1John Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
This Morning I received yours of the 26th. Ult. It is the first I have received from you, and except one from Gen. Palmer of the 28th. it is the first I have received from our State. Yours made me very happy. Dont be uneasy about my Waiter. He behaves very well to me, and he has not the least Appearance of a Spy or a Deserter. He has not Curiosity, nor Activity nor sense enough for such a...
2From John Adams to Joseph Palmer, 20 February 1777 (Adams Papers)
Yesterday, I had the Pleasure of yours of Jany. 28. I am rejoiced to hear of the Measures taken by our state to raise their Battalions and to tax an hundred Thousand Pounds. Congress have been upon the subject of regulating the Prices of Labour and Provisions. I shall inclose you, what they have done. Are not these mere temporary Expedients and palliative Remedies. We must aim at a radical...
3The American Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, Jr., 20 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Yours of the 13th: is before Us. Mr. Deane wrote you on the subject of Arms &c. belonging to Mr. Montieu in Nantes we wish you to send Us as early as possible an Acct. of your survey and your Estimate of the value of the Whole on the best Information You can Obtain. Also supposing the Fusils whose Barrels may answer for further Use in the Continental Army...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 20 February 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The inclosed is in answer to Mr. Deanes Favour relative to the Arms in Mr. Montieu’s Store. It has been observed to me that Prizes instead of being brought into french ports might be sold with secrecy and can, by landing the Goods on an Island near the mouth of the Loire, where french Vessells might come and take them; and perhaps in this way it might be...
5General Orders, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
6From George Washington to Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favd with yours of the 7th instant. It has some how or other generally happened that we have been obliged to send in our prisoners at the most inconvenient times, but when they are brought down for the purpose of Exchange, it seems hard to send them back, especially as they did not fix upon the time themselves. I am so well convinced that the Officers are enabled to do us harm,...
7To George Washington from the Continental Congress Executive Committee, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed papers were sent to our Office this morning by the Council of Safety for our direction upon the subject matter of their contents: but we have deemed it the more elegible to transmit them to your Excellency and at the same time We beg leave to recal your attention to our letter to you respecting these prisoners wrote some time since. General Gates, who is now present, and to whom...
8From George Washington to Colonel William Crawford, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 12th by Mr Ashby came duly to hand. As I am unacquainted with the terms upon which your Regt was raised, it is impossible for me to say any thing on that head. Nor, as you mention your design of attending Congress will it be necessary for me to give any order about the Marching of your Regt as I presume you will be instructed by them. If the Matter rests with me, I shall be...
9To George Washington from Brigadier General Philemon Dickinson, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Immediately upon the Receipt of your Excellency’s Letter, I sent an Express to Genl Putnam, & shall agreable to your request, give the earliest Intelligence of the Situation & movements of the Enemy, to Genl Green—I shall send into Brunswick on Saturday next, & hope to receive some interesting Intelligence; by the return of the Person sent. I have added a second Picket, they both stand 1¼...
10From George Washington to Major General Horatio Gates, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
This Letter will accompany one of last Nights date, to which it is intended as an addition—I have a thousand corrisponding circumstances to convince me, that Genl Howe intends to move from Brunswick in a very short time—it is said to this place, but that may be a cover only, to his designs upon Philadelphia—He & Lord Percy you will find by the Inclosed Copies of Letters have, or were abt to...
11To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 18th came to hand last Evening—I shall pay due attention to its contents—but I fear my situation is too remote to carry on a communication of intelligence to advantage—Ever since I have been here I have been revolving the matter over and over in my mind respecting the subject of intelligence Nothing more elligible has occurd than the plan your Excellency suggests—but I hope...
12From George Washington to John Hancock, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The principal design of this, is to inform you, that we have strong reasons to beleive, that the Enemy are on the point of making some push. What their Object is, whether to beat up our Quarters and to extend their own—to make a large forage and collection of provender, of which they are in great want—or to turn their views towards the Delaware, is a matter of incertainty; But it seems...
13From George Washington to John Hancock, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Monsieur Fanueil, who sometime ago laid a plan before you for raising and officering a Corps of Frenchmen, waited upon me yesterday. His success, as I expected, has been small in inlisting or rather engaging Canadians, I cannot find that he has met with more than thirty or forty who would be willing to serve with him. He is now upon another Scheme, that of raising, arming and cloathing a...
14From George Washington to John Jay, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Card of the 8th Ulto I have had the honour to receive, & thank you most sincerely for your kind congratulations on our late Successes, & the polite manner in which you are pleased to apply them to me. Would to God Sir, they may be of continuance. Appearances do not justifie the hope—But—prudence forbids my adding more, in a Letter. The filial duty which withdrew you from the Comee for the...
15From George Washington to Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday evening received the favor of your Letter of the 15th Instt. As the Congress vested the Conventions of the several States with powers to appoint Officers for their Quota of Batallions first voted, I have made it a point not to interfere though fully authorized, except in an Instance or two where the choice has been evidently improper and injudicious. This line of conduct I wish to...
16To George Washington from William Livingston, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I received a Letter from Collo. Shreve yesterday from Burlington applying for a Barrack Master & Commissary, for wood & for straw; & informing me that the Barracks want repair; from what I collect that the Collo. intends to make Burlington the Seat of his Residence longer than I think his Duty to the Service, requires—He has not furnished me with a Return; but I am informd that he has with him...
17From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am glad to find by yours of the 16th that your Health is sufficiently re-established to enable you to do your duty. Considering the great dependance which we shall be under the necessity of putting upon Militia for a while longer, we certainly ought not to remove a General Officer from a post, to which, he can, by his influence, draw them when they are wanted. Upon this principle, you were...
18From George Washington to the New York Convention, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have been hon⟨oured with⟩ your Letter of the 13th Instt. You may ⟨rest assured⟩ that the situation of our Officers in the ⟨Enemy’s⟩ hands claims much of my attention, a⟨nd that it⟩ is my wish to give them the earliest ⟨relief.⟩ Every exchange that has been direct⟨ed by me,⟩ was meant to be made on the princip⟨les which you⟩ politely mention. It did happen how⟨ever,⟩ owing perhaps as much to...
19To George Washington from Robert Carter Nicholas, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
My Son, Majr Nicholas, of the 10th Regiment embodied in Virginia, will have the Honor of presenting you with this Letter. Presuming on the Intimacy & Frindship I have had the Pleasure of cultivating with you, I take the Liberty of recommending him to your Countenance & Civilities. He stept forth very young in the Service of his Country & I trust will ever continue warmly devoted to her truest...
20From George Washington to Major General Israel Putnam, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of receivg your favr of the 18th yesterday eveng communicating the successful attempt made by Colo. Neilson on the Enemy at Lawrence’s Island that Morng. The Colo. & his party conducted the plan with such secrecy & resolution, that they claim my sincerest thanks for this Instance of good behaviour, & I wish that you would acquaint them with my hearty Approbation of their...
21To George Washington from Capt. Benjamin Tallmadge, 20 February 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Capt. Benjamin Tallmadge, 20 Feb. 1777. GW wrote to Tallmadge on 1 Mar . “in answer to yours of the 20th last Month.”
22From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
A letter from you to General Heath inclosing a Petition from the Officers taken at Princetown, for liberty to send one of the party into New York for their Baggage, was transmitted to me, by Genl McDougall, Genl Heath having gone to Massachusetts. I am so sensible that these People, by remaining any length of time in the Country, not only acquire a knowledge of our affairs, but spread a very...
23From George Washington to Major General Artemas Ward, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I acknowledge the receipt of yr two favours of the 23d Decr & 17th January. The former introducing Mr Faneuil, a French Gentleman, who did me the honour of delivering it himself—The latter Monsr de Bourneuf, who also delivered it in person. The French Gentl. come to me in such Shoals, many of them with nothing more than introductory Letters, that I am under the most disagreeable Dilemma what...
24From George Washington to Carpenter Wharton, 20 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am glad to find by yours of the 17th that you are moving your Magazines from Philada farther into the Country, I would have you do the same with the provisions that are at Newtown. I dont think you ought to keep any thing more at the Magazine thirteen Miles from Philada than will be necessary for the Troops that will be occasionally in the City for a time to come. I have particular Reasons...