1General Orders, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Great numbers of prisoners are now in the Provost, suffering extremely from the severity of the season. Brigade General Courts Martial are to be appointed for to morrow, and to sit daily, ’till all the prisoners belonging to the respective brigades are tried. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Brig. Gen. George Weedon’s orderly book adds the following passage to the general orders for this date: “a...
2From George Washington to Major Samuel Blackden, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Being appointed by Colo. Sheldon to procure Cloathing and Accoutrements for the Regiment agt the ensuing Campaign, you are to repair immediately to Boston as the most probable place of furnishing yourself. Upon your arrival there, you are, thro’ General Heath, (to whom I have written) to apply to the persons purchasing Cloathing for continental use, for as much as will be sufficient, and as...
3Colonel Daniel Brodhead to Lieutenant Colonel Tench Tilghman, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
At the Request of his Excellency the Commander in chief I take the Liberty of addressing you with a few Remarks, which have occured to me, relative to the Minutiæ of our Army: and some which in my Opinion may, by able Hands be improved, into Usefull Regulations. I have had the Mortification to see that the different Staff Departments, have been for the greater part filled, with Men of low...
4From George Washington to Major General Thomas Conway, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am favor’d with your Letter of yesterday, in which you propose (in order to loose no time) to begin with the instructions of the Troops. You will observe by the Resolution of Congress relative to your appointment, that the board of War is to furnish a Sett of Instructions, according to which the Troops are to be Manœuvred—As you have made no mention of having recd them, I suppose they are...
5The American Commissioners to Rocquette, Elsevier and Rocquette, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society Your Favors of the 1st and 4th Inst. are before us and woud sooner have been replied to, but we were in hopes to have recd. the Samples of Indigo referr’d to in yours of the 1st. They are not arrived. We are not however the less sensible of your Kindness and for the Intelligence given us of the Qualities of Indigo, and at the same time of the price of...
6To George Washington from Major John Clark, Jr., 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The bearer Christian Bittinger with whom I am nearly connected has been in the service near three Years, during which time he has found himself in Cloathes for the most part—he has been with Colonel Morgan to the Northward, & is desirous of going home on furlough the Col. has this morning wrote me that his conduct merits one, but he was fearful if he granted it that others wou’d expect the...
7To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I went Yesterday morning to Head Quarters with an intention of Speaking to Your Excellency But You were too Busy and I shall lay down in this letter what I wished to Say. I don’t Need telling You How I am Sorry for all what Happens Since Some time it is a necessary dependence of my most tender and Respectful friendship for You, which affection is as true and Candid as the other Sentiments of...
8Dumas to the American Commissioners, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL (letterbook draft): Algemeen Rijksarchief, The Hague Mes dernieres, du 12e., 16e. et 19e. de ce mois, répondoient à celles du 4 et du 8, dont Mr. A. Lee a eu la bonté de me favoriser. Aujourd’hui j’ai l’honneur de vous donner avis, que Mr. le grand Facteur partit d’ici vendredi au soir, après m’avoir fort recommandé de continuer mes visites chez son substitut pendant son absence, et de lui...
9To Benjamin Franklin from J. (I.?) Washington, 30 December 1777: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <The Hague, December 30, 1777, in French: Only your kindness can help me out of my dilemma. We carry the name of the great General, and our family is English with a coat of arms. I have been assured that the General was English, and have written him a letter enclosing the coat of arms; you would oblige me by forwarding it. My grandfather came here and...
10Instructions to Officers of Light Dragoons, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
As you are appointed to retire from the immediate duty of your Regiment in order to provide Accoutrements &ca to Equip it for the next Campaign—You are to observe that it will be necessary to enter into some agreement with the Officers of the other Regiments of Dragoons who go for the same purpose, that you may not interfere with each other in applications to Tradesmen, or the Purchase of any...
11To George Washington from Brigadier General William Smallwood, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have just been favor’d with yours of yesterdays Date, & the Requisitions therein shall be stricktly complied with—I wrote some Days ago by Colo. Gist (who informed he had your Permission to retire to settle his Regimental Accts) to Governor Johnson, to forward the Cloathing to this Place, & have taken Measures to comply with the Resolution of Congress respecting the Stock. I have no...
12To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Several of The General officers of the Army have been with me This morning To Consult upon Some Measure to be pursued Respecting Some Late promotions which have taken place To Their prejudice They are about meeting to make a proper Representation of their Grievances to your Excellencey and To Congress as Soon as may be in the Interim They beg your Excellencey would Defer Announcing in orders...
13To John Adams from James Lovell, 30 December 1777 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Geary otherways engaged has given me the pleasure of forwarding this Intelligence from your friend Jefferson respecting the ready concurrence of the Dominion with the Articles sent lately to the States in a hope of cementing them together in a firm League. I am particularly rejoyced at this dispatch at this critical time when things appear almost desperate in this neighbourhood. As a...
14To 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...
15To George Washington from the Board of War, 30 December 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from the Board of War, 30 Dec. 1777. In his letter to the Board of War of 2–3 Jan. 1778 , GW wrote: “Your Favors of the 28th & 30 Ulto came to hand this Morning.”
16To George Washington from the Continental Navy Board, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
We have sent by the Bearer a few Fish which we take the Liberty of presenting to your Excellency’s Table requesting you will do us the Honour of accepting them, & hope they will prove a seasonable Refreshment. Had we opportunity equal to our Zeal we should be happy in exerting our best Abilities to shew the Affection & Respect we have for your Excellency. Sincerely wishing you all Manner of...
17The American Commissioners to Comic, Veuve Mathurin & fils, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Connecticut Historical Society We have to thank you for the Account you gave us of Capt. Johnson’s Escape and should have acknowledged the same sooner but were in hopes it would have been confirmed by his Arrival, but unhappily your Intelligence was premature and he unhappily remains still a prisoner. In Behalf of Doctr. Franklin and Self I am with much respect Your most Obedient and...
18To George Washington from Major John Clark, Jr., 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Spy mentioned in my Letter of Day before Yesterday, returned last Night, and informs me the Enemy are all over the Schuylkill except a Guard at the middle Ferry, they have taken up their Bridge at Grays, & say, that so soon as they’ve haul’d their Wood from this side, they will take up that at middle Ferry also, & continue Boats for the benefit of the Market People, I must now inform you...
19From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Flower, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Instructions for the Commissary of Military Stores— All the Continental Arms that are out of order are to be collected without delay, that they may be repaired and render’d fit for Service as speedily as possible. Every Workman that can possibly be engaged is to be employed for this purpose—and in proportion as the Repairs are completed the Arms are to be packe⟨d⟩ in proper Chests, which are...
20William Carmichael to the American Commissioners, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard University Library I arrivd at this place last night in forty four hours from Paris. The Vessels which it was intended I should stop saild eight days ago, and it is most probable that the court knew of that circumstance because it is confidently asserted a french Frigate convoyd them as far as Ushant. Mr. Williams immediately took the proper steps to profit by your advices had...
21To Benjamin Franklin from ——— Le Franq, 30 December 1777: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Montreuil-sur-Mer, December 30, 1777, in French: It would be glorious for me if my son, Antoine-Maximilien-César, should distinguish himself in the American service. The young man of twenty-one left Martinique last February for New England as second in command of an American ship, and wrote me from Baltimore in May that he had accepted a second lieutenancy...
22To George Washington from Major General Charles Lee, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
As I have the strongest reason to flatter myself that you interest yourself in whatever concerns my comfort and welfare I think it my duty to inform you that my condition is much better’d—it is now four or five days that I am on my parole, have the full liberty of the City and its limits, have horses at my command furnish’d by S’r Henry Clinton and General Robinson—am lodg’d with two of the...
23Jonathan Williams, Jr., to the American Commissioners, 30 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Virginia Library Your Favour of the 27th Inst. was handed to me last Evening by my good Friend Mr. Carmichael. I am extreemly sorry to inform you that all the proposed measures will be useless, as the Ships in Question sailed at least 8 days ago under Convoy of a french and an english Frigate. I went however to M. Montaudouin and from him immediately to the Lieut. General...
24From George Washington to Richard Peters, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
Captain Jones of Coll Baylers Regt of Light dragoons has a troop of Men inlisted and accoutrements compleat, but not having been able to procure Horses at the limited price, the Men are as yet dismounted. I am informed that there are a number of horses at Lancaster and Carlisle which were purchased for the North Carolina light dragoons but tis said they have neither proper Arms or...
25From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
The bearer presents the horse to you, which I offered in exchange for your black —In the Summer, when I first got him, he had the appearance of a fine, and handsome horse—at present (by neglect at Bethleham) his appearance is altered. He was purchased for me by Colo. Moylan as a horse of Six yrs old, & I believe him to be sound, knowing nothing to the contrary. he goes rough, equal I believe...