42001To George Washington from John Hancock, 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honour of transmitting such Resolves of Congress as have passed since my last, which are either relative to your Department, or necessary for your Information. The Congress have authorized you to proceed in the Exchange of Prisoners agreeably to the Cartel at present existing, or such other Regulations as you may think proper to make in the Matter, provided the Enemy will relax in...
42002To George Washington from Ebenezer Hazard, 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Mr Hazard presents most respectful Compliments to his Excellency General Washington, and begs Leave to inform him that he has received a Letter from Boston this Evening, dated the 20th Inst. from which the following is extracted. On the 18th Inst. arrived at Portsmouth an armed Vessel, of 14 Guns, from France. Her Cargo consists of Twelve Thousand Stands of Arms, one thousand Barrels of...
42003To George Washington from Charles Hoff, Jr., 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I thought it my duty to inform your Excellency that one of our Men came just now to me and informed that several of our hands had last Night fled to the Regulars, and one of them informed him they were to be joined by three hundred more from Minisink, Goshen and other places. If there were Guards sent to the several Ferries and by places towards Hackinsack and Aquaquenunk I think they might be...
42004To George Washington from William Livingston, 26 March 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Livingston, 26 Mar. 1777. GW writes to Livingston on 1 April that “I have been honoured with yours of the 17th and 26th.”
42005From George Washington to William Shippen, Jr., 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the greatest reason to believe that soldiers, when they are dismissed the Hospitals, in which they have been, instead of joining the Corps they belong to, go strolling about the country at their own option, to the great detriment of the service. It is absolutely necessary, that a remedy should be provided against this evil in future, which can only be found in making it an invariable...
42006From George Washington to Col. Israel Shreve, 26 March 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Col. Israel Shreve, 26 Mar. 1777. Shreve’s letter to GW of 22 Mar. contains a docket that reads in part “Ansd 26th 1777” and a memorandum in the writing of GW’s aide-de-camp Robert Hanson Harrison: “Ansd 26th Returns so essential—so necessary that they can no longer be dispensed with. The Officers must be called on who are recruitg and they must be made.”
42007To George Washington from Major General Joseph Spencer, 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I Receiv’d your Excellency letter of 11th Instt and have carefully Observ’d the Contents Shall Endeavor faithfully to attend your Excellency’s advice therein given. We are but poorly prepar’d to defend the country here with the present Army, But I imagine that there is Great Reason to believe that the Enemy are about to leave Rhode island soon—Sundry people have lately made their escape from...
42008To John Adams from Samuel Freeman, 25 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Being informed that you are of a Committee of Congress, appointed to consider what further Regulations are necessary to be made in the Post Establishment —I beg leave to recommend to your attention the present plan of riding between this Town and Falmouth Casco Bay (of which Place I have the Honor of being Post Master) and to propose an alteration therein. The Post Rider from Falmouth sets out...
42009To John Adams from Jonathan Hastings Jr., 25 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Your Favor per Dr. Jackson of the 7 Instant came to hand this day. It gives me pleasure that you are upon the Committee to consider of further Regulations of the Post Office. Previous to the Regulations in the Office which took place the 5th. of October 1776, the Posts from the Southward and elsewhere arrived as punctually on the Days fixed as they were ever known to do. What Instructions the...
42010From Alexander Hamilton to Joshua Loring, 25 March 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
His Excellency General Washington has permitted Doctor Thomas Sendown, the bearer hereof, and Mr. Laghlin McIntosh prisoners with us on parole, to go into New York to be exchanged for two other Gentlemen of similar rank, prisoners with you. The Gentlemen he desires should be released instead of them are Doctor Samuel McKensie, taken at Three Rivers, and Mr. Daniel Frink Commissary, who was...
42011From Benjamin Franklin to Michael Hillegas, 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Library of Congress The Bearer M. de Bert de Majan, has been bred in the Military Line, and is esteemed here to be skilful in his Profession. As such he is recommended to me by the Count de Rochechouart, Lieutenant General in the King’s Armies. He is desirous of entring into our Service in America, the Grenadier Regiment of Colmar, in which he was a 2d. Lieutenant, being...
42012From Benjamin Franklin to [Penet], 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Library of Congress The Bearer, M. de Bert, is desirous of going to America. He goes at his own Expence, but will want Advice about his Passage. As he is your Countryman, I cannot do better for him, than to introduce him to you and to recommend him to your Civilities, as a Gentleman of Character and Merit. I receiv’d your Favour by Mr. Rumsey, and am glad to hear of your Welfare,...
42013The Committee of Secret Correspondence to the American Commissioners, 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: Library of Congress We are commanded by Congress to transmit Copies of their Resolve of the 13 instant to all the Gentlemen abroad that hold correspondance with any of their Committees. The Necessity of Such a resolution and due attention to it, is fully evinced by the heavy expence america has been put to by many Gentlemen received into their...
42014Jonathan Williams, Jr., to the American Commissioners, 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am still without any of your Favours which I confess gives me great uneasiness as I am apprehensive that my Letters have miscarried. The last I received from Mr. Deane which was 23 days in coming encreases this Suspicion: if you have not received one by every post this must be the Case as I have written by every one. I have the pleasure to inform you that...
42015To Benjamin Franklin from La Rochefoucauld, [25 March 1777] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Duc de la Rochefoucauld fait bien des complimens à Monsieur le Docteur franklin; il le prie du lui donner des nouvelles de sa goutte; il a l’honneur de lui envoier la Nouvelle Constitution de Delaware, et si Monsieur franklyn le trouve bon, il ira la rechercher Jeudi matin à Passy, si Monsieur le Docteur y est encore, ou à Paris. The Duke’s note below of...
42016To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 25 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am extreemly uneasy at not hearing from you particularly in answer to mine relative to Mr. Shweighaussers proposals which seems to surprise him, and I am fearfull it will make some impressions unfavourable to the notice and Friendship you have hitherto honoured me with. I who know how many things you have to attend to and being conscious of not having...
42017General Orders, 25 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
42018To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 25 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I most Heartily Congratulate your Excellency on the arrival of the French Storeship at Portsmouth Intelligence of which together with the Invoice of the Stores I suppose you Received Some Days Since ⅌ the Express, I hope this to be but the foretaste of a Plentifull Harvest from the Same Quarter, and Indeed this arrival is very Seasonable for without Some of the Arms, I Cannot at present See...
42019To George Washington from Colonel Jedediah Huntington, 25 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
In Obedience to your Excellencie’s Order of the 12th March I send a Return of my Regiment, am sorry it rises no higher, I could go out of Service with more Cheerfullness than I cam into it or make any other Sacrafice to accelerate this important Business—Major Sill will march with a Division of my Regiment as soon as they are able—the Men are but just leaving the Hospital—many of them had the...
42020To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 25 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday I had the Honor to receive Your Excellency’s Favors of the 12th & 15th instant. If the Enemy’s Intention is to draw their Force from Canada & content themselves, with preventing Us from Attempting to go into that Country, the Disposition Your Excellency has made of such of the Eastern Troops, as were intended for Tionderoga, is certainly a very judicious one, And if the Intelligence...
42021To George Washington from Capt. Francis Wade, 25 March 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Capt. Francis Wade, 25 Mar. 1777. GW wrote Wade on 28 Mar. : “I have yours of the 25th inclosing sundry Letters and papers.”
42022From John Adams to James Warren, 24 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
This Morning, a Vessell has arrived in this City with 6800 stand of excellent Arms and 1500 Gun Locks, belonging to Congress and 1500 more private Property. These last We have ordered to be bought. This News you may depend on, the Letters were brought into Congress, in the Midst of a Debate concerning a Resolution to impower the General to procure Arms wherever he could find them. Thus, it...
42023The American Commissioners and the Farmers General: Contract for Tobacco, [24 March 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress; copy: National Archives In the light of the previous negotiations, this is a remarkable document for the commissioners to have signed. It passed over in silence two main points on which they had been seeking concessions: insurance and transportation; by agreeing to deliver the tobacco in France they tacitly assumed the risks of the sea and responsibility for shipment...
42024To Benjamin Franklin from the Comte de Clermont-Tonnerre, 24 March [?] 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : National Archives Mr. dorset, Monsieur, qui vous remettra cette Lettre est un officier qui s’est fait une reputation dans le service. Il est homme de condition sans fortune et plein de Zele pour son metier. N’etant point dans la position de faire un chemin aussi prompt qu’il le desireroit dans les circonstances actuelle du service de france, il voudrait que ses services pussent vous etre...
42025To Benjamin Franklin from Germany, Girardot & Cie., 24 March 1777: résumé (Franklin Papers)
L : American Philosophical Society <March 24, 1777, in French: They have sent a letter for Franklin received from Strasbourg, and will forward the reply when notified.> Deane’s bankers, who had become BF ’s; see above, p. 18 n and Girardot de Marigny to BF , Feb. 6.
42026General Orders, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
42027To George Washington from Colonel Philip Burr Bradley, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have forwarded the Pay Abstracts for the Regt which I commanded last Campaign, the peculiar difficulties attending the making out of the Abstracts arising from our broken situation will I hope apologize for any small inaccurasies which may be discovered I have endeavoured to do them with as much precission as possible. Being appointed by Genl Parsons to superintend the Small Pox in the...
42028To George Washington from William Brown, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I am at present by Dr Shippen’s orders about to break up the General Hospital at this Place which is the only one in this part of the Country, not already brought to a conclusion, & the last Party of the Men will march this week, so that there will in a few days be no general Hospital nearer than that at Four-Lanes-End, which also will soon be broke up, Col. Read will be left totally...
42029From George Washington to Col. Lambert Cadwalader, 24 March 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Col. Lambert Cadwalader, 24 Mar. 1777. The docket on Cadwalader’s letter to GW of 16 Mar. reads “16th Mar. Answer’d 24th ditto.”
42030To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I receivd your letter of the 21st I was with a Committee of Congress who had the business of the Cartel and other matters under consideration when your Excellencies letter was deliverd me—I had explaind the matter fully to the Congress & Committee I was two hours before the former and two Evenings with the latter—I believe the business of the Cartel will be settled agreeable to your...
42031To George Washington from Joshua Loring, 24 March 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Joshua Loring, 24 Mar. 1777. Charles Hamilton Autographs, Inc., of New York sold an LS that Loring wrote as British commissary for prisoners to GW concerning the “arranging an exchange of prisoners of war, and informing him that a number of American officer-prisoners had deserted from their paroles, setting forth the terms of their paroles and demanding their return to...
42032To George Washington from Captain John Paul Schott, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
This is to inform your Excelency that I applyed here for Money Armes and plankits but can’t get it without your Excelency is pleas’d to send me a Warrand I have twenty five men I am oblig’d to pay £1.1 pr week for Each men which I think is too much, if I can get plankits I shall put them in the Barraks at Lancaster I have promiss of about twenty men at fort Lauton where I shall go as soon as I...
42033To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 24 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have Just now received your Excellencys letter of Yesterdays Date, almost every Matter Mentioned in it Necessary to guard our out posts from any surprize; at the same time to Harrass them, were Contain’d in a set of Instructions which I gave to Colo. Hollinsworth, on his first going to Quibble Town. I shall again urge the same Matters to Colo. Rumsey, who now Commands there with about 300...
42034Abigail Adams to John Adams, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I have a very good opportunity of writing to you by Major Ward, who sits of tomorrow morning. I most sincerely rejoice at your return to Philadelphia. I shall now be able to hear from you every week or fortnight. You have had journeying this winter and sufficent exercise for a year. We have very agreable Intelligence from France which suppose will be communicated to you before this reaches...
42035John Quincy Adams to John Adams, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I received yours of the 19 of Feb and thank you for your perpetual almanack for with the assistance of my Mamma I soon found it out and find it is a very useful thing I have been a reading the history of Bamfylde moore carew he went through the biggest greatest part of america twice, and he gives a very pretty Desscription of maryland and philadelphia and new york but though he got a great...
42036To John Adams from William Tudor, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I yesterday ask’d Permission to resign my Post of J.A.G. and to retire from the Army, but met with a Refusal, which, though softened by a Compliment from the General, gave me some Chagrine. A Person at my Time of Life ought to be, if possible in the Road to Wealth or Fame, or both, my Office will never intitle me to either. For the Pay annexed to it, from the Depreciation of the Currency and...
42037To John Adams from James Warren, 23 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you last from Plymouth about three weeks ago after which I was detained at Home longer than I Expected and did not get here till last Tuesday. I Understand that Letter and one wrote at the same time to Mr. Adams went by the Post. As I wrote with some freedom I should be glad to hear of the receipt of it. Since I have been here I have had the pleasure of yours of the 17th. Feby. and am...
42038General Orders, 23 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
42039From George Washington to John Hancock, 23 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Palfrey having expressed a desire to settle the Accounts of his Office to this time, has obtained my permission to repair to Philadelphia and now waits on Congress with his Books & Vouchers, hoping that a Committee will be appointed to examine and adjust the same. The disadvantages which have arisen to the service and which have been severely felt for want of constant Supplies in the...
42040To George Washington from Colonel Ann Hawkes Hay, 23 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I think it my duty to give your Excellency every information in my power of the Motions of the Enemy, I beg leave to inform you that this day about Noon a Frigate and four Transports came to an Anchor near peekskill and immediately landed a Body of Troops without opposition, soon after I discovered a large fire, which increased in different places, till at last the Conflagration became...
42041From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 23 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote to you the 13th directing you to order eight of the Regiments of your State to march with the greatest expedition to peekskill. I then gave you my reasons for this alteration of my former orders. Altho’ I called upon you, in the most pressing manner, to hurry the Troops on, I cannot help again repeating my distress for the want of Men; the general Backwardness of the recruiting...
42042From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 23 March 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Major General Stirling, 23 Mar. 1777. Stirling wrote to GW on 24 Mar. that “I have Just now received your Excellencys letter of Yesterdays Date.”
42043From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 23 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with yours of the 8th and 10th instant the first accompanying an account of the Committee of Simsbury against prisoners who were sent there by my order—There is no part of the charge to be objected against, but that of £9.6.0. said to be for the expence and trouble of the Committee themselves—I cannot see how either could have been incurred in so trivial a matter, or if any, that...
42044John Adams to Abigail Adams, 22 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
The Post now comes regularly, once a Week, and brings me the Boston News Papers, but no Letters from Penns Hill or its Environs. How do you do? Anxious, faint, melancholly? Chear up—dont be distressed. We shall see many good days yet, I hope. I derive a secret Pleasure from a Circumstance which I suppose at present occasions the most of your Apprehensions. I wish I could know more...
42045Isaac Smith Sr. to John Adams, 22 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 25th Ulto. I received sometime since by my Schooner and have sent your B arre l flour—As likewise a packet of yours by a schooner a few days since. A schooner that came Out with mine charged by Our Commite of Warr (Arnold Master) is suppos’d to be taken. As to my Affairs att Baltemore they fell into the hands of those people not by choice and wish I had known sooner what sort of...
42046John Thaxter to John Adams, 22 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
You mention, Sir, in the beginning of your Letter, that you are indebted to me for several Letters. I shall never presume to consider you indebted in that Respect, or myself entitled whilst the public at large, or any Individual of it, has a Title to your Attention in preference to mine. It was not a Consideration of your being indebted Sir, that has prevented my frequent writing to You, but...
42047From John Adams to William Tudor, 22 March 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yours of the 16th. I got Yesterday. If Howe imagines that one fourth of Pensilvania are Quakers, he is mistaken one half: for upon the most exact Inquiry, I find there is not more than one in Eight of that Denomination. If he imagines that 99 in 100 of these are his Friends, he is mistaken again. For I believe in my Conscience that a Majority of them are Friends to Nobody but themselves—And...
42048From Alexander Hamilton to the New York Committee of Correspondence, 2[2] March 1777 (Hamilton Papers)
Two days ago I accepted your challenge and met you for the first time in the epistolary field; since which I had the pleasure of receiving yours of the 19th. instant; and as far as circumstances will permit, close with your proposal of interchanging blows twice a week. The present time is so unfruitful of events that it affords no intelligence worth your notice, as to transactions of a...
42049To Benjamin Franklin from the Baron de Würmser, 22 March 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Le Baron De Wurmser Lieutenant général des armées du roy prie Monsieur Le Docteur Frankelin de vouloir bien lui donner demain dimanche 23 mars une audience de cinq minutes. Il se rendra ches lui a Passy entre 10 et 11 heures du matin. Il auroit eu L’honneur de lui demander son jour s’il n’etoit pas obligé de passer la Semaine prochaine a Versailles....
42050General Orders, 22 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Commander in Chief is pleased to make the following promotions. viz: Major John Green of the 1st Virginia Battalion to be Lieutenant Colonel of the same, vacant by the death of Lt Col. Eppes. Capt: Robert Ballard of the same to be the Major of the same, vacant by the promotion of Lt Col. Green. Lieut. Col. Alexander Spotswood of the 2nd Virginia Battn to be Colonel of the same, vacant by...