1From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 27 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with yours of the 22d 23d and 24th instants. I cannot conceive what transports those can be that have come into Newport Harbour, except they are those from Hallifax. None have lately gone from New york—It will be very material to know with certainty from whence they came and whether they had any troops on board. If they are those from Hallifax, and empty, it gives weight to an...
2From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 29 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I last night received your favour of the 26th with the inclosed paper of intelligence—Every thing that tends to show the state and expectations of the Garrison at Rhode Island is highly interesting at this eventful juncture. You will have found by my last, that the fleet which sailed from the Hook did not contain the embarkation as was supposed—These troops still lay in the bay by my last...
3From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 11 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have just recd advice that on the evening of the 9th about forty sail of Vessels were seen off Stamford standing to the Eastward. The weather was then, and has been since, so thick, that it could not be discovered whether they had troops on Board or how many of them were ships of War. It is more than probable that they are intended for Newport. You will therefore endeavour if they put in...
4From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 19 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of your letter of the 15 Inst. last night and another of the 14 the day before. By a resolve of Congress lately passed all horses killed in action are to be paid for by the Quarter Master General on the oath of the party, a sum not exceeding 500 Dollars. We have pretty authentic intelligence of Lord Howes return with his squadron to New york—and a large fleet of transports...
5From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 17 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favs. of the 6th and 11th instants. The enemy have withdrawn themselves from Jersey and are now employed in making a very considerable embarkation. It is said to consist of ten British Regiments compleated to their full complement by the incorporation of the Regts they will have their Grenadier and Light Companies added to them and will therefore amount to between five and six...
6From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 20 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I this Morning received your favor of the 17 Instant with the Letters to which it refers. your last favor was misdated as you suppose—and will be altered agreable to your request. By a New York paper of the 17th, it appears that Admiral Biron arrived the preceding day, with the princess Royal of 90 Guns & the Colloden of 74 —His whole fleet has now got in except the ship that put back to...
7From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 25 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Notwithstanding the large fleet that sail’d on the 19th and 20th Inst. and the reasons we had to conclude that the regiments were on board, which we had repeatedly heard were embarked—I have just received advices throˆdifferent channels, and which cannot but be certain and authentic that there were none but invalids and the Officers of reduced Corps on board—and that the troops which had...
8From George Washington to Major Generals William Heath and John Sullivan, 18 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have just recd intelligence, bearing strong marks of authenticity, that the enemy mean a total evacuation of New York. Various are the conjectures of their destination. I cannot think that they mean to attempt any thing against Boston considering the danger of carrying a heavy Fleet round Cape Cod at this advanced season; but to be prepared at all events, I had, upon the first intimation of...
9From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 21 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I this morning received your favor of the 18th Inst. On the 20th I transmitted You, all the intelligence I then had, respecting the movements of the Enemy in New York. I now send you by this conveyance, extracts of two Letters from My Lord Stirling and General Scot, which contain my latest information upon the subject. I have the pleasure to inform you that the taking of Dominica by the french...
10From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 5 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of your letter of the 3d Inst. with its inclosure. In a letter from Gen. Gates of yesterdays date he has the following paragraph. “Two sailors belonging to Cape Cod who made their escape from the prison ship last monday night arrived here; they declare, that the British fleet of men of war, sailed ten days ago in quest of the french fleet.” There is some shew of a...
11From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 1 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I recd yours of the 29th at this place, to which I have removed for the convenience of gaining intelligence of the Motions of the Enemy who are out in considerable force on this side of Kingsbridge, and in Bergen County in Jersey. They seem to be foraging, in which they are busily employed. A few nights ago the party in Jersey made an unlucky stroke at Colo. Baylors Regt of Horse laying at...
12From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 22 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
In my letter of yesterday I gave you my latest information. I have now to advise you that the fleet left Sandy Hook the 19th and 20th Inst. The first division consisted of above 120 vessels, of which 15 were of the line, and 10 or 12 frigates. The second division about 30 sail of which two were of 50 guns and two frigates. They all stood Eastward—Whether the remaining ships and troops are to...
13From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 24 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of your letter of the 21st Inst. containing the account of Admiral Byrons arrival at New-port in a ninety gun ship, accompanied by a seventy four. I have nothing of a particular nature for your consideration—and am D. Sir your most obt servt p.s. Since writing the above there is accounts from deserters of two brigades being under imbarking orders for the West Indies, and...
14From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 22 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 20th Inst. came to hand last night. The different divisions of the army have mostly fixed on their relative positions, where we shall wait the unfoldings of the enemys measures. When you receive intelligence which may throw light on this subject, or information of their motions in your quarter, or of importance enough for a special communication I shall be glad of its speedy...
15From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 4 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
This will accompany a letter from the Board of War to you and two others to the Clothiers at Boston and Providence. You will perceive there is one point in particular, which is referred to my decision—whether the Continental troops with you shall be cloathed in the articles of Coats Jackets and breeches out of the imported ready made cloathing which has been ordered on to Springfield and...
16From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 24 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favour of the 22d—The three Brigades mentioned to you in my last marched yesterday morning towards Hartford—I have directed General Gates to open a correspondence with General Heath and yourself—that you may give him instant advice of the arrival of the enemy’s fleet which lately sailed from the Hook—should they be designed to operate Eastward—in order that he might...
17From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 20 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
In my last letter of the 18th Inst. I observed that the whole tenor of intelligence from New-York suggested an immediate evacuation of the place. My accounts since from different quarters still wear the same complexion and seem to bring it nearer to a crisis. An intelligent officer stationed at Amboy reports—that on the 16th Otbr about twelve ships fell down to the Hook—and the 17th early in...
18From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 22 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favs. of the 18th and 19th: I have recd no accounts from the enemy since I wrote to you last, except that the troops under Genl Gray landed at White Stone upon Long Island—Another considerable embarkation is much talked of in N. york, but whether it is really to take place, or what is the destination I cannot learn with precision. I am &c. Df , in Tench Tilghman’s writing,...