1To John Adams from John Sullivan, 21 December 1775 (Adams Papers)
Did not the hurry of our affairs prevent; I Should often write you Respecting the State of our Army: but it has been my fortune to be Employed almost night and Day. When I had Winter Hill almost Compleated I was ordered to Plowed Hill where for a Long Time I was almost Day and night in Fortifying. Since have I been ordered to the Eastward to fortify and Defend Pescataway Harbour but...
2To John Adams from John Sullivan, 15 – 19 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your very Acceptable Favour of the 7th Instant Came to hand this Day. You could not have Conferred a greater obligation on me than by giving yourself the Trouble to write me; but when you give me to understand that my Services are acceptable in Your Eyes and in the Eyes of the Congress in General I already Esteem myself fully rewarded for all my toils; and cannot but persevere in my Endeavours...
3To John Adams from John Sullivan, 4 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had the pleasure of receiving your agreeable favour of the 15th ultimo. I Delayed answering it till I could give you information how matters were Like to go in this City. Soon after I received your Letter I Sent for Colo. Sears Mr. John Smith and Some others (which I knew to be Staunch) to Spend An Evening with me that I might Converse with them upon the Subject. I was Some what at a Loss to...
4To John Adams from John Sullivan, 14 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
I hope you will pardon me for not writing to you oftner of the state off affairs in the army of our Victories and Defeats Advances and Retreats but I have many things to Alledge in Excuse. I don’t Recollect that I am a Letter in Debt to you as I think I have punctually answered yours. I have ever been so full of Business that I could find no time to write but still I have a more weighty Reason...
5To John Adams from John Sullivan, 28 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
I Recollect That I Stand Indebted to you one Letter for your favor of the 22d. Feby and have nothing to plead in Excuse for nonpayment but want of Ability. I had Just before I was honoured with your Letter received a Fall from my Horse which Disabled me from writing. I Soon after went to the Eastward and did not return till the 15th Instant. Since which I have been much Engaged in getting...
6To John Adams from John Sullivan, 8 June 1777 (Adams Papers)
You cant oblidge me more than by giving me a Line to Inform whether you are, or are not alive ; I begin to grow Suspicions and am therefore uneasy. I Should be Exceeding unhappy if you were to Steal a march upon me During the present Contest. I am Determined to See it out. I wrote a Line beging your opinion upon Some Points but (Like Saul in Distress) I can get no answer. I fear Therefore...
7To John Adams from John Sullivan, 28 September 1777 (Adams Papers)
Far from addressing you in The Language of friendship and Desiring your assistance as a Friend I call upon you as a friend to Justice and mankind begging you to Acquaint yourself and make Congress acquainted with the Evidence I have Inclosed The President Relative to my Conduct. They ought to take time to view Examine and Consider it. They have Censured and Condemned me without Evidence will...
8To John Adams from John Sullivan, 10 November 1777 (Adams Papers)
Nothing has given me more uneasiness than to find General Conway is about Leaving our Army on Account of Some French Gentlemen who were inferiour in Rank to him while they Remained in their own Country being promoted over him. This he Says was the only Thing he guarded against in his agreement with Mr. Dean and with Congress, but is now So unhappy as to find not only persons who held Inferiour...
9To John Adams from John Sullivan, 13 November 1777 (Adams Papers)
I this morning was favoured with yours of the 28 ultimo, which gave the more pleasure as I before had began to Conceive that Some part of my Conduct of which I was ignorant had Lost me your friendship and Esteem. This Sir was founded on my not Receiving a Single Line from you to Notify me of the Repeated Storms that were Raised against me in Congress. I Ever have and yet do most Sincerely wish...
10Major General John Sullivan to Lieutenant Colonels Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens, [21 September 1777] (Hamilton Papers)
[ September 20, 1777. On September 21, 1777, Hamilton and Laurens wrote to Sullivan : “We have just received your favour of Yesterday.” Letter not found .] Laurens, like H, was an aide-de-camp of Washington. A native of South Carolina and the son of Henry Laurens, John Laurens was H’s closest friend in Washington’s official family.
11To Alexander Hamilton from Major General John Sullivan, 19 May 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Easton, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1779. On May 20, 1779, Hamilton wrote to Sullivan , “I have received your favour of yesterday.” Letter not found. ]
12To Alexander Hamilton from John Sullivan, [10 July 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
Capt Roche who was employed by me in consequence of your directions to forward the news of New Hampshires having adopted the new Constitution, called on me this Day with the Inclosed Account, the Ballance of which I paid him in Cash and have taken the Liberty of drawing on you for the same with the addition of seven shillings more which is the Loss by Discount & postage at 3 1/2 per Cent. His...
13To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 2 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have Examined into the State of The Ammunition in my Department & find Remaining in the Magazine of the Powder Supplied from New Hampshire 19 Barrels of 100 wt Each, Scarcely any Balls & no flints Except what the Soldiers are possessd of: They are in General well Provided with amunition for one Ingagement we have 50 Rounds of Cartridges to Each Cannon That is mounted which is all the...
14To George Washington from John Sullivan, 3 September 1775 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Sullivan, 3 Sept. 1775. On 4 Sept. GW wrote to Sullivan : “I receivd your Letter of yesterday.”
15To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 14 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have Reviewed the Palefaced Corps in my Brigade & find The Persons named in the Inclosed List Totally unfit for Duty at present have been So for a Long time & are Likely to Remain So During this Campaign Except Those to whose names I had added a Quere whose Disorders may possibly be Removed before the End of this Campaign with respect to those your Excellencey will act as your wisdom Shall...
16To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 29 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here in about twenty four hours after I Left you have Collected Powder So as to make up near thirty Barrels & have Since been preparing to Set an Example to the other Seaports by Setting the Fleet at Defiance upon my arrival I was Surprized to find that the Boom So much Talked of was not prepared That the Bridge Intended for Crossing from the main to the Island whereon Stands the...
17To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 29 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
Winter Hill , 29 November 1775 . Recommends discharge for Ens. Zebulon Drew, who “has been for a Long Time Troubled with a painful Disorder which not only prevents him from Doing Duty at present but renders it impossible for him to do any further Service during the Campaign & very Improbable whether he will Ever be able to Serve in the field in future.” ALS , DLC:GW . Zebulon Drew, an ensign...
18To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 17 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
agreeable to your order have again waited on Major Rogers and Strictly Examined him have Seen his Several permits and think them Genuine & in Every Respect agreeable to the Copy Sent you —he Says he Left New york about the 10th of October and being ill with the Fever & ague was 10 Days in getting to Abany That There & at a place Called Stone Rabba—he Tarried 10 Days More: he then passed...
19To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 22 January 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 22 Jan. 1776. On 23 Jan. Robert Hanson Harrison wrote to Sullivan: “I have it in command from his Excellency to inform you, that General Gates handed him your letter of the 22 inst.” ( DLC : Peter Force Collection). For the full text of Harrison’s letter to Sullivan of 23 Jan., see GW to Sullivan, 28 Jan. 1776 , source note.
20To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 9 February 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 9 Feb. 1776. On this date Robert Hanson Harrison wrote to Sullivan: “I am commanded by his Excellency to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of this Evening, and to Inform you, that he would not wish an Attempt to be made to bring off the Guard which you mention, ’till he has seen you, for particular reasons which he will then...
21Plan for Attacking Boston, 18–25 February 1776 (Washington Papers)
In Obedience to Your Excellency’s Orders, we have considered the Matters referred to Us, & beg leave to recommend the following Signals to be given from Roxbury, in Case of any Movement of The Enemy to Distress our People at Dorchester Hill: Signal in Case the Enemy begin to Embarque, a Flagg on Roxbury meeting House; If they Actually Land at Dorchester Two Flaggs, One, over the Other; In case...
22To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 1 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
[1 March 1776] . “As General Officer of the Day Yesterday, I Visited the Guards in all Advanced Posts Between Cambridge and Mystick Rivers, and the Main Guards at Cambridge, Prospect & Winter Hill. I found the Guards Vigilant & the Sentries Alert.” ADS , DNA : RG 93, Revolutionary War Rolls. Sullivan, who was brigadier of the day for 29 Feb., apparently wrote this undated report on 1 March....
23To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 4 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
4 March 1776 . “As General officer of the Day Yesterday I visited all The Guards herein after mentioned. . . . I also ordered the field officers of the Day to go the Rounds by Night which they Did & found the Guards vigilent & Sentries alert.” ADS , DNA : RG 93, Revolutionary War Rolls. Sullivan included in his report a return of the guards at Winter Hill, Plowed Hill, the White House,...
24To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 7 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
7 March 1776. “As Brigadier General of the Day yesterday I visited The Several Guards hereafter mentioned & found the Guards vigilent & Sentrys Alert Except at the South & north Redoubt in both of which I found all the Guards within the Guard Houses and the Sentrys Taking no Notice of my Coming or Even of any thing Else[.] The South Redoubt was Commanded by Ensign Brown & the North by Lieut....
25To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 10 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
Winter Hill, 10 March 1776 . “As Brigadier Genl of the Day Yesterday Orderd the Guards to be visited; found them alert as usual. ADS , DNA : RG 93, Revolutionary War Rolls. Sullivan included in his report a return of the guards with “Occurrences” at several of the posts. At 10:00 a.m. on 9 Mar., he reported that he “went Down the River in a Boat by Bunkers Hill[.] no Large cannon there & but...
26To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 22 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
being Desired by Capt. Miller Late of Colo. Doolittles Regt to Certify in his favour to Your Excellency I can only Say that he Acted as Capt. in That Regiment till the 26 of Novr then by vote of the Regt (as I was Informed) he Acted as major—I Never knew or heard he had a Commission for that purpose till he Informed me of it yesterday I well remember he gave in his name among the Captains To...
27To George Washington from Brigadier Generals John Sullivan, Nathanael Greene, and Lord Stirling, 27 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
In obedience to the orders given us we have met & deliberated upon the several matters referred to us by your Excellency & beg leave to report, That the following signals be given upon the approach of any number of Ships toward this Port Viz. Upon the appearance of any number of Ships by day from one to six a large flag is to be hoisted on the Highlands of Never sink, upon the appearance of...
28To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 10 May 1776 (Washington Papers)
after a Voyage of four Days I arrived at this place where I found Stark & Reeds Regiments who had by order of General Schuyler been Detained here for Boats none of which were then in Readiness for the Troops—General Schuyler arrived here on the Evening of the Eighth Instant I waited on him Immediately he Informed that the Coming of So many Troops was So unexpected that he had not Batteaus to...
29To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 14 May 1776 (Washington Papers)
I This moment received from Genl Schuyler the Inclosed malencholy Account from Canada in Consequence of which I am ordered to tarry with my Brigade till the provisions are Sent over—So that my Departure from this place which was to take place tomorrow will not happen all the Brigade except Daytons & Waines are gone on Dayton was to have marchd tomorrow morng & Waine with his part of a Regt on...
30To George Washington from Brigadier General John Sullivan, 16 May 1776 (Washington Papers)
I this moment Returned from Still water where I have been To give Some Dire[c]tions about Conveying the provisions forward to our Troops in Canada immediately upon the Receipt of The Letters which I forwarded to your Excellencey I Draughted a number of men for the Batteaus from the Regiments here being well Convinced that the men appointed for that purpose would not in a year Carry forward...