101To George Washington from Colonel Armand, 4 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
the situation in which I do find my Self in this Country is So different from that of all others the french officers who Have Come to serve Here that it Does become necessary for me to take Extraordinary precautions in returning Home, otherwise I shall find my Self in worse circumstances for Having made Greater Sacrifices—my not Having been promoted after four years Services will be an...
102To George Washington from Colonel Armand, 4 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Colonel Armand, 4 Feb. 1780. On 6 Feb. , GW wrote to Armand acknowledging receipt of Armand’s letter “of the 4th.”
103To George Washington from Colonel Armand, 21 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
I Have been Honor’d with the orders of your Exellency given to me in a lettre of the 5th Nbre the Contains of it were so nearly Connected with the Succés of a petition which I Had put at that time under the Consideration of Congréss that it was out of my power to answer sooner your favor —the promotions granted to my Country men in Consideration of small times of Services Had persuaded me that...
104To George Washington from Colonel Armand, 11 January 1781 (Washington Papers)
it was not in my power to finish sooner with Congress the business of the legion & yet I Have not anny prospect of Establishing that Corps on a proper footing & according to the Command I received from your Exellency —the board of war tells me, that, they Have no Clothing, arms , nor Horses & that they do not Expect to Have money to putchass thoses articles for the time they shall be wanted,...
105To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 17 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
I arrived here yesterday after fivety days passage from france—I have been so lucky as to answer the purpose of my journey there—having with me the cloathing and equipment for the legion firelock and shoes for the foots men exepted—I know that a large quantity of the first of thoses articles was Send to Congress—& could not get the shoes at time to set of by the opertunity of the frigate we...
106To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 7 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your answer to my last lettre—by the formers thestimony of the patronage which your exellency granted to my military fortune & by the uncheangeable resolution in which you are thot to inter in to the motives & stepts conducive to restore what promotions out of regular course have make me lost, I must be convinced of the unpropriety of my past & further application on...
107To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 14 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
the remaining of the legion are quartered in a such sickly place that many of the men being sick & one died few days ago the officers wishes your exellency would permit them to take a quarter two or three miles further where the men can be better accommodated and keep better their health—the quarter which thy request to go at, is near the half way house no further than six miles from yorck....
108To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 25 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
1 I have not till this day made any rappert of the legion to your Exellency because I had not Received the Cloathing & accoutrement of that Corps, & of Course Could not form nor give any idea of the time at which he Could take to the field—at last the whole of the equipement arrived at richemond by water & I had it brought here by my own means, I mean in paying my self the carryage of it—five...
109To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 9 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform your Excellency that the officers of the legion under my Command have accepted of the Commutation of the half pay for life into five years full pay—I take the liberty to inclose here a copy of their determination on the Subject—I have the honor to be with the greatest respect Sir Your Excellency’s the most obdt hb. srt DNA : Item 149, Letters and Reports from...
110To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 30 July 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am this instant favoured with a lettre of the baron de Steuben a Copy of which I have the honor to inclose; as this is the first notice I have officially received relating to the society of Cincinnati , I have reason to be still at a loss to know whether the honor intended by the conference of that order on the americain’s officers extend to foreigners who have served in it with some...
111To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 5 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 13 febry—the exchanges of Col–ternant Capts le Brun & bert which have been effected trough your usual Goodness for the legion are of a real advantage to that Corps—I lament Sincerely that we are deprived of the benefit which we would reap from the talents of the first of thoses Gentlemen if his Exertions were sollely confined to his duty in the...
112To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 20 May 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to find that my promotion is likely to prove injurious to lnt Col. ternant—and it is with a view & wish to see every justice done to that officer that I now adress your Excellency—I think it useless to state here the case as his letter on that subject will I trust prove satisfactory—we both expected that my retaining the immediate Command of the legion, which I would never have...
113To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 17 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
at my arrival here which was the 13th present I find by a letter from major waker one of your aids to the d.p. Secretary at war that mr Second still continue in the idea that he has a right to take his rank into the legion & I take the liberty to represent once more the matter to your Excellency—& as I had the honor to wrait to you before that no personal reasons promoted my wishes against...
114To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 22 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
Since I have the honor to be under your Command my most warm wishes were to acknowledge the kind & advantageous reception I meat with from your Excellency at my arrival in the army—Since that time the patronage you have been pleased to Grant me has inforced the first sentiments of my heart towards you; I thought that by performing the duty of the line I am in & rendering my self usefull to the...
115To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 1 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I am this instant honored with your lettre of the 30th octo. last—when I joigned the remaindre of count pulaski legion at wilmington in north carolina there was in the whole twenty two men commanded by capitain le brun lieutenant verdier & cornet des conture—I find no others nor did ever any others come afterwards—your exellency is sensible that the numbre of 22 men which did not make out one...
116To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 3 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
The ministre at war wrait to me that Mr de Sigougné late of my legion had gone to you to inter with your exellency his Complaint of an injustice done to him—I take the liberty to enclose here a Coppy of my answere to the ministre at war which I hope will explain the fact. I have not yet received any horses—I depend intirely on your exellency for all manner of Justice which I have some rights...
117To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 10 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
At this period in the affairs of America it Could have been Expected that my warmest wishes would be to return to france & enjoy there the fruits of my Conduct here & a familly happiness—but motive of attachement to your excellency, to the form of a republican government & to the Great quality of this people as soldiers Create in me wishes stronger than those which I may gratify at home. I am...
118To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 10 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your letters of the 30th jully & 12th august last. as your Exellency observe in the former one it does not appears consistant with the present state of public finances to pu r chasse horses for the complement of the legion—this Expectation which I conceived of getting them I must lay by untill better times—but what give me the most pain is the disapointment of...
119To George Washington from Charles, marquis de La Rouërie Armand Tuffin, 21 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
I enclose here a copy of my recruiting instructions from the board of war which I recieved yesterday—Capt. Shaffner wraot to me that he shall recieve immediately the first advance of money. I expect him here every moment. I was by no means anxious to recruit but as no other way could procure me an honou r able command I must do it—my hopes of succés on all occasions but more particularly on...
120To George Washington from John Armstrong, 27 December 1781 (Washington Papers)
It was a choice too long deferred writing Yr Excellency on the very important Capture of the Earl Cornwallis and the Troops under his command—an event (more especially at this Cr i sis) worthy of God & honourable to man, having laid ample foundation of gratitude to both; and taken in connexion with other considerations perhaps presents the first probable ray of Peace that hath yet been...
121To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 19 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
This day or tomorrow I design moving Over to the Bethlehem or rather the Eastown Road & near the Shamany & Shou’d have moved Sooner, had the weather & Other impediments permitted —the removal of Sick Soldiers & fragments of Continental Stores, with the Scarcity of Waggons to procure Our provisions have Stood in the way. Coll Pickering writes me that two or three hundred Arms, Tents &c. were...
122To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 20–21 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I shall not incroach on your time with disscribeing that Circle of feeble Service wherein I have been engaged since I had the pleasure of Seeing you, ’tis enough to say it has been of the mottled kind. When the Supream Council of this State appointed me to the Command of their Militia, various motives compelled me to accept even under the latent mortification of knowing I had nothing to render...
123To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 1 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to recommend, that as early as it may be Safe to make such movement, the Army may pass Over the Scuilkill & take for Some time a position on that Side. With respect to Winter Quarters for the Army—The longer I consider the measure pointed out in the back Villiages of this State, the more inadmissable that Step appears to be, as by the large lattitude thereby given the Enemy thro’...
124To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 23 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday, prior to your Excellens. favour which came to hand last night, I had dispatch’d an Express to the Council of this State in regard to a Continued Succession of the Militia thro’ the Winter—this I had in effect done by a former letter, but Yesterday have been explicit. About 200 fine Cattle are gone forward to you, with these I have Sent a Guard & thro the hurry of business forgot to...
125To George Washington from Maj. Gen. John Armstrong, 17 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. John Armstrong, Sr., 17 Sept. 1777. Armstrong wrote GW at 8:00 P.M. , 18 Sept.: “I wrote you last Night at this hour.”
126To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 23 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I received your Excellys Favour this Afternoon & shall as far as in my Power endeavour to obey your Commands. Upon conferring with Persons who have the best Opportunities of knowing the Circumstances of the Country between this & Philada I am of Opinion that instead of there being a Surplus beyond the Wants of the Inhabitants they will have great Difficulty to reach the Spring with the little...
127To George Washington from John Armstrong, 7 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Major Nichols having been Nominated by the Board of War as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Pennsylvania line, and afterward disappointed of that rank by the judgment of a Board of Officers, has I find for some time past been indulgeing in himself that Spirit of resignation but too general in our Army at present—His better reflexion however has led him to observe that Several other Officers in the...
128To George Washington from John Armstrong, 31 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
Since my return to Congress in the latter end of May, few Weeks have passed in which I did not intend the pleasure of writing you—Yet can the fault of Omission I now acknowledge be imputed to no other cause than the progressive langure and infirmity produced by an attention to business often perplexing in it Self, and a tedious debate with the dissolving heat of this City. At present I know of...
129To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 10 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
The intelligence gain’d by a Miss Myer, respecting a Certain John Robinson who has undertaken Secretly to conduct a body of Tories from this part of the Country to Genl Howe, has been sent me by the Board of War, with a request to endeavour to take him &c. Robinson is but little known to the Whigs in these parts; I have however Sent out an Officer with instructions which may probably have...
130To George Washington from John Armstrong, 10 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
Necessarily as now you must be led to consider on the One hand, the various distributions of your Army, I mean the Seneca or Northern Expedition—Some force at Fort Pitt, together wth the representation of Governor Green on behalf of the Providence Plantations & adjacent Country which Stands exposed to the contrasted force of the Enemy at Rhode Island —And on the Other, the intelligence of Mr...
131To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 25 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
Without such an acquaintance of the Enemies lines as wou’d discover to you where they are more or less accessible I can not well approve of an attack upon them, nor can I conceive the opposite numbers at Philada under Six thousand or upward—And question whether an attack can be Succesful if the lines are not penetrated in so Short a Space of time (perhaps some Seven or at most ten minutes) as...
132To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 8 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
The bearer Mr Saml Kersley is One under the Nomination of a Captain in the minute I left yr Excely an assiduous & every way well disposed Young man—who after laying out what money he had of his Own in recruiting & coming to this City to be replenished (for which I thought my Certificate expressly grounded on your Authority wou’d have been Sufficient) Congress will not grant nor admit a...
133To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 29 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I lately wrote yr Excely of four prisoners confined in this Guard for Carrying Provisions on different roads toward the Philada Market, and that I wou’d Send them to you for tryal —Upon Examining the prisoners & farther reflexion, I thought it unnecessary to trouble you with them, especially as in my Opinion none of them stood in the Shoes of a proper Victim—I have therefore I believe...
134To George Washington from John Armstrong, 3 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
By so good a conveyance as that of Coll Irwin I can not wave the pleasure of a line to your Excellency, tho’ destitute of news or any thing of an interesting nature. I hope before this time yr winter quarters or retirement, is some way determined—Towns according to the present exorbitant prices of things, are in my opinion very unfavourable to our Soldiery. The Subalterns of your Army often...
135To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 4 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
In regard to the Advisability of a Winters Campaign, I answer —In keeping the Field, the hardships on both officers and privates are manifestly great, nor is there an alternative presenting your Excy with less inconvenience, at best you have but a choice of difficulties of which Hutting in the field is in my Opinion the least of the two, and most in Character for the Army. The only Semblance...
136To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 22 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
On my return from Baltimore & travelling the West⟨ern⟩ part of the County of York, I am favoured with your Excellencys Letter of the 19th Ulto —and Sorry to find that so few of the Pennsylvania Militia who were actually on foot ever reached to head Quarters & also for the Short Stay of those who did—when I spoke of 20,000 it was including the bones of the Old Army & her few new recruits. The...
137To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
My last letter to the Council of this State was wrote in consequence of yr Excellencys desire, that the militia shou’d be maintain’d thro’ this winter in the same numbers & succession as they have been in the cource of the Campaign; which requisition I urged with some Argument drawn from the exposed Situation of this Side the Scuylkill & the inexpedience of dividing the Continental Army. On...
138To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
My unacquaintance at coming to this place, with the Complexion of Congress & exertions of that body for the approaching Campaign has prevented me the pleasure of writing you sooner; and the little I yet know far short as it must be of your better intelligence, can only serve as a farther expression of that line of duty I have long determined to pursue. My apprehensions are Still painful with...
139To George Washington from John Armstrong, 8 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Five Sabel months have passed over Since I last had the pleasure of writing yr Excellency & then unable to finish a letter of moderate length, of which indispossion I am fully recovered, but having passed the Sixty third of my age, find little capacity for active life except in the dreams of an intoxicated immagination, which ought to be corrected & the thoughts turned upward; permit me Sir to...
140To George Washington from John Armstrong, 22 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
In March, I was honored with the receit of your Excellencys letter of the 10th of January—and the interveneing intelligence has at once prevented my earlier acknowledgments, and the use of observation, the then important contents being now beyond Suspence. At lenth, not only the emblem, the Olive branch; but the Salutary thing it self Peace and independance hath reached this militant and weary...
141To George Washington from John Armstrong, 25–29 June 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am for Some time possessed of your Excellencys favour of the 18th Ulto and perfectly convinced of the truth & importance of the contents, but have & shall punctually observe that degree of reserve, which is equally just as it can be agreeable to your wishes. You are not mistaken when on a late amplification of certain powers, you immagin Congress had an eye to something particular or out of...
142To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 26 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I cannot yet learn whether the Enemy are return’d to Philada—a person from thence, tells me the Citizens were extreamly alarm’d at the little Noise of the evening before last & it was thought the Ravagers wou’d return as of yesterday —As to persons passing in & out of Town, I see that may be done in oppo[si]tion to all we can do to prevent it, nor can every degree of Marketing be fully Stoped,...
143To George Washington from John Armstrong, 12 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The present distressing Asspect of our publick affairs compels me to add to your Excellencys present trouble the reading of the following lines—about this time I hoped to have heard of your being in Philada and fully intended writing at some greater length than the haste of the bearer will now admit. I need not take up the train much less the causes of our present most critical & dangerous...
144To George Washington from Brigadier General John Armstrong, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
You will scarcely expect a Letter from me dated at this place so far out of the line of yr Excellencys Orders —On my traversing a considerable part of the State of Pennsylvania as high as Carlisle I found that not only the inclemancy of the weather prevented my being able to draw out the Militia Battalions so fully as cou’d have been wished, but the numbers that were gone to Camp especially...
145To George Washington from John Armstrong, 29 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ this warm weather leaves me but little inclination to write, I could not entirely decline the present opportunity—The little news afforded from the Western part of our Country happens at present not to be good—the Volunteers commanded by Coll Crawford who lately formed an Expedition against Sandusky, have retreated & are returned with some loss; among the missing Coll Crawford is said...
146To George Washington from John Armstrong, Sr., 15 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Counts expected approach to these Shores begins to be thought tedious, but the lodgment of the Enemy to the South being in two places considerably distant from each other, I’m persuaded no time has yet elapsed wherein we cou’d reasonably look for an Official account of that event. A letter from Hampdon of the 9th Inst. asserts the certainty of a compleat Capture of Provosts Army & various...
147To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, Sr., 18 September 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you last Night at this hour respecting One hundred Cattle which are now Safe at Sweeds Ford. Upon examining repeatedly the disposition of the Militia from Greys Ferry to the ford last mention’d, I cou’d not See the least use especially from Troops of this Sort, in a Situation So far detatched—joined to this the great probability of the Enemies looking more immediately to Sweedsford,...
148To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, Sr., 25 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
At this place I found about three hundred of the militia of this County Collected & other smaller partys coming in, the former employed to very little purpose waiting for Acoutrements whereof they are almost totally destitute a great part not even bringing Blankets which Article they undoubtedly cou’d have found—But march they shall this afternoon having prompted the Council to make another...
149To George Washington from Major General Benedict Arnold, 27 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
I arrived at Camp Fort Edward the 21st Instt and should have done myself the honor of writing your Excellency imediately on my arrival, but was informd by Genl Schuyler that he had communicated every intelligence in his Power, by an Express sent off the day before my Arrival; The day after my coming here the Army was divided into two divisions & Head Quarters moved to Moses Creek three Miles...
150To George Washington from Major General Benedict Arnold, 12 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I had the Honor to receive Your Excellency’s Favor of Yesterday inclosing a Copy of a Council of War held the 6th. I will endeavour agreeable to Your Excellency’s request, to transmit my Opinion, on the Matters submitted by the Time required: I sincerely wish the Situation of our Affairs would admit my giving it with more Decission, than I am able to do at present. The Order...