1Saturday 20th. (Adams Papers)
This morning about 6 o clock spy’d a sail about 2 miles of f . We sent the courier de L’europe to speak with her. She put about and run. About nine o clock she set royals studden studding sails and chased us. About one o clock she came up with us and hoisted american colours. We hoisted french flag and pendant; we spoke with her. She was a brig eight weeks out of Salem. She has taken three...
2John Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 November 1779 (Adams Papers)
A brave fellow from Boston Captn. Carr, gives me an Opportunity of writing one Line, to let you know that We are all very well thus far. Charles behaves quite as well as John, and lies in my Bosom a nights. Mr. Dana has been very sea sick but is now pretty well. We are now out of all Danger of the Romulus and Virginia, and I hope have little to fear, from the Ennemy. We have had one storm...
3John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams, 20 November 1779 (Adams Papers)
This moment gives me an Opportunity of writing to you but I have very little to write. We are now about 200 leagues from Boston and have been very lucky till now; we had a little storm but it did us but little damage. My young freind Sammy Cooper is a very agreable young Gentleman who makes me more happy on the voyage than I should have been without him; as to his Language I have not heard him...
AL : American Philosophical Society Chaumont a L’honneur d’envoyer a S. Ex. M. Franklin unne Lettre et un Memoire d’observations qu’il vient de Recevoir et qui pouroient estre utils a M. Landais dont la Reputation Souffre de touttes les Relations mises dans Les gazettes. S. Ex. voudra Bien prescrire a M. de Chaumont L’usage qu’il peut faire ou doit faire de ces Lettres et memoires. Notation:...
5To Benjamin Franklin from James Jimison, 20 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As I am a subject to the 13 United Colonies of America I think it very hard to remain in prison so long without being taken any notice of. I was born and brought up in Viginia and serv’d my time with one Mr. Reed a ship Wright on Queens Island at the mouth of Raperhanick River And has sailed out of that place and south Carolina until I had the misfortune to...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Robert Montgomery, 20 November 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I Beg Lave to Refer your Eccellency to My Respects of the 2d Currt. Which Inclosed Copy of the Count de Floridablanca’s Letter to this Governour in My favour. And Since ’am Honourd by your Truly Esteemd of the 28th: Ulto. And ’am to Return you My Sincerest Thanks for the Attention you ware Pleased to Shew to my former Requests in your Interceeding with the...
7General Orders, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
The baggage of the Maryland line to be embarked tomorrow morning as early as possible and sent to New-Windsor, from thence to proceed to Morristown by the route pointed out by the Quarter Master General: The Maryland troops to march immediately after their baggage is embarked by the route assigned them. In the distribution of all the cloathing lately issued and shortly to be issued, the Light...
8To George Washington from Henry Babcock, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
The great Regard I have for Justice, & the well grounded Esteem, I have for an extreamly injured Character (in the Person of Capn Saltonstall) will I hope be a sufficient Apology for my giving your Excellency the Trouble of this Letter. When I saw his Orders signed by Warren, & Verno[n] viz. in the usual Form. “You are to proceed to Penobscot, burn sink & destroy &c.[”] They go on to say in a...
9From George Washington to General Henry Clinton, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor on the 16th Inst. to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of the 9th—In answer to such parts of it, as respect the matters contained in Mr Loring’s Letter to Mr Beatty, I beg leave to refer you to the inclosed Copy of his Answer to Mr Loring. It will be perfectly agreable to me, for Mrs Maxwell, the Lady of Lt Maxwell, to join her Husband in Virginia when an Opportunity offers. In...
10To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
The position which Lord Sterling and Col. Abeel wrote such a flattering account about, has nothing but water and naked ground to recommend it, for I dont believe there is one quarter wood enough to supply the Troops through the Winter. I rode all day yesterday, and all day to day in search of a position, but without the least success. I have searched the Country pretty thoroughly from...
11To George Washington from Colonel Moses Hazen, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Memorial of Col. Moses Hazen humbly sheweth, That the Canadian Regiment your Excellency’s Memorialist’s has the Honour to Command was, by a Resolution of Congress of the 20th of January 1776, ordered to be raised in Canada for one Year, or during the then present Disputes; to compose four Battalions of Two Hundred and fifty Men each, as will, by said Resolution of Congress, more fully...
12From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was last night favored with yours of yesterday. The two Connecticut Brigades are to Encamp on the west side of the river, as it may be a day or two before they march. All detachments from those Brigades should be called in, upon giving the Adjutant General notice that he may relieve them by others, except the party under the command of Major Throop, at work upon the redoubts, which cannot...
13From George Washington to Major General Robert Howe, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Herewith you will receive Mr Pulteney’s lucubrations—and my thanks for the perusal of them. He has made I perceive, the dependance of America essential to the existance of Great Britain as a powerful Nation—This I shall not deny—because I am in sentiment with him in thinking her fallen state in consequence of the seperation too obvious to be disputed—It was of magnitude sufficient to have made...
14From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
On Monday Evening I had the honor to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of the 10th, with the Inclosures to which it refers, by Major Clarkson. I also had the honor since, on the night of the 17th, to receive Your Favor of the 11th. I regret much the failure of the expedition against Savannah, and the causes which seem to have produced it. The North Carolina Troops proceeded yesterday to New...
15From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with Your Excellency’s Letter of the 16th. I assure you Sir, I should esteem myself happy if it were in my power to comply with your request, with respect to the Troops ordered from Rhode Island—but it is really not. I have no alternative in the matter; or at least I could not consent to their remaining with you, without departing from such an Arrangement, as a regard to...
16From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favd with yours of the 18th. It would have been a very desirable thing to have wound up the Campaign by a successful stroke upon the enemy before they retired within Kingsbridge. I have no doubt but if, in the course of your enquiries into their situation, the enterprize had been found warrantable, you would have given me information before any movements would have been...
17To George Washington from Brig. Gen. William Woodford, 20 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. William Woodford, 20 Nov. 1779 . In his second letter to Woodford on 21 Nov. , GW wrote: “I have this moment your favor of the 20th.”
18Board of War to Board of Trade, with Reply, 20 November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
[ Williamsburg ] 20 Nov. 1779 . Approval, with the concurrence of the executive, of the purchase of cloth, to be paid for in part by cannon at the foundry. Signed by Innes, Nelson, and Lyne. Countersigned: “In Council Nov. 23. 1779. This purchase is approved: paiment to be made in Cannon as above proposed, so far as they will go towards full paiment; the balance to be paid in money as soon as...
19To Thomas Jefferson from the Board of War, with Reply, 20 November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Williamsburg, 20 Nov. 1779 . Alexander Stewart of Rockbridge co. has offered to supply the state with gunpowder. He should be engaged to supply as much as he is willing to contract for and should be paid as much as others receive for all he delivers to the magazine at Staunton. Signed by Innes, Nelson, and Lyne. Countersigned: “In Council December 1st. 1779. Approved on condition that Mr....
20From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Harrison, [20?] November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
The Board of War apprehending that the mention of the appointment of an assistant Clerk to them, as made in my letter to you of October 20th . was not accurately conformable to their resolution as approved by the Executive, have inclosed me the resolution with the approbation subscribed. This transaction happened in my absence, and the Clerk being otherwise engaged no copy was retained, so...
21To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Thomson, 20 November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of transmitting you a duplicate of an Act of Congress passed the 16th of March 1779, the Utility of which is apparent: And as it may be proper and necessary that you should be informed of the several acts and proceedings of Congress I have herewith sent you a copy of their Journal from the 1st of January last and shall continue to send you from time to time their weekly...