101From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 18 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with Colonel Hamilton’s letter, mentioning your arrival early on the 11th at Philadelphia; and your being about to set off for Lewis town the morning on which it was written. I have attentively considered the object to which you more particularly refer, and am now to authorise you (provided the Count will not determine on a co-operation to the full extent of my...
102From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 21 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
In my Letters of the 10th & 18th I transmitted All the intelligence I had obtained, respecting the Enemy from the time of your departure to those two periods; and, by the present conveyance, I enclose You an Extract of a Letter from Major General Gates of the 15th. —By this you will perceive he was fully persuaded, that the Enemy were preparing to evacuate Rhode Island—and he expected, from...
103From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 25 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have just now received a letter from Col. Hamilton, mentioning your having changed your position of Lewis Town, for that of little Egg harbour, and that you would write me more fully on your arrival at the furnace. In my last I informed you that the enemy had evacuated both their posts at Kings-ferry, since which no alteration has taken place, that has come to my knowlege. Things at Rhode...
104To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 26 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
We are honored with two letters from Your Excellency of the 10th and 21st; to the contents of which we beg leave to assure you of our strictest attention—That of the 18th is not yet come to hand—it is not improbable it has gone round by Lewis Town, which has occasioned the delay. Col. Hamilton wrote to Your Excellency from Philadelphia acquainti⟨ng⟩ you with our arrival there and our intention...
105From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 30 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I inclose You an Extract of a Letter of the 26th which General Greene has just received from Mr Bowen D.Q.M. Genl, dated in New port, announcing the evacuation of Rhode Island by the Enemy on Monday night last. The intelligence is not to be doubted, although by some means or another it has happened, that I have not received any advices from Genl Gates upon the subject, or a Letter from him...
106From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 1 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this day been favd with yours of the 26th ulto informing me of your removal to Great Egg Harbour. My letter of the 18th, which had not reached you, went, as you supposed, by way of Philada, and lest any accident may have happened to it, I inclose you a duplicate —Mine of the 30th ulto, which went thro’ Major Lee, informed you of the evacuation of Rhode Island: I have since recd a letter...
107To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail and Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, 1 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brigadier General Duportail and Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, 1 Nov. 1779 . Duportail and Hamilton wrote GW on 8 Nov. : “We hope before this you will have received our two letters of the 26th of October and 1st instant.”
108From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 2 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since mine of yesterday I have received another letter from my confidential correspondent in New York dated the 29th ulto. He informs me that the 57th Regt Rawdons Corps and the Artillery mentioned in his last, were to sail on that day for Hallifax, and with them all the heavy ships of War except the Europa. The Daphne Frigate, with Sir George Collier and Colo. Stewart on board, was to sail...
109To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 2 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
We last night received the honor of Your Excellency’s letter of the 25th of October—On the 26th we had the pleasure of advising you fully of our situation and motives for coming to this place. We have since received no further intelligence of the Count—his operations—or ultimate intentions; on which account and from the late period of the season, we have given over all expectation of any thing...
110To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 8 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys letter of the 30th of October reached us yesterday. We hope before this you will have received our two letters of the 26th of October and 1st instant. We have received no late advices from the Southward, which confirms us in the ideas of our last—Major Lee will no doubt have communicated to Your Excellency what he mentions to us, that the enemy are preparing at New York for a...
111From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 11 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Being absent from Head Qrs on a visit to the several Outposts of the Army, when your favor of the 2d Instant arrived—and not returning till last night—it was not in my power to answer it before. I am precisely in the predicament you are—with respect to the Count—his intentions or ultimate operations. I have not heard a single syllable about either since your departure, except what was...
112To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 15 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
On our present plan, It appears to me the quantity of ammunition proposed by General Knox for the Artillery is insufficient. A larger consumption may be necessary—The Stone houses in which the enemy may attempt to defend themselves may be obstinate and we should have it in our power by the severity and duration of our fire to bring them to reason. I take the liberty to suggest these matters,...
113From George Washington to Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, 14 March 1780 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, 14 March 1780 . Hamilton wrote GW on 17 March: “I duly received your letter of the 14th.”
114To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 17 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 14th and shall not fail in conjunction with General St Clair to attend to the military object of it. I am much obliged to your Excellency for the communication of your Southern advises—The enemy are still in the dark about their fleet and army gone that way as we gather from the Commissioners —They pretend to have little European news, though a vessel arrived...
115From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 2 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Letter of the 1st of March I received sometime ago from Doctor Gordon which a variety of pressing business has prevented me from communicating to You before. I request your determination on the points contained in it, that I may transmit it to the Doctor. You will be pleased to return me his Letter with the Inclosure to which it refers. I am Dr sir Your Most Obt Servt Df , in...
116To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 2 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am extremely sorry your Excellency has been troubled with the affair to which the papers transmitted in your letter of this morning relate. Admitting the possibility of Doctor Gordons not being the author of what I must always call a calumny, and had he not been an irreconcileable enemy to plain dealing, the matter might have been brought to a very easy issue, without the necessity of an...
117VIII. To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 8 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have seen the enemy; those in view I calculate at about three thousand—there may be and probably enough are others out of sight—They have sent all their horse to the other side except about fifty or sixty—Their baggage it is agreed on all hands has also been sent across and their wounded—It is not ascertained that any of their infantry have passed to the other side —There are four or five...
118To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, September 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Marquis De la Fayette by your order proposed New York as the object of the intended cooperation and assured the Count De Rochambeau that by a certain period we should have fourteen thousand Continental troops and six thousand militia, and shortly after four or six thousand more. It is of great importance to us that it should appear we are ready and in condition to act; our allies not—It...
119To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 25 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
You will see by the enclosed we are too late—Arnold went by water to the Vulture —I shall write to General Greene advising him without making a bustle to be in readiness to march and even to detach a Brigade this way, for though I do not believe the project will go on, it is possible Arnold has made such dispositions with the Garrison as may tempt the enemy in its present weakness to make the...
120XI. To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 22 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
Sometime last fall when I spoke to your Excellency about going to the Southward, I explained to you candidly my feelings with respect to military reputation, and how much it was my object to act a conspicuous part in some enterprise that might perhaps raise my character as a soldier above mediocrity. You were so good as to say you would be glad to furnish me with an occasion. Wh⟨en⟩ the...
121To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 19 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Mr Renselaar who has the direction of the Armory here tells Me that the Board of War, write him they are unable to support it any longer, on the present establishment for want of supplies—and propose to him to endeavour to have it carried on by contract. This he declares is impossible—The armory must either continue on the present footing or cease. As far as I understand the matter, there is...
122From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 29 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 19th came safe by the Doctr, who set out this morning for Philadelphia. I had, previous to the receipt of it, and without knowing that the Board of War had given any direction respecting the Armory at Albany, requested the Governor to exempt (if he could do it with propriety) the Citizens who were employed in it, from Military Services in cases of alarm, and had written to...
123From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 7 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I shall be obliged to you for the answer to the address as soon as it is convenient to you. if we do not ride to the point to See the fleet pass out, I am to have a conference with Count De Rochambeau & the Engineer directly after Breakfast, at which I wish you to be present. I am sincerely and affectly Yr DLC : Alexander Hamilton Papers.
124To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 27 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I imagine your Excellency has been informed that in consequence of the resolution of Congress for granting commissions to Aide De Camps appointed under the former establishment, I have obtained one of Lieutenant Colonel in the army of the United States, bearing rank since the 1st of March 1777. It is become necessary to me to apply to your Excellency to know in what manner you foresee you will...
125From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 27 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of this date has not a little embarrassed me—You must remember the ferment in the Pennsylvania line the last Campaign occasioned by the appointment of Major McPhearson, and you know the uneasiness which at this moment exists among the Eastern Officers on Account of the commands conferred upon Colo. Jemat and Major Galvan although it was the result of absolute necessity of which i...
126To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 2 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am extremely sorry to have embarrassed you by my late application, and that you should think there are insuperable obstacles to a compliance with it. Having renounced my expectations, I have no other inducement for troubling Your Excellency with a second letter, than to obviate the appearance of having desired a thing inconsistent with the good of the service, while I was acquainted with the...
127To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 7 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
The other day I applied to Col. Tilghman for an order for Shoes for the Two Companies of levies. He thought on a general principle it could not be granted; but as from the best of my own recollection confirmed by inquiry of others, I have reason to believe a distinction was made last campaign in favour of the advanced corps; in the case of Cortland’s regiment, I am induced to submit the matter...
128From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 9 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your Letter of the 7th. Shoes will be issued to the State Companies under your Command, upon your Return—I will only recommend, that proper precautions should be taken respecting the delivery, & that the men of the State Companies should be made accountable for them: the same mode will be pursued in supplying the other Companies, as has been formerly practiced. I am Dr Sr Your Most...
129To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 1 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will, I am persuaded, readily admit the force of this sentiment, that though it is the duty of a good citizen to devote his services to the public, when it has occasion for them, he cannot with propriety, or delicacy to himself, obtrude them, when it either has, or appears to have none. The difficulties I experienced last campaign in obtaining a Command will not suffer me to...
130To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 13 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
Flattering myself that your knowlege of me will induce you to receive the observations I make as dictated by a regard to the public good, I take the liberty to suggest to you my ideas on some matters of delicacy and importance. I view the present juncture as a very interesting one—I need not observe how far the temper and situation of the army make it so—The state of our finances was perhaps...
131From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 4 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favor of February—& thank you for the information & observations it has conveyed to me—I shall always think myself obliged by a free communication of Sentiments & have often thought (but suppose I thought wrong as it did not accord with the practice of Congress) that the public interest might be benefitted if the Commander in Chief of the Army was let more into the...
132To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 5 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency lately on a very confidential subject and shall be anxious to know as soon as convenient whether the letter got safe to hand. The bearer Shattuck thinks he can point out the means of apprehending Wells & Knowl ton the two persons whom Your Excellency was authorised to have taken into custody. I have desired him to call upon you to disclose the...
133From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 12 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
When I wrote to you last we were in a state of tranquility, but after the arrival of a certain Gentleman, who shall be nameless at present—from Philadelphia—A storm very suddenly arose with unfavourable prognostics; which tho’ diverted for a moment is not yet blown over, nor is it in my power to point to the issue. The Papers which I send officially to Congress, will supercede the necessity of...
134To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 17 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am duely honored with Your Excellency’s letter of the 4th and 12th instant—It is much to be regretted though not to be wondered at, that steps of so inflammatory a tendency have been taken in the army—Your Excellency has in my opinion acted wisely—The best way is ever not to attempt to stem a torrent but to divert it. I am happy to find You coincide—in opinion with me on the conduct proper...
135To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 24 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will before this reaches you have received a letter from the Marquis De la Fayette informing you that the preliminaries of peace between all the belligerent powers have been concluded—I congratulate your Excellency on this happy conclusion of your labours—It now only remains to make solid establishments within to perpetuate our union to prevent our being a ball in the hands of...
136To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 25 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I wrote to Your Excellency a day or two ago by express—Since that a Committee appointed on the communications from you have had a meeting, and find themselves embarrassed. They have requested me to communicate our embarrassments to you in confidence and to ask your private opinion. The army by their resolutions express an expectation that Congress will not disband them previous to a settlement...
137To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 25 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed I write more in a public than in a private capacity—Here I write as a citizen zealous for the true happiness of this country—as a soldier who feels what is due to an army which has suffered every thing and done much for the safety of America. I sincerly wish ingratitude was not so natural to the human heart as it is—I sincerely wish there were no seeds of it in those who direct...
138From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 31 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your favors of the 17th & 24 Ulto—I rejoice most exceedingly that there is an end to our Warfare, and that such a field is opening to our view as will, with wisdom to direct the cultivation of it, make us a great, a respectable, and happy People; but it must be improved by other means than state politics, and unreasonable jealousies & prejudices; or (it requires not the...
139From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 4 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
The same Post which gave me your two letters of the 25th of March, handed me one from Colo. Bland on the same point. Observing that both have been written at the desire of a Committee of which you are both members—I have made a very full reply to their subject in my letter which is addressed to Colo. Bland—and supposing it unnecessary to enter into a compleete detail to both—I must beg leave...
140To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 8 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s letters of the 31st of March & 4th of April, the last to day—The one to Col. Bland as members of the Committee has been read in Committee confidentially and gave great satisfaction. The idea of not attempting to separate the army before the settlement of accounts corresponds with my proposition—That of endeavouring to let them have some pay had also appeared...
141To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 9 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
Congress having appointed a committee consisting of Messrs Maddison Osgood, Wilson, Elseworth and myself to consider what arrangements it will be proper to adopt in the different departments with reference to a plan; I am directed by the Committee to address your Excellency on the subject of the military Department. The Committee wish Your Excellency’s sentiments at large on such institutions...
142To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 15 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
There are two resolutions passed relative to the restoration of the British Prisoners and to making arrangements for the surrender of the posts in the possession of the British troops, the first of which is to be transacted by you in conjunction with the secretary of War—the latter by yourself alone. I will explain to you some doubts which have arisen in Congress with regard to the true...
143From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 16 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
My last letter to you was written in a hurry, when I was fatigued by the more public—yet confidential letter which (with several others) accompanied it; possibly, I did not on that occasion express myself (in what I intended as a hint) with so much perspicuity as I ought—possibly too, what I then dropped might have conveyed more than I intended; for I do not, at this time, recollect the force...
144From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 16 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 9th instant in behalf of a Committee of Congress—requestg my Sentiments upon the military Department of a Peace Establishment. As this Discussion will involve a variety of Considerations, & those of very great Importance—The Committee will indulge me in a little Time to collect & concenter my Ideas on this Subject & they may depend on my communicating them in...
145From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 22 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
I did not receive your letter of the 15th till after my return from Ringwood, where I had a meeting with the Secretary at War for the purpose of making arrangements for the release of our Prisoners—agreable to the resolve of congress of the 15th Instt. Finding a deversity of opinions respecting the Treaty, and the line of conduct we ought to observe with Prisoners, I requested in precise...
146From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 2 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
A necessary absence from Camp and several unavoidable interruptions have been the occasion of, and must be my apology for with holding the inclosed thoughts on a peace establishment so long. If they will afford any assistance, or contain anything satisfactory, I shall think my time and labour well spent. I have the honour to be Sir Your Most Obt servt DLC : Papers of George Washington.