1To George Washington from an Anonymous New Jersey Farmer, 7 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I have past your Quarters Several times Lately I saw With Concern A number of Peirsons Great Enemies to Your Excellency (as A general) and their Country Pleas therefore to take Great Care of the Name of Ogden, (Particularly that family) and their Connection Peter McKee &c. Depend on What I write here to be fact I know them Well. Abought 5 Days Ago one Wm Stewart an assistant of these fals...
2To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Edward Antill, 13 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I beg Leave to Appologize for troubling you again on the State of the Regiment. I forwarded to Head Quarters a Return of the Regiment as it then Stood & Requested your Intentions as to the Contents[.] Lt Wilson of our Regiment having Some business at Camp will Wait your Commands with which he will return to me, if your Excellency Declines filling up the Remainder of the Subaltern officers,...
3To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 22 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
On my return from Baltimore & travelling the West⟨ern⟩ part of the County of York, I am favoured with your Excellencys Letter of the 19th Ulto —and Sorry to find that so few of the Pennsylvania Militia who were actually on foot ever reached to head Quarters & also for the Short Stay of those who did—when I spoke of 20,000 it was including the bones of the Old Army & her few new recruits. The...
4To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
You will scarcely expect a Letter from me dated at this place so far out of the line of yr Excellencys Orders —On my traversing a considerable part of the State of Pennsylvania as high as Carlisle I found that not only the inclemancy of the weather prevented my being able to draw out the Militia Battalions so fully as cou’d have been wished, but the numbers that were gone to Camp especially...
5To George Washington from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 13 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday I arived here, haveing previously done all in my power, to forward on the Militia, from the Massachusets Bay, and Connecticut, upwards of six Thousand of which I hope are in the Jerseys, before this Time. There is at this place & in the Vicinity, about Two thousand Men, part of six Thousand Ordered from the New England States, The others are on their March, & expected in, in a few...
6To George Washington from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 7 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 24th Ulto I had not the pleasure of receiveing untill the 3d Inst.—am sorry to hear the Militia of the Southern States, have not yet suffered enough to excite them to rise in their own defence and expel their Inhuman Enemies from the Country, I am not however, without hopes your Excellency will be able to finish this Campaign, with great honour, & Advantage to Our Country....
7To George Washington from Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, 1 February 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, 1 Feb. 1777. In his letter to GW of 7 Feb. , Arnold says: “My Letter of the 1st Inst. by Cpt. Mansfield, I hope your Excellency has received before this.”
8To George Washington from Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, 30 January 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold, 30 Jan. 1777. On 6 Feb. GW wrote Arnold : “I was this Evening favoured with your Letter of the 30th Ulto.”
9To George Washington from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 10 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Inclos’d is two receipts, one from Earl Percy for twenty Six prisoners deliver’d him the 8th Instt; the other from John Read (Secretary to Sir Peter Parker) for seventy Seamen receiv’d from Mr Clarke, and Capt. John Havens, those receiv’d from the latter I have Inclose’d a particular list of, which with those deliver’d Earl Percy amount to Fifty, who were received from New Hampshire, the...
10To George Washington from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
By the best Intelligence we have been able to procure, of the Enemies Force on Rhode Island, they consisted of about Six Thousand Men, Eleven Regiments of British, and four of Hessians, Two thousand, embarked the 21st Inst. In Twenty four Transports, & sailed from New Port three days since suposed for New York, as they were seen of New London, part of the remainder, beleived About fifteen...
11To George Washington from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was made very unhappy a Few days since by hearing your Excellency was exceeding Ill with a feaver, soon after had the pleasure hearing by Mr Learned you were so farr recovered as to be able to ride Out. my fears have not Intirely subsided I am still Anxious for your safety, and, Apprehensive your zeal for the Publick service will Induce you to exert yourself, before you are perfectly...
12To George Washington from Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 11 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am now to acknowledge Your Excellency’s favours of the 6th & 20th Ulto & 3d Inst.—On Receit of the former, I was Ordered to Boston with a View of Collecting, four, or five, Continental Battallions, for our intended Attack, On my return Genl Spencer thought It necessary for me to go to Pt Judah from whence I returned last night, & was then presented with your Excellency’s favours of the last...
13To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 17 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I receivd your favor of the 1st of March a few days ago, and attended particularly to your direction concerning the two officers in my Regiment, I have seen Mr Armistead and have informed him of what you directed me to do, and have appointed in his room, Mr Presly Thornton, Son to Colo. Anthony Thornton. I have writen to Mr Stith on the Subject, though I believe, he was never in the Army, he...
14To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favors of the 9th and 17th of January are just come to hand, by Major Clough and by the Post. I am at a loss how to express my gratitude to you, for the honors done me, in my appointment, that of the Majors, and my Friend Lewis’s. I can only say that I am laid under all the obligations to you, that a man can be to another, and shall exert every nirve, and spair no pains to be adequate to...
15To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 26 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am a few days retur[ne]d from the Southward, where I have a prospect of geting my horses. As the Quarter Master of this department is unwilling to Let me have any thing for the use of the Regiment, I should be glad to know of you, and have your instructions to him, for what we are to be allowed; is it not reasonable that the Men should be firnished with a Sute of Clothes? that is a Coat,...
16To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 7 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
This is the fouth day of my being in this disagreeable place, making application to the Governor and Council, for the use of their Factories at Fredricksburg, which I have just obtain’d. I shall set out tomorrow for Petersburgh to get a part of my Saddles made there, and from thence I shall go to Ronoak in North Carolina, to perchase Horses; the price of them being so exorbitant here, that it...
17To George Washington from Gunning Bedford, 20 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I promised your Excelly some fiew days ago; so I now take the liberty of transmitting to you, my sentiments on the subject of some Regulations to take place in my Department. The confusion that has attended the Office hitherto, & the difficulty of executing the duty of it, has given me much uneasiness; but those difficulties & that confusion, I hope your Excelly will see has been owing to...
18To George Washington from Gunning Bedford, 15 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I returned sometime ago from Baltimore, & with me brought the inclosed letter; as I knew it chiefly respected myself, I intended to have done myself the honor of delivering it to you in person; but when I came here, I found the Militia as they passed thro were to receive a months pay advance; the paymaster here found difficulty in paying them off without their being mustered; that I have been...
19To George Washington from James Bowdoin, 2 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Boston, 2 February 1777 . “The Council being much crowded with public business could not write to you by this Opportunity but as I apprehended it proper your Excy should be made acquainted with the Contents of their Letter to Congress of the 30th Ulto I have enclosed it for your Perusal: After which You will please to forward it by the Express which brings it to you.” ADfS , M-Ar : Revolution...
20To George Washington from Colonel Philip Burr Bradley, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have forwarded the Pay Abstracts for the Regt which I commanded last Campaign, the peculiar difficulties attending the making out of the Abstracts arising from our broken situation will I hope apologize for any small inaccurasies which may be discovered I have endeavoured to do them with as much precission as possible. Being appointed by Genl Parsons to superintend the Small Pox in the...
21To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel John Brooks, 21 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Major Willm Hull, the Gentleman your Excellency was pleased to appoint to Colo. Michael Jackson’s Regt, finds some inconvenience in not haveing his Commission As your Excellency gave him his appointment (in the Room of Major Swasey) the Commissioners of this State, do not think, they have a Right to commissionate him. Coll Jackson still continues very lame & unfit for Duty; and I have no body...
22To George Washington from William Brown, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I am at present by Dr Shippen’s orders about to break up the General Hospital at this Place which is the only one in this part of the Country, not already brought to a conclusion, & the last Party of the Men will march this week, so that there will in a few days be no general Hospital nearer than that at Four-Lanes-End, which also will soon be broke up, Col. Read will be left totally...
23To George Washington from Jonathan Bryan, 24 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
24 February 1777 . “The Bearer John White Esquire is appointed Colonel of the fourth Battalion of Musquetry, for the State of Georgia; and as we are in great want of Men, we are obliged to send him to the northern States, on the recruiting Service.... Your Excellency we are well assured will give him every indulgence & encouragement, when we inform you of our alarming Situation, surrounded...
24To George Washington from Colonel Mordecai Buckner, 28 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
You are acquainted with my unhappy situation I was in hopes the Court ordered yesterday would have set & put an end to it one way or the other, but from the Troops Marching from this place I cannot tel when to expect it. This together with my Domestick affairs make me miserable indeed. You were well acquainted with my behaviour in the course of the last War during of which I hope I acquited my...
25To George Washington from Colonel Lambert Cadwalader, 16 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Having seen Coll Fitzgerald in Town some Weeks since, he promised to do me the Favor to forward my Letter to Genl Prescot to which I cannot as yet expect an Answer if he is not in New york or Jersey. If he should not have left Rhode Island and an Answer should not arrive in a reasonable Time I shall be glad to be inform’d whether your Excellency will do me the Favor to send in an Officer of...
26To George Washington from Landon Carter, 22 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
If any thing could alleviate my feelings for you in your Pro virili retreat indeed! A Small remnant of an army, who respected their general & their country, more than they did a visit to their wives and families, under all the ravagements & ravishments of an enimy, if not properly withstood: I say if any thing could alleviate such feelings, it was my active anxiousness, to encourage the...
27To George Washington from Colonel David Chambers, 9 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I Observ’d your Excellency’s letter of the 14th of last Month, where from some Malitious informant, I am made highly criminal or rather the Officers of my Batalion, for scandulously taking Goods out of the Stores at Princetown, and converting the same to their private uses, and that too through my connivance, I abhor the charge much more the fact —According to the direction of the above...
28To George Washington from Samuel Chase, 23 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Committee appointed by the enclosed Resolution of Congress, request your Excellency to appoint some Gentlemen of the State of New-Jersey to enquire into, and take the Depositions of credible Witnesses on, the several Matters containd in the Resolve, and to direct them to transmit the Testimony, as taken, to the Committee that they may report to Congress as soon as possible. The Committee...
29To George Washington from Ezekiel Cheever, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
By direction of Hone Genl mcDougal I would accquaint yr Excelly I have only Forty broken Drums not Two fit for Service. Here & at FishKill, none are to be add, nor Hands &c. to repair them. Genl mcDougal hopes you will please to give the necessary directions for furnishing them. I have just recd an order from Genl Parssons to send five hundred fire arms of equal bore to Farefield to be...
30To George Washington from the Citizens of Hanover, Pennsylvania, 12 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Hanover, Pa., 12 February 1777 . Request that no Continental soldiers be inoculated in their town “as Comparitively Verry fiew in Our Town has had that infectious Disorder and For the reasons as Follows. “1st It must be Verry Distressing to the Inhabitance at this Season of the Year When our Provisions Such as Fowls and Every other Nessesary Fit for that Disorder is already Exhausted by armies...
31To George Washington from Brigadier General George Clinton, 21 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am this Moment honored with your Excellency’s Commands of the 19th Instant and shall not fail in exerting myself to the utmost of my Power in raising and marching the New Levies ordered by this State which I hope soon to effect —I have already nominated the Officers for Ulster & Orange Counties & fixed the Proportion of Men that the different Militia Regiments therein are to furnish with...
32To George Washington from Brigadier General George Clinton, 14 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I begg Leave to recomend Capt. Black & Lieut. Santford both of Colo. Malcom’s Regiment for Captains of the two remaining Companies for which your Excellency Directed me to appoint Officers. Their Charecters Well in private life as Officers are good & I believe they will [be] able to raise their Companies as the Men of that Regiment are strongly attached to their Officers; many of them have not...
33To George Washington from Brigadier General George Clinton, 21 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Fort Montgomery, New York, 21 March 1777. Writes on behalf of a John Griffiths who wants to travel to England to attend to his wife’s estate. “Some Time since a Relative of Mrs Griffiths (I think a Brother) died in England & by his Will devised to her or her Son a considerable Estate in Lands on Condition the Devissee shoud return to England within a limitted Time & possess it—Mr Griffiths for...
34To George Washington from Brigadier General George Clinton, 23 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Being summoned to attend Convention a Day or two before the Express arrived here with your Excellency’s Letter of the 19th Instt I had not the Pleasure of receiving it till on my Return Home Yesterday Evening—Before this can reach your Excellency you will doubtless have a Return of the Men raised in this & Orange County pursuant to a Resolve of the Convention of this State with any Orders to...
35To George Washington from William Shippen, Jr., and John Cochran, 31 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am honord with your two Letters, and shall pay a strick obedience to their contents, particularly with regard to the small pox; from which no danger will be dreaded after two or three weeks—The houses where they are kept, are out of the Town strictly guarded and no patient is suffered to remain a minute in the City with the small pox. For the future or after the persons now inoculated...
36To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed papers were sent to our Office this morning by the Council of Safety for our direction upon the subject matter of their contents: but we have deemed it the more elegible to transmit them to your Excellency and at the same time We beg leave to recal your attention to our letter to you respecting these prisoners wrote some time since. General Gates, who is now present, and to whom...
37To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 9 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
We do Ourselves the Honor to transmit you the inclosed Report or Relation of Joseph Traversie a Canadian by which your Excellency will learn the secret Machinations of some of his Countrymen of Rank who are Prisoners in this State. It is from an Apprehension of what is there intimated that a Release of these Prisoners is about to take place, that we early make you acquainted with this...
38To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 1 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
The dispatches from Congress sent herewith came up last Night & we send them forward this Morning soon as the Express can be ready after delivering them to you he is to go on to the Convention of New York with the enclosed Letter from Congress to them, and you will please to deliver it to him for that purpose unless some conveyance equally safe & expeditious but less expensive offers, in that...
39To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 21 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
We have just rec’d the inclosed resolves from Congress which the President desires us to send forward to you, & we have the pleasure to inform you they are to adjourn next Tuesday from Baltimore to Philadelphia where we hope they may long remain undisturbed, so that the Public business may meet that dispatch which is now become so essentially necessary. Your Excellency will find herein a...
40To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 22 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
We have dispatched an express to Congress this Morning with your letter of the 20th which will be with them in time to prevent their adjournment next Tuesday from Baltimore, We have had a Conference with the Council of Safety and after Communicating to them the intelligence Contained in your Excellencys letters to Genl Gates and that to Congress We requested them to give immediate orders for...
41To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 9 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
We have just received the dispatches from Congress delivered herewith to Colo. Hartley, & having recd Copies of the Resolves of Congress therein enclosed to you, we cannot help saying they have been liberal in their Offers to regain Genl Lee, and altho we have not only a high opinion of his merit & abilities as an Officer but also a personal regard for him, yet we are apt to think we shou’d...
42To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 7 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was this day honoured with your favour of the 5th Inst. which arrived in time to forward the enclosures by Post —We waited with Impatience to learn the consequence of your late movements and have been highly gratifyed, at the same time we see plainly some Important event is still to happen, the Enemy must mean to evacuate the Jerseys or to give you Battle the latter may be ruinous in its...
43To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 26 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
We have this Night received from Congress the dispatches sent herewith, by these you will see the promotions that have taken place and that no deputation of Members of Congress are to meet Genl Lee, who I suppose will be much disapointed but surely he shou’d have pointed out more clearly the design of his request, as the consequences of complyance or even of the refusal may be important. It...
44To George Washington from the Continental Congress Medical Committee, 13 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Congress Apprehending that the Small Pox may greatly endanger the Lives of our fellow Citizens who Compose the army under your Excellency’s Command, and also very much embarrass the Military Operations, have directed their Medical Committee to request your Excellency to give Orders that all who have not had that Disease may be Inoculated, if your Excellency Shall be of Opinion that it can...
45To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 18 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since my last I have been favor’d with yours of the 31st Ultimo, and the 2d & 6th Instant. The Letter respecting Deserters shall be laid before the General Assembly at the next Session on the First Monday in March who I doubt not will take the most proper Measure to discourage Desertion. My last to you will explain the Motives by which the General Assembly were governed in ordering the Brigade...
46To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 18 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Favours of the 1st and 3d instant have been duly received, and will be laid before the General Assembly, at their Meeting next Week. This State from it’s early and continued Exertions hath been greatly exhausted of Arms. Of all those furnished to the Continental Troops raised by us, and to the Numbers of Seamen raised for the Fleet, none have been returned, excepting from...
47To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 9 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with your Excellency’s Letters of the 20th and 24th ultimo and have laid them before the General Assembly. The Enemy having landed not less than 7,000 Troops upon Rhode Island, and being possess’d of the Bay with a large Fleet laid us under the Necessity of establishing a Body of Forces with all possible Expedition. In this Situation, when it was impracticable to fill the...
48To George Washington from Lord Cornwallis, 7 January 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Lord Cornwallis, 7 Jan. 1777. In a letter to Cornwallis of 8 Jan. , GW referred to “your Lordship’s Favor of yesterday.”
49To George Washington from Colonel William Crawford, 12 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am sory to brek in uppon your Hours that Aught to reast you from the many feteagues you have to under go in that important task you have under taken in Defence of our Libertys. But nedsesetys Obliges me under my Present Defiquiltys. I Should have bin with you sir before now but for the following reasons viz. The Great probebility of an Endien War for many Evident reasons Given by the Endien...
50To George Washington from John Parke Custis, 7 January 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Parke Custis, 7 Jan. 1777. On 22 Jan. GW wrote Custis that “your Letter of the 7th came to my hands a few days ago.”