31From William Stephens Smith to Ebenezer Hazard, 27 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
The General has rece’d yours of 22d Instant requesting his opinion of Kakiat as a Place of Safety for the Mails to remain at one night. He desires me to inform you that it will by no means answer, the risk being evidently too great as it is considerably advanced of any post that we occupy in that Part of the Country. I am Sir Your most obedt Humble Servt DLC : Papers of George Washington.
32To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 21 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the honor of forwarding to Your Excellency, a Letter rece’d by flag from the Enemy. Capt. Thomas Douglas Intendant of marine Prisoners, presented the enclosed recommendation from Mr Turner for his admittance into the Enemy’s Lines and requested a flag for the purpose—My orders will not admit of granting it upon Mr Turner’s passport. I have therefore informed the Gentleman I...
33From William Stephens Smith to David Humphreys, 20 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
I received yours of the 17th inst. last night, the death of that brave, and venerable officer, Lord Stirling, I sincerely lament, his faults were so dimmed by the lustre of his Virtues, that they were scarcely decernable, and I think Society has met with a Loss in his exit—the natural goodness of his Heart, and the general rectitude of his Conduct in public Life, entitles him to the tributary...
34To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 29 November 1782 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed, I have the honor of transmitting flagg orders, from Rear Admiral Digby, & a Certificate, respecting a James Braxter—The flagg arrived here yesterday Evening, The conduct of Richard Gardner Commander, is mark’d with such striking Lines of impropriety, that I have placed an officer & a Guard on board, & shall detain her untill your Excellency’s Pleasure is known—In the first place he...
35To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 8 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the honor of forwarding to your Excellency the papers of the 3d 4th &5th instant The Enemy are anxiously expecting the arrival of a Cutter from Europe, said to be on her way—on the 6th 60 Guineas were laid to 30, at the Coffee House in favour of a peace upon her arrival. I am Your Excellency most Obedt Ser. DLC : Papers of George Washington.
36To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, 25 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the Honour of transmitting an Order sent to me from the Board of War which Last Night I executed. the Gent. are now in Town Prisoners. they are treated with all the Dellicacey their Situation will admit of ⟨&⟩ their Behaivour on the Occasion has been unexceptionable. I should be happy to receive your Excellency orders concerning them. Inclosed I also send a Letter from Doctor...
37To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, 29 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
Immagening that the multiplicity of Business that your Excellency must at present be necessarily engaged in, would render it something inconvenient to honour me with a private Audience; I have thought it most proper to adopt this method to inform you of my Situation which at present is not so agreable as I could wish. I was permitted by M.G. Sullivan to come on with him to H. Quarters, to...
38To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, 25 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Marquis set off this morning for Philidelphia since his departure I have received from below the enclosed letters which I have the Honour of transmitting to your Excellency, haveing first taken Copys & forwarded to the Marquis, we shall march early in the morning and arrive at trenton the 28th instant. I have the Honour to be Your Excellency’s Most devoted Servt ALS , DLC:GW . Smith wrote...
39To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, 10 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
[ Light Camp, Passaic, N.J., 10 Nov. 1780 ]. Smith begins a long letter focused on his actions and those of Col. Israel Shreve during the period from the Battle of Connecticut Farms, 7–8 June, to the Battle of Springfield, 23–24 June: “I do not know how I can answer your Excellency’s letter of the 9th better than by a detail of the facts to which Colo. [Matthias] Ogden alludes.” Smith tells...
40To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, 18 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have this Day Recd your Excellency’s Letter of the 14th Instant repeating the Orders that I was honour’d with when I had last the Pleasure of waiting on you & must confess that it gives me considerable unneasiness that I should ever give your Excellency the trouble of repeating your Orders. But I can with truth assure your Excellency that upon my return to this Place I Issued Orders for my...
41To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 17 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
This morning arrived at this Post the Schooner Lively from Nantucket laden with articles agreeable to a pass inclosed given by George Gardner Justice of Peace . The master says he is bound to the army on a trading voyage—my orders still existing in full force I do not consider myself at liberty to permit her to pass upon the proposed business—I have therefore desired Captn Frye of the New...
42To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 31 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am honour’d with your Excellency’s Letter of the 28th Inst., and am happy to have it in my power to inform you that, the officer and Escort detach’d with a Flagg with the Prisoners mentioned in my last, have return’d; tho’ we had no provision to Issue (upon their being deliverd to the Enemy) they expressed their Gratitude, for the treatment they met with while here—this relieves me in some...
43To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 20 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed I have the honor of forwarding a Petition directed to your Excellency, with a Letter from Sir Guy Carleton to Govr Harrison, received this Day by flagg from the Enemy. I have receipted for, one hundred and eighty seven Guineas & one half Guinea & one spanish milled Dollar, forwarded by Mr Morgan Secretary to Sir Guy Carleton, by Capt. Stewart of the Qr Masters Department. Inclosed is...
44To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 12 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s Letters dated the 6th & 9 inst. & observe that the Plan is laid aside; whilst it existed, my Spirits were kept afloat, & I scarcely allow’d myself to reflect (further than was necessary for the moment) upon my Position, but with it, every spur to my ambition is vanish’d, and I have nothing to engage my Attention, excepting flagg Duty, the...
45To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Stephens Smith, 27 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I send a Letter from Colo. Gibson treating as I am inform’d of the Officers (attending the British & Hessian Prisoners) being permitted to go into the City they propose being at the White Horse this Evening & would be happy to be made acquainted with your Excellency’s Sentiments upon that Subject I shall do myself the Honour of waiting on your Excellency to Morrow to receive your...
46To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 8 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I was honoured with your Excellency’s private Letter of the 3d Inst—I shall be as attentive as can be wished to the points particularly referred to; the subject has never yet in the most distant manner passed my lips—I shall continue silently attentive to it, and under the mask of interrupting Commerce, sometimes review the scene; and with 24 hours notice, I think I shall be able to give a...
47To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 1 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the honor of transmitting to your Excellency the last Papers. The New Corps are to embark on Wednesday for Nova Scotia, and agreable to the Adjutant Generals returns there remains only ten thousand Inhabitants to be removed—Sir Guy Carleton in withdrawing his Troops from the upper Part of Long Island to their present Encampment between New Town and Bedford has left the Country...
48To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 27 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
A Capt. of the Pensylvania Artillery acting in the Marine Department, has this instant arrived He informs me, that he Left, the day before yesterday a Subaltern and 13 men at Brunswick, charged with the safe conveying upwards of 60 seamen Prisoners of War. to this post, on their way to new York He expects them here this Night. There being no arrangement made by the Minister of War or the Agent...
49To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 14 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellencys Letter of the 12th instant and shall communicate to Mr Mercereau the contents as far as they respect him. Inclosed I have the honor of forwarding a letter received by flag this evening from M: Morgan Secretary to Sir Guy Carleton with a Copy of a receipt given to Captain Stapleton Depy Adjt General for three hundred and twenty french crowns for the use of...
50From William Stephens Smith to Timothy Pickering, 2 November 1781 (Washington Papers)
The General understands that it was your intention to move the waggons of the Army with the Baggage of the General & Staff Officers destined for the northward in the morning. As Matters are not in that forwardness that he expected to find them in at this period, he desires that it may be postponed untill further orders upon the Subject. I am Sir Your &c. DNA : RG 93—Manuscript File.
51To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 27 November 1782 (Washington Papers)
Agreable to your Excellency’s Orders, I have visited the posts below, from whence I have this instant return’d, the wheather, since I arrived here, being remarkably dull, put it out of my power to report, before, with that accuracy that you wish—I lay last night with 12 men between fort Lee & Bulls ferry, the Troops on the Island were remarkably quiet, & but two small fires to be seen, one...
52To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 19 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the honor of forwarding to your Excellency a Letter from Sir Guy Carleton, received late this Evening by flag of Truce, with the others which accompany it also the London Papers rece’d from a Corespondent of the 8th, & 9th of Novr the 2d & 7th of Decr 82 and the New York Paper of this date.I have the honor to be Your Excellency’s most Obedt Humble Servt DLC : Papers of George...
53To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 28 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
Agreable to your Excellency’s order’s of the 21st inst. I have permitted the Inhabitants to pass & repass this post, upon their reporting themselves to me—In consequence of which, vast Numbers have crowded to the City. The enclosed No. 1 is a Copy of a Letter received last evening from Brigadier General Musgrave—No. 2 is my Answer dispatch’d this morning—If your Excellency thinks proper that...
54To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 19 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
Agreable to your Excellency’s Orders containd in a Letter from Colo. Humphries of the 2d Inst forwarded by Mr Merrit I dispatch’d a flagg to Paulus Hook, with Letters to the Commissary of Prisoners in New York, requesting permission for Mr Merrit ’s admittance for the purpose of furnishing the Prisoners with money &c.—to which I have not yet received a reply—the flagg was obliged to halt one...
55To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 24 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
I informed your Excellency last night of my return, and forwarded the papers which I hope are received. The day after my arrival in New York Major Wemyss Deputy Adjutant General being requested by Sir Guy Carleton to attend to a settlement with their Commissary, we proceeded to compare, and examine the accounts, with respect to numbers sent in and received from either side, and found them to...
56To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 24 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
Notwithstanding the Enemy’s present dispositon for Peace, and that nothing else is apparently wish’d for, or expected by them in general, there are some who have their doubts, and do not hesitate in expressing them—every step is taking to sooth, and quiet the minds of the people, of which no stronger evidence can be given than the general Orders of the 20th instant. The people of Connecticut...
57To George Washington from William Stephens Smith, 27 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is a copy of a Letter from the Commissary of prisoners in Canada, with a certified copy of the account of Cash paid our officers and others prisoners with the Enemy, address’d to Josa Loring Esqr. and delivered to me by Mr Dunant Deputy Commissary of prisoners, requesting a settlement of the same—As the accounts we have against the Enemy for supplies furnish’d their prisoners are...