1To Benjamin Franklin from Alexander Small, [after 22 July 1780] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society When I had the pleasure of seeing You I did not know that we were to quit our present Habitation before five O’Clock. I therefore trouble with this, to desire that you will by him send Your Commands for England, and the paper I left with you. Let your Evening and Morning Contemplation be the Inscription on the Peace of Munster. As much depends on You , in...
2Abigail Adams to Charles and John Quincy Adams, 22 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
I must write you a few lines by this opportunity, altho tis a long time since I had the pleasure of hearing from you by your own Hands. You used to be fond of writing and have been very good since your absence. Letters are always valuable from those we Love, if they con tain nothing but an account of their Health. I cannot but reflect with thankfullness to the Great Preserver of my dear...
Before We dismiss these cool Thoughts it may not be amiss to Subjoin a few Reflections, upon the Certainty of American Independance. We have repeated the Word Rebellion, untill the People have been wrought Up, to a Pitch of Passion and Enthusiasm, which has rendered them incapable of listening to the Still voice of Reason. Men are governed by Words, their Passions are inflamed by Words. Policy...
Paris, 22 July 1780. Dupl in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, II, f. 211–218). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:873–875. This letter, read in Congress on 26 Dec., contains a series of newspaper reports, the first of which concerned George III’s speech of 8...
5To John Adams from William Gordon, 22 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
The beginning of March I forwarded to You and friend Dana a joint letter, which I hope if received will be answered by one or other of you. The people, you will have heard before this can get to hand, have agreed upon a form of government, not so good as the Report of the Committee, but better than I expected. We begin to think of the ensuing elections. It is thought that Mr. Bowdoin or Mr....
6Committee of the Massachusetts General Court to John Adams and Francis Dana, 22 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
This Government the last Winter appointed Jonathan Loring Austin Esq. their Agent to repair to Europe and procure the Loan of One hundred and fifty Thousand Pounds Sterling, part of which he was impowered and directed to invest in Goods for the use of the Officers and Soldiers belonging to the Army, as the Papers herewith inclosed will more fully inform you. Mr. Austin sailed the 22d day of...
7To John Adams from William Vernon Sr., 22 July 1780 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday I had the pleasure of receiveing yours of the 16th. March last forwarded from Rhd. Isd. by the Counte de Noailles, who arrived there fourteen days past, in the Squadron, under the command, of the Chevalier de Ternay; every ship of that divison are in Port, and the Troops in tolerable health. Hope they will soon join and co-operate with Genl. Washington, in reduceing, our common Enemy...
8From Alexander Hamilton to James Duane, [22 July 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
I take the liberty my Dear Sir to request your interest for a friend of mine and a member of the family, Dr McHenry. He wishes to quit a Station which among foreigners is not viewed in a very reputable light and to get into one more military. He will go into the Marquis’s family as an aide. He has been in the army since the commencement of the War—first in the medical line, since the 15th of...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Brigadier General Henry Knox, [22 July 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
The alliance is not come nor our arms, nor our powder. They probably will come with the second division we want to know what we can do in the meantime in the article of arms without those; will you send us immediately a memmorandum of what we have to your knowledge? Do you know whether the Eastern States can furnish any on loan and in what proportion. We must borrow of them and borrow of our...
10George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 22 July 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Preakness [ New Jersey ] July 22, 1780 . Has sent “definitive proposals of co-operation to the French General and Admiral.” Is proceeding on assumption that the states “will ultimately consult their own interest and honor; and not suffer us to fail for want of means which it is evidently in their power to afford.” Reiterates need for transportation. Df , in writing of H, George Washington...
11George Washington to Marquis de Lafayette, 22 July 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Bergen County, New Jersey ] July 22, 1780 . Regrets that the Chevalier de Ternay objects to entering the harbor. Asserts need for arms and powder. Regrets inability to visit Rochambeau. Urges Lafayette to impress on the French difficulties involved in a siege of New York. Sends rumor of British embarkation for Rhode Island. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
12George Washington to the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut, 22 July 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Bergen County [ New Jersey ] July 22, 1780 . Requests loan of two thousand arms and as many “Cartouch Boxes” as can be spared. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
13From Benjamin Franklin to John Paul Jones, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours of the 12th. and one preceding. I am glad you took mine of the 5th as it was intended in friendship— It had appeared to me, that you hurt your own Views, and weaken’d your own hands by a censorious [quarellous?] Disposition that obstructed your Acquisition of … … at your Request and to prevent Mischief, the orders were not caried into Execution, I...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Jean-Charles-Pierre Lenoir, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress This letter was written in response to a plea from Capt. William Robeson of the South Carolina navy, now in Paris, regarding a runaway slave. Robeson had purchased this “little Negro Boy” from Lieut. Peter Amiel. The young man had disappeared on May 31, the eve of Robeson’s intended departure for Lorient. Robeson was forced to delay his journey by several days, during...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Alexander Small, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D., F.R.S., &c … (2nd ed.; 2 vols., London, 1817), I , 65–6. You see, my Dear Sir, that I was not afraid my masters would take it amiss if I ran to see an old friend though in the service of their enemy. They are reasonable enough to allow that differing politics should not prevent the...
16To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The last time we had the pleasure of hearing from you was on the arrival of the Marquis de la Fayette. Having just recd: an account of the arrival of the French Fleet at Rhode Island, we please ourselves with the expectation of hearing of you, if not from you. Sally with her two youngest Children are in the Country, at our Friend Mr. Duffield’s, returning a...
17To Benjamin Franklin from Tristram Dalton, 22 July 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am honor’d with your Favors of the 17 October last respecting the Compensation order’d by the good King of France, for Reperation of the loss of the Brigantine Fair Play, & did flatter myself, that there would have been no further Occasion of troubling or interrupting your more important Business, on this account, but that of asking Acceptance of the...
18Hémery’s Account of the Fonts Cast at Passy, [22 July 1780] (Franklin Papers)
MS : American Philosophical Society Franklin had engaged J.-Fr. Hémery in the spring of 1779 to set up a typefoundry at Passy; the regular payments for workers’ salaries and supplies have been noted in previous volumes. Here is the master founder’s first inventory, drawn up, perhaps, because the shop was preparing to close for four weeks. The manuscript is in a scrawled hand that often...
19General Orders, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
[Officers] Of the Day Tomorrow[:] Colonel Hazen[,] Brigade Major Bradford Thomas Brown of the 7th pennsylvania regiment was tried the 12th Instant at the Division General Court martial whereof Colonel Angell was President, for “Plundering the Inhabitants while on Command at Paramus and abusing a Woman” Pled Guilty: The Court considering the great irregularity of his general Conduct, that he...
20Circular to Connecticut and Massachusetts, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Unfortunately for us, the Alliance Frigate, to which the Arms and Powder we expected were committed, is not arrived. The disappointment will frustrate our prospects unless we can obtain aid from the particular States—few of which however have it in their power to afford us any. All the Arms we can muster in the public possession for our Recruits do not exceed six thousand, whereas double the...
21To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your warrant of 11th instt for impressing Forage has expired and in Case it should be necessary for the Army to Continue at this Ground it will not only be necessary to extend the Time for which the warrant was granted, but also the distance for impressing, as the Limits to which the last warrant was confined, cannot longer subsist the Army, but in Case you should approve of extending the...
22To George Washington from Brigadier General John Fellows, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Militia detached from this State and New Hampshire, for three months are directed to rendezvous at Claverack on Hudson’s River, from some most unaccountable neglect not the least Provision is made to supply them. I have a Letter from one of the Magistrates there whreby I am informed that more than 1000 Troops are now billited on the Inhabitants. the remainder of the Detachment I have...
23From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Since I wrote You on the 18th I have received a Letter from Genl Muhlenberg of the 11th transmitting me a List of the Officers mentioned below, belonging to Colo. Gist’s Regiment, who were omitted in the Return he sent me before —and in consequence were not included in the Arrangement intended to take place for the present with respect to the Virginia Drafts, which I inclosed You. These...
24To George Washington from William Gordon, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I take this method of introducing to your Excellency Lt Coll Weld (generally pronounced Wells) one of my parishioners, a gentleman, on whose prudence activity courage & zeal for the public good, I apprehend, you may rely without danger of disappointment. On the 5th of March 1776 at night he was honoured with a particular service at the lines next to Boston neck, & had the thanks of Genls Ward...
25To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Gouvion, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Considering the nature and the construction of the British works at New-York, we ought to conclude that such a place is capable but of a very short Defence, if we were not obliged to make some allowance for the number of its Garrison. Experience has proved that when a Town is regularly Fortified the approachees of the Beseigers can be carried on as far as the Top of the Glacis, in about...
26To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am informed there is a party of Indians in Sussex County, and that the Militia appointed to guard the Stores have left them; which may give the former an opening to destroy them. Will it not answer a good purpose to send into Sussex a party of Light horse both to secure the Stores and aid the Qr Master there in getting out teams? Unless there is a party sent I am afraid the flour will not be...
27From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Upon examining the Return of Military Stores at West Point for the Month of June I find there were only 662 Muskets in the Commissary’s hands —This appears to me most extraordinary as the number of Rank and File of the Massachusetts line amounted on the last of Novemr 1779 to 4569 and on the last of June past to only 1623 which makes a difference of 2946 Men, who must have been...
28To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
The arriving of Graves & yet his not being at New York is at length accounted for—He was joined by Arbuthnot with one Ship of the Line & two Fifty’s, & sail’d eastward —The Object is by some said to be the Interception of the 2d Division of the F⟨renc⟩h Fleet —by others, to convoy to York the Cork victualling Fleet, about which they seem to be very anxious —a third Set suppose, that the...
29To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
In mine of this Morning by Express I mention’d to your Excellency that Graves had been join’d by Arbuthnot, and that their Destination was Eastward, their object Variously Spoken of—Since this I have been inform’d that the British Troops were preparing to Embark, and that in Great Force, and that the End of their Movements was Rhode Island, to take our Allies before they had recover’d from the...
30From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Committee has done me the honor to communicate a copy of their letter of the 18th to Congress containing a state of the measures they had taken & of our present prospects. The knowledge I have of facts perfectly coincides with their representation & the consequences they draw are so just & important that they ought to engage—& I am perswaded will engage the closest attention of Congress. I...