31Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, to George Washington, 14 January 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Cranes Mills [ New Jersey ] January 14, 1780 . States that attack on Staten Island will be made at daybreak on following day. Requests Washington to send axes, ammunition, and an eighteen pounder. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
32Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, to George Washington, 16 January 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Elizabethtown [ New Jersey ] January 16, 1780 . Reports details of invasion of Staten Island and retreat. Tells of plundering by troops and what has been done to rectify wrongs inflicted. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
33From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 17 March 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 14th. and shall not fail in conjunction with General St Clair to attend to the military object of it. I am much obliged to your Excellency for the communication of your Southern advices. The enemy are still in the dark about their fleet and army gone that way as we gather from the Commissioners. They pretend to have little European news, though a vessel...
34Major General Arthur St. Clair and Lieutenant Colonels Edward Carrington and Alexander Hamilton to George Washington … (Hamilton Papers)
To His Excellency George Washington Esqr. General and Commander in Chief of the Forces of The United States of America. We The Commissioners appointed by Your Excellency “to treat, confer, determine and conclude upon a General Cartel for the exchange and accommodation of prisoners of war including the troops of The Convention of Saratoga and all matters whatsoever which might be properly...
35Major General Arthur St. Clair and Lieutenant Colonels Edward Carrington and Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 26 … (Hamilton Papers)
In addition to the official report of our proceedings at Amboy, which your Excellency will perceive have terminated in the manner you expected, we have the honor to give you an account of the steps we took, in consequence of the second part of your instructions, relative to a private conversation. But before we enter upon this, we think it our duty to inform you, that we have every reason to...
36Enclosure: Major General Arthur St. Clair and Lieutenant Colonels Edward Carrington and Alexander Hamilton to George … (Hamilton Papers)
3 Brigadiers at 200 600 11 Colonels 100 1100 5 Majors 28 140 20 Captains 16 320 56 first Lieutenants 6 336 72 second Lieutenants and Ensigns— 4 288 2784 9 Reg Qr. Mrs. & Adjutants,
37Major General Arthur St. Clair and Lieutenant Colonels Edward Carrington and Alexander Hamilton to George Washington … (Hamilton Papers)
We beg leave to inform Your Excellency, that in the private report of our proceedings at Amboy dated the 26th. March, we omitted mentioning, (though it is to be inferred) that in the conversation which passed on the subject of accounts, it was explicitly declared by us, that if any particular sum should be accepted agreeable to the ideas of The British Gentlemen, it was not in any manner to be...
38Enclosure: William Gordon to George Washington, [1 March 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
The last week I was designing to send You a friendly letter, without introducing into it any of my own concerns: but Col Henly calling upon me on the saturday afternoon, with a most extraordinary letter from Col Hamilton hath reduced me to the necessity of altering my plan. In some stations moral character is of little importance, but in mine it is next to All; & like female honour must be...
39From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 2 May 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
I am extremely sorry your Excellency has been troubled with the affair to which the papers transmitted in your letter of this morning relate. Admitting the possibility of Doctor Gordons not being the author of what I must always call a calumny, and had he not been an irreconcileable enemy to plain dealing, the matter might have been brought to a very easy issue, without the necessity of an...
40From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [8 June 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
I have seen the enemy; those in view I calculate at about three thousand; there may be and probably enough are others out of sight. They have sent all their horse to the other side except about fifty or sixty. Their baggage it is agreed on all hands has also been sent across and their wounded. It is not ascertained that any of their infantry have passed to the other side. There are four or...
41From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [25 September 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
You will see by the inclosed we are too late. Arnold went by water to the Vulture. I shall write to General Greene advising him without making a bustle to be in readiness to march and even to detach a Brigade this way, for though I do not believe the project will go on, it is possible Arnold has made such dispositions with the Garrison as may tempt the enemy in its present weakness to make the...
42Enclosure: Benedict Arnold to George Washington, 25 September 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
The Heart which is Concious of its Own rectitude, Cannot attempt to paliate a Step, which the World may Censure as wrong; I have ever acted from a Principle of Love to my Country, since the Commencement of the present unhappy Contest between Great Britain and the Colonies, the same principle of Love to my Country Actuates my present Conduct, however it may appear Inconsistent to the World: who...
43From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [22 November 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
Sometime last fall when I spoke to your Excellency about going to the Southward, I explained to you candidly my feelings with respect to military reputation, and how much it was my object to act a conspicuous part in some enterprise that might perhaps raise my character as a soldier above mediocrity. You were so good as to say you would be glad to furnish me with an occasion. When the...
44From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [19 December 1780] (Hamilton Papers)
Mr. Renselaar who has the direction of the Armory here tells me that the Board of War, write him they are unable to support it any longer, on the present establishment for want of supplies and propose to him to endeavour to have it carried on by contract. This he declares is impossible. The armory must either continue on the present footing or cease. As far as I understand the matter, there is...
45From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [9 April 1781] (Hamilton Papers)
I had the inclosed letters for you in my Portmanteau without knowing it, as they were given me among several others just as I was coming away. I send them by express. I find here nothing new more than you were acquainted with. No second action in the South. Genl. Greene thinks his little defeat will be of service to his affairs. I have the honor to be With Sincere esteem Yr Excellys. ...
46From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [27 April 1781] (Hamilton Papers)
I imagine your Excellency has been informed that in consequence of the resolution of Congress for granting commissions to Aide De Camps appointed under the former establishment, I have obtained one of Lieutenant Colonel in the army of the United States, bearing rank since the 1st of March 1777. It is become necessary to me to apply to your Excellency to know in what manner you foresee you will...
47From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [2 May 1781] (Hamilton Papers)
I am extremely sorry to have embarrassed you by my late application, and that you should think there are insuperable obstacles to a compliance with it. Having renounced my expectations, I have no other inducement for troubling Your Excellency with a second letter, than to obviate the appearance of having desired a thing inconsistent with the good of the service, while I was acquainted with the...
48From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 7 August 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
The other day I applied to Col. Tilghman for an order for Shoes for the Two Companies of levies. He thought on a general principle it could not be granted; but as from the best of my own recollection confirmed by inquiry of others, I have reason to believe a distinction was made last campaign in favour of the advanced corps; in the case of Cortland’s regiment, I am induced to submit the matter...
49From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [1 March 1782] (Hamilton Papers)
I need not observe to yr Excellency that, Respect for the opinion of Congress will not permit me to be indifferent to the impressions they may receive of my conduct. On this principle, though I do not think the subject of the inclosed letter of sufficient importance to request an official communication of it, yet I should be happy it might in some way be known to the members of that honorable...
50From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [1 March 1782] (Hamilton Papers)
Your Excellency will, I am persuaded, readily admit the force of this sentiment, that though it is the duty of a good citizen to devote his services to the public, when it has occasion for them, he cannot with propriety, or delicacy to himself, obtrude them, when it either has, or appears to have none. The difficuties I experienced last campaign in obtaining a command will not suffer me to...
51From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [13 February 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Flattering myself that your knowlege of me will induce you to receive the observations I mak⟨e⟩ as dictated by a regard to the public good, I take the liber⟨ty⟩ to suggest to you my ideas on some matters of delicacy and importance. I view the present juncture as a very interesting one. I need not observe how far the temper and situation of the army make it so. The stat⟨e⟩ of our finances was...
52From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [5 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency lately on a very confidential subjec⟨t⟩ and shall be anxious to know as soon as c⟨on⟩venient whether the letter got safe to han⟨d⟩. The bearer Shattuck thinks he can poin⟨t⟩ out the means of apprehending Wells & Knowle⟨ton⟩ the two persons whom Your Excellency was authorised to have taken into custody. I hav⟨e⟩ desired him to call upon you to...
53From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 17 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
I am duely honored with Your Excellency’s letter of the 4th. and, 12th. instant. It is much to be regretted though not to be wondered at, that steps of so inflammatory a tendency have been taken in the army. Your Excellency has in my opinion acted wisely. The best way is ever not to attempt to stem a torrent but to divert it. I am happy to find You coincide in opinion with me on the conduct...
54From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [24 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
Your Excellency will before this reaches you have received a letter from the Marquis De la Fayette informing you that the preliminaries of peace between all the belligerent powers have been concluded. I congratulate your Excellency on this happy conclusion of your labours. It now only remains to make solid establishments within to perpetuate our union to prevent our being a ball in the hands...
55From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 25 March 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
The inclosed I write more in a public than in a private capacity. Here I write as a citizen zealous for the true happiness of this country, as a soldier who feels what is due to an army which has suffered everything and done much for the safety of America. I sincerly wish ingratitude was not so natural to the human heart as it is. I sincerely wish there were no seeds of it in those who direct...
56From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [25 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
I wrote to Your Excellency a day or two ago by express. Since that a Committee appointed on the communications from you have had a meeting, and find themselves embarrassed. They have requested me to communicate our embarrassments to you in confidence and to ask your private opinion. The army by their resolutions express an expectation that Congress will not disband them previous to a...
57From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [8 April 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s letters of the 31st of March & 4th. of April, the last to day. The one to Col Bland as member of the Committee has been read in Committee confidentially and gave great satisfaction. The idea of not attempting to separate the army before the settlement of accounts corresponds with my proposition. That of endeavouring to let them have some pay had also appeared...
58From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 9 April 1783 (Hamilton Papers)
Congress having appointed a committee consisting of Messrs. Maddison Osgood, Wilson, Elseworth and myself to consider what arrangements it will be proper to adopt in the different departments with reference to a peace; I am directed by the Committee to address your Excellency on the subject of the military department. The Committee wish Your Excellency’s sentiments at large on such...
59From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [15 April 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
There are two resolutions passed relative to the restoration of the British Prisoners and to making arrangements for the surrender of the posts in the possession of the British troops, the first of which is to be transacted by you in conjunction with the secretary of War—the latter by yourself alone. I will explain to you some doubts which have arisen in Congress with regard to the true...
60From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [12 November 1777] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New Windsor, New York, November 12, 1777. Letter not found. ] “List of Letters from General Hamilton to General Washington,” Columbia University Libraries. Two letters from H to Washington on November 12, 1777, are listed. One of these letters is printed in PAH Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). , I, 360–62.