26461To George Washington from a Continental Congress Camp Committee, 10 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of the conferences we have had with your Excellency, and knowing yours and your General Officers opinions on the Subject of our Mission, we have come to the resolution’s contained in the enclosed paper, finding them as far as we can judge most consistent with the Public good. Among the many reasons offered against a Winters Campaigne we were sorry to observe one of the most...
26462From George Washington to Patrick Henry, 10 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was honored with yours of the 22d ulto on Wednesday last, but the Situation which the Army has since been in has prevented me from answering it before—Genl Howe had been for some time preparing for a move which every account from the City informed me was intended against this Army. On Thursday Evening he advanced as far as Chesnut Hill and in the Morning he appeared upon the Heights about...
26463From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 10 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform you, that in the course of last week from a variety of intelligence I had reason to expect that Genl Howe was preparing to give us a general Action. Accordingly on Thursday night he moved from the City with all his Force, except a very inconsiderable part left in his Lines & Redoubts, and appeared the next morning on Chesnut Hill in front of, & about three miles...
26464From George Washington to Brigadier General Thomas Nelson, Jr., 10 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 21st ulto on Wednesday last, but such has been the Situation of the two Armies since, that I have not had an opportunity of answering it before this time. Genl Howe had been for several days making great preparations for a move which they did not scruple to say was intended against this Army, threatning to drive us beyond the Mountains. On Thursday...
26465The American Commissioners: Instructions to John Thornton, [11 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AD (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Library of Congress, Harvard University Library The mistreatment of American prisoners of war in England had long been on the commissioners’ minds. In February they had suggested to Lord Stormont an exchange, and the Ambassador had not replied. In April they had sent him depositions to back their claim that the British were behaving like savages, and to...
26466From Benjamin Franklin to Sir Grey Cooper, 11 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Library of Congress; copies: Library of Congress, Harvard University Library Receiving frequent Accounts by American Prisoners, who have escap’d from your Goals, of the miserable Situation and hard Treatment of their Countrymen at Portsmouth and Plymouth, we have prevail’d with a Gentleman, Major Thornton, (to us much a Stranger but who appears a Man of Humanity) to visit the...
26467From Benjamin Franklin to Arthur Lee, 11 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : University of Virginia Library Mr. Franklin’s Compliments to Mr. A. Lee; sends him two Papers containing Facts relating to the Treatment of Prisoners; and begs to be excus’d waiting on him to day at dinner, as he shall be necessarily employ’d at home in preparing Dispatches for England, otherwise the Gentleman cannot set out this Evening nor to-morrow if they are not ready to day, as we...
26468From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Walpole, 11 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : David Holland, London (1955) I ought long since to have acknowledg’d the Receipt of the Bills you sent me, in full Discharge of the Ballance of our Account. For which I thank you. I am sorry Lord Chatham’s Motion for a Cessation of Arms, was not agreed to. Every thing seems to be rejected by your mad Politicians that would lead to Healing the Breach; and every thing done that can tend to...
26469General Orders, 11 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW . GW arrived at Swede’s Ford, Pa., sometime after noon on 11 Dec. and headquartered there for two days.
26470To George Washington from Colonel Theodorick Bland, 11 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have detached Let Coll Temple with a small Party from Matsons to the Lancaster Road with orders to fall in at the Seventeen milestone and proceed down the road on the front of the Enemy (dataching a party to gain their left) and if they are on the retreat to move down & Join me as low as Marian Meeting, Majr Jamison with another party I detached about two or three mile in the rear of this...
26471From George Washington to William Livingston, 11 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of receiving yours of the 1st inst. some days since, but the Situation which the Army has been in, must apologize for my not answering it sooner. Genl Howe after making great preparations, and threatning to drive us beyond the Mountains, came out with his whole force last thursday Evening, and after maneuvering round us till the Monday following, decamped very hastily and...
26472From George Washington to Lund Washington, 11 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Lund Washington, 11 Dec. 1777. Lund Washington writes in his letter to GW of 24 Dec. that “Yours of the 11th Inst. is come to hand.”
26473From John Jay to Philip Schuyler, 11 December 1777 (Jay Papers)
Your very friendly Letter of the 6 th : Ult. was this Moment delivered. In what careless Hands it has lain so long I cannot concieve. An Expectation of being speedily sent to Albany induced me to defer answering your Favor of the 17 Ult. ^ Oct r ^ till I should have the Pleasure of a personal Interview. Our wise ones however for certain Reasons have suffered the Constitution to lay dormant,...
26474The American Commissioners to Lord North, 12 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Evening Post , January 24–27, 1778 From motives of duty, and an earnest desire of mitigating the calamities of war, we proposed, near a year since, to the King of Great Britain’s Ambassador here, an Exchange of prisoners in Europe. The answer we received must have been made known to your Lordship, and the world will judge of its decency. It would have been honourable for...
26475Dumas to the American Commissioners, 12 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL (draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief, The Hague Les grandes joies sont muettes, ainsi que les grandes douleurs. Je vous félicite de tout mon coeur; et Dieu benisse l’Am. unie. En reponse à la Lettre de Mr. A. Lee du 4e. je n’ai rien eu de plus pressé que d’envoyer sur le champ aux gazettiers, tant françois que holl[andois], copie fidèle et exacte, sans changer, ajouter, ni retrancher un seul mot,...
26476To Benjamin Franklin from “Amicus,” 12 December 1777: résumé (Franklin Papers)
D : Yale University Library <Pennsylvania Coffee House, London, December 12, 1777: I have recently seen a paper supposedly written to facilitate American borrowing. It would do credit to any author; its case for the inevitable growth of America will convince every intelligent reader. Great Britain has achieved pre-eminence during the past eighty years for two reasons, the growth of her...
26477General Orders, 12 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
A careful subaltern from each brigade is to repair this day to the last encampment of the army, to collect and take care of the sick and conduct them to Reading—These officers are to apply to the regimental Surgeons for information where to find the sick of their brigades—Every motive of duty and humanity requires the most exact attention to this order—Drs Draper and Campbell, at Mr West’s...
26478To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 12 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I had the honour of writing to you the 8th Inst. by Messenger Barry. Your Excellency will find under this cover an important act of Congress calculated for availing your Excellency’s Troops & for depriving those of the Enemy, of the benefit of provisions adjacent to Philadelphia. I beg leave to refer your Excellency to the paper and that you will be pleased to excuse brevity as I am confined...
26479To George Washington from Fielding Lewis, 12 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Fielding Lewis, 12 Dec. 1777. A two-page ALS with a three-line docket by GW was offered for sale in two nineteenth-century dealer’s catalogs, both of which printed excerpts from the letter. The first excerpt reads: “ as the Enemy have got up their Ships to Philadelphia and it may be necessary to Keep the army near that place to prevent Gen. Howe ravaging the Country ” (...
26480To George Washington from William Shippen, Jr., 12 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of your Excellencys direction which I received to day from Dr Cochran I have given orders to have the sick removed from Trenton—& will immediately direct the removal of those at Princeton, if you think tis absolutely necessary, altho they are now very comfortably situated & it will be fatal to many of them to move. If it can be allowed, I should wish two or three weeks...
26481From George Washington to William Shippen, Jr., 12 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your Favor of to day, I cannot think Princeton under the present situation of affairs by any means a proper place for the sick. Should they remain there they would be liable to be taken. At the same time, I do not wish you to precipitate their removal in such a manner as to endanger them. In respect to the Hospitals at Easton & Bethelem, I also am of Opinion, that they should be...
26482John Adams to Abigail Adams, 13 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday was as fine for Travell as ever occurred at this season of the Year.—I reached Ipswich, and lodged, at the House where I used to put up, old Mrs. Treadwells. This Morning I satt off, in a horrid cold Rain, and after getting wett through all my Coverings, I putt up at our Friend Mr. Tufts’s, having no Courage to proceed farther. Tomorrow Morning, I must proceed. Coll. Doane who was in...
26483Certificate for Rolandeau, 13 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Dartmouth College Library This may certify whom it may concern, that M. Rolandeau, a Lieutenant in the 5th Regiment of the State of Carolina, came to France on some Affairs of Importance which indispensibly requir’d his Presence, and so suddainly that he had not an Opportunity of obtaining his Congé. Of this I am well assured by Persons of great Honour and Distinction here. And as he...
26484Arthur Lee to Franklin and Silas Deane, 13 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. A. Lee’s Compliments to Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane. He receivd a Letter yesterday from Bilboa informing him, that the ten thousand Blankets for which Mr. Lee had remitted money from the spanish fund were ready to be shipt together with a very great quantity of Sail and tent cloth, Anchors, Cables, Cordage and Dreggs but that they must either purchase...
26485To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Priestley, 13 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Though our correspondence be interrupted by the most unhappy of all events, and your mind must be wholly occupied with things of infinitely greater moment than any thing that I can write to you about, you are never long out my thoughts; and I still flatter myself with the idea of seeing you once more. The late news from America has contributed very much to...
26486Vergennes to the Comte de Montmorin, 13 December 1777: Extract (Franklin Papers)
Extracted from AL (draft): Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Le Compte que j’ai a vous rendre M. de ma conference d’hier avec les deputés americains ne sera pas fort etendû. Je ne m’arreterai qu’aux resultats qui peuvent vous donnér et a l’Espagne une notion distincte de leurs dispositions ou plustost de Celles de leurs Commettans. Le memoire qu’ils m’ont remis en dernier Lieu M....
26487General Orders, 13 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The officers are without delay to examine the arms and accoutrements of their men, and see that they are put in good order. Provisions are to be drawn, and cooked for to morrow & next day—A gill of Whiskey is to be issued immediately to each officer, Soldier, and waggoner. The weather being likely to be fair, the tents are not to be pitched: But the axes in the waggons are to be sent for,...
26488To Benjamin Franklin from Joseph Berington, [after 13 December 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I feel myself much disappointed in not having found you in Paris, as I had expected. Business, which brought me hither, renders it impossible for me to call on you at present. If I can steal a few hours before my return, I shall with pleasure wait on you. Our friend Dr. Priestley was so obliging as to recommend me to you. I send you his letter with his two...
26489From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 14–15 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
On Thursday Evening I had the Honor to receive your Favor of the 8th Instant. From the Several Letters which have lately passed between Genl Howe & myself, I am fully convinced that any propositions by me to release the Baron St Ouary from captivity, either by an Exchange or on parole would be unavailing. In his Letter of the he has explicitly stated his Sentiments, and has declared himself to...
26490To Benjamin Franklin from James Babson, 14 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This may Enform you that I Sailed from Bilboa Novmr. 20 with my pore Nacked Crew by a fafour of Messrs. Gardoquis & Sons that Trusted me with one hundred Pound Sterling to Buy a Little provishing. I fell In with Six fish Vessells from N Foundland affter a Little Dispute Tuck them all and Carred them Into St. andero [Santander]. I oared [ordered] them to...