1From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 15 July 1788 (Washington Papers)
By some unusual delay in the Post office, I did not receive your kind letter of the 21st of April untill the 30th of June; or I should have sooner done myself the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt and of returning my best thanks for your friendly sentiments and wishes. I beg you will be persuaded of the satisfaction I take in hearing from my old military friends and of the interest I feel...
2From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 30 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Resolution of Congress having been transmitted to me—I take this earliest Opportunity to communicate it for your Information. Sincerely wishing you a Restoration of Health, attended with every happiness in your future Walks of Life. I have the Honor to be Sir Your most Obet & humble Servant DLC : Papers of George Washington.
3From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 28 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
In the conversation I had with you, when I saw you last at Head Quarters; you appeared to be so unalterably fixed in the determination of leaving the Army at all events, that I had in my own mind made the arrangements accordingly—and to prove that I was not precipitate in my judgment; the whole Army had formed the same opinion of your intentions from your repeated & unequivocal declarations on...
4From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 19 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favoured with your Letter of the 11th of March, on the subject of your retiring from service on certain conditions—therein Mentioned. I have without delay referred your application to the Secretary at War; which is now the only proper Channel thro’ which all business of this kind can be negociated—in two or three days I shall set out for the North River, where I shall expect...
5From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 8 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
I received your favr of the 27th ulto which with its inclosure I have put into the hands of the Secretary at War to be acted upon. I thank you for your kind congratulations upon our late success to the southward, which as you observe, if properly improved, must be attended with most important advantages—I would wish you and every other Gentleman of influence to exert yourselves with the...
6From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 12 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have to request that you will be pleased to send one of your Aides de Camp, to give Orders to Brigadr genl Waterbury from me, to put the whole of his Troops in motion to morrow morng & to march them to Marineck or North Street—at one of which places, he will recieve further orders, respecting the position he is to take. General Waterbury will move at the time appointed without fail & give...
7From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 27 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Favor of Yesterday—and am very sorry to observe its Contents—I can think of no Mode more elegible, than to transmitt the Letter, with some Observations on the probable Consequences, to the State of Connecticut—This Mode I shall pursue—and hope that the State, on further Consideration, will do all the Justice to their Line, that they have a Right to expect. With much Regard...
8From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 3 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Letters of the 30th of April & 2nd of May, together with the Proceedings of the Court Marital whereof Lt Col. Gray was President, have been handed to me by Capt. Walther. I hope the Journey you propose will have a happy tendency towards the recovery of your health, & that you will soon be enabled to join the Army again, after your return; ’tho I would not wish you to do it, so...
9From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 30 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive Your Letter of the 20th Inst. and am glad to find by it, that You are in a fair way of recovering Your health again, and that the measures You had taken previous to Your illness have been attended with some degree of success. As soon as the circumstances will possibly admit, I wish the Detachment of Continental Troops at Danbury may be sent back to the Army:...
10From George Washington to Samuel Holden Parsons, 23 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 14th Instant was forwarded to me in my absence from this place, and met me on my return; since which this is the first leisure moment I have had to attend to its contents. I am sorry to find the evil so deeply rooted—and that the defection is still gaining ground. From its extensive nature & pernicious tendency; I think every measure which policy and precaution can dictate...
11From George Washington to Major General Samuel Holden Parsons, 22 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favrs of the 17th and 18th inst. In respect to the prisoners taken by Capt. Brewster, I shall not think myself justifiable in consenting to any of their exchanges, untill they have been sent to the State of Connecticut for further examination; for from the report made to me by Capt. Brewster and from your account they are a most pernicious and dangerous gang, upon all of whom...
12From George Washington to Major General Samuel Holden Parsons, 22 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Walker has communicated to me some discoveries made of a plot among the tories of Stratford and Fairfield Counties of which I have directed him to give you the particulars. It seems a clue has been found to it which if rightly improved will enable us to detect the affair in all its extent and punish the principals and their accomplices. I need not observe to you of how dangerous a...
13From George Washington to Major General Samuel Holden Parsons, 11 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Representation has been made to me, that in determining the Rank of Leiutenants in the New Arrangement of the Connecticut Line; regard hath only been paid to the time of their several appointments, as Leiutenants, without reference to the difference of rank as first or second Leiutenants. If there was a distinct grade between these Officers, as between a Colonel & Leiut. Colonel, (which, I...
14From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 16 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
The number of Officers who are absent from the Connecticut line on the recruiting service & for other purposes is so great, that those remaining in Camp are scarcely sufficient to perform the necessary duties of it—I entreat you therefore to order on all the latter, and as many of the former as can possibly be dispensed with—Your knowledge of the circumstances, will enable you to point out the...
15From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 26 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly favored with your Letter of the 21st Inst. The non arrival of the Arms expected with the french fleet, will occassion a consideral deficiency in that article, and render a supply from the States necessary—I have already made application to Governor Trumbull for two thousand Stand, from the State of Connecticut. It is much to be regretted that the preparations of every kind are...
16From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 7 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am pleased to hear by yours of the 4th that the State of Connecticut have directed one thousand Men to be added to the number for compleating the Continental Battalions. I have only to repeat my directions to have the Levies forwarded from Danbury to West point as fast as they arrive —that we may lose none of the little time allowed for arranging and training them. By a late letter from...
17From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 12 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favr of the 6th and am pleased to find that the Legislature are at length taking measures to satisfy their Officers and Soldiers—It is to be wished that their want in respect to Cloathing and other matters could be immediately supplied, but I am in hopes they will wait patiently a while longer, when they see that proper steps are pursuing to make provision for them. I had,...
18From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received Yesterday both Your Letters of that date. The Note Mr Tilghman gave was only intended to authorise Hatfield to meet his Brother once, whom he expressed a desire of seeing and from which occasion he expected he might obtain some interesting intelligence. From the information I have had of the character of this family of people—I am by no means satisfied that they would answer any...
19From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 18 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favr of the 16th—I am fully of opinion that those people who undertake to procure intelligence under cover of carrying produce into New York, and bringing out Goods in return, attend more to their own emoluments than to the Business with which they are charged, and we have generally found their information so vague and trifling, that there is no placing dependance upon it....
20From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 13 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
the objects of the detachment under your command are to cover the Country from Newark to Perth Amboy and the Magazines of Forage in the Vicinity—to give protection to the well affected Inhabitants and restrain the others by preventing all kind of intercourse with the Enemy—and to obtain by every means in your power the best intelligenc[e]s of their movements and designs—I leave it to your own...
21From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 25 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Lamb informs me that there are some men in the Connecticut line who had been inlisted for three Years who would now reinlist for the War in the Companies of Artillery raised and adopted by the State, but that you did not conceive yourself at liberty to allow such a measure without order. I am clearly of opinion that if those Men will not reinlist in the Corps of Infantry to which they...
22From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 1 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
I return you my thanks for the intelligence contained in your letter of this date & shall be ob[l]iged to you, to communicate any thing further that may come to your knowledge—especially if it should be of importance. I have not the least objection to your employing the corporal & six men as you propose. If Mr Pomroy has accepted the appointment you mention, he cannot hold, his rank in the...
23From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 13 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received yours of the 11th last night, and I beg you will present my particular thanks to Capt. Betts and such others of the Officers and men, as well of the Militia as of the Continental troops, who distinguished themselves upon the present occasion—I shall be obliged to you to take the speediest measures to procure me an exact detail of the mischief done by the enemy at the different...
24From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 11 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
It is probable that the public may have occasion or at least wish to know at some period—the extent of the Enemy’s depredations and cruelties; indeed it is right that the World should know ’em. I therefore request that you will endeavour as far as Opportunity will permit to ascertain, as precisely as you can, what number of Houses they have destroyed in their expedition up the sound,...
25From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 11 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have just received yours of yesterday—I am happy to hear of the spirited behaviour of the Militia. They have certainly done themselves great honor; if the opposition they give is not absolutely effectual, it serves to discourage the enemy and make them sick of such excursions—I shall be glad to learn they have met with a proper reception at Norwalk. Before this reaches you, you will have...
26From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 10 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received Your favors of the 9th from Luddington’s & Redding. It gives me ⟨g⟩reat concern to hear of the ravages of the Enemy. The conduct of the Militia at New Haven does them the highest honor. I had heard of it before thro several channels. I have written to Genl Heath to move with ⟨th⟩e Two Connecticut Brigades towards the Enemy, ⟨b⟩y the way of Crompond in the first instance ⟨a⟩nd...
27From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 8 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
A day or two ago, you expressed a desire to go towards the Sound on some private business—At present you may Unite this object with the public service—It is probable from different accounts the enemy have made an incursion into Connecticut; if so you may be useful by taking the direction of the militia which may be assembling to oppose them, if you can arrive in time—You have therefore my...
28From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 28 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 11th and 15th instant came duly to hand with Lieut. Jackson’s and Ensign Tuttles resignations. I have on several occasions expressed my sentiments on the policy of preventing as much as possible all plundering parties. I would only observe on the present that the Officers are to persue my former instructions on this head which I beleive extends to all cases where the...
29From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 12 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
You will find by my last letter of the 11th instant, that I considered the circumstances of your brigade on the receipt of my orders for its march, as a sufficient reason for the measure you took on the occasion. I mention this in answer to your favor of the 6th instant. In case the brigade is at its old post, you will continue it there, agreeable to my instructions on this subject—but should...
30From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 11 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your two favors of the 2d & 3d instant with their inclosures have been duly received. It was my intention that your brigade should have reinforced the highland posts in the first instance; however as it was under circumstances on the receipt of the order, which made it expedient for Gen: Huntington’s to march, his need not be recalled; and yours will remain on its present ground till my...