1To Benjamin Franklin from Madame Brillon, [on or after 23 February 1781] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society La dame a mille choses à répondre au monsieur, mais elle craint malgré la bonté de sa cause, qu’il ne garde sa prévention contre elle, leur oppinion étant absolument contraire; le monsieur, (grand phillosophe) suit la doctrine d’Anacréon et celle d’épicure; la dame est platoniciénne: l’un veut un amour gras, pottellé, un amour de chair et d’os; gasté choyé...
2[February 1781] (Adams Papers)
Went to the Hague, in the Trecht Schuit. At Leyden I have seen Mr. Vander Kemp, and Mr. and Mr. I also visited two large Manufactures, one of Cloth, another of Camblet. Canal boat or tow-boat. “... partly by the Trech Schuits, that is the Barks which ply in this Country in the Canals” ( JA to Huntington, 6 April 1781 , LbC , Adams Papers ). JA spells the word in a multitude of ways. Francois...
31781. Feb 24 [i.e. 23]. Fryday. (Adams Papers)
Went to the Hague, in the Trecht Schuit. At Leyden I have seen Mr. Vander Kemp, and Mr. and Mr. I also visited two large Manufactures, one of Cloth, another of Camblet. Canal boat or tow-boat. “... partly by the Trech Schuits, that is the Barks which ply in this Country in the Canals” ( JA to Huntington, 6 April 1781 , LbC , Adams Papers ). JA spells the word in a multitude of ways. Francois...
4George Washington to Major General William Heath, 23 February 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
New Windsor [ New York ] February 23, 1781 . Sends instructions for improving defenses of West Point. LS , in writings of Tench Tilghman and H, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.
5From Benjamin Franklin to Ferdinand Grand, 23 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS , copy, and press copy: Library of Congress Mr Digges has not sent me any Account of his Disbursements, on which his Drafts ought to be founded, tho’ I long since desired it of him; and I have this day heard something that makes me doubtful. I therefore desire, that if you have not already paid the Bills mentioned in these his inclosed Letters, that you would stop Payment till farther...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Silas Deane, 23 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I send You a few Letters which pray may be sent forward by Your express tomorrow Morning if You send, if not, pray to know how soon You will dispatch Your express, for if You put off for a Day, I shall improve the Time to write a Letter or Two more. I have the honor to be with the utmost respect Dr sir Your most Obedt. & Very huml. servt Addressed: His...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Le Roy, 23 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Permettez Mon Illustre Docteur que Je vous demande une grace pour La personne qui aura lhonneur de vous remettre ce billet. C’est M. Tremel habile Mécanicien on lui a presenté des billets de différrentes especes du Congrès et de différrentes dattes Qu’on voudroit lui donner en payement pour des machines qu’on voudroit lui faire faire mais craignant qu’ils...
8General Orders, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
9From George Washington to Captain Lieutenant Caleb Brewster, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received yours of the 14th—Your return mentions the names of Eight prisoners sent to the provost Guard —Genl Parsons says only six were committed —You should enquire of the Corporal who had them in charge, how this happened. It is not in my power, at present, to spare any further number of Men for your detachment, as I am obliged to call in many guards, and weaken other necessary ones...
10From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
In a letter of the 18th I hinted to you that the detachment which was then forming might be five or six Weeks absent from this post —possibly it may be longer, and advance us into a season when the enemy, if they are in force and circumstances at New York, may endeavour to avail themselves of our weakness. To provide against this, I have as you are already informed, wrote pressingly for the...
11To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of Yesterday is just Come to Hand, And its Contents Shall Be ponctually obei’d—the Addition of A pennsylvanian detachement Would Be Very Advantageous, and I will try to get it under the Circumstances and in the Way Which You Have pointed out—I Had Already writen to the Commanding officer of the jersay troops Respecting the detachement, And to Colonel dayton to Request intelligences...
12To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Since writing the inclosed, My fears Are Gone a way And the 64 Has Vanished into the frigat the iris—the importance of the thing, and perhaps the Mistrust of My first judgement in Occasions upon which I am personally sanguine Had Been the Reasons of My Being so particular—they will Still influence the precaution I take of Sending You the Man, But He is Such a fool or Such a knave that His...
13From George Washington to John Moylan, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with your Letter of the 18th —I have never recd any intimation of Mr Wilkinsons intention to resign his present Office, but from your letter, and from a hint which he himself sometime ago dropped in one to Mr Tilghman. I cannot therefore with propriety go into the recommendation of a new Officer, untill I am officially informed of the resignation or removal of the old one, or indeed...
14From George Washington to Captain Stephen Olney, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have recd yours of the 11th inst. and a letter from you to Colo. Angell, dated at Morris town the 15th May last, was about that time laid before me —Capt. Allen, with whom you say you have a dispute of Rank, has never put in any claim, and as I find you are set down the 4th and he the 5th Captain in the new arrangement lately made out by Colo. Greene and transmitted to the Board of War —I...
15To George Washington from Colonel Saint-Maisme, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Permettez que j’aye l’honneur de remercier votre Excellence des marques de bonté que j’en ai reçû Pendant le Séjour que j’ai fait auprès d’elle en Son quartier Général. ce Sont des instants que je n’oublierai jamais par l’avantage Precieux qu’ils m’ont procuré de faire Connoissance avec le militaire fameux Sous les ordres du quel nous Sommes. Le hazard m’ayant assès bien Servi pour rencontrer...
16To George Washington from Major General Steuben, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
My last informed you that I had sent Capt. Depontiere onboard the French Fleet, to know if I could under take anything against Portsmouth and was making the necessary preparations as well for such an enterprize, as for the security of the French Vessells in case of danger. For the first object I ordered General Gregory to assemble all the force in his power on the other side the Dismal Swamp,...
17From George Washington to Captain Job Sumner, 23 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I was duly favd with yours of the 24th ulto, but I was at the time so much engaged with the affairs of the Army in Jersey that I could not attend to it —I cannot undertake to say whether the kind of exchange you wish to accomplish will be ratified by the State to which you belong, but if it should, I conceive the concurrence of all the Captains of the line (and not those of your own Regt...
18Amendment to Committee Report on Hartford Convention, [ca. 23 February] 1781 (Madison Papers)
MS ( NA : PCC , No. 33, fol. 427). Undated. Endorsed by Charles Thomson, “Amend proposd.” The amendment is in JM’s hand. to report to Congress thereon, except such as in the opinion of the Committee require order to be taken by the respective departments, which the Committee shall lay before Congress in the first instance with such their Opinion. After commissioners from the four New England...
19To Thomas Jefferson from William Davies, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Chesterfield, 23 Feb. 1781. Because of his “present constant hurry,” Davies has been unable to find “the plan for the cloathier’s department”; will forward it as soon as he can find it. The deerskins can be dressed at Chesterfield if the men who understand doing it are permitted to stay. RC ( Vi ); 2 p.; addressed and endorsed.
20To Thomas Jefferson from Thomas Gaskins, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
You’l Receive this by Mr. John Gordon who promises to take down with him the proceedings of our Court martial in September Last in regard to the Rioters then in our County. It appears we have been much blaimed by some for our proceedings, but I hope upon the matter being fully inq[uired into] they’l find we have done well. The reason we took the rioters in for 18 months was to incourage them...
21To Thomas Jefferson from John Mazaret, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Prince Edward Court House, 23 Feb. 1781. Distress of troops serving under Mazaret; three officers and twenty men have not received a farthing of money or an article of clothing since last March “—they are all as naked as when they were born.” Sends Capt. Lt. Rice to TJ “in hopes of some relief.” After a six-week retreat Mazaret arrived at Prince Edward on the 20th with “5 pieces of Artillery,...
22To Thomas Jefferson from George Muter, with Reply, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
War Office [ Richmond ], 23 Feb. 1781. Encloses two accounts for the expenses of Capt. Sansum in collecting and bringing over eighteen-month men from the Eastern Shore. As Sansum’s authority was derived from Col. Webb, Muter does not know how to act in his case, especially since other officers have been and are now employed in collecting those men and deserters in that region, “in consequence...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Edmund Randolph, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I beg leave to remind your excellency of the situation of John Dean, a supposed fugitive from the lead mines, in defiance of the condition of his pardon. It is probable, that the actual abandonment of the place of labour will not be fixed upon him: ‘tho’ nothing can be more satisfactory, than that he had made preparations for flight. I say this upon the information of Colo. Lynch. Now I refer...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Steuben, 23 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Till it is decided whether Cornwallis will cross the Roanoke or not we ought at all events to be prepared for the worst for which purpose we may have occasion for the troops under the command of Colo. Innes to cross the James River and I shall send orders for him to hold him self in readiness to move at a moments notice. But previous to such a movement (if it should take place) it will be...