1Proposed Alterations in William Smith’s Oration on General Montgomery, [before 6 March 1776] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania On February 19, 1776, William Smith, Provost of the College of Philadelphia and Franklin’s old antagonist, delivered in one of the city churches an oration that Congress had requested on General Montgomery and the other Americans killed in the attack on Quebec. Smith was anything but a revolutionary, and still longed to see the quarrel peacefully...
2To George Washington from William Livingston, 29 August 1777 (Washington Papers)
As the inclosed (which was taken at Staten Island,) may probably be of some Service on Lieutenants Troup’s Trial, I thought it my Duty to send it to your Excellency. I have wrote you fully on the Subject of your Requisition of 1000 of our Militia to garrison the forts along Hudson’s River, by Major General Sullivan. I have still some apprehensions that the Enemy will play you a trick by...
3To George Washington from William Livingston, 13 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I take the Liberty to acquaint your Excellency that having the most solid Reasons to believe that it would be imprudent for me to reside at present, at Persippeney, I have fix’d my Quarters (after having visited my Family) at Mr Parsons, at Collo. Wards’ Quarters, about two miles from your Excellency’s. What induces me to inform your Excellency of this particular is, that in case you should...
4To George Washington from William Livingston, 9 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have directed the Bearer to take your advice respecting the part he is to act to counterplot the Designs of the Enemy. They want excedingly to know what Troops are stationd in this State, & to establish a line of Communication by Land—Should you advise Morseiles to aid in settling their Posts, & he is trusty enough to communicate it to us when established, we might by that means procure...
5To George Washington from William Livingston, 19 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with your Excellency’s Letter of yesterday; & have the pleasure to undeceive you in the Information you had received concerning the draft from our Militia to serve for the Campaign. By the two Acts which I do myself the honour to inclose your Excellency, you will perceive that the Act for raising the 624 men upon the plan you mention has no connection with the Act for compleating...
6To George Washington from William Livingston, 3 Sept. 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from William Livingston, 3 Sept. 1779. On 7 Sept., GW wrote Livingston: “I yesterday recd your favr of the 3d Inst.”
7To George Washington from William Livingston, 10 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
your Excellency’s Letter of the 8th Instant respecting the Enemy’s Movements up the North River is truly alarming; nor shall I be wanting to use every Mean in my Power towards procuring all the assistance which this State can afford to oppose their Attempts. But the Necessity of such assistance being speedily procured, (and must if it is to answer any purpose) & the dilatoriness unavoidably...
8To George Washington from William Livingston, 14 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
It is represented to me, that Robert Wilson, who I am told, acts as Commissary under Mr Blain, for the Counties of Sussex, Morris and Somerset in this State, has in the County of Somerset employed only part of the Mills. By this means, the distance that Wheat must be carted is most amazingly encreased; and either the Farmer put to an unnecessary trouble, or the States to an additional Expence....
9To George Washington from William Livingston, 8 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received the honour of your Excellency’s Favour of the 4th instant; & am very far from differing with you in Sentiment that the Militia of the Country should be drawn out by the Authority of the Government rather than by the pecuniary reward attached to their Service. This has always been my opinion; & I have used my utmost Exertions to get our Militia upon that footing; but it is a...
10To George Washington from William Livingston, 29 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am quite ashamed of my present application as it necessarily infers a neglect of duty in those whom I do not chuse to blame. It were tedious to give you a narrative of the fruitless pains I have taken to have this State supplied with proper Magazines of arms & ammunition. But so it is that we must now either fight without ammunition or not fight at all. If your Excellency can possibly spare...
11To George Washington from William Livingston, 1 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Yours of the 24th January I had the Honour of receiving after the Assembly was adjourned to this Place, which is a Village in the County of Gloucester about six miles from Philadelphia. The several Points mentioned by your Excellency I think of the greatest Importance for the better regulating our Militia; and as the house have now a Bill for that Purpose before them, I shall in the strongest...
12To George Washington from William Livingston, 7 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was lately presented with a Petition from a considerable Number of the well-affected in the County of Bergen, shewing by an enumeration of particulars their inability to furnish a sufficient guard for their own Security against the Depredations of the Enemy, or the attempts of a set of domestic ruffians hired to carry them into Captivity; & praying me to procure them assistance by...
13To George Washington from William Livingston, 8 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Favour of yesterday, and in consequence of it I forwarded to General Forman by the same Express the passports requested. My reason for not granting them on General Forman’s application, was the great abuse which I am informed is made of sending people into the Enemy’s lines under pretense of obtaining intelligence, especially at Newark & Elizabeth Town, where...
14To George Washington from Brigadier General William Livingston, 4 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to Mr Adjutant Reed, nothing material has happened here, excepting that we are fully Confirmed in the Enemy’s having Posts along the whole Staten Island Shore as far as Amboy —They have thrown up a couple of small Breast Works on the Cause way leading from the Point over the Salt Meadows at the Entrance of the two Bridges. It is said that last Night they brought two pieces of...
15To George Washington from William Livingston, 22 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
In pursuance of the inclosed Resolution I am to desire the Favour of your Excellency to explain the Nature of the Oath to be Administred by virtue of your Proclamation, as soon as your Leisure will permit. I have had frequent Complaints of the Troops stationed at the two Ferries at Trenton, & at another above it, respecting their Conduct towards Passengers; As that they oblige them under...
16To George Washington from William Livingston, 14 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge your Excellency’s favour of the 8th instant, & thank you for the intelligence it contains. The account is so similar to that which I had by a man direct from New york, & who had it from a person in their confidence, that I cannot doubt the truth. The only variation is, that of the four persons intended to be taken or assassinated the three which he remembred, were your...
17To George Washington from Brigadier General William Livingston, 21 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
In the utmost Haste, I must inform you that very providentially, I sent a Spy last Night on Staten Island to obtain Intelligence of the movements of the Enemy, as many Things apparently new was seen from our Lines—He has this Moment returned in safety—The Substance of his Information I must give you in short—He went on the Island about Midnight and got undiscovered to the House of the Person...
18To George Washington from William Livingston, 17 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was just this moment honoured with your Excellencys favour of the 14th instant, in which the Case of the light horse is so clearly stated that I shall immediately dispatch an express to Capt. Arnold with an extract of that part of your Excellency’s Letter. As you must have a constant intercourse with the Congress, I hope your Excellency will excuse my freedom in committing to your care the...
19To George Washington from William Livingston, 28 December 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with your Excellency’s Letter of the 17th instant. I am greatly obliged to your Excellency for offering to write to General Haldeman respecting the release of Mr Roading tho’ you have no correspondence with him; or to forward a Letter from me to him on that subject. The first I can’t prevail upon myself to desire, considering that General Haldeman has not thought proper to...
20To George Washington from William Livingston, 30 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from William Livingston, 30 Sept. 1777. GW wrote Livingston on 1 Oct. : “I was just now honoured with your Favor of the 30th Ulto with It’s Inclosures.”
21To George Washington from William Livingston, 8 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
By Order of the Council of Safety of this State, General Winds has collected 200 of our Militia, to proceed to the County of Bergen, under the Command of Major Hayes of Newark, (a prudent and active Officer) to apprehend such disaffected Persons in that County, as the Council of Safety think it most necessary for the Public Interest to commit to Jail; and to enable the Commissioners for...
22To Thomas Jefferson from William Livingston, 25 January 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
Being just returned to this place from a Journey to the eastern parts of the State, I find myself honoured with your very kind and obliging Letter of the 3d. instant. My host here having neglected to transmit it to me from his daily expectations of my return, I fear that this letter will not find you in America, and in such case I have desired the President of Congress to do me the favour of...
23To George Washington from William Livingston, 23 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
Perhaps upon the representation of our affairs below in the inclosed, your Excellency will think it expedient to order the Jersey Battalion to our relief —It is true part of our Misfortunes, that of not providing pay for the militia is our own fault—Yet it is pity that the Country should be ravaged upon that account—I know your Excellency will do what is proper, & shall therefore not pretend...
24To George Washington from William Livingston, 20 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Favour of the 13th instant, & shall acquaint the horsemen with your Excellency’s Sentiments concerning their offer. Respecting the progress that is made under our late Law for filling up our continental Battalions, I not able to give your Excellency any information, as no returns of the Levies are made to me; but I have reason to believe from the Enquiries I...
25To George Washington from William Livingston, 14 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I just now arrived in this City, & there find Capt. Costigan just arrived on parole—I learn that an express is already gone from him to Collo. Lowrie —I was almost tempted to send him to your Excellency to prevent any Interview between him & Lowrie, whom I take to be one of the most artful man living—But to take a man Prisoner, & thus to bring him into disgrace, when for any thing I know, he...
26To George Washington from William Livingston, 14 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have your Excellency’s favour of the 11th. Rather than not have an early Campaign, I quite approve of the Resolution of Congress of the 4th instant, & whatever proportion of the 5000 you shall call for, out of this State, I will use my best Endeavours to muster. I send this by one Ernest lately of the State of New york, a most unfortunate honest man, who has been driven at least three times...
27To George Washington from William Livingston, 27 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honoured with your Excellency’s circular Letter of the 22d, in which you have enumerated a variety of disagreeable Circumstances respecting the present Situation of our Army, which ought to effect every considerate Mind with the most serious impressions. your Excellency may depend upon my making the best use of it in my power, as I really reflect with the greatest anxiety, upon...
28To George Washington from William Livingston, 26 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with two Letters from your Excellency, both of the 20th Instant. I observe that your Excellency calls Collo. Ellis, General which I mention, least having occasion to write to him, you might make the same Mistake—Collo. Ellis superceded General Newcomb in the Command, but not in the Commission! I am far from blaming your Excellency for any measures that have been taken with...
29To George Washington from William Livingston, 15 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have had the Honour of your Excellency’s Favour of the 10th Instant inclosing a Return of the Citizens of this State inlisted in Moylands & Sheldon’s Regiments of light Dragoons. I am now to apply to your Excellency in pursuance of an Act of our Legislature for as many officers as your Excellency shall think necessary to be sent into the different Counties of this State for the purpose of...
30To George Washington from William Livingston, 2 May 1778 (Washington Papers)
I now sit down to inform your Excellency what number of our militia may be expected to join your army, which after all will, I fear, be in great measure conjectural. With the county of Bergen your Excellency is too well acquainted to want any information. Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth, are all frontiers, and almost worn out in defending their own borders. The same is the case with Cumberland,...