1From John Adams to George Washington, 6 January 1776 (Adams Papers)
...is in it, in the Progress of this War, as it is the Nexus of the Northern and Southern Colonies, as a Kind of Key to the whole Continent, as it is a Passage to Canada to the Great Lakes and to all the Indians Nations. No Effort to secure it ought to be omitted.
2To George Washington from John Adams, 6 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
...is in it, in the Progress of this War, as it is the Nexus of the Northern and Southern Colonies, as a Kind of Key to the whole Continent, as it is a Passage to Canada to the Great Lakes and to all the Indians Nations. No Effort to secure it ought to be omitted.
3To George Washington from Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh, 3 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
...all the Nations held at sandusky, the result of which I am now informed is that the Wyandots are inclined to make peace with us. which I Judged would be the Case, or that they would remove over the Great Lakes.
4To George Washington from Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh, 27 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
...in Concert with the other Army. and I should apprehend the Same would be necessary up the Susquahana as far as Tioga, which I think must Undoubtedly Remove the Northern as well as the Western Tribes over the great Lakes, or bring them to Terms, as they cannot otherwise think of planting so near our Garrisons, & Shew them we Mean to retaliate their Injurys by keeping possession of their...
5To George Washington from William Lord Stirling Alexander, 14 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
...make themselves Strong on the western lakes, and to Streighten our frontier on that Side as much as possible; and this they can effectually do, while they have access to Lake Ontario and of Course to all the Great Lakes above it. the only way I know of to Cut of that access effectually, is to possess a good respectable post at Oswegatie or La Gallete, it is Scituated at the head of the...
6To George Washington from Rufus Putnam, 16 June 1783 (Washington Papers)
, Niagara, Detroit, and all the posts seated on the great Lakes, will enevitably be lost
without such communication; for a Naval superiority on Lake Ontario, or the seising on Niagara, will subject the whole country, bordering on the Lakes, to the will of the Enemy—such a misfortune......it; but besides the supplying the Garrisons on the great Lakes with provisions &c.,...