91From George Washington to Robert Howe, 10 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
As there is but one Regiment at Philadelphia to March to West Point, and the Troops when they get there take their Orders from the Commanding Officer of the Garrison (agreeably to the Original disposition of them) till Congress shall have determined upon a Peace Establishment; there can be no necessity for your Marching with your present command, in its reduced state to that place. I mention...
92From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 4 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received your letter of yesterday about three hours ago —For the reasons you assign, I approve of the alterations you have made in the disposition of the troops which had taken place previous to your arrival. I am sorry the proposed removal of the Militia from horseneck has met with the opposition you mention—In the late position of the enemy they were exposed to the most imminent danger;...
93From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 4 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favs. of the 27th and 30th ulto and that of the 3d instant covering a letter from Genl Heath—Mr Moylan has not yet come in—I imagine he is stopped by the heavy rain. I am informed that Genl Glover had missed my letter directing him to stop at Springfeild for the purpose of receiving and forwarding the drafts of Massachusetts —I make no doubt but you have sent him back to...
94From George Washington to Robert Howe, 25 June 1783 (Washington Papers)
You are to take the command of the Detachment ordered to march to Philadelphia in consequence of the Letter of the Presidt of Congress of the 21st instant—you will move with as much expedition as you can consistently with the health & comfort of the Troops—This Corps must be absolutely light & unencumbered with Baggage, having only two Peices of Field Artillery—you will make Arrangements with...
95From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 17 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
It is thought from a view of the fortifications on Verblanks point that there is a ⟨g⟩ood prospect of possessing our selves of the Garrison. You will therefore march down your troops and open a battery against their Block House as soon as possible. After beating the block House about their Ears if you can find any apprehensions in the Garrison for their safety, You will make a disposition of...
96From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 30 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to transmit You all the Letters which have been sent or received by me, on the subject of Colo. Mitchells attending the Trial of Major General Arnold. They are all numbered in regular order from No. 1 to 9 Inclusive. When the Court have read them, they will be pleased to return them. I have the honor to be with great respect & esteem gentn Your Most Obt st Df , in Robert...
97From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 5 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this morning been favd with your private and public letters of yesterday. The Reinforcement of the enemy —their vigilance at their advanced posts—and seeming desire to draw you down towards them, all conspire to forbid your making any attempt upon them, and to cause a more than common attention on your part. Finding by the date of yours of yesterday that you was still at lower salem, I...
98From George Washington to Robert Howe, 10 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am favord with your Letter of Yesterday. When you mentiond to me the other day the probability of your Affairs requiring your presence at Boston—I believe I told you that if there was an absolute necessity for it—leave should be granted—It is painfull to me to Refuse an Officer any Indulgence it is in my power to grant, but some thing is due to other considerations, the good of Service and...
99From George Washington to Robert Howe, 23 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
Congress by a Resolve of this date, have directed me to dispose of the Regiment which remains at Philadelphia in any manner I shall see fit. As the business which required the Presence of Troops at Philadelphia is accomplished & the proceedings approved and acted upon by Congress, I am to desire that all the Troops at that place who are able to March may commence it immediately for West point....
100From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 29 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of this day with the papers accompanying it. For fear of a revival of the discontents in the Jersey line, I think it adviseable there should remain near them other troops on whose fidelity we can more perfectly rely —on this account I approve the detention of the New Hampshire detachment and the Artillery ’till we hear something more of the movements on Staten...
101From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 11 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am pleased to hear, by yours of the 9th, of the success of Major Tallmadges excursion. the stroke, tho’ small, may serve to check an insignificant yet troublesome kind of enemy. Your movement must be directed in a great measure, by your own judgment, and by circumstances. I have only one general caution to give you, which is, to let your position (if you find it advisable to take another) be...
102From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 11 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received Intelligence & from a person who thinks himself well informed, that the enemy have it in contemplation to pay us a visit (& in a very short time) at this Post. At the sametime that I discredit the report (at least with respect to time) I do not despise the information especially as our circumstances, & some appearances with them are not opposed to the measure. The effect I wish...
103From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 6 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday received your favor of the 4th—inclosing a Copy of a Letter from Colo. White. The Fleet, of which I had received very particular intelligence before, I believe, is gone to the Eastward in pursuit of our Armed Vessels sent to penobscot. Such is my information by a person who left New York the day before they sailed, which was the 1st; and circumstances strongly point to this...
104From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 18 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I inclose you a letter from General Foreman which I have this moment received. He is intirely to be depended on. There can be no doubt that this is Sir Henry Clinton from the Southward. All your exertions are necessary to be prepared for defence. Urge the application recommended to you in mine of the —— instant to Governor Clinton for a succour of militia to make up your garrison to Two...
105From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 22 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with yours of yesterday with its inclosures. Capt. Willings confinement is by way of retaliation for that of Govr Hamiltons in Virginia. A representation on the subject has gone to the State of Virginia and I hope a mutual release from the present rigorous treatment of both Gentlemen will be the consequence. By Our observartions from this side the River it appears that the enemy have...
106From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 21 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday Evening received Your two Favors of the 19th and was happy to find that a part of Clinton’s Brigade had joined You. I hope by this time the whole will have got down, or at least all of it except the Regiment detached to Fort Schuyler with provisions. From the immense importance of the post under your direction, I wish, as expressed in my Letter of the 18th, that You may have & keep...
107From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 27 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
Before this the Connecticut division will probably have joined you. The rest of the army arrived here yesterday. The delay which has occurred makes it probable the enemy either had not or have relinguished the project of attacking West Point; and only intend to retard our preparations by menacing us at different points and obliging us to call out the militia. I believe what they have done...
108From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 14 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowlege your favor of yesterday. In a letter of Col. Hamilton’s a few days ago to you, I signified that Col. Armand should be put under arrest. In one from Col. Armand to the former it does not appear that this had taken place —Should this be so you will be pleased to have the order executed, as it would be unmilitary to continue him doing duty, while the court are determining on...
109From George Washington to Robert Howe, 26 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
I feel great pleasure in communicating to you the inclosed Resolves of Congress, approving your conduct in the execution of the service on which you have been employed: as well as that of the Troops who were under your Orders. As great part of these Troops have already Returned to West Point, I transmitted the Resolves of Congress to Major General Knox, in a letter of which the inclosed is...
110From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 1 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received Your favor of Yesterday. I have nothing to add upon the subject of your command. It was reported to me yesterday morning, that part of the Enemy had crossed the river and were moving towards the English neighbourhood in Jersey, but it was contradicted last night—and the party taken for the Enemy by the Militia, proved to be some of Lee’s dismounted Dragoons. I am Dr sir with great...
111From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Upon examining the Return of Military Stores at West Point for the Month of June I find there were only 662 Muskets in the Commissary’s hands —This appears to me most extraordinary as the number of Rank and File of the Massachusetts line amounted on the last of Novemr 1779 to 4569 and on the last of June past to only 1623 which makes a difference of 2946 Men, who must have been...
112From George Washington to Robert Howe, 13 August 1783 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 23d July was handed to me on my Return from the Northward. The advanced Season of the Year makes it absolutely necessary that the Troops and every thing destined for the Posts on our Western Frontiers, should be put in a situation to move, the moment we can learn when the British will evacuate them. I must therefore desire you to order back four or five hundred Men of your...
113From George Washington to Robert Howe, 15 June 1785 (Washington Papers)
A few days ago Mr Sitgreaves gave me the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 4th of May. It is the only one I recollect to have had from you since my return to private life. It gives me pleasure to hear that Congress have dealt honorably by you, & mean to do more; it is devoutly to be wished that they could do the same by all the Officers whose meritorious services & sufferings have a...
114From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 28 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
You will be pleased without delay to repair to Ridgefield and take your quarters with that part of your command—This will comprehend Glovers brigade the cavalry Armands independent corps and the militia in service in that part of the country—The primary object of this command is to cover the country and prevent as far as possible the depredations of the enemy; but this is not to be done at the...
115From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 28 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Col. Hay delivered me your letter of the 18th of April. It is lamentable that we should be obliged to experience such distresses as we do every where. Those we feel here are not inferior to yours—we are constantly on the point of starving for want of provision and forage—A deficiency of money is the cause, and a cause for which the present situation of affairs renders it infinitely difficult...
116From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 10–11 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday recd yours of the 7th. I fancy your information of the enemy’s having been at Sufferans was without foundation—at least I have heard nothing of it, and I think such an occurrence could not have escaped the Officer who commands the party at paramus. I take it for granted that General Heath has furnished you with a Copy of the instructions which I left with him when I removed from...
117From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 15 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been favd with yours of the 11th and 13th. the intelligence contained in the first is interesting and is confirmed, so far as it respects the preparations of the enemy for defence, by accounts from other Quarters—The late demonstration, of a movement in New York, seems to have resolved itself into a Forage in Bergen County, as several small Vessels have gone up Hackensack River—some...
118From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 13 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have duely received your favors of the 2d 3d and 10th instants. I take it for granted that the detail of the signals furnished by Genl Patterson is right—I have no Copy of it in my possession. I have not yet obtained any certain account that the fleet which fell down to the Hook on the 5th has put to sea. I however think it may be depended on from a concurrence of circumstances, that they...
119From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 30 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
From the diminution of our force at the Highlands by the expiration of the service of many of the Troops & which will become still greater from the same cause, and the possibility that the Enemy may attempt to enterprize something against the posts there—I have determined to bring the New-Hampshire Brigade from Danbury to reinforce you—The inclosed Letter to the Commanding Officer there, You...
120From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 17 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of yesterday on the subject of our confidential friend. It appears to me that the detail he seems to desire will be rather too minute and tend to excite suspicion instead of giving him credit with the enemy. The idea of what was communicated before was to pretend that he had made general observations and inquiries in the army, and had formed an average estimate of...