Paris, 18 April 1780. RC in John Thaxter’s hand ( PCC , No. 84, I, f. 467–469). printed : Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev. Francis Wharton, ed., The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States , Washington, 1889; 6 vols. , 3:620–624. In this letter, received by Congress on 19 Feb. 1781, John Adams provided newspaper accounts regarding a petition by Swedish merchants...
It is my Duty to transmit to Congress, as soon as Prudence will admit, every Thing which deserves Consideration, as having either a direct or an indirect tendency to Peace, or even to Negotiation for that important Object. The inclosed Letter has been transmitted to Paris in such a Channel, that I have Reasons to believe it was particularly intended for my Inspection. It is from a Gentleman,...
3To John Adams from William Lee, 18 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
Walsingham with 6 Ships of the line, the troops and the W. India fleet pass’d Plimo. the 8th. and Graves with 7 Ships of the line left St. Helens the 10th. to follow him, and as the winds have been since, Graves having only his 7 Ships and Walsingham a large fleet there is no doubt of their having join’d, but I do not learn with certainty the real destination, of Walsingham and his troops. By...
4George Washington to Major General Benjamin Lincoln, 18 April 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] April 18, 1780 . Asks Lincoln to employ Lieutenant Colonel Dubuysson “in such a manner as will enable him to indulge his ardor.” Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress. Lieutenant Colonel Charles François Dubuysson des Hays.
5To Benjamin Franklin from John Paul Jones, 18 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library Before I sailed from the Isle of Groa on my late expedition I gave written Orders to every Captain under my command, with proper signals of Reconnoissance and three points of Rendezvous in letters sealed up one within another, to be Opened only in case of necessity.— After every necessary arrangement had been made for the departure of my proper...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Juliana Ritchie, 18 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The 7th. instant, I was favored with the letter that you did me the honor to write to me the 5th. I beg leave to offer you my sincere thanks—for that proof of your politeness & good nature. Tho’ you have not been able to give me any intellegence respecting my husband, yet you have taken a weight from off my spirits, that I am not able to express—as, from...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Jonathan Williams, Jr., 18 April 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library; copy: Yale University Library I have by order of M. de Chaumont embraced every opportunity I could to send Cloathing to Brest to be thence exported by M. Bersolle to America, and what I have hitherto sent amount to as follows … Vizt. 3260 Coats. 3260 Waistcoats 975 Breeches. 3300 Overalls 4530 pr Shoes 2022 Hatts 13032 Shirts 11000 Ells of Linnen for...
8[Diary entry: 18 April 1780] (Washington Papers)
18th. Morning clear and tolerably pleasant. Mid-day warm and afternoon very lowering & very likely to rain. Wind also at No. East.
9General Orders, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
[Officers] Of the Day Tomorrow[:] Brigadier General Irwin[,] Major [ ] Thayer[,] Brigade Major from Maxwell’s Brigade A Surgeon and Mate from General Maxwell’s brigade to join the detachment under command of Major Moore immediately. A Serjeant Corporal and twelve men from General Maxwell’s Brigade to mount at Baron Steuben’s Quarters this afternoon and to be relieved daily from the same ’till...
10From George Washington to the Board of War, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honor to transmit You the Arrangement of Harrison’s—Lamb’s, Crane’s & proctor’s Battallions of Artillery, on which You will be pleased to issue Commissions. The Relative ranks of the Field Officers & of all Captains as well those belonging to separate Companies as to the Battallions are set down after the Regimental arrangements, with the proper numbers against each, by which their...
11To George Washington from Henry Champion, Sr., 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
yours of the 12th Instant is Just rcd & the Contents Observed, In answer, I started a Drove of 107 head fat Cattle about the last of March, with orders to the drover to leave 25 only at Fish-Kill & drive the rest to Morris, as I feared the Main army were in the greatest distress, & were at a greater distance from other relief than those Posts on, & near North-river, however I this day rcd a...
12To George Washington from Nicholas Cruger, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
On my Return to Philada from the Southward I found a Letter from my Friend in New York Lodg’d there, informing me that General Patteson has Requested my Return to that City agreeable to The Tenor of the Parole he had given him Previous to his having granted me the Pass to come out, and adds he was fearfull if I did not Comply with his Request it might be Attended with Disagreeable Consiquences...
13To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Col. Hay this Moment tells me that He is under the Necessity of setting out to-Morrow Morng by four oClock for Head Quarters, in Consequence of Directions sent him by Major Genl Greene —Not having Time to go into a Detail of the Circumstances from which this Army have so amazingly suffered for Want of Provision & Forage, I am glad that He will have an Opportunity of seeing your Excellency, as...
14To George Washington from Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Lt Colo. Gray who commands the Guards below informs me that a Company of Militia Horse who have done duty under the command of Capn Craigs at Raway & Woodbridge in concert with our Guards are engaged for no longer than to this day. They are as necessary as ever, if not more so—I suppose—on application from Your Excellency or the Governor of the State, they would engage again. I am &c. Copy, in...
15To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed Acts of Congress of the 6th & 13th Instant appointing a Committee to repair to Head Quarters to confer with the Commander in Chief &c. and containing Instructions for their Government. Also another Act of the 10th Instant containing Assurances that as soon as Circumstances will admit to make [good] to the Line of the Army and independant Corps...
16From George Washington to Colonel Stephen Moylan, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Major Bull, who succeeds to the Majority of the 1st Regt Dragoons vice Jameson, having represented to me the peculiar situation of his family, which would render his proceeding to south Carolina at this time extremely inconvenient, I have directed him to join and do duty in your Regiment till further orders. Being informed that there is a quantity of Arms and Accoutrements proper for the...
17To George Washington from Joseph Reed, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the honour of three of your Excellencys favours respecting the supplies furnished by this state agreeable to the Resolve of Congress of the twenty fifth of February. The number and distance at which these magazines are to be formed will I fear be found very difficult if not impracticable, as the Transportation (for which no provision is made by the Resolve of Congress) will in many...
18From George Washington to Colonel Elisha Sheldon, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your favr of the 13th—The low state of the military Chest will not allow of a further sum on account of recruiting just now, for which reason your Officers must suspend that Business for the present. The Bounty to the Officer is 20 dollars for each new recruit and 10 dollars for each reinlisted Man—You may offer Pardons to any of those who have deserted from you, who will return...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Joseph Reed, 18 April 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive your Excellency’s favor of March 27 and am to return you our sincere thanks for your inter-position in favor of the operations carrying on by General Clark, operations which I hope will result equally to the benefit of yours as of our State, and which if successful will give us future quiet in our western quarter. I beg you to be assured that Colo. Broadhead...