You
have
selected

  • Author

    • Pickering, Timothy

Recipient

Sort: Frequency / Alphabetical

Show: Top 10 / Top 16

Period

Dates From

Dates To

Search help
Documents filtered by: Author="Pickering, Timothy"
Results 51-100 of 683 sorted by date (ascending)
Orders will be given forthwith to have a vessel got ready to carry a 100 barrels of flour to Albany. The necessary orders have been given, & in the most pointed terms, relative to the flour on the communications between this & Pensylvania; & as (other means failing) actual payment is to be resorted to, I cannot entertain an idea of disappointment. An express will go to-morrow for Boston. I...
I have just received from Colo. Hughes a letter of which the inclosed is an extract. Mr Pomeroy (the bearer of it, brother to the D.Q.M.) informs me that the towns who were called on early in March to send forward their salted meat, got themselves excused by the government, under pretence that the roads were impassable, promising to turn out when the roads were good. But when called upon, the...
I am informed that about 60 barrels of shad came down yesterday from Esopus. As this article of provisions is for an immediate supply, I beg leave to suggest the expediency of bringing down daily all that are caught. Two or three pettiaugers may be employed in this service; and with the wind as it is to day, they may run from Esopus to West Point in five or six hours; and if the wind be...
Your favor of this date is just received—I know not who has the Direction of the shad fishery; & if I did have no authority to put the Business in a new train. The Pettiaugers I can order to be got ready to sail at a moment’s warning: and for the security of the fish against the accident you mention (which however can scarcely happen) each boat may take & keep on board a barrel or two of...
I was at Fishkill this morning4 & from Mr Stevens’s account of provisions received from Connecticut, compared with Mr Josiah Pomeroy’s, I am apprehensive your Excellency has been informed of larger quantities of salted provisions being put up in the towns westward of Connecticut river than were in fact provided. By Mr Stevens’s acct it appears, that from the 6th of February to the 11th inst....
Agreable to your Excellencys orders, we have consider’d of an arrangement of Colonel Baldwins regiment of artificers, and are of opinion That all the non commissioned officers & privates should form one company under the direction and command of Capt. Patten and Lieut Lears Artillery Artificers at the Park, and one lieutenant to be taken from said regiment, the whole to do duty at present at...
The return of boats of which your Excellency has a copy, is dated the 2d of April. At that time there appeared to be 60 batteaux at Wappon’s creek that were repairable. On the 29th of April there were eight batteaux there under repair, & fifteen more repairable, but very old. The residue, of consequence, of the 60, had been repaired & taken away. But I do not know of any repaired elsewhere;...
I was honoured with your Excellency’s letter of yesterday. The military stores ordered from hence are all gone, together with near twenty (I think) casks of flints which some of the ox teams had brought on from Springfield. The whole were a few days ago advanced as far as Sussex Court House, and are under the care of Ebenezer Brannon conductor of military stores. Lest there should not be...
I have been honoured with your Excellency’s letter of this date, and will pay due attention to the contents. I had no notice for the demand for planks till Gl Knox mentioned it today: He will inform your Excellency how I proposed to obtain a part of them. I shall send an express to Colo. Hughes at Albany to morrow morning on that account; and one for Boston to morrow afternoon on the score of...
Inclosed is the return of boats which I mentioned this morning. I recd it last evening & have not had opportunity to take a copy. which I shall be glad to do in a day or two. I am very respectfully yr Excellencys obed. P.S. Those mentioned to be laid up at Wappins Creek Mr Sheafe expected to have repaired by this day. DNA : RG 93—War Department.
Previous to General Schuylers demand for nails, I have ordered from Pensylvania all that could be spared from the immediate services of the posts in that state; in consequence, Colo. Miles, my deputy there, sent from Philadelphia— 487 lbs. spikes and deck nails 1099 30d. nails 2081 24d. do 5813 20d. do 587 12d. do which were forwarded from Trenton June 22d by teams to go thro’ to Kings’ ferry.
Major Platt having signified to me his intentions to quit my department, I immediately sought for a suitable character for the office of deputy quarter master to the main army; and after due inquiry, have fixed on lieut. colo. Dearborn. He has consented to serve: but being in the line of the army, he cannot be taken from thence without your Excellency’s approbation, which I now solicit. The...
As your Excellency required a strict account of the delivery of your order for the army to halt, on the day they marched to this camp, I have inquired into facts, which I beg leave to state. I have asked Odell the guide, the distance between Storm’s bridge & the one on the Dobbs ferry road—"about three miles"—Where were the fallen trees, on passing of which I sent back an express to Colo....
I believe I have heretofore mentioned to your Excellency my disappoinment in respect to the number of horses supposed to be wintered in Pensylvania. Last January, or early in February, I sent to that state & to every other where horses were wintered, for returns of them, for the purpose of ascertaining what numbers would be fit for service this campaign: but I obtained none until May & June....
General Knox has called on me to-day respecting a provision of horses for the light artillery. I have authorized Colo. Hughes to purchase one hundred for that service only , & promised payment by the first of November. He writes me encouragingly that many may be so procured. The essential service to which they are to be applied will, I trust, facilitate a grant of money to enable me to fulfil...
In the inclosed proposition for general orders, I have these objects in view: To ascertain the quantity of forage consumed in this county, by knowing the numbers of cattle fed there—To find who are possessed of public horses—To see who keep horses to whom public forage is not allowed, or who keep more horses than are allowed them, or than your Excellency shall judge necessary; that what are...
On hand fit for service—soldiers tents 35. wall tents 6 Expected daily from Connecticut 300. very old tents at Morristown repairing, probably will be rendered serviceable 80. As Colo. Hatch is disappointed in his expectations of exchanging heavy for light duck, on notice of it, July 27th I immediately desired him to make up into tents all the Russia duck that was tolerably light. This may...
I have sent a person to examine the roads on the routes mentioned by Genl Hand, & urged his returning as soon as possible. I have sent an express to go with him as far as Ogden’s iron works (without crossing the Ramapaugh) to bring back his report whether that route be practicable for carriages. The inspection of the roads will then proceed as far as the two Bridges & return by Dods thro’...
It may be proper that I report to your Excellency the circumstances & events of my late journey to Williamsburgh. I was unable to leave camp the 2d inst. till late in the afternoon, which prevented my reaching Williamsburgh till the evening. I immediately waited on the Intendant with Count Chastellux’s letter, reciting the agreement he had made with me respecting the future employment of the...
I have this moment returned from Trebells landing, whither I went today to search for the batteaux, a return of which I have now the honour to inclose. About ten days since, when your Excellency was at the landing, I recd by an aid your direction to have the boats collected & repaired. I had previously committed the care of them to commodore Barron, & urgently requested him to have them...
Agreeably to your Excellency’s orders on the 19th inst. to me, to take possession of the enemy’s public stores, pertaining to my department, I went to York myself with my storekeeper; and at the same time desired Colo. Dearborn to go to Glocester with an Assistant of the storekeeper for the purpose of receiving the stores. At Glocester the dragoon horses with their accoutrements, and the...
An unexpected demand is made of 40 Waggons & 200 horses, to transport artillery & military stores to the Southward exclusive of what are attached to the troops destined thither. To that number are to be added probably six waggons for quarter masters stores—There is no possibility of furnishing them without taking both horses & waggons from the troops going to the northward. If your Excellency...
Last evening I received letters from Major Claiborne D. Qr Master for Virginia, dated the 23d & 24th ulto extracts from which I beg leave to inclose. I have procured returns of the boats in the North river, agreeably to your Excellency’s directions in your letter of the 14th ulto. I wait for the returns of stores in this district which I wrote for before I left Philadelphia; I expect shortly...
I am honoured with your Excellency’s letter of this date respecting the preparations to be made for the next campaign. The reason of my stay at the North River I mentioned in a letter from thence. As soon as I obtained the returns in that quarter I came away. A general return is forming, which, from the multiplicity of articles, will be voluminous; but as soon as possible I will complete and...
The estimates & information required by your Excellency’s letter of yesterday, I am preparing, and will lay before you in the afternoon, so far as they can be immediately furnished. I have the honour to be with great respect your Excellency’s most obedient servant DLC : Papers of George Washington.
An Estimate of public horses on hand in the states named below, and in the main army: In Massachusetts 60 Connecticut 60 New York 130 New Jersey 80 Pensylvania 120 Waggon Horses 450 Riding horses in the hands of officers of all ranks in the line & staff, at least 50
The pay & Subsistence of divers officers in the quarter master generals department being deemed inadequate to their services, & no provision made for some necessary officers, the following view of the present appointments and of those proposed, is respectfully presented to the consideration of the Commander in Chief. chart The condition of the Southern States compelling the army there to draw...
I was yesterday honoured with your Excellency’s letter of the 21st, to the several directions in which I shall pay due attention. Yesterday I received a letter from Major Claiborne dated the 12th instant informing me “that the two expresses stationed at the Bowling Greene, had left it some days for want of support." As Colo. Carrington had comprehended in his estimate for Virginia one charge...
Your Excellency has been pleased to refer to my determination what boats, besides batteaux & two gun--boats, will be necessary on the Hudson. I shall be happy, nevertheless, to be favoured with your opinion on the arrangements I have had in contemplation relative to this business. The common batteaux being built with pine boards, are of course very tender, and altogether unsuitable for the...
In the plan for regulating the quarter-master’s department, there is a list of officers to whom forage shall be allowed; but the enumeration is very defective. Many officers who had very just claims to forage were omitted; but to whom either their stations, or the nature of the duties required of them, rendered the issuing of forage apparently proper. All the characters marked with an o were...
I was honoured with your letter of yesterday’s date, desiring to be informed when the arrangements yet to be made in my department would admit of any return to the army. The Secretary at War being arrived, I expect every matter will be so adjusted as to admit of my leaving town in ten days: it will make me happy if I can sooner follow you. I have the honour to be very respectully Your...
Your Excellency being vested with authority, by the resolve of Congress of the 11th of March 1780, to make the necessary regulations relative to the servants of officers of the army; and the general orders of the 18th of January last not comprehending any officers in my department, I request you will be pleased to extend your consideration of the subject, and fix the number of servants to be...
I have been rendered extremely unhappy by the disappointment of my expectations in regard to the ox teams. Mr Morris desired the purchases might be begun on credit, and wrote me a letter in which he promised to enable me punctually to fulfil my engagements. A copy of this letter I sent to each of my deputies in New England, with my instructions relative to the purchases. The teams could not be...
On the 23d instant I had the honour of writing to your Excellency; and mentioned my expectation of leaving town the last week. But Mr Morris is not yet prepared for my departure, and he desires me to stay yet longer. I suppose he has informed your Excellency of his embarrassments, in consequence of the states witholding their taxes. I expect that Colo. Miles will send from hence, by the 15th...
General Hazen has applied to the secretary at war for the articles necessary to equip his regiment. For what regards my department, he is referred to me. I have no difficulty in ordering a supply of every article, tents excepted, which must be brought from the North river; nor should I hesitate about these, if the regiment were certainly to continue any length of time at Lancaster: for they...
I have been favoured with your Excellency’s letter of the 15th instant, which would have been acknowledged by the subsequent post, had I not been made to expect a small supply of money the same week, by the bearer of which I meant to write to your Excellency: but in this expectation also I was disappointed. My long continuance here has distressed me exceedingly; but it appeared to me that the...
The prices at which forage would be furnished thro’ the agent of the state of New-York (as appears by the papers transmitted me by Colonels Lutterloh & Hughes) being much higher than the cash prices, Mr Morris has refused his assent to either of the modes proposed. Instead thereof he has put into my hands a number of his draughts, which will be negociated with the receivers of the public taxes...
I have some bills of exchange drawn by Mr. Morris on John Swanwick, which I am authorized to exchange with the Receivers of the Continental taxes in any of the states eastward of Pensylvania. Mr. Morris informed me that he had advised the receivers of this measure, & directed their taking up the bills whenever they were in cash. By taxes or by loan I expect this state will shortly furnish you...
In obedience to the General Orders of yesterday, I have made the following distribution of the Batteaux in repair now at Wappins Creek. 34 feet long 26 feet Total To the 1st Massachusetts Brigade 12 7 19 2nd ditto 12 7 19 3rd ditto 12 7 19
your favour of this date is just handed to me. The axes are all ground & part helved; the residue are helving. I have given directions to have grindstones fixed; and will attend to the means of transportation, agreeable to his Excellency’s wishes. I am yr most obedt servant DLC : Papers of George Washington.
Agreeably to the General orders already issued the troops are getting the wood destined for West point, to the different landings, and on board the Vessels procured for its transportation: But if nothing more be done, the business will not be finished before winter. It was with the most extreme difficulty that any vessels were engaged on the terms I could offer. a promise of future payment,...
Since your Excellency spoke to me yesterday relative to the movement of the army,I have more maturely considered of the means of effecting that movement, and the time requisite for collecting the horses and oxen to Verplank’s Point. In consequence of the orders given the 23d instant, I expect all the public horses and oxen on the west side of the river will have crossed over at Newburgh, one...
I have more than once conversed with you on the subject of the army’s moving below; and expressed my wishes, prompted by divers reasons, that such a movement might not take place. But perhaps it may be proper to commit those reasons, stating them more particularly, to writing. 1. The want of forage. The General has himself seen that the horses and oxen cannot subsist, unless turned out to...
Agreeably to your Excellency’s directions, being accompanied by Colo. Swift, Colo. H. Jackson and Colo. Cobb, I have viewed divers parts of the Highlands, and the wood lands in the vicinity of New-Windsor and Newburgh, to find places adapted to the hutting of troops. About a mile on this side of the huts late of the 3d Massachusetts brigade, on the right of the road leading to them, after...
The left wing of the army, commencing its march at seven o’clock to morrow morning, will proceed by the Continental Village to Nelson’s Point, where on Sunday boats will be in readiness to carry the troops to West Point; from whence they will march over Butter Hill in the road leading to Murderer’s Creek. On their descent from the Hill, the quarter masters of brigades will join and conduct...
To render it practicable to support the horses indispensably necessary with the army, I beg leave to suggest the expediency of sending to a distance in the Country the surplus riding horses without delay. My ability to provide forage is not increased, but lessened, by the non-payment of the bills of exchange put into my hand for that among other purposes. I submit to your Excellency’s...
Capt. Walker has shewn me a letter of this date from Genl Gates to your Excellency, representing that quarters are not yet provided for him. It is very true, yet I have spared no pains to provide for him. This day one of my assistants rode twenty miles from house to house, to find quarters for the director of the Hospital that he might quit Ellisons, but return’d without success. All former...
Capt. Palmer, an old seaman, has examined Murderers Creek to find a place suitable for hauling up the batteaux for the winter, and can find none. Afterward he examined the shore from thence to two miles above Newburgh, but discovered no place adequate to the reception of more than thirty boats together. Yesterday I went myself with him to view Murderers Creek and all the other places he had...
The inclosed letter I received last evening. Your Excellency will readily judge I cannot avoid requesting leave of absence to see and remain with Mrs Pickering while she remains dangerously sick. If you are pleased to indulge me, I shall leave Newburgh early to-morrow morning. The mean time will be taken up in writing the necessary orders for conducting the different branches in the department...
Last evening I received your Excellency’s letter of the 14th with its two inclosures. Mrs Washington is not yet arrived here, and I have therefore put the letter to Mr Lund Washington into the Post Office, to be sent off with the mail next Tuesday, if in the interim he should not arrive. No assistance which she may need & in my power to yield shall be wanting to Mrs Washington while here, or...