George Washington Papers

To George Washington from John Hancock, 4 October 1776

From John Hancock

Philada Octr 4th 1776.

Sir,

The enclosed Resolves will inform you of the Steps the Congress are taking to provide for the Army1—they are so explicit that2 I need only refer your Attention to them—and indeed this is all I have Time to do at present. By General Mifflin who will set out tomorrow or next Day, I shall do myself the Pleasure to write you fully. I have the Honour to be with the greatest Esteem, Sir your most obed. & very hble Sert

John Hancock Presidt

Inclos’d you have Col. Shepard’s Commissn.3 The Vacancy of Col. in room of the late Col. Stephenson is order’d to be kept for Mr Morgan, agreeable to yor Recommendation.4

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 12A. The postscript of the LS is in Hancock’s writing.

1. These resolutions of 2 Oct. concern the procurement of various supplies for the army including wagons, horses, oxen, forage, lumber, nails, tools, knapsacks, kettles, and tents; the authorization of a wagonmaster, a deputy, and twenty wagon conductors; the sending of blacksmiths, harness makers, and wheelwrights to camp; William Shepard’s promotion to colonel; and the denial of Schuyler’s request to resign his commission (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:839–41).

2. The clerk inadvertently wrote “than” on the manuscript.

3. GW forwarded this commission to Shepard with a brief covering letter to him of 6 Oct. (ALS, MWeA).

4. For GW’s recommendation of Daniel Morgan for the vacant colonelcy of the Virginia and Maryland rifle regiment, see GW to Hancock, 28 September. Morgan became colonel of the 11th Virginia Regiment in November.

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    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from John Hancock, 4 October 1776
    Author
    Hancock, John
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    4 October 1776

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from John Hancock, 4 October 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-06-02-0359. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 6, 13 August 1776 – 20 October 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase and Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1994, pp. 467–468.]

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