26491To Benjamin Franklin from Ingenhousz, 14 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library; AL (draft): Yale University Library You will be surprised to see, that I am not yet arrived in England. I found my Brother’s wife dangerously ill and could not part with her before all danger was over. I found no letter of you or of any other friend at the post office at Amsterdam. I am now for some days at Delpht with my old friend and instructor Mr....
26492General Orders, 14 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The regiments of horse are to draw provisions of any issuing Commissary, lying most convenient to them, upon proper returns therefor. Such of the baggage as is not absolutely necessary for the troops, and all the Commissary’s and others stores, are to remain on this side of the gulph. Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
26493To George Washington from the Board of War, 14 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from the Board of War, 14 Dec. 1777. On 22 Dec. GW wrote the Board of War : “Your favor of the 14th Inst. I received on Saturday Evening.”
26494From George Washington to General William Howe, 14 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The difficulty of supplying the Troops of General Burgoyn’s Army with Wood and provisions from the Country in the Neighbourhood of Boston, induces me to request, that you will grant passports for Vessels to be employed to bring them from places on the Coast. I cannot ascertain the number of Vessels that may be necessary for this business, or the names of the persons who may be entrusted with...
26495From George Washington to Richard Peters, 14 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your several favs. of the 28th Novemr and 4th and 5th instants came duly to hand, but the constant motion which the Army has been in since the Rect of them has prevented me from answering them before this time. Nothing but the absolute necessity which the Army lay under for want of Cloathing induced me to send out Officers to make collections, the Cloathier General represented it to me as...
26496To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Sherman, 14 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
As there has been a complaint entered to your Excellency, respecting the behaviour of Colo. C. Webb’s Regt on the 7th instant—My Reputation and the honor of the Regt demand me to request a Court of Inquiry—I therefore solicit your Excellency to appoint a Court, to examin into the behaviour of the Regiment on sd Day—that Officers if they misbehaved may be justly exposed to publick Censure, if...
26497From John Jay to James Duane, 14 December 1777 (Jay Papers)
Your obliging Letter of the 2 d . Inst did not reach me till two Days ago. I am very sensible that Your Time must have been greatly engrossed at Congress, & the more so as the Treasury Department was I believe almost wholly under your particular Inspection. I ardently wish to see the Time when Matters of general Importance will cease to deny us Leisure for regular Correspondence; & be assured...
26498Abigail Adams to James Lovell, 15 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Letters arrived in the absence of Mr. Adams who is gone as far as Portsmouth, little thinking of your plot against him. O Sir you who are possessd of Sensibility, and a tender Heart, how could you contrive to rob me of all my happiness? I can forgive Mr. Geary because he is a Stranger to domestick felicity and knows no tenderer attachment than that which he feel s for his Country, tho I...
26499Abigail Adams to Daniel Roberdeau, 15 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your obliging favour came to hand yesterday in the absence of my dearest Friend, and as he will not I fear reach home before tis too late to write by the post, or this conveyance, I have venturd to take up the pen least you should accuse him of neglect or inattention. I have been the more readily induced to write as it gives me an opportunity of acknowledging with gratitude the many civilities...
26500John Adams to Abigail Adams, 15 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
I arrived here, last Evening, in good Health. This Morning, General Whipple made me a Visit, at the Tavern, Tiltons, and insists upon my taking a Bed at his House, in so very affectionate, and urgent a Manner, that I believe I shall go to his House. The Cause comes on Tomorrow, before my old Friend Dr. Joshua Brackett, as Judge of Admiralty. How it will go I know not. The Captors are a...
26501To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Boudet, 15 December 1777: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Lyons, December 15, 1777, in French: An unfortunate Frenchman, whom cruel losses over the years have overwhelmed, addresses a virtuous Englishman and asks for refuge among his countrymen. I came here in 1759, the youngest son of a large Montpellier family, to work in a textile firm and then in a house trading with Spain, and lost the fruit of my labor. In...
26502To Benjamin Franklin from Claude-Isaac Peuch, 15 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society En qualité de Sujet d’un Etat libre qui a tout sacrifié pour se procurer l’independance, j’ai admiré plus d’une fois les efforts surprénnans et généreux de vos Compatriotes pour se procurer les mêmes avantages et se délivrer d’un joug qui auroit certainement été aggravé, à mésure que les Oppresseurs auroient trouvé de facilité de l’appesantir. Comme...
26503General Orders, 15 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
A field officer from each brigade, is to inspect immediately, all the men of his brigade, now with the baggage, and take from thence, to their brigades, every man who is able to do duty in the line—Major Snead is (till further orders) to take charge of the men remaining after this for the baggage guard, and report any who are left with the baggage contrary to this order. After Orders. The...
26504To George Washington from Maj. John Clark, 15 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. John Clark, Jr., c.15 Dec. 1777. On 16 Dec. GW wrote Clark that “Your Messenger went away before I got home yesterday, or I should have answered your letter.”
26505Orders to Commissaries and Quartermasters, 15 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
In Congress December 10th 1777. Resolved. That General Washington should for the future endeavour as much as possible to subsist his Army from such parts of the Country as are in its vicinity and especially from such Quarters as he shall deem most likely to be subjected to the power or depredations of the Enemy, And that he issue orders for such purpose to the Commissaries and Quarter Masters...
26506From George Washington to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 15 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 15 Dec. 1777. Heath’s letters to GW of 23 , 26 , and 27 Nov. are each docketed in part “Ansd 15th Decemr.”
26507From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 15 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor of yours of the 2d instant—I am much obliged for the attention you have paid to my requests thro’ General Putnam, and I shall ever acknowledge the readiness with which you have always afforded any assistance from Your State, when demanded immediately by myself. I was never consulted in the least upon the Rhode Island Expedition, and I cannot therefore pretend to say who were...
26508Draft of a Bill to Give the Articles of Confederation the Force of Law, [after 15 December 1777] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas certain articles of confederation and perpetual union were on the day of last proposed by Congress to be entered into between the states of New-Hampshire, Massachusettsbay, Rhode island and Providence plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylva, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, and Georgia, in these words following to wit ‘Article I. the stile &c....
26509Bill for Dividing the Counties of Augusta and Botetourt, [16 December 1777–12 January 1778] (Jefferson Papers)
[Whereas] it is represented to this present Session of Assembly by the Inhabitants of Augusta and Botetourt Counties that they labour under great Inconveniencies by Reason of the great Extent of the said Counties and Parishes Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly that from and after the first Day of February next the said County and Parish of Augusta shall be divided by a Line...
26510Bill Indemnifying the Executive for Removing and Confining Suspected Persons, [16–26 December 1777] (Jefferson Papers)
Whereas on the late appearance of a hostile Fleet in the Bay of Chesapeake, a large Body of Militia were collected and arrayed, and to prevent the dangerous Consequences which might have been produced by a Communication of Intelligence, to the Enemy, it became necessary for the Governor and Council, for the public safety, to remove and restrain, during the Imminence of the Danger, at a...
26511Adams’ Minutes of the Trial: New Hampshire Court Maritime, Portsmouth, 16 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Sewall. 3 Causes sett forth. Resolve of Congress, 25 Novr. 1775. March 23d. 1776. Law of N. Hampshire, principally relyd on. In June 1776. 1777 April 19. Septr. 5, 1776. Vessell and Cargo the Property of Sherja. Bourne, who thought it safest to go to E ngland and take shelter under the Wing of his Majesty K. George. Register, in the Name of S. Bourne, 3 Aug. 1776. Invoices from Lane Son &...
26512Oliver Whipple’s Minutes of the Argument: New Hampshire Court Maritime, Portsmouth, 16 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Libel sets forth three Facts as Causes of Condemnation viz. 1st. That the Property of Brig and Cargo belonged to some Inhabitant or Inhabitants of great Britain. 2d. That at the Time of the Capture She was Carrying Supplies to the Enemy. 3d. That the Property on Board was British Manufacture. NB They then indeavour to introduce a fourth Cause of Condemnation viz. that the Brig made a...
26513Dumas to the American Commissioners, 16 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook summary: Algemeen Rijksarchief, The Hague Envoyé le supplément de la Gazette fançoise de Leide No. 100, où est inséré l’extrait de la Gazette de Boston, savoir la lettre du Général Gates, Capitulation de Burgoyne, et Lettre du Général Washington. Détaillé mes opérations à cet égard, par rapport à l’avertissement du Gazettier de Rotterdam du 13e. où il promettoit ces pieces pour...
26514Jonathan Williams, Jr., to the American Commissioners, 16 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Virginia Library My last to Mr. Dean in answer to his of the 8th. informed you that I intended to go to Painbeuf, to give you a fuller account of the Lion, but various affairs have prevented. I have now ordered every article that relates to that Ship to be collected and sent on board with the utmost dispatch and by the end of this Week I intend she shall be compleat in...
26515John Young to the American Commissioners, 16 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I recived Yours of the 2d instant from Mr. Maylon [Moylan] along with the Dispatches for Congress which I will secure readey for Sinking in case of danger according to Your Orders. When the dispatches came to hand I was all clear for sea, and now onley wates for a favorable opportunity. Ther is certin information of seven saile of English Cruizers off Bil:...
26516To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 16 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have seen Sir Geo. Grand who was Yesterday at Versailles, and this morning with Mons. De Sartine; I find it impossible for me to go out this Afternoon, as I must be engaged every moment in Business. I must pray you to excuse me to Marechal Maillebois. He put into my hands a Memoire of one Millin de la Brosse, which I forgot to shew you, but I sent a...
26517To Benjamin Franklin from Henry Grand, 16 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society In the same Manner as I have seen People boast themselves of the Honour they have had of lodging in their House such and such a King, or worthy Personage, or of the Connexions they may have had with them, let them be ever so small; in the same Manner I shall henceforth boast of the honour you do me by the Letter in which you are so Kind as to give me the...
26518General Orders, 16 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The tents are to be carried to the encampment of the troops, and pitched immediately. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Muhlenberg’s orderly book contains different orders for this day’s general orders: “In aid of the supplys of cloathing imported by Congress they earnestly Recommended to the Sevel States to Exert their utmost Endeavour to procure all kinds of cloathing for the comfortable...
26519From George Washington to Major John Clark, Jr., 16 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Messenger went away before I got home yesterday, or I should have answered your letter. Altho’ I would not grant permission to all those who want to go into Philada to get paid for what they were plundered of, you may allow it to those on whom you can depend and from whom you expect any intelligence in return. I have directed that all passes granted by you shall be sufficient for the...
26520To George Washington from James Mease, 16 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform you Excellency that I left White marsh the day after the Army moved, in order to get some necessaries which my family stand in need of removed from this place to Lancaster, & have had the misfortune of being confined by sickness ever since I came here occasioned by a severe cold caught either at or on my journey to Camp. I am sorry to acquaint your Excellency that I find...