41From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 29 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with yours of the 25th inclosing duplicates of two former Resolves of Congress, and a Resolve of the 23d instant accepting the Resignation of Colonel Charles Webb. Since mine of the 24th Mr Boudinot has communicated the following intelligence being part of a letter to him “I have lately recd some intelligence from New York that we may make ourselves easy in Jersey as all...
42From Benjamin Franklin to Henry Laurens: Two Letters, 31 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
(I) ALS , copy and two transcripts: National Archives; ALS (draft) and copy: Library of Congress; copies: Connecticut State Library, Harvard University Library, Yale University Library; transcripts: University of Pennsylvania Library, Charles E. Feinberg, Detroit, Michigan (1960); (II) ALS : South Carolina Historical Society; AL (draft): Library of Congress My Colleague, Mr. Deane, being...
43From John Adams to the President of the Congress, 1 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have the Honour to inform Congress, of my Safe Arrival in this City in the Frigate Boston after a most dangerous, and distressing Voyage of Six Weeks and four Days. The Situation of Things in Europe is so critical, at this Moment that, notwithstanding I am exhausted with the Fatigues of the Voyage, I am determined to proceed, the Day after Tomorrow, on my Journey to Paris. By all that I...
44From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 1 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of addressing you upon the 29th ulto I have not been able to learn, with any precision, whether the transports that arrived brought any considerable number of Troops. A Hessian Deserter says there were only a few German convalescents on board. If so, the Fleet, with 2500 mentioned in my last, is not arrived; supposing they were bound to Philada. General Sinclair arrived...
45George Washington to Henry Laurens, 3 April 1778 (Hamilton Papers)
Valley Forge , April 3, 1778 . Recommends that Captain Henry Lee be promoted. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
46From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 3 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
Captain Lee of the light Dragoons and the Officers under his command having uniformly distinguished themselves by a conduct of exemplary zeal, prudence and bravery, I took occasion on a late signal instance of it to express the high sense I entertained of their merit, and to assure him that it should not fail of being properly noticed. I was induced to give this assurance, from a conviction,...
47From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 4 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have now the honor to acknowledge your several letters of the 21st 29th and 30th ulto with their inclosures, which have been duly received. It gives me pain to observe, they appear to contain several implications by which my sensibility is not a little wounded. I find myself extremely embarrassed by the steps I had taken towards an Exchange of prisoners and the formation of a general Cartel,...
48From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 10 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your favor of the 4th Instt, inclosing a resolve of Congress of the same date empowering me to call forth five Thousand Militia from the States of Maryland, Pensylvania, and New Jersey. I thank Congress for the power; at the same time it is incumbent on me to assure them, that granting the practicability of collecting such a number, it would prove a work of...
49From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 18 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
On Thursday evening I had the Honor to receive your Two Letters of the 14th Instant. I am much obliged by the fresh assurances, which Congress are pleased to make me of their confidence, and they may be satisfied, that I wish nothing more ardently, than that a good and perfect agreement should subsist between us. The negociation between the Commissioners is ended, without effecting a Cartel....
50From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 20 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
With your Letter of the 17th Instant and it’s inclosures, I was duly honored on Saturday afternoon. When I addressed you on the 18th, I was doubtful, whether the draught of the Bill then transmitted was not spurious and contrived in philadelphia; but it’s authenticity, I am almost certain is not to be questioned. The information from philadelphia seems clear & conclusive, that it came over in...
51From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 23 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to transmit you a Letter, which I received yesterday from Governor Tryon, enclosing the draughts of the Two Bills, I forwarded before, with his certificate of the manner in which they came to his hands; accompanied by his more extraordinary and impertinent request, that through my means, the contents should be communicated to the Officers & Men of this Army. This Engine of...
52From John Adams to the President of the Congress, 25 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Having had so short Notice of this Opportunity, I can only have the Honour of writing a few Lines, and of inclosing a few News Papers. If the Dispatches of the Commissioners, have not met with uncommon ill Fortune you must before this Time, have received the important News of the Treaty, as well as authentic Information of the Agonies of G.B. Whether she will plunge herself, with uniform and...
53From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 25 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform Congress, that the report of the Commissioners coming, according to intelligence received yesterday by a Person of Philadelphia, is confidently believed, and it is there thought, that they will very soon arrive. I think it almost certain, that the matter will not be delayed, as the conduct of Ministry in not sending them immediately after their former propositions has...
54From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 27 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor, yesterday afternoon, to receive your Letter of the 24th continued to the 25th, with it’s important inclosures. Congress will be pleased to accept my sincere thanks for the fresh instance of confidence, manifested in their Resolution of the 23d and other proceedings, and they may rest assured, that whatever powers are intrusted to me, shall be invariably directed to promote the...
55From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 30 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I thank you much for your obliging favor of the 27th. I think with you, that a most important crisis is now at hand; & that there cannot be too much wisdom in all our Councils for conducting our affairs to a safe and happy issue. There should in my opinion be a full representation of the States in Congress, which I have often regretted has not been the case for a long time past. I also concur...
56From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 30 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
The extensive ill consequences arising from a want of uniformity in discipline and manœuvres throughout the Army—have long occasioned me to wish for the establishment of a well organised inspectorship, and the concurrence of Congress in the same views has induced me to set on foot a temporary institution, which from the success that has hitherto attended it, gives me the most flattering...
57From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 1 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your dispatches of the 27th Inst. In compliance with the request of Congress, I shall immediately call upon the Officers in the Army to take the Oath of Allegiance & Abjuration. This I should have done, as soon as the Resolution passed, had it not been for the state of the Army at that time, and that there were some strong reasons which made it expedient to...
58George Washington to Henry Laurens, 3 May 1778 (Hamilton Papers)
Valley Forge, May 3, 1778 . Discusses reasons for lack of Indian aid. Thinks the United States should continue to try to counteract British overtures to Indians. LS , in writing of H, Papers of the Continental Congress, National Archives; Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
59From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 3 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
In a late letter from General Schuyler, I received the proceedings of a Board of Commissioners for Indian-affairs held at Albany the 15th of last month. It appears by them, and some other accounts, I have seen, that there is but little prospect of succeeding in the plan, for engaging a body of Indians from that quarter to serve with this army. The advantage, which the enemy possess over us, in...
60From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 4 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Last night at 11 oClock, I was honored with your despatches of the 3d. The Contents afford me the most sensible pleasure. Mr Simeon Deane had informed me, by a line from Bethlehem, that he was the Bearer of the Articles of alliance &ca between France and the States. I shall defer celebrating this happy event in a suitable manner, untill I have liberty from Congress to announce it publickly. I...
61From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 11 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take the liberty to transmit to Congress a copy of a Letter from General Howe, which I received at three O’Clock this afternoon. The contents are exceedingly interesting to the unhappy prisoners in his hands. I thought it my duty to forward ’em immediately, and I must request that Congress will be pleased to inform me, as soon as possible, what line of conduct I am to pursue upon this...
62From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 12 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to receive in due time, your several favors of the 3d 6th & 9th Inst., with the Papers to which they respectively alluded. After much consideration upon the subject, I have appointed General McIntosh to command at Fort Pit & in the Western Country for which he will set out, as soon as he can accommodate his affairs. I part with this Gentleman with much reluctance, as I esteem...
63From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 18 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your two favors of the 11 & 15 Instant, with the several papers alluded to; the former by Monsr Jemat—the latter by Express yesterday. Colo. Johnson set out on saturday afternoon to wait on Congress upon the subject of his appointment, and I presume will be at York to day. I shall announce the Resolution of the 15th to the Army, and would flatter myself, it will quiet...
64From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 21 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
General McIntosh will have the honor to deliver you this. He is now on his way to take the command at Pitsburg and in the western frontiers, and waites on Congress for their instructions. I would also take the liberty of submitting to Congress the inclosed account of Expences incurred by the General in his Journey from Georgia to join this Army, and which he presented to me and to the Auditors...
65From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 24 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was duly honored with your two favors of the 20 & 21st Instant with their Inclosures. I have transmitted General Howe a Copy of the Resolution of the 21st respecting prisoners, and supposing him willing to effect an Exchange immediately, I have written to Mr Boudinot and requested him, as he is in possession of all the papers concerning them, to come to Camp without delay and superintend the...
66From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 28 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the Honor of addressing you on the 24th Instant, nothing material has happened. The Enemy are still in philadelphia, but the intelligence from thence is so clear and so strong, that it is certain, or nearly as much so as any Event can be that is contingent, that they mean to abandon it. Against the various measures they are pursuing, which point to an evacuation, there is but one...
67From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 28 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Lt Colo. John Gibson of the 6th Virginia Regiment, who, from his knowledge of the Western Country and Indian Nations and language, is ordered to repair to pitsburg will have the honor of delivering you this. He is intitled and has been ever since the Twenty fifth of October last to a Regiment in that line, and I must take the liberty to request that Congress will give him a Commission of that...
68From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 29 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your polite favor of the 5th Instt I duly received, and thank you much for the information contained in it. at the sametime, I earnestly request, that you will endulge me with an excuse for not answering it before—a constant croud of business, and the intervention of a variety of circumstances have been the cause; and not an inattention to the rules of civility, or to those of friendship. Your...
69From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 31 May–1 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to receive your favor of the 25th Inst. by Doctor Scudder, and that of the 29th yesterday afternoon, with the inclosures and packet to which they referred. I shall inform Major Lee of the New arrangement of his corps and will appoint the officers required. Major Beatty is not in camp. The letter addressed to him shall be sent by the first opportunity, to Princetown, where I...
70From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 2 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform you, that agreably to the Resolutions transmitted in your Favor of the 31st Ulto, I shall undertake the reform of the North Carolina Batallions in Camp, as soon as circumstances will admit. I sincerely wish the Legislatures of the several States had passed Laws, adopting the generous policy, recommended by Congress in their Resolution of the 23d of April. I am assured, by...