201From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 19 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 15th Inst. reached me this Morning. This going express, I have not time to determine on the Sentence of the Court Martial—You shall hear from me Tomorrow, on that Subject. The Enemy being certainly reinforced at Brunswic, & the corresponding Intelligence from every Quarter, induce me to believe that They will no longer suffer themselves to be cooped up within such narrow,...
202From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 12 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
This will be delivered you by the Officers who came with Colo. Hawsecker and under whose care he returns again. His arrival here was what I did not expect, as I had no particular, specific charge against him, nor has any thing more been alleged than General suspicions. All I meant or wished to be done respecting him, was that you should by inquiry trace if you could the causes of complaint and...
203From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 5–6 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The slowness and irregularity with which the Militia leave Philada renders the presence of some Genl Officer in that City indispensably necessary; And as You have been there & no doubt are better acquainted with the best Mode of equiping & dispatching them than any new one, I request your Continuance there ’till You hear farther from me. In the mean time I must call your utmost Attention to...
204From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 28 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am very much afraid that all the Troops on their march from the Southward will be infected with the small pox, and that instead of having an Army here, we shall have an Hospital. I know of no other way to prevent this, than not to suffer any more of the Southern Troops to come in to Philada they may be marched into German town and remain there while their Arms and Accoutrements are...
205From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 23 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
I shall not object to yr going to Philadelphia on Acct of your Health, but wish it would have permitted you to have gone to Bristol rather, in order to have conducted matters there in cooperation with what I hinted to you as having in view here. I fear their may be some little uneasiness about Command there, as some of the Continental Colonels have gone down with the Brigade that Marchd last....
206From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 14 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Before this comes to hand, you will have heard of the melancholy situation of our Affairs. I do not mean at this time to detail our misfortunes. With a handfull of men, compared to the Enemys Force, we have been pushed through the Jerseys without being able to make the smallest opposition & to pass the Delaware. Genl Howe is now on the other side, and beyond all question, means if possible to...
207From Benjamin Franklin to Horatio Gates, 28 August 1776 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Harvard University Library The Congress being advised, that there was a probability that the Hessians might be induced to quit the British service by offers of land, &c., came to two resolves for this purpose, which, being translated into German and printed, are sent to Staten Island to be distributed, if practicable, among those people. Some of them have tobacco marks on the back,...
208From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 13 August 1776; 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favours of 24 June, and 17. July, are before me. I wish with all my Heart that you were Dictator at Ticonderoga, as much as it was intended you Should be, in Canada. Not for the sake of promoting Mr. Rice, nor any other particular Person, but for the good of the Service in general. Let me ask you however, by the Way, whether, Rice would not do for a Judge Advocate in that Department? I...
209From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 14 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday morning received your Letter of the 29 Ulto by Bennet the Express and am extremely sorry to find the Army is still in a sickly and melancholy State—The precaution taken to Halt the Reinforcements at Skenesborough, which are destined for your Succour, is certainly prudent—they should not be exposed or made liable to the Calamities already too prevailing, Unless in cases of extreme...
210From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 19 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
I expected ’ere this to have heard from you; as I have not, I will open the corrispondance by expressing my exceeding great concern on acct of the determination of your board of General Officers, to retreat from Crown Point to Ticonderago; assigning (contrary to the opinion of all your Field Officers) for reason, that the former place is not tenable with your present force, or the Force...
211Orders and Instructions to Major General Horatio Gates, 24 June 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Honorable Continental Congress reposing the greatest Confidence in your Wisdom & Experience have directed me to appoint you to the very important Command of the Troops of the United Colonies in Canada: with a Power to appoint a Deputy Adjutant General, a Deputy Quarter Master General[,] a Deputy Muster Master General & such other Officers as you shall find necessary for the Good of the...
212From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 18 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
We have ordered you to the Post of Honour, and made you Dictator in Canada for Six Months, or at least untill the first of October. — We dont choose to trust you Generals, with too much Power, for too long Time. I took my Pen, at this Time, to mention to you the Name of a young Gentleman, and recommend him to your Notice and Favour. His Name is Rice. This Gentleman is the Son of a worthy...
213From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 27 April 1776 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the Twenty third, I received Yesterday, and it put me into a good Humour, the Benefit of which I feel to this Moment, and shall continue to experience a long Time. Was you idle enough to read the Tales in the London Papers and Magazines, a few years ago concerning the Cock Lane Ghost, and the others concerning a Man of Six feet high who leaped into a Quart Bottle and corked...
214From John Adams to Horatio Gates, 23 March 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure, a few days ago, of your Favour of 8th. Instant, for which I esteem myself under great obligations to you. We rejoice here at the Prospect there is of your driving the Enemy from Boston. If you should Succeed in this I hope effectual Measures will be taken to fortify the Harbour, that the Navy may never enter it again. I think the Narrows may be So obstructed that large...
215From George Washington to Brigadier General Horatio Gates, 17 June 1775 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Brigadier General Horatio Gates, 17 June 1775. On 22 June Gates wrote to GW : “Last night I was Honourd by the receipt of your Obliging Letter of 17th Instant.”