To George Washington from John Hancock, 24 January 1777

From John Hancock

Baltimore Jany 24th 1777.

Sir,

Since my last of the 18th, the Congress have come to the enclosed Resolves, which I do myself the Honour of transmitting for your Information and Direction.1 They are so explicit as to require no Comment or Illustration. I have wrote, in Obedience to the Order of Congress, to the Council of Safety of this State, to request them to call forth immediately the Militia of the Counties of Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, and such other Counties as they may think proper, to join your Army, and I have no Doubt of their immediate Compliance therewith.2

Your Favours of the 19 & 20th inst. I was honored with this Afternoon at four O’Clock, and shall lay them before Congress as early as possible, when the greatest Attention will undoubtedly be paid to their important Contents. I have the Honour to be with Sentiments of the most perfect Esteem & Respect, Sir, your most obed. & very hble Servt

John Hancock Presidt

LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 12A.

1. The enclosed copies of Congress’s resolutions of 21, 22, and 23 Jan. on a variety of military affairs are in 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 , 7:52–55, 58). The resolutions of 21 Jan. concern reinforcements for GW’s army from the Maryland militia and from Col. Peter Muhlenberg’s 8th Virginia Regiment. In the resolutions of 22 Jan., Congress authorizes the raising of a company on the Continental establishment to guard the public buildings and stores at Kittanning, Pa., and to protect the frontier from Indians, increases the subsistence allowance for Continental recruits to $1⅓ per week, and appoints Thomas Butler armorer for Philadelphia. The resolutions of 23 Jan. establish guidelines for the accounting procedures of Continental paymasters and advance $41,640 each to Col. George Baylor and Maj. Alexander Clough for the raising and outfitting of their regiment of light horse. At the direction of Congress, Hancock also enclosed Christophe Pélissier’s petition to Congress of 17 Jan., “requesting to be appointed Engineer in Chief at Ticonderoga with the rank attatchd to that Employ” (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 , 7:60). For the outcome of Pélissier’s petition, see GW to Hancock, 5 Feb., GW to Schuyler, 9 Feb., and Schuyler to GW, 15 February.

2. See Hancock to the Maryland Council of Safety, 22 Jan., 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 , 6:131. Congress’s resolution of 21 Jan. ordering out the Maryland militia was included among those that Hancock sent to GW on this date (see note 1; 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 , 7:53–54).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: To George Washington from John Hancock, 24 January 1777
Author: Hancock, John
Recipient: Washington, George
Date: 24 January 1777

Reference

Cite as: “To George Washington from John Hancock, 24 January 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-08-02-0151. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 8, 6 January 1777 – 27 March 1777, ed. Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1998, pp. 144–145.]

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