George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Joseph Trumbull, 7 July 1777

From Joseph Trumbull

Morristown 7th July 1777

Inclosed, I send your Excellency Some Extracts from a Letter recd this Evening from my Bro[the]r at Albany,1 by Express—also—A Return of Provisions on Hand at Tyconderoga, the 20th June—& the Number of Rations Issued—by which Your Excellency, can Judge of the State of Provisions there2—The Express will go off on his return to Albany, by 10—or 11 oClock in the Morning—unless Your Excellency, should have occasion to detain him. I am, with the greatest Respect Your Excellency’s Most Obedt Humble servt

Jos: Trumbull

ALS, DLC:GW.

1The enclosed extract of Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.’s letter from Albany, N.Y., to Joseph Trumbull of 4 July 1777 contains a report concerning the British advance on Ticonderoga: “You must have known the Approach of the Enemy from Canada, & their landing at Crown & Chimney Points, sending out Party’s &c. &c.—Last Sunday [29 June] they came down, or rather up, with some force towards Ty[conderoga]—sent a summons to Genl Sinclair, for the surrendrg of the Garrison—recd for Answer that he was so well supplied with Men Provisions, Amunition &c. &c., that he could not Answer to his Country, such a surrender—but would maintain his Post to the last Extremity—Some Canonading ensued, a firing most of the Nights—& in the Morning they retired to three mile point—On Monday the Garrison was again Alarmed—A Body of the Enemy made their approach to Mount Hope, near the Mills, & Attacked a Redoubt there—were thrice Repulsed & obliged to retire—with some loss—What has ensued since, we are not acquainted—The Numbers of the Enemy are not Ascertained—A Person I have this day Seen gives the most Sensible Account I have heard—thinks there may be Six thousand—One Circumstance occasions much Conjecture that is—The Enemy have cast a Boom cross the Lake at three Mile point—Colo. Warner with 1000 Men is on the Grants to Intercept & prevent their Parties on that Quarter—the Militia are in Motion—Genel Schuyler is going up—I wish we had more Continental Troops—Our Western Posts seem quiet at present, whether it will remain so much longer is uncertain, Some Trouble is expected from that quarter—from the movements above & around us—we are led to Conjecture that our Enemy’s below may also intend a Visit to this part of the Country.

“At Closing my Letter we are Just Informed that the Enemy by taking possession of Mount Hope, have cut off the Communication with Ty[conderoga]—by way of Lake George—That three of their large Armed Vessells, with a Number of Armed Boats were in sight—Two large Body’s of Troops were marchg one on the East—one on the West supposed to Invest the place—The Trial I fancy is coming on—No Troops are yet up from Peeks kill.

“The last Paragraph is on a Separate paper, put into the Letter after Sealing the Express says he left Albany at 5 oClock P.M. 4th July” (DLC:GW). Trumbull also notes that the express was delivered to him at 7 P.M. on 7 July.

2The enclosed return, signed by the issuing commissary at Ticonderoga, James Yancey, is in DLC:GW.

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