1To Alexander Hamilton from Duc de Lauzun, 26 February 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
Permettes moi Monsieur de vous adresser une lettre pour le Marquis De La Faiette, ne sachant ou il est; je ne veux point importuner son Excellence dans un moment ou tant d’affaires l’accablent. M. de Closen Aide de Camp de M. Le Comte de Rochambeau lui porte des depêches Importantes; M. Le Marquis de Laval paroit destiné a Comander un detachement de Grenadiers, et chasseurs de L’Armée...
2George Washington to Chevalier Destouches, 26 February 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
New Windsor [ New York ] February 26, 1781 . Denies any intention of wishing to endanger French fleet. Hopes for success of expedition sent to Virginia. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
3George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 26 February 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
New Windsor [ New York ] February 26, 1781 . States that the southern situation is alarming. Regrets that a regular and permanent force was not established in the South. Explains why French cannot comply with Congress’s request to transport French troops to the South. Is ordering the Pennsylvania troops to the South. Describes Virginia expedition. Suggests sending American frigates, now in...
4George Washington to John Mathews, 26 February 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
New Windsor [ New York ] February 26, 1781 . Explains difficulties that will probably arise in trying to exchange the prisoners at St. Augustine. Df , in writings of Tench Tilghman and H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress. Mathews was a member of Congress from South Carolina.
5George Washington to Comte de Rochambeau, 26 February 1781 (Hamilton Papers)
New Windsor [ New York ] February 26, 1781 . Denies any intention of wishing to endanger French army. Reports on situation in South. Df , in writings of George Washington and H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
6To Benjamin Franklin from A. Benoist Huquier, 26 February 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Je viens de recevoir deux petites caisses Emballés que Mr. Grand de Paris ma fait parvenir, avec avis de les garder et d’en suivre vos ordres. Je vous prie, en me les faisant passer, d’observer, qu’il est indispensable de me faire passer une Declaration de ce que ces deux Caisse renferment, et Eviter qu’elles ne soient arrestée dans quelque Doüane dans leur...
7General Orders, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
8To George Washington from Brigadier General Jacob Bayley, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excelency may remember, that when I had the honour to wait on you at White Plains 1778, Your Excelency desired me not only to give you intelligence from this quarter and Canada, &c.; but also to give my opinion in matters relating to the publick cause. And though I am sensible my capasity is very small, and my Judgment weak, yet possibly I may, in writing a sheet, say something that will...
9From George Washington to Captain Destouches, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am this day honored with your letter of the 20th. I beg you to be persuaded that in my propositions to you through His Excellency The Count De Rochambeau, nothing was more remote from my wish than that you should take any step, which might in the least endanger the fleet under your command. Supposing you to have possessed a temporary superiority if you had thought it safe to employ it in the...
10To George Washington from Catherine Littlefield Greene, 26 February 1781 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Catharine Littlefield Greene, 26 Feb. 1781. On 22 March, GW wrote Greene: “I have also been hond with your favor of the 26th of Feby” ( DLC:GW ).
11To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
On the 26th of last Month, I had the Honor to receive Your Excellency’s Obliging Favor of the 9th, which I should have done myself the pleasure of acknowledging before, but was waiting for an opportunity to send it to Alexandria for the post. The mutiny in the Pennsylvania line, though I have heard that it has been accomodated, gives me great concern, both from the danger of the precedent, and...
12From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of receiving last night, your Excellency’s two letters of the 20th instant, one of them in Congress, with their inclosures. The situation of the Southern states is alarming—the more so, as the measure of providing a regular and permanent force was by my last advices still unattempted, where the danger was most pressing and immediate. Unless all the states in good earnest enter...
13To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I gave you information in my last letter that Genl Greene had cross’d the Dan, at Boid’s ferry, and that L[or]d Cornwallis had arrived at the opposite shore. large reinforcements of militia having embodied both in the front & rear of the enemy, he is retreating with as much rapidity as he advanced. his route is towards Hilsborough. Genl Greene cross’d the Dan the 21st in pursuit of him. I have...
14From George Washington to Major General Lafayette, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received yours of the 25th from Morris Town. I do not think it very probable that three hundred Dragoons will trust themselves in the heart of Connecticut with a superior regular Corps and the force of the Country to oppose them, but I have nevertheless given the intelligence to Duke Lauzun. Upon your arrival in Philada if not before, you will hear that a Body of Men, supposed to be a...
15From George Washington to Brigadier General Lauzun, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received intelligence that, four or five days ago, three hundred of the Enemy mounted went Eastward upon Long Island and that Boats were sent up the Sound to receive them and pass them over to the Main. Should this be true, there is a remote probability that your Corps is their object, but it will be impossible for them to accomplish the enterprize, with the precautions you will...
16From George Washington to John Mathews, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
your favor of the 15th was not receivd till this Morning. I am so totally unacquainted with the State of southern prisoners, that I did not chuse to enter into a negociation with Sir Henry Clinton on the idea of a General exchange, altho’ liberty was given me by Congress —Nothing particular has therefore been done respecting the Gentlemen who are confined at St Augustine, as it could not be...
17From George Washington to Major Richard Platt, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
If you have a larger Portmanteau than the one the bearer brings pray exchange it. Let the Bridle the bearer brings have the best sett of Rains your Saddler can put to the Bitt. & with as much expedition as possible. I am Sir Yr Most Obt ALS , DNA : RG 93, manuscript file no. 25274. GW signed the cover, which is addressed to Platt at Newburgh, New York. On this date, GW’s aide-de-camp Tench...
18To George Washington from Francisco Rendon, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Let your Excellency’s goodness permit me to beg it’s forgiveance on the omition of not having answered Your Excy’s most gracious Letter, which did me the honor to write under date of the 2d Ulto & received on the 9th. It was Occationed by a fever which I was attackd with: as also having afterwards had Intelligence that Your Excy was going to Rhode Island. I determined to wait till the arrival...
19From George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose Your Excellency under a flying seal my letter to the Chevalier Des Touches in answer to his of the 20th instant, in which I explain more precisely the grounds and import of the propositions which I had the honor to make to him through you. I shall add to the observations contained in this letter, that so far as related to my proposition for a detachment of land...
20From George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Congress, by a resolve of the 20th instant, have determined that the Pennsylvania line except Moylans Dragoons and the troops upon command to the Westward shall compose part of the southern Army, and have directed me to order it to join the Army in Virginia by detachments, as they may be in readiness to march —You, will therefore, in obedience to the above resolve, put matters in proper train...
21To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am hon’d with your Excellencys Favr of 21st instant —The Recruits from this State will be forwarded as fast as Circumstances will permitt—Cloathing is difficult to obtain—I hope however—they will come on in such Manner as to be able to perform their Duty—The Imposition you mention in sendg on Recruits, who are insufficient for the Duties of a Soldier, is too shamefull not to be attended to—I...
22From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 26 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
Congress, as you will have been informed, have determined that the Pennsylvania line shall compose part of the southern Army, and have ordered it to proceed to Virginia, in detachments, as they may be in readiness to march. I have given General St Clair directions to carry the Resolve into execution as speedily as possible —I think it essential that one of the Brigadiers should proceed with...
23To Thomas Jefferson from Humphrey Brooke, 26 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Without place [ Fauquier County ], 26 Feb. 1781 . Received the recruiting law on 15 Jan. and divided the militia in preparation for the draft to be made on 5 Mch. Is apprehensive that sufficient funds will not be available for this purpose. Received TJ’s orders for embodying one fourth of the militia of the county on 23 Feb.; this may interfere with the draft, but if a man is drafted who is on...
24To Thomas Jefferson from Nathaniel Burwell, 26 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Agreeable to an act entitled an act for the better regulation and discipline of the Militia passed May 1779 a Court martial has been lately held in this County for the trial of such of the Militia as did not turn out when ordered, by which ten or twelve of them are turn’d over as regular Soldiers. I find by the above mentioned act that they are to serve as regular Soldiers in Troops of this...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, [26? February 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
The matter referred to us in your letter of the 25th. Inst. we conceive to be improper for us to meddle in, I mean as to the necessity, and duties of a Field Quarter Master. The expences of defence in cases of actual invasion being altogether Continental, I mentioned early in the present invasion to Baron Steuben the propriety of directing every expenditure to be through the hands of...
26To Thomas Jefferson from W. R. W. Curle, 26 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Williamsburg, 26 Feb. 1781 . Received at the end of January TJ’s letter of the 19th enclosing “the Law for recruiting our Army”; went at once to Hampton to execute it, but at a meeting of the field officers, magistrates, &c., it was the unanimous opinion that, “as no Assessment in Specie had been made in the County, (oweing to the frequent Invasions, the great Distresses Confusion and...
27To Thomas Jefferson from Charles Dick, 26 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I received Your Excellencys Letter with appointment for Direction of the Gun Factory and shall do all in my power to increase its Success. You were desirous of having an Account of the Work done and deliver’d, especially I believe, what might be a Continental Charge; I have herewith inclosed in one point of View the whole, which I hope will be Agreeable and am with the greatest Respect Your...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 26 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I gave you information in my last letter that Genl. Greene had cross’d the Dan at Boid’s ferry, and that Ld. Cornwallis had arrived at the opposite shore. Large reinforcements of militia having embodied both in the front and rear of the enemy, he is retreating with as much rapidity as he advanced. His route is towards Hilsborough. Genl. Greene crossed the Dan, the 21st. in pursuit of him. I...
29To Thomas Jefferson from George Muter, 26 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
War Office [ Richmond ], 26 Feb. 1781 . “In the regulation for issuing liquor, the waggoners are not mentioned; and I am informed liquor is issued to them in wet weather and on other occasions at the discretion of the quarter master general.” The sutler has refused to issue them liquor, and they have refused to act, “from which great inconvenience at present arises.” Encloses an order to be...
30[To Thomas Jefferson from George Muter, 26 February 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Richmond, 26 Feb. 1781 . War Office Journal (Vi) contains the following entry under this date: “Letter to the Governor, informing him of Col. Gibson’s men being to the southward, except about 10 or 12 that were left sick, and are at Chesterfield Courthouse; and that the first Captain of that Regiment is to the southward, Capt. Browne is the second, and Capt. Hamilton, the third is at...