1To George Washington from Major General Benedict Arnold, 11 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
The want of News agreable or entertaining, with Indisposition, will I hope apologize to your Excellency for my long Silence. The third Instant I was inform’d that the Enemy meditated an Attack on little Egg Harbor, where there were several Privateers and fifteen or twenty Sail other Vessells, with a considerable Quantity of European and West India Goods. Coll Procters Regiment was ordered to...
2To George Washington from Brigadier General Jacob Bayley, 21 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I arrived at this Place the 18th Inst. and find that Provisions can be made nearly Equal to what I represented to your Excellency, altho’ I found some Gentlemen were Endeavouring to purchase for Private Use I have not as yet had any advice from Mr Cuyler Commissary for the Northern Department for which reason I send Capt. Young to him that the Purchase might not be delayed Inclosed Your...
3To George Washington from Brigadier General Jacob Bayley, 21 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency desired Intelligence might be had from Canada I have sent Four Men three of which are French, who were Recommended by Colo: Hazen and appear to be Exceeding good men, they were sent to the Neighbourhood of Quebec and to Return the 10th Novr also One Party to St Charle’s on Sorrell, another to Chambalee all well Recommended the last to return the last of this Inst., also Two...
4To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 23 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday receiv’d intiligence from a party of militia which were sent down to Burgen, that lait in the afternoon a number of Transports came as near to Powles hook as they could and landed a considerable boddy of men. other parties have returnd and confirm this account. they (the Enemy) encamped last night in Burgen wood about five miles on this side of the Town—on the road to the liberty...
5To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 20 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Enclosd is the return of the Rigiment agreeable to the directions given me, by Colo. Banister. An officer will set out tomorrow for Boston, for the purpose of procuring c[l]oathing, I should of sent him off on my arrival here, but have waited for the making of a coat, which is to be the fashion of the Regiment. I neglected to mention to you when I was in your company, that Lieut. John Baylor...
6To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 19 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
You have been informed of my unfortunate Surprize of the 28th ultimo, & I make no Doubt of the Circumstances, but I think it my Duty to make them known to you, & at the same Time, to justify my Conduct. On the 26 of Septr I was at Paramus with the Regt, where we had been four Days. I directed Major Clough the 26th to send the Quarter-Master out to provide Quarters for the Regiment within four...
7To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 24 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am renderd very unhappy by discovering this morning a very great mistake which I made yesterday, in sending the letter which was directed to the President of congress to you. it did not proceed from inattention but from a deception in the twi-lite of the morning. I receivd your favor of the 22nd last night and am sorry that it will not be in my power at present to communicate much...
8To George Washington from Colonel George Baylor, 22 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Smith whome I have pitchd on to go to Boston has been so much indispos’d that he was not able to set out sooner than this morning. I must beg leave to refer you to him for the relation of an affray that has happend here between the civil authority and Major Clough; my motives for troubling you with this dispute is, that complaints have been made to the Governer who will probebly make...
9To George Washington from John Beatty, 15 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with your two letters of the 26th Ulto & 8th Inst. The former, Inclosing that of Mr Mersereau’s, I have duly noted—& now trouble your Excelly with the Answer, which I must request may be forwarded to him by the earliest conveyance —Should that Gentleman appear to make his defence, I wish also to have a hearing, as perhaps I may adduce some circumstances to support the Charge. In...
10To George Washington from John Beatty, 26 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to lay before Your Excellency a Copy of a Letter a few days since received from the Board of War. perhaps Mr Franks late Conduct, and the Resolve of Congress—consequent thereon may in some measure render the application in the first part of the Letter unnecessary. I have shewn it to Mr Loring with whom I conferr’d yesterday and urged his immediate Compliance with it and at his...
11To George Washington from Major John Bigelow, 13 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Last Evening I Received a Letter from Colo. Hamilton directing me to make an Exact Return of what Materials for Cloathing, and all Cloaths diliver’d by me, to whom and when, I am very Unhappy that my long detention at Congress has put the Business So far back, that ’tis not in my Power at present to make Such a Return as your Excellency Requires, and I could wish, the Accounts for making...
12To George Washington from the Board of War, 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from the Board of War, 29 Sept. 1778. In his letter to the Board of War of 5 Oct. , GW refers to: “the letter which you did me the honor to write on the 29th Ulto.”
13To George Washington from Lieutenant Caleb Brewster, 15 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
this Morning Returnd from Long Island where I find that the Garrison on Lloyds Consists of 250 Men Including Wood Cutters, they Have a Small fort Situated upon a Clift Joyning the Sound, with a Small Entrenchment about three feet in Height, Nearly four Square Abatied on three Sides in about fifteen feet of the Lines & nothing but Musquetry to Defend it, the Garrison Consists Entirely of New...
14To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr, 24 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
The excessive heat and occasional fatigues of the preceding campaign, have so impaired my health and constitution as to render me incapable of immediate service. I have, for three months past, taken every advisable step for my recovery, but have the mortification to find, upon my return to duty, a return of sickness, and that every relapse is more dangerous than the former. I have consulted...
15To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Butler, 2 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you a few days ago from Albany of my intentions to send a party to attack the enemy at Unadilla, last night I sent off my advanced party & am just marching the body consisting of above 200 men—I take the command of the party myself, & hope on my return to be able to give your Excellency a satisfactory account of the expedition. This will be delivered your Excellency by Capt. Long, an...
16To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Butler, 28 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Lt. Col. William Butler, 28 Oct. 1778. GW wrote Butler on 12 Nov. : “your letter of the 28th Ulto was duly communicated by Doctor Jones.”
17To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Butler, 27 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 11th Instant came to hand the 20th; the Contents of which I shall punctually observe. Inclosed I send your Excellency Copies of some depositions concerning one of my parties under the Command of Major Posey Killing one Demon who Attempted making his escape after the party had made him Prisoner of which I wrote your Excellency in my last —Complaint having been made to Govr...
18To George Washington from Colonel Lambert Cadwalader, 7 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
A few Days since I recd your Excellency’s Letter, in Maryld, dated white Plains, inclosing one from the Commissioners of Arrangement respecting my not performing the Duties incident to my Station, and desiring I may be orderd to my Regiment, without being previously exchang’d; and that in Case of Refusal there would be a Vacancy to which an active Officer might be entitled to succeed. The...
19To George Washington from James Caldwell, 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
The rout ordered for Stores from Springfield to Kings Ferry is now become dangerous. The last Teams attempted to go over at the Forks above the little Falls below Pompton; but while 5 Waggons were upon the Bridge it broke down & being of considerable length cannot be easyly repaired. On this account the rout must be so far round as will retard the supplys to Camp. And even those who go by...
20To George Washington from Captain Michel Capitaine du Chesnoy, 4 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Gl de la Fayette had desired me to deliver in your hands the two Inclosed draughts, & Shou’d have thought my Self happy in finding an opportunity to pay my respects to your Excellency; but as I am Sick at Providence I can not do my Self that honour therefore take the liberty to Send them to you. I am very Sorry that I am deprived of the possibility of Waiting on you in person, and assureing...
21To George Washington from Colonel John Lamb and Lieutenant Colonel Edward Carrington, 30 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
We the Subscribers, beg leave to assure Your Excellency that, we profess the greatest deference and respect, for the honorable Board of General Officers which on the 15th Instant, settled the Rank of the Regiments of Artillery; and we hereby declare our full conviction, that no partiality influenced them, in making the arrangement. But as the Board inadvertently proceeded to make the...
22To George Washington from Major John Clark, Jr., 28 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I must now solicit your good advice on a matter which concerns not only the Army, but the public in general; and I flatter myself from your usual candor you will grant it me. By the resolves of Congress lately transmitted to me, I find Congress not as yet, disposed to make any further allowance to Officers that have been sent on the recruiting service, and I am directed to put their...
23To George Washington from Major John Clark, Jr., 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
Lieut. Crittenton has produced an Account of sundry sums of Money paid by Order of Col. Mason to Officers & Soldiers of different Corps in the Virginia line—He says he has Vouchers to prove his Expenditures—But as Col. Mason stands charged in this Office for the whole of the Money thus paid, I think he ought to settle Mr Crittentons Acct as it don’t appear for what purposes many of the sums...
24To George Washington from George Clinton, 15 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am unhappy in being again obliged to trouble your Excellency with the further disagreable Intelligence from our Western Frontier contained in the inclosed Copies of Letters which I have just now received from Colo. Cantine and Colo. Thusten. I find it impossible to secure the Frontier Settlements against the Depredations of the Enemy by the utmost Exertions I am able to make with the Militia...
25To George Washington from George Clinton, 24 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I wrote your Excellency on the 20th Instant inclosing an Account of the Destruction of the German Flatts on the Mohawks River. Since I have been favoured with a Letter from Colo. Bellinger of which the inclosed is a Copy giving the particulars of that Unhappy Affair—Colo. Bellingers Letter was handed to me by Mr Herkimer Brother to the late General Herkimer who (as he is well acquainted with...
26To George Washington from George Clinton, 21 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of yesterday. The Account it contains of the hostile Intentions of the Enemy so perfectly agreeing with that communicated in Colo. Hartley’s Letter and other Intelligence is thereby rendered indisputable. My Brother General Clinton will have reached your Excellency before this with a Description of the different Routes to Chemung and a short Plan for...
27To George Washington from George Clinton, 17 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am favored with your Excellency’s Letter of Yesterday. Anaquaga lies on the Susquehanah about a West Course from Kingston in Ulster County—different Routes may be taken to it, the first by the Way of Peinpach or Minisink which is situate on the Delaware about 40 Miles West of New Windsor, the second is from Rochester twenty five Miles South West of Kingston as described in Colo: Cantine’s...
28To George Washington from George Clinton, 20 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
By the enclosed Copies of Letters which were forwarded to me by Genl Ten Broeck and came to hand this forenoon, your Excellency will receive the disagreable Intelligence of the destruction of the valuable Settlements of the German Flatts by the Enemy and the Loss of 100 head of Cattle which were destined for Fort Schuyler. As I have not received any Account of this Affair or of the Disposition...
29To George Washington from George Clinton, 3 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letter of the 2d Instant by Capt. Machin. I am entirely unacquainted with the Allowances that have been made to Officers for extra Duty and am therefore an improper Judge of the Allowance—which ought to be made to Capt. Machin for this Service. While I had the Command at the Works when Capt. Machin was employed as Engineer, he was in that Capacity exposed to...
30To George Washington from George Clinton, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am extreamly sorry to trouble your Excellency about an Unhappy Affair which I am sensible will give you Pain—Last Evening I was favoured with the inclosed Letter from Genl Nixon giving an Account of some violent and unprovoked Abuses having been lately committed by Officers of the Army on three of the Subjects of this State. The Parties injured mean to seek Justice of the Offenders in the...