11To Benjamin Franklin from John Torris, 7 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have seen with Mr. Coffyn the Petition, addressed to your Excellency by one Wam. Power a Prisonner of the Black Prince Taken on Board of the Good Will, who promised to Serve the Privateer for his Freedom the remainder of the Cruise. This Petition, I am told, is signed by many more such Prisonners— Their Leader Wam. Power has appeared yesterday before Mr....
12General Orders, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Main-Guard at Morristown to be relieved tomorrow with a Captain, Subaltern, 3 Serjeants, 3 Corporals, 2 D. & F. and 40 privates from the Maryland line; they are to be furnished with two days provision: This as well as the staff guards from the line to be relieved every two days. The Honorable, the Board of War being desirous to publish as soon as possible a Register of the Army; The...
13From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received your letter of the 6th last night but being engaged with the committee of Congress I could not answer it till now. Should you on a review of the ground think the alteration essentially necessary you may give orders for the connecticut line taking the position you have mentioned, or any other convenient one. I am sir &c. Df , in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript ,...
14From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
You are so well acquainted with the reasons which operate against keeping a greater quantity of Stores of any kind, than are absolutely necessary, in the vicinity of this Camp, that it is almost needless to desire you to avoid an accumulation of those belonging to your department at this place. I have given orders to the other departments to divest themselves as soon as possible of every thing...
15From George Washington to Colonel Charles Harrison, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Those men of your Regiment whose term of Service has expired, or will expire by Christmas next, may be marched in a body to the State of Virginia by a proper number of the Officers intended to be furloughed—to prevent insult & depredations by their returning in a straggling & scattered manner & there dismissed. The residue are to be left under sufficient & proper Officers, subject to the...
16To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The day before yesterday I received a packet from the General Assembly of the State of Massachusetts bay Containing several papers, (of which the enclosed are Copies) and a number of Warrants for Officers they have promoted and by which they are to act untill they receive Commissions from the board of war, to whom there is a Certificate among the papers. The assembly desire that I would...
17From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform Congress, that I have received a letter, from a confidential correspondent in New York, dated the 27th of November, containing the following Paragraph “The Men of War at the Hook have taken in water for several months, and, on friday, the Admiral went down with all his Baggage. A fleet for Cork and a number of Vessels for England will sail in a few days, some of...
18To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honour’d with your Excys favours of the 2d & 4th instant. You will receive herewith enclos’d two Acts of Congress of the 6th instant. By the one your Excellency will observe that Congress approve of Colo. Baylor’s Regiment of Dragoons being sent to South Carolina, and have directed the board of War to give the necessary orders for that purpose. The other is designed to regulate the...
19From George Washington to William Livingston, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
You have both obliged and amused me, by your communication of the 27th. I have not seen the piece to which you allude; but I should be more surprised had you been suffered to escape without paying a tax so antient and customary. When one is over rated in this way, it is very natural to complain, or to feel disgust at the ingratitude of the world; tho’ I beleive with you, that to persevere in...
20To George Washington from William Livingston, 7 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Time of the Enlistment of our State Regiment will expire the 20th Instant; To raise a new one in its room the State really cannot afford; and to occupy the Posts on the Frontiers by the Militia is also attended with great Inconvenience as well as insupportable Expence—As the Troops under your Excellency’s command, will, as I am informed take up their Winter Quarters in New Jersey, Your...