1From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
The appeal contained in your letter of the 11th instant, is equally unexpected & surprising. Not knowing the particular changes which are alledged against you, it is impossible for me to make a specific reply. I can therefore only say in general terms, that the Employments you sustained in the year 1776—and in that period of the year, when we experienced our greater distress, are a proof that...
2From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 18 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have given The Adjt General the necessary orders respecting the matter you mentioned to me today—and he will direct the officer Commanding at the Barracks—Colonels Humpton & Nicola—& Mr Colfax (of my Guard) to be particularly attentive to the Men under their respective Commands—In confidence, I have mentd the reason to Genl Hand, but he will assign none to the Officers to whom he gives the...
3From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 November 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to thank you most sincerely for your Congratulations conveyed in your Favor of the 27th ulto. That our Success against the Enemy in the State of Virginia, has been so happily effected, & with so little Loss— and that it promises such favorable consequences (if properly improved) to the Welfare & Independence of the United States— is Matter of very pleasing Reflections. I beg...
4From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellencys Letter of the 18th inst. and observed with much Pleasure the Train into which the recruitg the proposed Rifle Corps is thrown—& hope they will soon be obtained. As this Body of men will be exceedingly essential to our Designs, & may be very usefully employed in Detatchments, I have to beg of your Excellency that you will be pleaced to give Orders, that...
5From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 16 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your Excellency’s Favor of the 7th. I am exceedingly happy to find that the mode of procuring the specific Supplies demanded of the state is now upon such a footing that we may hope for a full & regular Compliance in future: and I doubt not but if the other States will follow the Example, and appropriate a proportion of their Revenue to the Disposal of the Superintendant of...
6From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 24 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
In the course of our expected operations we shall stand in need of a species of troops, which are not at present to be procured either in this Army or in any of the States to the Northward of Pennsylvania—They are expert Rifle Men. The use of these Men will be to fire into the embrasures and to drive the enemy from their parapets when our approaches are carried very near to their Works....
7From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 15 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Favor of the 17th of May and 6th of this Month. the first did not reach me until the 7th inst. “By the Rules of Promotion which existed previous to the Resolve of Congress of the 25th of May, Lieut. Colo. Carrington of the 1st Regiment of Artillery will succeed to the command of the 4th vice Proctor and Lieut. Colo. Forrest, if he remains in Service, must be...
8From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform your Excellency that at a late conference between His Excellency the Count de Rochambeau and myself it has been agreed that the principal part of the French Force shall march, as soon as circumstances will admit, and form a junction with me upon the North River. The enemy have so exceedingly weakened themselves by repeated detachments to support the War to the southward,...
9From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 5 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your Excellency’s favor of the 14th of April, inclosing a remonstrance of Colonel Proctor and the officers of his Regiment against the promotion of Captain Eustace to a Majority in it, and the late annexation of Captain Simonds—I am not a little surprized to see Field officers, who certainly are acquainted with the principles of promotion which have been understood and...
10From George Washington to James Potter, 21 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I returned yesterday to this Place from Rhode Island, and now take the earliest opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 19th Ulto which was put into my hands on my arrival. I am extremely obliged to you, Gentlemen, for this communication of the Proceedings with respect to the late unhappy affair, which has taken place in the Pennsylvania Line—Sensible that the circumstances...
11From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 20 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 15th is just come to hand —I cannot suffer myself to delay a moment in pronouncing if Arnold by the words (in his letter to his wife) “I am treated with the greatest politeness by General Washington and the Officers of the Army who bitterly execrate Mr Reed and the Council for their villainous attempt to injure me” meant to comprehend me in the latter part of the expression...
12From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received information from New York that a person who is called George Fustner, and who is Brother in law to Rankin formerly of York County, comes frequently out as a Spy by way of Shark River thro’ Jersey and from thence to Lancaster. He left New York the 27th ulto and is probably at this time upon that Business. Your Excellency may perhaps, from the foregoing Clue, have him intercepted...
13From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
With respect to prisoners of War mentioned in yr Excellency’s Letter of the 3d Instt—I beg leave to observe that it has been my wish from the beginning of the contest to the present day, that no distinction should exist with respect to them—that the whole should be considered on one general & liberal scale as belonging to the States, and not to this or that State—be exchanged according to...
14From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 18 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
By your favor of the third from Bethlehem, I perceive my letter of the first had not got to your hands; but I have the pleasure to find that the business you were upon anticipated the purposes of it, and was in a fair way to answer the end. Arnolds conduct is so villainously perfidious, that there are no terms that can describe the baseness of his heart—That over-ruling Providence which has so...
15From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 1 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am under the necessity of laying before your Excellency, the Copy of a representation made to me yesterday, by the Commy General of Issues, on the subject of Flour. The representation goes so fully and truly into our present situation and prospects, that I shall only refer your Excellency to it, and then intreat you to exert your authority and influence, with the Agents and all others...
16From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 26 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was last evening favd with yours of the 22d and the day before with that of the 21st. I should have concurred with your Excellency in the propriety of keeping the Militia embodied for the reasons and under the circumstances you mention, had I not last night received dispatches from Count Rochambeau, from which I think it more than probable that the 2d division will not arrive before the...
17From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 20 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had this morning the honor of yours of the 17th from Trenton. When I ordered the Militia of Pennsylvania to assemble at their place of rendezvous, I was in hopes that our supply of provisions would have been adequate to their subsistence with the Army: But, from repeated and a lately pointed representation from the Commy General, I find myself very unfortunately disappointed. I can with...
18From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 1 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to inform Your Excellency, that the exigency of the service makes it necessary for me to call the German Battallion from Sunbury to join this Army, & that I must embrace the earliest opportunity to transmit an Order for the purpose. I have thought it proper to communicate this to Your Excellency, that You may, if You deem it essential, supply it’s place, by incorporating & ordering...
19From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 27 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have no scruple of announcing to you, that New York is the object of my preparations, and, if the respective States comply with the requisitions made on them, there is a well grounded hope of putting a speedy and happy termination to the War. Taking it for granted that the Militia of your State who were requested to rendezvous at Trenton by the 25th Inst. are there by this time, I have to...
20George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 July 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Bergen County [ New Jersey ] July 4, 1780 . States that “legislature of Pennsylvania has vested you, in case of necessity with a power of declaring Martial law throughout the state, to enable you to take such measures as the exigency may demand.” Urges Reed to use this power to complete Continental battalions. Df , in writings of George Washington and H, George Washington Papers, Library of...
21From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 4 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Motives of friendship, not less than of public good, induce me with freedom to give you my Sentimt⟨s⟩ on a matter, which interests you personally as well as the good of the common cause. I flatter myself you will receive what I say in the same spirit which dictates it, and that it will have all the influence circumstances will possibly permit. The Legislature of Pensylvania has vested you in...
22From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 25 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with Your Excellency’s favors of the 20th and 22d instants. I am exceedingly sorry to find you express a doubt of being able immediately to procure the number of 250 Waggons in the State of Pennsylvania—if we should be disappointed in that quarter, I know not where we are to apply. The Quarter Master General has, as you observe, a considerable number of Waggons laying idle...
23George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 June 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Springfield [ New Jersey ] June 19, 1780 . Informs Reed of arrival of Admiral Arbuthnot and British fleet. Asks for “the aid of two hundred and fifty teams.” Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
24From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The arrival of Admiral Arbuthnot at New York with a fleet of from sixty to seventy sail said to contain a part of the Southern army is an additional motive for extraordinary exertions at this juncture. West Point is far from being in security. Our stores and baggage in this state are almost at the mercy of the enemy, if they advance in force. A great proportion of the Jersey teams are in...
25George Washington to Joseph Reed, 16 June 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Springfield, New Jersey ] June 16, 1780 . Asks Reed to send on the “city light horse.” Df , in writings of Richard Kidder Meade and H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress; LS , in the handwriting of H, Park Collection, Morristown National Historical Park, Morristown, New Jersey.
26From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 16 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Board of War having informed me, that the city-light horse were held in readiness to march to the army, whenever I should signify the necessity of their services —I am to inform your Excellency, that in the present posture of things, they would be of very great utility, and therefore I should be glad, they might march as speedily as convenient. If they ⟨come⟩ I hope they will be able to...
27George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 May 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] May 28, 1780 . Discusses the “circumstances of our allies as well as our own” and emphasizes necessity of cooperation with France. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
28From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am much obliged to you for your favor of the 23d —Nothing could be more necessary than the aid given by your State towards supplying us with provision. I assure you every idea you can form of our distresses will fall short of the reality. There is such a combination of circumstances to exhaust the patience of the soldiery that it begins at length to be worn out—and we see in every line of...
29From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 11 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
It has been represented to me by Brig: General Irvine, and by Lt Colo. Hay of the 10th Penna Regt that Michael Everly a Serjeant of that Regt was promised an Ensigncy by Colo. Humpton for his extraordinary exertions in inducing the Soldiers to reinlist, and upon many other services—From the above consideration and from the want of Subaltern Officers in the Regt I would recommend Mr Everly to...
30From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 28 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of the 18th Instant. I am sorry to find the Council are apprehensive that difficulties will attend the collecting of the Supplies required of the State, by the Resolution of Congress of the 25th of February; but I cannot see that it is in my power to prevent them in any degree. Your Excellency and the Council will perceive on recurring...