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    • Washington, George
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I was duly honored with Mr Hancocks Letter of the 25th with its several Inclosures. I shall take the case of John More under consideration, and will transmit Colo. Mason my determination upon the same. At this time, I cannot inform the Commissary whether any alterations have, or have not been made by Genl Orders in the Original ration establishment. I have been under the necessity from time to...
I do myself the honor to inclose you an extract of a letter from Major Genl Dickinson of the 6th instant, by which it appears that a reinforcement has sailed from New York either for Genl Howe or some other expedition. I have not yet heard whether any of the Troops on their march from the northward have yet crossed the North River, but I hope they will be with me near as soon as Genl Howe’s...
I have been duly honored with your Favors of the 4th and 5th Inst., with their several Inclosures. Among those of the former, I found the Resolution you are pleased to allude to, respecting your Appointment as president. permit me, Sir, to congratulate you upon this Event, and to assure you, I have the most entire confidence, that I shall experience in you, during your presidency, the same...
The condition of the Army for want of Cloaths and Blankets, and the little prospect we have of obtaining relief according to the information I have received from the Board of War, occasion me to trouble you at this time. The mode of seizing and forcing supplies from the Inhabitants, I fear, would prove very inadequate to the demands, while it would certainly imbitter the minds of the People,...
I am sorry to inform you that Fort Mifflin was evacuated the night before last, after a defence which does credit to the American Arms, and will ever reflect the higher honor upon the Officers and Men of the Garrison. The Works were intirely beat down, every peice of Cannon dismounted, and one of the Enemy’s Ships so near, that she threw Grenades into the fort, and killed the men upon the...
I have been duly honored with your Favors of the 13 & 19 Instant with their Inclosures. I am well assured Congress have not been inattentive to the Necessities of the Army, and that the deficiency in our Supplies, particularly in the Article of cloathing has arisen from the difficulty of importing, on account of the Numerous Fleet, which line our Coast. However, I am persuaded that...
I was yesterday morning honored with your Favors of the 22d Inst. I wish the measures Congress have adopted may effectually suppress the disturbances in the Western Department. Should they prove successful & the Savages & wicked deluded Inhabitants receive a severe check, it is probable, they will not be induced again to take a part against us—or at least for some considerable time. Colo....
On Saturday I had the Honor to receive your Favor of the 26th Ulto with it’s Inclosures. The Resolve of the 25th, I have published in Orders agreable to direction, and shall be happy if Congress can fall upon measures to render the situation of the Officers & Soldiery more eligible than what it now is. At present it is truly distressing, and unless some means can be divised to support them...
I have the honor to inform you, that in the course of last week from a variety of intelligence I had reason to expect that Genl Howe was preparing to give us a general Action. Accordingly on Thursday night he moved from the City with all his Force, except a very inconsiderable part left in his Lines & Redoubts, and appeared the next morning on Chesnut Hill in front of, & about three miles...
On Thursday Evening I had the Honor to receive your Favor of the 8th Instant. From the Several Letters which have lately passed between Genl Howe & myself, I am fully convinced that any propositions by me to release the Baron St Ouary from captivity, either by an Exchange or on parole would be unavailing. In his Letter of the he has explicitly stated his Sentiments, and has declared himself to...
On Saturday Evening I had the honor to receive your Favor of the 17th Inst. with it’s Inclosure. The next day I wrote to Genl Burgoyne upon the subject of his application & transmitted him a Copy of the Resolution of Congress founded thereon. That the matter might not be delayed, I dispatched my Letter by the Express who brought yours, he having informed that you expected he would be sent with...
Full as I was in my representation of matters in the Commissary’s department yesterday, fresh and more powerful reasons oblige me to add, that I am now convinced beyond a doubt, that unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place in that line this Army must inevitably be reduced to one or other of these three things. Starve—dissolve—or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the...
The reason of my troubling you at this time is to request that Congress will defer their decision on Genl Woodfords claim of rank for the present. I find that the Gentlemen affected by it are much averst to it, and therefore shall direct the whole to state their Objections, which I shall transmit by the earliest Opportunity, that Congress may be fully possessed of the subject and apprized of...
I have been duly honored with your several favors of the 23d 24th and 25th ulto with the enclosures to which they allude. In my letters of the 22d and 23d of last month, I mentioned the difficulties which the Service laboured under for want of a Qr Masr Genl and as I am induced to beleive that a new nomination has not been made since Genl Mifflins resignation, because Congress could not fix...
I take the liberty of introducing Major John Clark, the Bearer of this, to your notice. He entered the Service at the commencement of the War and has for some time past acted as Aid de Camp to Major Genl Greene. He is active, sensible and enterprising and has rendered me very great assistance since the army has been in Pennsylvania by procuring me constant and certain intelligence of the...
I take the liberty of transmitting to you the Inclosed Copies of a Letter from me to Genl Conway since his return from York to Camp, and of Two Letters from him to me, which you will be pleased to lay before Congress. I shall not in this Letter animadvert upon them, but after making a single observation submit the whole to Congress. If General Conway means by cool receptions mentioned in the...
Unwilling as I am to add any thing to the multiplicity of matter that necessarily engages the attention of Congress, I am compelled by unavoidable necessity to pass my answer to Genl Gates through their hands. What could induce Genl Gates to communicate a copy of his Letter to me, to that Honble Body, is beyond the depth of my comprehension upon any fair ground; but the fact being so, must...
I yesterday Evening had the honor of your Favor of the 1st Instant with it’s several Inclosures. The Letter you allude to from the Committee of Congress and Board of War came to hand on Saturday morning; But it does not mention the Regulations adopted for removing the difficulties and failures in the Commissary line. I trust they will be vigorous, or the Army cannot exist. It will never answer...
I yesterday Evening had the honor to receive your favor of the 5th Instant with its Inclosures. The power Congress have been pleased to vest me with for appointing Aids de Camp, I shall use with œconomy, and I will not appoint more at any time, than shall be necessary & essential to advance the public interest. Any future appointments that may be material, will be made out of the line of the...
As I do not recollect with precision, whether any or what Resolutions have been made by Congress respecting Captures by the Army or Detachments of It, and not having all their proceedings with me, with which I have been honored from time to time, to assist my inquiries upon the subject, I must take the liberty to request, that they will determine and favor me with their decisions upon the...
This will be deliver’d to you by the Chevalier de Mauduit du Plessis, who was among the first French Officers that joined the Army of the United States—the gallant Conduct of this young Gentleman at Brandywine, German Town, and his distinguished Services at Fort Mercer, where he united the Offices of Engineer and Commandant of Artillery, entitle him to the particular notice of Congress—he made...
Inclosed you will receive Copies of Letters in favor of Messieurs de la Neuville from the Marechal Merlet and the Marquiss de Bouillej to me, together with a certificate signed by the Baron de Wurmser—all my knowledge of these Officers who are sollicitous of employment in the American Service, is derived from these papers and what I have seen of them during their short Stay in Camp—their...
I have been honored with your several favors of the 14th 19th 22d & 25th Inst. in due order with their Inclosures, which shall have my attention. My application in preparing and digesting matters for the consideration of the Committee who are now in Camp prevented me acknowledging them before. The packet for Governor Livingston which accompanied the first Two, I transmitted him the next day by...
I this morning received your favor of the 27th Ulto. I cannot sufficiently express the obligation I feel to you for your friendship and politeness upon an occasion in which I am so deeply interested. I was not unapprized that a malignant faction had been for sometime forming to my prejudice; which, conscious as I am of having ever done all in my power to answer the important purposes of the...
On the Ulto I had the honor to receive your Favor of the 27th with the Copies alluded to. As the proceedings of Congress in this instance seem to imply, that our Unfortunate people in the hands of the Enemy are to be victualled by us, I have only to wish that the Supplies may be constant & plentiful. I have transmitted your Letter to Mr Boudinot who is out of Camp, and have requested his most...
I have been duly honored with your Favor of the 3d Instant and with its Inclosure. As General McDougal’s late severe illness and present feeble state will not permit him to proceed on the intended incursion into Canada, Baron de Kalb will follow the Marquiss agreable to his wish and the direction of Congress. According to the promise contained in my last, I take the liberty of transmitting you...
I am to acknowledge the Honor of your Letter of the 13 Instant with its Inclosure. The recommendation & authority to the several States in the Instances pointed out by the Resolve, if they are duly attended to, will produce many valuable consequences. The abuses complained of are but too prevalent, and require a reform. I have the Honor to be with great respect Sir Your Most Obedient servant...
I am now to acknowledge the Honor of your several Favors of the 18–19 & 21st Instant, which with their respective Inclosures have been duly received. In compliance with the Resolution of Congress of the 5th Inst., transmitted in your Letter of the 7th—I was about to take measures for appointing a Court Martial and bringing on the Trials, which they direct; But on recurring to the papers, you...
I take the Liberty of transmitting you Copies of three Letters from Genl Howe of the 14th & 21st Ultimo, & of the 2d Inst., with their Inclosures. The unhappy Violation of the Flag of Truce has laid us under no small Embarrassments, and has afforded the Enemy good Grounds for Complaints & Triumph at the same Time. This, however, is the natural Consequence & must ever be the Case, where...
On sunday night I had the honor to receive your favors of the 1st & 5th Instant with their Inclosures. I am happy to find that my past conduct respecting Citizens in the correspondence between Genl Howe & myself is approved by Congress. They may rest assured, that their rights are strongly impressed on my mind, and that in all my transactions every support in my power shall be given them. I...
This will be presented to you by Count Pulaski, who from a conviction that his remaining at the head of the Cavalry, was a constant subject of uneasiness to the principal Officers of that Corps, has been induced to resign his command. Waving a minute inquiry into the causes of dissatisfaction, which may be reduced perhaps to the disadvantages under which he laboured as a Stranger, not well...
Valley Forge, March 16, 1778 . States that command of Forts Montgomery and Clinton should be placed under general command of the Highlands. Has appointed Major General Alexander McDougall to that general command. Sees no prospect of carrying out intended expedition against Canada. LS , in writing of H, Papers of the Continental Congress, National Archives. Laurens had succeeded John Hancock as...
I have the honor to transmit you a letter from Governor Clinton, which he inclosed to me open for my perusal and consideration. The inconvenience, he mentions as resulting from the resolve, respecting the appointment of a commandant for forts Montgomery and Clinton requires to be obviated. I do not conceive it to have been the design of Congress, to make the command of those forts, altogether...
This will be delivered you by Captain Sullivan, who waits on Congress upon the subject of pay and the loss of his rank in the line of the Massachussets Officers. He is one of the Gentlemen, who in going with Major Sherburne to relieve the post we had at the Cedars in 1776, after a brave and gallant conduct fell into the Enemy’s hands. In a few days after on the treaty which General Arnold...
On saturday I had the Honor to receive your favor of the 10th with the Resolutions alluded to. Inclosed I take the liberty to transmit an Extract of a Letter just received from Genl Parsons. This, as well as the Letter which I inclosed you yesterday from Governor Clinton, will shew the confusion in the management of affairs on the North River. I informed Congress then, that I had sent General...
I have the honor of transmitting you the inclosed letter from General Smallwood, giving intelligence of the Enemys motions on the Delaware, and his conjectures respecting their object —the account he has heard of troops being on board the Vessels, is confirmed by the relations of deserters and others, who agree that a considerable number of men have been embarked—and add that they took...
I have the honor of yours of the 14th and 15th instants. In consequence of the Resolves transmitted to me I have dispatched an Express to the Marquis de la Fayette and Baron de Kalb to recall them from the northward, and instead of ordering down Hazens Regiment to rejoin this Army, I have ordered Van Schaiks immediately to the Highlands where the public Works are in a manner at a stand for...
Herewith I do myself the honor to inclose copies of a Letter from an Officer of Militia at Elizabeth Town to me, & an extract of a Letter from one of Mr Boudinots deputies, at Boston, to him; both tending to induce a belief, that the enemy have some enterprize in contemplation —what this is, time must discover—I have, this whole winter, been clearly of opinion, that Genl Howe’s movements would...
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...
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...
Valley Forge , April 3, 1778 . Recommends that Captain Henry Lee be promoted. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
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,...
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,...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...