1From George Washington to the Board of War, 15 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
On Wednesday evening I received the favor of your Letter of the 8th Instt; in consequence of which, I stopped the Flagg that was going in with the Ladies you mention, pointing out to them the necessity of the measure and recommending them to write to their Husbands & connections to obtain Genl How’s assurances for the release of Mrs Lewis & Mrs Robinson & her Children with their baggage, as...
2Council of War, 6 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
At a Council of War held at Head Quarters White Plains Nov. 6. 1776. Present. His Excelly Gen. Washington[,] Major General Lee[,] Puttnam[,] Spencer[,] Heath[,] Sullivan[,] Lincoln[,] Brigr Genl Ld Stirling[,] Mifflin[,] Nixon[,] McDougal[,] Parsons[,] Scott[,] Clinton. The late Movements of the Enemy having made it necessary to consider what may be now proper for this Army to do the General...
3To George Washington from the Board of War, 14 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Congress having received Information that a considerable part of the Enemy’s Fleet had sailed from Sandy Hook to the Southward, & judging that immediate Steps were necessary to be taken for the preservation and Defence of this City, were pleased to vest us with all their powers to effect this important Business —As Genl Mifflin has a considerable Influence in this place, the Board judge it...
4From George Washington to the Board of War, 8 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with yours of the 31st Ultto by monsr Laytaniac and must take the liberty of referring you to my former Letters upon the subject of providing for the French Gentlemen who shall incline to enter the service of the States. to me there appears that One of two modes must be adopted—they must either be appointed to places in some of the Regiments, or formed into a distinct...
5From George Washington to the Board of War, 15 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
Having given my promise to Genl Howe on his application, that Peter Jack, a Servant of Major Stewart, who was sent to Philadelphia with the Waldeckers and, other Prisoners & who has nothing to do in the Military line, should be returned to his Master agreable to the usage of War in such cases, I must take the liberty to request the favor of you, to have him conveyed to Genl Greene by the...
6To George Washington from the Board of War, 18 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Hancock and Adams, loaded from France with military Stores and other Articles for the Use of the Continent, was taken by a Rhode Island Privateer, and carried into the Port of Dartmouth in New England. The Muskets, Powder, Lead and Gun-flints are to be delivered, by Virtue of the enclosed Resolution of Congress, to the Order of this Board. We have wrote to the Committee of Bedford, in...
7To George Washington from the Board of War, 8 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
Mr Lewis (a Brother Deligate) has given Congress Information that Application had been made to your Excellency by a Flag from Genl Howe to permit Mrs Watts & Mrs Barrow the Pay Masters Wife to go to their Husbands in New York and at the same Time requested Congress to assi[s]t him with their Authority to obtain the Release of his Lady whom the Enemy would not permit to come out—the House...
8From George Washington to the Board of War, 30 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the Rect of your Favors of the 18th 19th and 23d Instant, which, from the unsettled Situation of our Affairs, I have not been able to answer before. That of the 18th incloses a List of Stores taken in the Hancok and Adams Continental Ship, and carried into Dartmouth in New England, with a Resolve of Congress to deliver the Muskets, Powder, Lead & Flints to my Order. As the...
9To George Washington from John Hancock, 21 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honour to transmit the enclosed Resolves, in Obedience to the Commands of Congress. They are so explicit, that I shall only request your Attention to them. You will percieve from the Vote of Congress, the Sense of that Body with Regard to the Necessity of furnishing the Troops for the new Army, as soon as possible; a Copy of which, I have forwarded to the respective States agreeably...
10Orders to Brigadier General William Maxwell, 21 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Having countermanded the March of the three Eastern Regiments under the Command of Lieutt Colo. Vose and directed them to Halt at Morris Town in the Jerseys where I am informd that Colo. Ford at the head of a body of Militia has taken Post. You are to repair immediately to that place & take upon you the Command, not only of the above Regiments, but of the Militia also, and therewith to give...
11From George Washington to William Livingston, 23 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
⟨The⟩ Critical Situation of our Affairs ⟨and the move⟩ments of the Enemy make some ⟨further & im⟩mediate Exertions absolutely ⟨necessary—In⟩ order that you may have the ⟨fullest Repre⟩sentation and form a perfect ⟨Idea of what is⟩ now necessary, I have desired ⟨Colo. Reed to w⟩ait on You, and must refer ⟨You to him for⟩ Particulars. I am with great Respect & Regard Sir Your Most Obedt & Very...
12To George Washington from Colonel David Chambers, 16 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
herewith I send your Excellency 4 prisoners that we took last evening 2 being Regulars—one of the others by name Jno. Vandyke a Malitious Active Tory, and is said to have let some prisoners out of Millstone Goal and assembled and spirited the Negroes against us And as I am Informed was about a week since taken prisoner in Company with some light Horse by our people and confin’d who says he was...
13From George Washington to the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 16 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have just the pleasure of receiving yours of Yesterday. I shall give the Deputy Qr Master General Orders to have the Cloathing both New and old brought up to the Army, and have it distributed as it is most wanted. But you may depend, if the old Cloaths which have been so charitably contributed by the Inhabitants of Philadelphia, can answer the present Necessities of the other Regiments, that...
14General Orders, 27 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Lieut: Sickles of Genl Scott’s Brigade, tried by a Court Martial whereof Col. Holman was President, and convicted of “disobeying General Orders, by loading a Waggon with Goods, not the proper baggage of the regiment; and also when charged therewith of behaving in a scandalous, infamous manner, unbecoming an officer and the Gentlemen”—The Court sentenced him to be cashiered—The General approves...
15From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 7 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
You are upon Receipt of this to cross the North River with the Troops under your Command in the Continental Service to wit Parsons’s Brigade & move on so as to give all possible Protection to the Country & Vigour to the Cause. If you could move on towards Morris Town in New Jersey it would be best, as by this Means a Junction may be made if necessary & at all Events such a Movement would...
16To George Washington from John Hancock, 28 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
This moment Dodd the Express from the State of Massachusetts, who Took your Dispatches to Congress on Saturday last, Arriv’d at my house, and informs me that this Day about 12 oClock he put up at one Bissinett’s a publick house in Bristol, where he open’d his Bundle to deliver a Letter to be forwarded over the Ferry to Mrs Reed, & leaving his Bundle in the Barr Room while he Stept out, on his...
17From George Washington to Brig. Gen. Matthias Williamson, 7 December 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Brig. Gen. Matthias Williamson, 7 Dec. 1776. On 8 Dec. Williamson wrote to GW : “I had the honour of receiving your Excellency’s two Letters of the fifth & seventh inst.”
18From George Washington to John Hancock, 1 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday had the Honor of writing you and to advise of our arrival here. I am now to inform you that the Enemy are still advancing and that their Vanguard had proceeded as far as Bonum, a small Town about four miles this side of Woodbridge according to my last intelligence. As to their number reports are various. Some say they were joined yesterday by a considerable reinforcement from...
19To George Washington from Major William De Hart, 27 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of your Excellencys Orders And Request by Genl Maxwell I have this Day begun the Recruiting Service of the first Jersey Regt And Shall Expedite it with All Possible Speed, Had I been Determin’d to Remain longer in the Jersey Service I Should long before have done it, And Nothing but your Excellencys Request & this Critical Period of time Should have Induced Me to have done it...
20To George Washington from Lieutenant General William Howe, 11 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed Letter having been intercepted and brought to me, I am happy to return it without the least Attempt being made to discover any Part of the Contents. I was yesterday favored with your Answer to my Letter of the 8th, and am perfectly satisfied from your Assertion, that the Delay in the Exchange of Prisoners has not arose from any Disregard to the Agreement on your Part, but from the...
21From George Washington to John Hancock, 6 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform you, that on yesterday morning the Enemy made a sudden and unexpected movement from the Several posts they had taken in our Front. they broke up their whole Encampments the preceding night, and have advanced towards King’s bridge and the North river. the design of this manuvre, is a matter of much conjecture and speculation, and cannot be accounted for with any...
22From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 8th Instant has come duly to hand, and am glad to hear that Greatons Bond’s and Porter’s regiments are coming forward to join me; at the same time I must acknowledge I should have been much better satisfied, if they had contained a greater number of men than what you have mentioned: your sending them on with all possible expedition, was exceedingly proper; indeed no time is...
23General Orders, 7 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Colonels, or commanding officers of regiments are immediately to parade their men, examine the state of their regts and make out their Pay-Abstracts in a careful, correct manner for the month of September. Genl Wadsworth’s Brigade to be in readiness to remove in a short notice, to the ground on which Lord Stirling is posted. Col. Silliman to take charge of the Brigade during Genl...
24To George Washington from Major General Israel Putnam, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Favor of Yesterday I have received —All Things in this City remain in Confusion, for Want of Men to put them into Order—The Citizens are generally with you—The Continental Recruits are cloathing & arming as fast as possible, & are employed on Guard & Fatigue Duty, for which there is scarce a Relief—A Party are now going to the Jerseys, to bring off all the Craft out of the Creeks. The...
25From George Washington to Robert Morris, 31 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Our Affairs are at present in a most delicate—tho’ I hope a fortunate Situation: But the great & radical Evil which pervades our whole System & like an Ax at the Tree of our Safety Interest & Liberty here again shews its baleful Influence—Tomorrow the Continental Troops are all at Liberty—I wish to push our Success to keep up the Pannick & in order to get their Assistance have promised them a...
26General Orders, 1 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
HIS Excellency General WASHINGTON strictly forbids all the officers and soldiers of the Continental army, of the militia, and all recruiting parties, plundering any person whatsoever, whether Tories or others. The effects of such persons will be applied to public uses in a regular manner, and it is expected that humanity and tenderness to women and children will distinguish brave Americans,...
27From George Washington to William Livingston, 21 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have this Moment arrived at this place with Genl Beals and Genl Heards Brigades from Maryland and Jersey and part of Genl Ewing’s from Pennsylvania. Three other Regiments left to Guard the Passes upon Hackinsack River and to serve as covering Parties are expected up this Evening. After the unfortunate Loss of Fort Washington it was determined to evacuate Fort Lee in a great Measure, as it...
28From George Washington to Major General Israel Putnam, 21 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with your Two Letters of the 17th and 19th Instt. The remissness of the Inhabitants remaining in the City, to turn out at this alarming crisis, to erect Works for their own defence, is astonishing to the last degree. It surprizes me much, that any set of men can be so regardless of their own interests and security. They may flatter themselves, that this conduct will profit...
29To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 23 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The uncertain intelligence which we have received respecting the movements of General Howe’s Army, and the evacuation of Fort Lee, renders it absolutely necessary for us to apply to your Excellency for further, and more perfect information concerning these movements, and we earnestly request your Excellency will inform this Board if it is your judgment that he intends for this state, and such...
30To George Washington from Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 22 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I was happy to find that your favor to Col. Vose directed him to Stay in this State. But I am extreamly Chagrined, that the object of that order is not likely to be Effected. This State is totally deranged, without Government, or officers civil or military in it that will act with any Spirit. Many of them have gone to the Enemy for Protection, others are out of the State, and the few that...