1To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 22 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Enemy are Still Silent I have no news of the Fleet all the news of this Quarter is in the paper which I have the honor to Inclose. I am Dear General with much Respect & Esteem yr Excellenceys most obedt Servant ALS , DLC:GW . The enclosed newspaper has not been identified. Sullivan apparently had already sent GW a copy of the most recent issue of the Providence Gazette; and Country Journal...
2To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 21 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
By a Flag Just Returned from Newport I find that Admiral Biron in a Ninety gun Ship has Arrived at Newport a Seventy four gun Ship has also Arrived with him: Those Ships were Seperated from the Fleet in a Storm —The Fleet which I mentioned to your Excellencey as going westward have not Since been heard of I then thought New London might be their object but as they have not been Discovered in...
3To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 17 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is all the Intelligance of this Day The Sloops & Schooners mentioned by General Cornell by the name of the mesqueto Fleet are undoubtedly the Fleet which I mentioned in a former Letter went from Newport & Stood Eastward Hugging the Shore —The other Fleet mentioned by Genl Cornell is Grays—The Ships which Colo. Peabody mentions as Coming into the Harbor are Lord Howes Fleet Joined to...
4To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 3 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I can give you no Information from this Quarter Save that Amiral Biron in the Ninety Gun Ship Accompanied by the Seventy four Left Newport Sunday Last, they had Genl Pigot on Board. Lord Howe in a fifty Gun Ship came to Newport & on Monday Sailed for England Genl Pigot by Letter Informed me that his private affairs called him to Europe & that my Correspondence must be with General Prescott in...
5To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 26 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since my Last I had the Honor of Receiving your Excellenceys favor of the 22d Instant giving an Account of two Divisions of the Fleet having Sailed I am far from thinking their Design is to operate in this Quarter yet your Excellenceys Instructions (to be prepared) Like all your other orders have with me a weight which I Trust will Ever witness how Little Influence my own Judgment has in the...
6To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 18 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge your Excellency’s esteem’d Favo’r Of the 17th Instant, and shall take every necessary precaution & make every necessary Provision for their Reception, shou’d the Enemy bend their Force this way—In my last I had the Hono’r to inform your Excellency, (which I presume you have before this recievd,) that the Fleet which was the Subject of your Excellency’s enquiry...
7To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 11 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge your Excellency<s> Favor of the 4th Instant, and shall invariably comply with your Intentions as pointed out therein respecting the Cloathing. I have no reason to doubt, but the Troops under my Command may be satisfactorely supply’d in the manner you propose. I was likewise duly honord with your esteemd favor of the 5th Ulto; and beg leave in answer, to assure...
8To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 27 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have heard little from the Enemy since the date of my last. They are erecting Barracks on the Island, and have sent off many of the Inhabetants. Circumstances, which convince me they propose taking up their Winter Quarters there. I have the honor to be, with the most exalted esteem, Dr General Yr Excellencys most obedt hble Serv. LS , DLC:GW . Sullivan’s previous letter to GW is dated 25...
9To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the hono’r to acknowledge your Excellencys Favor’s of the 20th and 22d Instants, and previous to their reception, had design’d to request your Excellency, to relax the order, which directed me to write you by express once a day, as the nature of the Intilligence which I have had lately the hono’r to communicate, was not sufficiently interesting, to demand so frequent and expensive a...
10To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 19 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
There is nothing new in this Quarter Save that the Enemy have within two or three Days past pulled Down Several Houses on the North End of Rhode Island for what purpose is not known I Inclose your Excellencey a providence paper which Contains all the news in this Quarter I have the Honor to be Dear General your Excellenceys Most obedt Humble Servt ALS , DLC:GW . Sullivan may have enclosed a...
11To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 25 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Marquiss de la Fayette upon further Enquiry informs me that the Fleet mentiond in my last as being off New port consisted only of small Craft belonging to that Port. The Mistake took its rise from a Fog which prevented a certain observation. I have the honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your favor of the 20th Instant which came to hand last evening, and remain with the greatest esteem and...
12To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 6 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take this oportunity by an Officer of Colo. Cranes (who goes upon Business of the Regt) to Inform your Excellencey that Every thing Remains Quiet in this Quarter we have an Account which I fear is but too true That the Rawley is Taken She was first Ingaged with a Frigate & a forty gun Ship hove in Sight Came up & after giving her a few Broadsides She was oblidged to Strike —prizes Come in to...
13To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 15 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
no alteration in the motions of the Enemy Since yesterday. I Inclose your Excellencey all the Intelligence I have Received which Shows where General Gray with his plundering party are —The Report of Falmouth having been burnt is without Foundation —I have the Honor to be with much Respect your Excellenceys most obedt Servt ALS , DLC:GW . At this place on the manuscript, Sullivan first wrote...
14To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 20 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have this Day nothing worth taking up a moment of your Excellenceys attention unless you find it in the Inclosed Letters which I am Requested to forward I have the Honor to be my Dear General your Excys most obedt Servant ALS , PHi : Etting Collection. On the manuscript Sullivan inadvertently wrote “Excellencelleneys.” These letters have not been identified.
15To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 16 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
This Day affords nothing new—I have been Honoured with your Excellenceys favor of the 13th Instant—I am well Convinced that the Enemy will Evacuate Newyork both by your Excys Letters and Every other Circumstance; Some persons who have Lately been Releasd from that City Declare that the Enemy are Laying up no forage and are Selling the wood on hand at half price: than which nothing can be...
16To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 23 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Last night 12 of Clock I was honored with your Excys favor of the 19th Instant. I am well Convinced that Lord Howe & General Grays Fleets must have Returned to New york as we have heard nothing from them Since they past Point Judith Steering westward. I Inclose your Excy two Newport papers one of which Shows that I was Right in my Conjecture as to Lord Howe & General Grays Fleets having formed...
17To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 31 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, 31 Oct. 1778. GW wrote Sullivan on 3 Nov. : “I have your favr of the 31st Ulto inclosing Major Talbots Account of the capture of the schooner Pigott.”
18To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 16 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I Take this opportunity by Capt. Collins to Inform your Excellencey That The Fleet of thirty Sail mentioned in my former Letters turns out to be a wood Fleet Convoyed by five Ships of war There is nothing further worth your Excellenceys attention in this Department I have the honor to be Dear Genl with much Esteem your Excellencys most obedt Servt ALS , DLC:GW . Sullivan wrote in the...
19To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 18 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Nothing new in this Quarter. Three Deserters came from the Enemy yesterday they Say the Sailors are all Sent off Except one Frigates Crew they think to Newyork all the Anchors Cables & Rigging out of the Stores are Loading on board the Transports. They are Laying up their winters Store of wood which they bring from Long Island they have Lately brought in twelve Ship Loads of hay. The Report of...
20To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 14 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honoured with your Exceellenceys favor of the 11th Instant I have as yet heard nothing of the Fleet Seen off Stamford. I this morning Received the Inclosed Letter from General Prescott with a Large Box containing Packages for myself the Governor Council Representatives Ministers of the Gospel &c. in this State; They Contain Proclamations Similar to the one Inclosed. I have...
21To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 22 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I This morning before Day Break had the Honor of Receg your Excellenceys favor of the 20th Instant & Shall in Consequence Take Every measure to Discover the Enemys Intentions in this Quarter. I have Lately had a number of Inhabitants Sent from the Island; a number of Deserters have Lately come off & persons which I Sent on for Intelligence have returned: from all these I can Collect nothing...
22To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 24 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
This morning at Day break I Received the Inclosed from the marquis Since which have heard nothing of the Fleet Seen off [Newport]. I think it must be the Fleet which arrived at Halifax with Troops Joined by Some others from that Quarter or from England The moment I can get any Information with Certainty Respecting it Shall forward it to your Excellencey in the Interim I have the honor to be...