To George Washington from John Hancock, 26 April 1777
From John Hancock
Philada April 26th 1777.
Sir,
Since I had the Honour of addressing you yesterday, the Congress have come to the enclosed Resolves, to which I beg Leave to refer your Attention.1
General Schuyler, in Pursuance of the Orders of Congress, has dispatched Officers to forward the Troops to Head Quarters; and I am to request you will send some General Officer into the Eastern States, to hasten on the Troops already raised, to their respective Places of Destination.2
If the enclosed Resolves for calling out a Part of the Jersey & Delaware Militia, together with the former Resolves for calling out the Militia of this City, can be happily carried into Execution, I make no Doubt your Army will be sufficiently reinforced to answer our most sanguine Wishes, and to baffle every Attempt of the Enemy.3 I have the Honour to be with every Sentiment of Esteem, Sir, your most obed. and very hble Servt
John Hancock Presidt
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 12A.
1. The enclosed resolutions of 25 April concern, besides the matters mentioned in the second and third paragraphs of this letter (see notes 2 and 3), Maj. Elisha Painter’s assignment in the army (see General Orders, 3 May) and the ordering of “all such soldiers” in the hospitals between Annapolis and Philadelphia, “deemed capable of service[,] to join immediately their respective corps” (DLC:GW; see also , 7:298–300).
2. This request is included among the enclosed resolutions of 25 April. In those resolutions Congress also directs Schuyler “to order all the troops in, or near the city of Philadelphia and betwixt the said city and the town of Annapolis to march immediately to Bristol by such routs as shall render it unnecessary to pass through the city of Philadelphia” and to “send active officers to forward the said troops without delay” (DLC:GW; see also ibid., 300).
3. In its resolutions of 25 April, Congress requested the Delaware authorities to call out 1,500 militia “to rendezvous at Chester on Delaware” and requested the governor of New Jersey “forthwith to call out such part of the militia of the said state as General Washington shall judge necessary to reinforce the army under his command” (DLC:GW; see also ibid., 299–300).