3331To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 7–8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Lebanon [Conn.] 7–8 December 1776 . “The Genll Assembly of this State sensible of the vast Importance of supporting the great Cause in which You are so nobly strugling, Have at their Session of the 19th of Novr last, made Provision for raising by Inlistment four Battalions to serve under Your Command untill the 15th of March next, before which Time I have strong Hopes our Quota of the...
3332To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
It is with great Concern that I give you the disagreeable Intelligence that the Enemy with a Fleet consisting of 78 Ships of War and Transports entered the Harbor of Newport Yesterday. We had about Six hundred Men upon Rhode-Island who were Obliged to evacuate it with the Loss of about 15 or 20 heavy Cannon, having taken off the Amunition and Stores & the greatest part of the Stock. The Enemy...
3333To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
yesterday afternoon Lieut. Colonel Vose arrived Here from Albany, with Greatons, Bonds, & Porters Regiments, making in the whole between 5 & 600 men, on their way to Joyn your Excellency, I am Furnishing them with Tents Provisions &c. and not a moments Time shall be lost in facilitateing, their march—They do not disembarke here but fall Down to Haverstraw and will begin their march this Day....
3334To George Washington from Major General Charles Lee, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Hampton will give you a return of the Militia already assembled and of those (if it can be call’d a return) expected—the whole will as it is said make by tomorrow morning one thousand—my Corps that pass’d the N. River will amount (for We are considerably diminish’d) to seven and twenty hundred—in fact our Army may be estimated at four thoushand—If I was not taught to think that your...
3335To George Washington from Major General Charles Lee, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Major Hoops has just deliver’d to me your Excellencys letter —I am extremely shock’d to hear that your force is so inadequate to the necessity of your situation—as I had been taught to think you had been considerably reenforc’d—your last letters proposing a plan of surprises and forc’d marches convincd me that there was no danger of your being oblig’d to pass the Delawar in consequence of...
3336To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Immediately on receiving your Excellencies intimations that it was necessary your Army should be reinforced with Four thousand of the Militia from this State, Orders were issued to raise the men—And since that as our affairs grew more serious & Alarming, the Court have given orders to Augment the number to about Six Thousand —every measure hath been adopted to forward the Troops to you with...
3337To George Washington from William Shippen, Jr., 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
With much difficulty & a small Loss I have got all the sick, except 20 who were too ill to remove, to Easton, Bethelem & Allenstown, where in a few days I flatter myself they will be as happy as sick soldiers ever are. I must mention to your Excellency that the moving of Dr Morgans stores that have not been used these 3 months, have cost the continent I verily believe as much as their first...
3338To George Washington from General Matthias Williamson, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I had the honour of receiving your Excellency’s two Letters of the fifth & seventh inst. —I can declare to your Excellency with the greatest Truth, that with the utmost punctuality & dispatch on receiving Govr Livingston’s Orders, I wrote Letters to the commandg Officers of the Militia of this State, to draw out their Batallions, & join the Army under your immediate Command, or the Corps under...
3339To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 9 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
We have undoubted inteligence that a body of the Enemys Light horse was at a place called the Cross Roads about 9 Mile above Burlington and a report prevails that an advanced party are at Burlington, from circumstances it may be too true, we therefore wish to call your Excellencies attention to a ferry about 4 Miles below Burlington called Dunks ferry where the River is narrow and may afford...
3340To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 10 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The last Evening about 8 O’Clock I received the honor of your’s of the 7th Instt, & immediately gave Orders for the Regiments of General Parsons’s Brigade which are on this Side of Hudson’s River, to pass over which they will do this day —I shall also order Huntington’s & Tyler’s to join them, & pursue the effecting the purposes, which your Excellency has been pleased to point out. This post...
3341To George Washington from Matthew Cantine, 11 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am directed by the Convention of the State of New York to transmit to your Excellency the enclosed Resolves, by which it will appear that we have made every exertion in favour of our Sister States which our present Situation will admit. But we are extreamly Sorry to find by a Letter received last Night from General Heath, that he is ordered over to the West Shore; by Reasons of which the...
3342To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 11 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I received your Orders the night before last for the march of General Parsons’s Brigade, and yesterday noon the Three Regiments at Peeks-Kill began their march, making about 500 men which are now here—I have ordered Huntingtons and Tylers to Joyn me they may make about three Hundred men, after leaving a Captain & 50 men as a Guard at the Pass in the mountains Colonel Vose with Greatons Bonds &...
3343To George Washington from Major General Charles Lee, 11 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
We have three thoushand Men here at present but They are so ill shod that We have been oblig’d to halt these two days for want of shoes—seven Regiments of Gates’s Corps are on their march but where They actually are is not certain —General Lee has sent two Officers this day—one to inform him where the Delawaer can be cross’d above Trenton—the other to examine the road towards Burlington as...
3344To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 11 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The president being necessarily engaged with his family, I have the honour to inform you that your letter of the 10th was duly received & laid before Congress, and to transmit you a resolution of Congress passed this day. I am Sir Your obedient humble Servant ALS , DLC:GW . Thomson wrote and signed the enclosed copy of this resolution below his ALS on the same manuscript page. Dated “In...
3345To George Washington from Major General Horatio Gates, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
In Obedience to General Schuylers Commands, I left Albany the Instant with Starks[,] Poor’s, Read’s, & Paterson’s Regiments; Greaton’s, Bond’s, & Porter’s, having Sailed from thence the day before, Bedel’s remaining to Embark the next day, as Sloops were not then ready to receive them. Upon my Arrival at Esopus I sent Brigade Major Stoddard to New Windsor to Order Greaton’s, Bond’s, & Porters...
3346To George Washington from New England Delegates, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
We are this Moment informd by a Gentleman who is Brother of Collo. Griffen and has lately been at New York, that a Body of ten thousand of the Enemies Troops are actually arrivd at Rhode Island. As Congress is now adjournd to Baltimore in Maryland, and the President and the Board of War are not in Town, we think it our Duty to send you this Intelligence; and as there is no General Officer in...
3347To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Council are Obliged to your Excellency for the intelligence ⅌ Colonel Humpton and you may be assured of our strict attention to every object which your Excellency shall think proper to recommend —The inclosed is Copy of a Letter just recieved advising of the appearance of two Vessels of War at our Capes, we though it of importance to communicate it to you & have sent off Lieutenant Butler...
3348To George Washington from Major General Israel Putnam, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Favor of Yesterday I have received —All Things in this City remain in Confusion, for Want of Men to put them into Order—The Citizens are generally with you—The Continental Recruits are cloathing & arming as fast as possible, & are employed on Guard & Fatigue Duty, for which there is scarce a Relief—A Party are now going to the Jerseys, to bring off all the Craft out of the Creeks. The...
3349To George Washington from Colonel Joseph Reed, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Gentlemen of the Light Horse who went into the Jersey have returnd safe—they proceeded into the Country till they met an intelligent Person directly from Trenton who informd them that Gen. Howe was there with the main Body of his Army—that the Flying Army consisting of the light Infantry & Grenadiers under Ld Cornwallis still lay at Penny Town & there was no Appearance of a Movement—that...
3350To George Washington from Lord Stirling, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Intelligence which the two Granadiers [brought] is in many things Confirmed, first by the Extensive fires of their Incampment which appeared last Night to be about Penny Town, and other Intelligence from the other side, particularly by one person who has [passed] thro’ all their Incampments and Came out of Trentown about Eleven oClock Yesterday—who says that the flying Army is in and About...
3351To George Washington from Charles Thomson, 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The president being still necessarily engaged with his family I have the honour to inform you that your letter of yesterday was recd & laid before Congress. I enclose you sundry resolutions passed this day and am Sr Your obedient humble Serv. ALS , DLC:GW . Included among the enclosed resolutions, which Thomson began writing below the ALS and continued writing on two following manuscript...
3352To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 12 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Among the variety & important Objects which I have no doubt every moment press on your mind and command your attention, I beg leave to suggest to you the distress of our prisoners in Newyork, which upon every principle of humanity as well as policy, demands the most speedy method to be come into and accomplished for their relief. Major Welles of one of the Battalions of this State, among the...
3353To George Washington from Maj. Gen. William Heath, 13 December 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. William Heath, 13 Dec. 1776. On 21 Dec. GW wrote to Heath : “I have been favoured with yours of the 13th Instt.”
3354To George Washington from Robert Morris, 13 December 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Robert Morris, 13 Dec. 1776. On 14 Dec. GW wrote to Morris : “I have before me your favor of yesterday.”
3355To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 13 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
At the particular desire of General Mifflin we have undertaken to give you a detail of our public affairs as Major General Putnam is otherwise engaged in his very important department and General Mifflin about setting off on a Tour through the Counties to try his Influence with our Militia too Many of whom remain in a state of supineness and infatuation which is altogether unaccountable,...
3356To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 13 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
It gives me the most pungent pain to inform your Excellency of the sad Stroke America must feel in the loss of General Lee, who was this morning taken by the Enemy near Veal Town. He ordered me yesterday morning to march for this place early, which I did—and by some fatality he was induced to go to Barnell’s Town, nearer the Enemy by three Miles than we were. Some Tories doubtless gave...
3357To George Washington from Joseph Trumbull, 13 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Night before last, I left Haverstraw, with intent to come to Head Quarters, expecting by the Intelligence, we had then, to have found your Excellency at Brunswick—But on my arrival here I find matters in a very different Situation in this Quarter—& that I can’t expect to see Your Excellency ⟨with⟩out going by Easton, & thence, I know not wh⟨ere—⟩therefore on the whole I have engaged Capt....
3358To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 14 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Council this moment received a Letter from William Attlee Esqr. of Lancaster —extract from which we dispatch to you by express—he says (dated 13th instant). “The inclosed is copy of a Letter from Colo. Burd last night by express[.] I march with my whole Battalion on Monday next—Colonel Galbreaths Battalion, we are told, will move on Saturday next —The Militia of Lancaster seem rather...
3359To George Washington from Colonel John Cadwalader, 15 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I recd your Dispatches to day & have sent Capt: Alexanders Company to Philada. Mr Symes (Lt in R. H. Emigrants who now acts as Asst A. De Camp to General How) came over from Burlington this Morning with a Number of Officers & privates to be exchanged—he says that General Lee was taken by Surprize last Friday Afternoon by about 30 Light Horse. Capt: Murray one of the Prisoners, informs me that...
3360To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 15 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
On the 12th Instant I reached Tapan, and Yesterday made a Forced march to this Place, with so much Secrecy and Dispatch that the Inhabitants had no Knowledge of my Coming, The Enemy had left the Town Some Days Since Except five whom we took, Two of them sick, we have taken about 50 of the Disaffected, and about 50 or 60 Muskets the greater part of which had been taken from the Whigs as is...