Bilbao, Spain, 16 January 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC No. 84, I, f. 234; docketed: “No. 3 Letter from John Adams Bilbao Jany 16 1780 Read April 7.” LbC Adams Papers . LbC in Thaxter’s hand Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No.3.” For a discussion of the presence of two Letterbook copies, see part 2 of the Introduction: “John Adams and his...
62From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 18 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
Major General Baron de Steuben, who goes to philadelphia on business, will do me the honor of presenting this Letter to your Excellency. From this Gentleman’s perfect knowledge of service in general and of the state of our Army in particular, he has it entirely in his power to satisfy Congress in any inquiries they may think proper to make, with respect to it’s situation necessities and wants....
63From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 18 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The severity of the Weather having rendered a descent upon Staten Island practicable by the Ice, and it being also imagined that the communication between New York and the Island was interrupted by the same cause, a favorable opportunity, of striking the enemy stationed there, (who amounted by report to 1000 or 1200 Men) seemed to present itself—A detachment of 2500 Men, including the troops...
64From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 19 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor yesterday to receive your Excellency’s Letter of the 14th by Colo. Magaw with the Resolutions of the several dates to which it refers. I am sorry to trouble Congress again on the subject of the proposed exchange of prisoners, but circumstances and my desire to do what is right compel me to it. I must beg leave to Inform your Excellency that when your dispatches on this point...
65George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 26 January 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] January 26, 1780 . Recommends appointment of Captain Daniel Nevins to Corps of Engineers. Inquires about commissions for officers of Sappers and Miners who will be very much needed in the next campaign. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
66From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 26 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to sollicit the attention of Congress to a matter, which very materially affects Colo. Bland, late commanding Officer at Charlotteville in Virginia. I am informed that this Gentleman, while in command, drew, from the Commissary, necessaries for his Table, upon a supposition that an allowance of that nature would be made, in consideration of his being obliged to live in a...
67From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 26 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose the copy of a letter from Brigadier General Du Portail. From the character he gives and which I have otherwise received of Capt. Nevin, I shall be happy it may please Congress to make the appointment solicited. As the Engineers we now have are only for a temporary service and it will always be essential to have men skilled in that branch of Military science in this...
68From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 27 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to inform your Excellency that the Enemy on the night of the 25th surprised our advanced parties which were stationed at Elizabeth Town and New Ark—and made a part of them prisoners. For a more particular account of the affair, I beg leave to refer Your Excellency to the inclosed Extract from Colo. Hazen’s Report upon the occasion, who then commanded a Detachment in the...
69From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 27 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with your Excellency’s favor of the 21st inclosing a Report from the Board of War, upon the application of Colonel Armand for promotion to the Rank of Brigadier in the service of the United States, on which, Congress have been pleased to request my opinion. I am ready to acknowledge the Grounds, on which, Colo. Armand founds his pretensions to higher Rank, so far as they...
70From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 30 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I herewith transmit Your Excellency the proceedings & sentence of the General Court Martial in the case of Major General Arnold for the approbation or disapprobation of Congress. The proceedings will be found in two packets committed to the care of Major Gibbs. I also think it my duty to inclose Your Excellency the Copy of a Letter of the [ ] Instant, from the Quarter Master General on the...
71From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 5 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
In the Letter which I had the honor of writing to You on the 27th of January, I mentioned that Colo. Armand was young in the service of France; by the Inclosed Letter from him it appears that I had been misinformd. as the Colonel is apprehensive this idea may operate in future to His prejudice, I take the liberty to transmit what he has said upon the subject. I have the Honor to be with the...
72George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 6 February 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] February 6, 1780 . Informs Huntington that Colonel Armand is not going to France. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
73From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 8 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have now the honor to acknowledge that Your Excellency’s several Letters of the 25th & 27th of last month and of the 1st Instant have been duly received with the acts to which they refer. The matters to which they respectively relate will have my attention in the best manner that their nature and circumstances will admit of. Cols. Mathews & Ely & Lt Colo. Ramsay returned to New York on the...
74From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 9 February 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Excellencys letter inclosing that of Mr. Scott to President Reed, and the President’s to the Delegates of Pennsylvania in Congress, together with the resolutions of your honorable body recommending to both States to forbear granting lands within their disputed territory came safely to hand. I immediately availed myself of an opportunity, which occurred at that time, to Pittsburg, of...
75From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 14 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with Your Excellency’s Favor of the 7th and am much obliged by the transmission of the Letter from Major General Lincoln—and for Major Lane’s state of the prisoners at the Southward. The General is not precise in his information on this subject, as to the number or rank of Our Officers still in captivity, but from what he says, I conclude it is nearly as Major Lane has...
Paris, 15 February 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, 1, f. 243; docketed: “No. 4 J. Adams Esqr. Paris Feby. 15th: 1780 Read May 15. arrival in France. interesting News.” LbC Adams Papers . LbC in Thaxter’s hand Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No. 4.” For a discussion of the presence of two Letterbook copies in the Adams Papers , see...
It is necessary that I should inform Congress, in what manner I have been able to procure Money to defray my Expenses, in my long Journey through the greatest Parts of Spain and France, to this City. On my Arrival at Ferrol, I was offered the Loan of Money by the French Consul Mr. De Tournelle, but at the same Time told me there was a Gentleman at Corunna Mr. Michael Lagoanere, who had...
78From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 17 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
On monday night I had the Honor to receive Your Excellency’s dispatches of the 10th —I shall in compliance with the direction of Congress, take the earliest occasion that circumstances will allow, to transmit the States the Returns required. I think it my duty however to inform Congress, that from the remote and dispersed situation of many Corps not originally raised as part of the State...
Inclosed are Copies of former Letters to Congress, and I shall continue to transmit Copies until I learn that some have arrived; for which Reason I must request the Favour that his Excellency the President, or some Committee, may be desired to acknowledge the Receipt of Letters, so that I may know as soon as may be what Letters have arrived and which have been less fortunate. The Art of making...
Since my Arrival in Europe I have had the Mortification to see in the public Papers a Series of little Successes which our Enemies have had in the prosecution of the War. The first was a very exaggerated Account in the English Court Gazette of their Successes against the Spaniards in South America. The next was the History of the Repulse of General Lincoln and the Comte D’Estaing at Savannah...
Paris, 23 February 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, I, f. 279; docketed: “No. 8 Feby. 23. 1780 Letter from J. Adams recd. Oct. 16. sends News Papers &c.” LbC Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in Congress Oct. 15.”; by Thaxter: “No. 8.” and “In No. 8 were inclosed Triplicates of all the former Letters to Congress, and also a Copy of a Letter to the Marquiss de la Fayette, & his...
82From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 23 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to inclose your Excellency a New York paper of the 21st—which contains his British Majesty’s speech and several other Articles of European intelligence. Your Excellency’s favor of the 12th inclosing Copies of sundry matters respecting the State of Georgia and the exchange of Brigr Genl Elbert, only reached me last Evening. I have the honor to be with the greatest Respect...
Since my Letter of the twentieth, I have recieved another Letter from his Excellency the Comte de Vergennes dated the 24th. of February, to which I answered this Day; Copies of both Letters are inclosed. I have also the Honour to inclose a Gazette, and an Application from M. Comyn of Marseilles to be a Consul for the Ports of Provence and Languedoc. I know nothing of this Gentleman, but what...
No. 10. There are so many Gentleman of Rank going out to America, that there can be no doubt Congress will be fully informed of the State of public Affairs. Mr. Lee, Mr. Izard, the Marquiss de la Fayette, Mr. Wharton, and many others, are going by different Vessels. Besides these Monsieur de L’Etombe, who is appointed Consul General of France for the Northern District of America, as Mr. Holker...
RC in John Thaxter’s hand PCC , No. 84, I, f. 295; docketed: “No. 11 J. Adams Esqr Feby. 29th. 1780 the Gazette mentioned, not inclosd. Read May 15th. requests the Constitutions of each State particularly Georgia & North Carolina.” LbC Adams Papers ; notations: “Recd in congress Oct. 15. Triplicate.”; by Thaxter: “No. 11.” Responding to a request from Edmé Jacques Genet, John Adams asked for...
86From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 12, 3 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 3 March 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 299–300). LbC ( Adams Papers ); notation: “Delivered Mr Wharton 4th March 1780.” printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:528–529. In this letter, received by Congress on 19 Feb. 1781, John Adams...
Agreeable to my Promise to the Marquis De la flotte, I must inform your Excellency that a Monsieur Jean Guy Gautier, Merchant at Barcelona, recommended to the Marquis by Monsieur Aubere, the french Consul there, is desirous of becoming the Consul of the United States at that Port. He had been encouraged, as M r . Aubere says, to expect this appointment by Doctor Franklin, but as he supposed my...
Captain Morgan’s being still here, waiting for a fair wind gives me an opportunity of transmitting to your Excellency a copy of a Letter just come to hand from the Count De Florida Blanca in answer to mine to M r . Galvez. Being apprehensive that if present I should probably be amused with verbal answers capable of being explained away if necessary until the two Courts could have time to...
89From John Adams to the President of Congress, No. 13, 4 March 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, March 4. 1780.. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 303–306). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:532–534; various American newspapers, including the Pennsylvania Gazette of 17 May and the Boston Independent Chronicle of 1 June. With this letter,...
90From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Huntington, 4 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS and AL (draft): National Archives; copy: Library of Congress; transcript: National Archives M. Gerard, under whose Care I understand the Dispatches from Congress to me, were forward’d, is not yet arrived here, and I have not received them. I cannot therefore at present answer any thing that may be contained in them. He is however expected next Week, and I may afterwards have time to write...