbook in Scotland and America. A number of...
1506From Benjamin Franklin to Timothy Horsfield, 16 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Favour, and thank you for your kind Cautions. The Bearer, Mrs. McClean, is recommended to me as an Object of Charity, proper to receive some part of that sent from below. She requests a Line from me to you, which I give, not doubting but you will consider her in the Division, so far as may be proper. My Respects to good Mrs. Horsefield, Mr....
150717 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A clowdy, dull, Day. Some snow about noon, and rain towards night. σπίζημαι, τα καθαρματα Ψυχησ. Plato. This passage remains a puzzle after examination by several authorities on Greek. It is not an accurate quotation from Plato, and nothing in the context gives a clue to what JA intended by the first word, which makes neither sense nor grammar as it stands. If we may read the first word as the...
150818 Sunday. (Adams Papers)
A fair morning. Heard Mr. Maccarty. Rev. Thaddeus Maccarty (1721–1784) , who at the preceding Harvard commencement had singled out JA to serve as schoolmaster in Worcester.
1509To George Washington from Adam Stephen, 18 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
In obedience to your Commands I reconnoitred to Ross’s mill on the South-Branch—from that to Fort Lewis, and found it may be made very easily a good Waggon Road. Waggons have been carried that way already. only four miles which may be Cut by a Single Company in a day. I also reconnoitred the ground on Pattieson’s Ck and found a ⟨ mutilated ⟩ Convenient place for a fortress, about a mile and a...
151019 Monday. (Adams Papers)
A rainy Day.
151120 Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
A fair, warm spring like Day. Drank Tea and supped at Mr. Greenes. For the first few months after he came to Worcester JA had “boarded with one Green at the Expence of the Town” ( JA , Autobiography), but since there were numerous Greens in Worcester at this period and since JA writes this name as “Green” and “Greene” interchangeably, none of those mentioned in the early Diary can be certainly...
1512[Benjamin Franklin?] to ——, 20 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 29, 1756. We have been here since Sunday Afternoon: That Day we had only Time to get up some Shelter from the Weather and the Enemy. Yesterday all Day it rained, with so thick a Fog, that we could not see round us, so as either to chuse a Place for a Fort, or find Materials to build it. In the Night it cleared up, and this Morning we...
151321 Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
A very rainy day. Dined with Coll. Chandlers Jur. Spent the Eve at Mr. Maccarty’s. Kept school. Nothing more.
1514Enclosure: William Trent to Adam Stephen, 21 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
I received yours by Mr Fraser at Carlisle as I was returning from Philadelphia as you don’t acknowledge the receipt of one from me dated at Carlisle makes me imagine it miscarried[.] In that Letter I acquainted you with the reason why I could not procure the Indians then—I have now engaged three, Crissopia to goe to Kittannen and Fort Du Quesne and two others to goe to the Twightwees provided...
151522 Thurdsday. (Adams Papers)
A fair morning. Fresh and lively Air. Drank Tea and supped at Mrs. Paine’s. Presumably Sarah (Chandler) Paine, daughter of Colonel or Judge John Chandler and wife of Timothy Paine (1730–1793) , currently a member of the General Court ( Stark, Loyalists of Mass . James H. Stark, The Loyalists of Massachusetts and the Other Side of the American Revolution, Boston, 1910. , p. 382–385).
1516To George Washington from Robert Dinwiddie, 22 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of the 13th and 14th I shall answer Paragraphically. The Expedition against the Shawnesse I hope will be attended with Success, as two Women who were taken Prisoners made their Escape mention their being in their Towns & did not hear of their Intention of moving. You have done very right in ordering the Men to be train’d in the Indian Method of fighting but I can give You no...
1517To George Washington from William Withers, 22 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
Mr Prentis omitting to send Majr Carlyle the Particulars in each Package ship’d on board the Rawley occasions You the Trouble of this —I am very sorry for Anderson’s misbehaviour, he was recommended by Capt. Tate, his Owner, as an honest industrious Man, & well qualified for such a Business; but I find he has given sufficient Proof to the contrary, for which I hope he will meet with his...
151823 Fryday. (Adams Papers)
A fair and agreable Day. Kept School. Drank Tea, at Coll. Chandler’s Jur., and spent the Evening at Major Gardiners.
1519To George Washington from Robert Carter Nicholas, 23 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
I was favour’d with yr Letter some Time ago, but know of no Opportunity of answering it sooner than by Capt. Mercer, as, upon Enquiry, I have not been able to hear any Thing of Jenkins. The Snuff Box was properly return’d & I took the Liberty of communicating the extatick Paragraph of your Letter; what Blushes & Confusion it occasioned I shall leave you to guess. It is with no small Concern...
152024 Saturday. (Adams Papers)
A very high west Wind. Warm and cloudy. P.M. warm and fair.
1521From Benjamin Franklin to Timothy Horsfield, 24 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: American Philosophical Society Foulk with his Company March this Day to build another Fort between this and Fort Lebanon in the Forks of Shuylkill. He is to be assisted by Traxlers Company and a Detachment of Wetherhold’s, which also leaves us this day. My Son with Hay’s Company and Arndt’s Marches in a few Days to Surfass’s Place (where Trump is also Expected) to Erect another Fort...
152225 Sunday. (Adams Papers)
A cold Weather. Heard friend Thayer preach two ingenious discourses, from Jeremy 10th. 6. and 7. Supped att Coll. Chandlers.
1523From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 25 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Duane, Works , VI , 8–9. This day week we arrived here, I wrote to you the same day, and once since. We all continue well, thanks be to God. We have been hindered with bad weather, yet our fort is in a good defensible condition, and we have every day, more convenient living. Two more are to be built, one on each side of this, at about fifteen miles distance. I hope...
1524From Benjamin Franklin to ——, 25 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission We got to Hays’s the same Evening we left you and reviewed Craig’s Company by the Way. Much of the next morning was spent in exchanging the bad Arms for good, Wayne’s Company having joined us. We reachd however that night to Uplinger’s, where we got into good Quarters. Saturday morning we began to march towards Gnadenhutten and proceeded near...
1525To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Powell, 25 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The Barer Harts[el]l Greear, is the Man whos Wife is so afflicted by a Sore on hir Arm, of which I spoke to Mr. Franklin in Bethlehem the riting also from our Surgant is hear inclos’d. Have nothing furder to say in behalf of thees People. I belive and hear from thare Neighbours that thay are verry poor having 3 or 4 Children—our Surgant having at pressant two much...
1526To George Washington from Charles Lewis, 25 January 1756 (Washington Papers)
The inclos’d is a Letter from Colo. Stephen, with which I should have waited on You, had I not have heard You were gone to Williamsburg; I am now a recruiting much discourag’d by the Gentlemen’s Success, who have lately been, but no Pains shall be wanting on my Side to compleat my Company, but I fear it will be without Effect, Colo. Stephen’s Orders to repair to Winchester by the first of...
152726 Monday. (Adams Papers)
A sharp piercing Air. Sat out for Uxbridge, arrived 2’o clock.
1528From Benjamin Franklin to Robert Hunter Morris, 26 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission We left Bethlehem the 10th: Instant with Foulk’s Company, 46 Men, the Detachment of M’Laughlin’s 20, and 7 Waggons laden with Stores and Provisions. We got that night to Hays’s Quarters, where Wayne’s Company joined us from Nazareth. The next Day we marched cautiously thro’ the Gap of the Mountain, a very dangerous Pass, and got to Uplinger’s...
1529From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 26 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Historical Magazine , 2d series, I (May 1867), 284–5. I am extreamly oblig’d by your kind Concern express’d for my Safety and Welfare. We march’d hither with the greatest Caution, thro’ some passes, however, in the Mountains, that were very dangerous, if the Enemy had oppos’d and we had been careless. Hitherto God has bless’d and preserved us. We have built one...
1530[Benjamin Franklin?] to ———, 26 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
Extract printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 29, 1756. Wednesday we were hinder’d almost all Day by Rain. Thursday most of the Stockades were set up. Friday all inclosed to the Gate, and Part of the Platform round the Inside made. Saturday the Platform was finished, and two Swivels mounted. Sunday had a Thanksgiving Sermon, hoisted the British Flag, fired three Vollies, and the...