1To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 9 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
According to your Excellencys instructions, Capt. Craig has joined me. We have concerted such a plan of conduct as seems most probable to answer the ends proposed by your Excellency. From the intelligence received from various persons, of various characters we find, that the enemy have made no material alteration in their disposition since the engagement. Their picquets possess exactly their...
2To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 15 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
A deserter from the 15th regt just from the enemy’s camp, informs, that the 4th brigade, two regts from the 2d, & one Hessian regt receved marching orders at one Oclock Sunday. Where they are destined is not known. He can form no conjecture. He confirms the account of Col. Birds death, & says that the 15th lost fifty three privates & seven officers in the last action—They are now about two...
3To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 18 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
From the intelligence received from a couple of women who had passed thro’ the enemy’s camp yesterday evening, I was somewhat apprehensive of a movement this morning. As their information was rather vague & incoherent, I did not trouble your Excelly with it, but thought necessary to apprize the officers of horse on the lines, in order to stimulate their vigilance. Confident that no movement...
4To George Washington from Capt. Henry Lee, 30 October 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Capt. Henry Lee, Jr., 30 Oct. 1777. In his letter to GW of 31 Oct. , Lee says that “I wrote your Excellency yesterday.”
5To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 31 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote your Excellency yesterday, since which I have been active in acquainting myself with the disposition & connexion of the enemy on this side the Schuylkill. They have a body of men, (not five hundred in number) on Carpenters island; the possession of this post secures a constant & ready supply of provision. It is brought up by water, from the fleet off Chester, reposited under cover of...
6From George Washington to Capt. Henry Lee, 31 October 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Capt. Henry Lee, Jr., c.31 Oct. 1777. Lee’s letter to GW of 31 Oct. is docketed in part “Ansd.”
7To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 3 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I mentioned to your Excelly in my last let’r an intercourse subsisting between the inhabitants & fleet near Grub’s landing. Having received a confirmation of this intelligence, I pushed down with twelve dragoons & reached the place early yesterday morning. At Robinsons mill on Namur Creek I fell in with a foraging party; on the appearance of my dragoons the enemy ran without giving one fire. A...
8From George Washington to Capt. Henry Lee, 3 November 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Capt. Henry Lee, Jr., c.3 Nov. 1777. Lee’s letter to GW of 3 Nov. is docketed in part “Ansd.”
9To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 8 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
Mr Lindsay is just returned from New castle & has brought with him two prisoners; the one Capt. Nicholas of the Eagle packet, the other, Capt. Fenwick of a sloop in the service of Government. These two gentlemen being fatigued with their ride, will not arrive at Headquarters, ’till tomorrow. The transports have received orders to furnish themselves with six weeks provision, & make ready for...
10From George Washington to Capt. Henry Lee, 8 November 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Capt. Henry Lee, Jr., 8 Nov. 1777. Lee’s letter to GW of 8 Nov. is docketed in part “ansd 8.”
11To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 14 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have just returned from the lower counties on Delaware. In our excursion thro’ that country, the several landings on the river were visited, but to our satisfaction, we learned that the intercourse between the inhabitants & fleet was totally broke up. Lord Howe has positively forbid the least connexion under severe penalties. I should have proceeded down as far as Dover, in order to destroy...
12To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 23 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday the enemy abandoned Provence island. We have reason to believe that Gen. Clinton with the late reinforcement, & Lord Cornwallis with his body of troops landed on Carpenters island yesterdy, & passed on to the city. The navy have mostly moved up from Chester, & lay off Billingsport. With profound respect Your Excellys most Obt Hum. servt ALS , DLC:GW . The cover indicates that Lee...
13To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 3 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Genl Green directed me on his departure, to tarry on this side the river, & assist in protecting the inhabitants from the depredations of the enemy. We have been active in executing the Generals directions, & have visited the shore from this town, down to Sweedsborough, daily. The enemy still possess Billingsport, they have a garrison of four hundred men in that fort, & two nine pounders. Good...
14To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 23 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
On hearing of the enemys excursion I immediately left camp, & moved down towards Darby. Early this morning we sat out on the partizan business; having fully reconnoitred the enemys disposition, whom we found posted in force, tho loose in their position I divided my Troop. Lt Lindsay with Major Clarke whom we accidentally met with took the route towards Chester, while myself with the other...
15To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 4 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to your Excellency’s direction I have informed myself minutely with the country in the vicinity of Radnor-meeting-house. To effect the object of your Excellency’s wishes, vizt security to the camp: I conceive it absolutely necessary to establish two posts of horse. The one to appertain to the picquet, & patrole one mile, more or less, in advance of the advanced centinel. The other to...
16To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 9 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with your Excellency’s orders received by Lieutenant Lindsay, I have been engaged in acquainting myself with the roads which communicate with the left of the army. Being a stranger in that quarter, it has taken some time to be informed accurately, which is the occasion of this late report. Near the ten mile stone, below the Buck-tavern, the gulph mill road takes out from the...
17To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 18 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Col. Hellum of the militia, now a prisoner in Philada, in a memorandum of intelligence sent me this day, says, that an officer of the Anspachers engages to bring off three hundred of that corps, provided the command can be ensured him. He also mentions, that there are several persons throughout the country contracting for horses for the use of the Philada, light dragoons now raising. There are...
18To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 20 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am to inform your Excellency of an action, which happened this morning, between a party of the enemy’s dragoons, & my troop of horse. They were near two hundd in number, & by a very circuitous route endeavoured to surprize me, in quarters. About day break, they appeared, we were immediately alarm’d, & manned the doors & windows. The contest was very warm; the British dragoons trusting to...
19To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 20 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
We have at length ascertained the real loss of this day’s action. Four privates belonging to the square patrole were taken, I am told they made brave resistance, & that some of them were badly wounded. The Quarter-master-sergeant who imprudently ran from our quarters prior to the commencement of the skirmish was also taken. The loss sustained stands thus: Taken one sergeant. four privates....
20From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 20 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Altho I have given you my thanks in the general Orders of this day for the late instance of your gallant behaviour I cannot resist the Inclination I feel to repeat them again in this manner. I needed no fresh proof of your merit, to bear you in remembrance—I waited only for the proper time and season to shew it—these I hope are not far off. I shall also think of & will reward the merit of...
21From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 16 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
You are immediately to proceed, with a party of Horse to Dover and the Head of Elk, and in conjunction with the commissaries there, exert your utmost endeavours, to hasten to this Army all the flesh-prov[is]ions, deposited in the Magazines, at those places. In order to this, you are empowerd to impress th[r]oughout the Country any number of Waggons you may stand in need of. I have also written...
22To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 19 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
In pursuance of your Excellencys instructions I waited on Gen. Smallwood. I received from him every aid, he was able to afford. From enquiry, I found that the country between Christiana-bridge & duck creek abounded in good teams. I immediately furnished myself with a list of the several hundreds that make up the township or county of Newcastle. Into every hundred I detached partys of horse...
23From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 21 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 19th inst. informing me of the measures which you have taken for supplying our wants, and the prospects which you have of success—Your application to the Assessors of the several hundreds, was extremely judicious, and I have no doubt that by your activity and prudent management you will avail yourself of all the resources of the Country without giving...
24To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 21 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
This country does not answer our excpectation with respect to waggons. Consequently the conveyance of the salt provision &c. collected at this place will not be so expidetious as could be wished. A drove of cattle from seventy to an hundred head, will set out tomorrow from Middletown. We do business very regularly visiting in our route each & every farm, & taking with us every article...
25To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 22 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
We meet with good success in collecting cattle, very few horses are got; this proceeds from the scarcity of that article in this country, fit for the use of an army. We experience every assistance from our friends, and altho the opposite party, which is by far the most numerous in this state, are very sullen on the occasion, yet the wisdom of the measure is so apparent & the behavior of the...
26From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 25 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have your favors of the 21st and 22d from Dover and am much obliged for the Steps you have took and are taking for procuring Supplies for the Army. All the Cattle that are tolerably fit for slaughter must be immediately consumed on account of our present necessity, and therefore should be drove towards Camp as fast as they can be collected. I do not think that Kent in Maryland or any part of...
27To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 16 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed are some letrs received this morning pr dragoon from Wilmington. By intelligence from Philada we learn that a large fleet sailed from thence on friday last; they had with them a number of flat-bottomed boats. My intelligencer did not know the design of this expidition. Conjectures in the city were various. Some insinuated that Wilmington was the object; others, that they were gone on...
28To George Washington from Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 31 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
I should do violence to my own feelings, was I to depart from Camp, without testifying the high sense of gratitude I feel for your Excellency’s approbation of my conduct. I assure you Sir, to deserve a continuance of your Excellency’s patronage, will be a stimulus to glory, second to none in power, of the many, that operate on my soul. “It is not in mortals to command success,” to deserve it,...
29From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 1 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
By your favor of yesterday I am made acquainted with the feelings of your mind on the subject of my proposal communicated to you by Col. Hamilton; the undisguised manner in which you express yourself cannot but strengthen my good opinion of you—as the offer on my part was purely the result of a high Sense of your merit, and as I would by no means divert you from a Career in which you promise...
30From George Washington to Captain Henry Lee, Jr., 12 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the pleasure to inclose you a letter from the president of Congress, advising you of the promotion of yourself, Lieut. Lindsay and Cornet Peyton, I shall be glad to see you as soon as possible, that we may fix upon the other Officers for your Corps, and devise ways and means of procuring the additional Men, Horses, Arms and Accoutrements If Capt: Lindsay has not rejoined you it...