To George Washington from John Hancock, 26 June 1776

From John Hancock

Philadelphia June 26th 1776.

Sir,

You will perceive by the enclosed Resolves, which I do myself the Honour of transmitting in Obedience to the Commands of Congress, and to which I beg Leave to request your Attention, that they have come to a Resolution to augment the Number of Troops, destined for the Northern Department, four Thousand.1

It is scarcely necessary to mention the Motives on which they acted, or to explain the Propriety of the Measure. The Arrival of Genl Burgoyne with a large Reinforcement—the known Character of that Officer for Action and Enterprize—the Defeat of General Thompson with the Troops under his Command, and his being made Prisoner, are so many Circumstances, that point out the absolute Necessity of being more expeditious in our Preparations for the Defence of that Provence, and of encreasing our Force there. In this Light I have represented the Matter to Convention of New Hampshire, and the Assemblies of Massachusetts Bay, and Connecticut, to whom I have wrote by this Express, in the most pressing Language, urging them to send forward their Militia.2 As an additional Encouragement, the Congress have resolved that a Bounty of ten Dollars be given every Soldier who shall enlist for three Years.3

I have also wrote to the Convention of New York on the Subject of the enclosed Resolve; and have delivered Col. Dubois, Col. Bruyn, and Major Goforth, their Commissions.4

Should you be able, consistent with the Safety of New York, to afford any Assistance to the Canada Department, I am to request you will do it, and give such Directions, as you think will promote the Public Service.5

You will please to give Coll Dubois the necessary Directions respecting the Raising his Regiment, he will wait on you immediately on his Arrival at New York. I have the honour to be with Esteem, Sir Your most Obedt Servt

John Hancock Presidt

I must Request the favr of you to order a fresh Express to proceed with the Inclos’d Letters to the Northern Colonies.

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 12A. The last paragraph and the postscript of the LS are in Hancock’s writing.

1. The enclosed resolutions of 25 and 26 June principally concern the sending of additional militia reinforcements to the northern department and the raising of another New York regiment under Col. Lewis Duboys (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:479, 481, 483).

2. See Hancock to Certain Colonies, 25 June (second letter) in Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 4:317–19.

3. Congress approved this resolution on this date, and it is included among the enclosed resolutions (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:483).

4. See Hancock to the New York Convention, this date, in Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 4:325–26. Congress authorized the raising of Duboys’s regiment to provide places for several New York officers, such as Duboys, Bruyn, and Goforth, who had served well in Canada during the previous year but had been left out of the new arrangement of the New York line (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:479, 481). Lewis Duboys (Dubois; 1728–1802) was commissioned a captain in the 3d New York Regiment in June 1775 and was promoted to major the following November. A warm recommendation of Duboys by the commissioners to Canada prompted Congress to appoint him colonel of his own regiment on 25 June 1776 (commissioners to Hancock, 16 May 1776, DNA:PCC, item 166). The recruiting of Duboys’s new regiment was greatly hampered over the next few months by the resignation of several officers, a lack of recruits, and Duboys’s illness (Duboys to Hancock, 17 July, DNA:PCC, item 78; Duboys to GW, 5 Aug. 1776, DLC:GW). When the New York line was reorganized in November 1776, Duboys was named colonel of the 5th New York Regiment, which was stationed in the Hudson Highlands. On 6 Oct. 1777 he and many of his men were captured by the British at Fort Montgomery. After his exchange, Duboys returned to his regiment; he resigned his Continental commission in December 1779, and in 1780 he became a colonel of the New York state levies.

Jacobus Severyn Bruyn (Bruin; 1751–1825) also served as a captain in the 3d New York Regiment during 1775. He was appointed lieutenant colonel of Duboys’s new regiment by Congress on this date (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:481) and continued in that rank under Duboys in the 5th New York Regiment after November 1776. Captured with Duboys at Fort Montgomery in October 1777, Bruyn apparently was not exchanged until sometime in 1780 (GW to George Clinton, 26 Dec. 1780, PWacD: Feinstone Collection, on deposit in PPAmP). Bruyn was transferred to the 3d New York Regiment in July 1780 and retired from the army at the end of that year.

5. Congress passed a resolution to this effect on this date, and it is among the resolutions enclosed with this letter (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:483).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: To George Washington from John Hancock, 26 June 1776
Author: Hancock, John
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 26 June 1776

Reference

Cite as: “To George Washington from John Hancock, 26 June 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-05-02-0071. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 5, 16 June 1776 – 12 August 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993, pp. 109–111.]

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