1From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 18 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
You will please to accept my Sincere Acknowledgments for your favor delivered me by General Green, on my Appointment to the chief Command of the American Army—The Voluntary Choice of Freemen contending in the great Cause of civil Liberty, & the concurring Approbation of the wise and good, at the same Time that they confer the highest Honour upon the Object of that Choice, demand the utmost...
2From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 26 July 1775 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday I had an Account that three Men of War and Nine Transports had sailed out of Boston—and in the Evening I received a Note the Copy whereof is inclosed. The great Distress they are in at Boston for fresh Provisions makes it extremely probable they may make some Depredations along the Coasts: I have therefore thought it proper to give you the earliest Notice that the Owners of those...
3From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favoured with yours of the 31st July—we have yet no certain Account of the Fleet which sailed out of Boston the 25th but if our Conjectures & Information are just we may expect to hear of it every Hour. I am now, Sir, in strict Confidence to acquaint you that our Necessities in the Articles of Powder & Lead are so great as to require an immediate Supply—I must earnestly intreat...
4From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 14 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your Favors of the 8. & 11th Instant are duly received the former I laid before the General Court of this Province, but one of the Delegates having communicated to them, what Mr Ward did to you of the Proceedings of the continental Congress touching this Powder; nothing was done towards providing Specie, that the Vessel might proceed to other Places, in Case of Disappointment at the first. I...
5From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 31 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Last Night I received Information that Messr Clarke & Nightingale of Providence had imported a Quantity of Gun Powder, Lead & 500 Stand of Arms: Upon which I have dispatch’d Capt. Baylor one of my Aids de Camp to treat with those Gentlemen for the whole Importation if not otherwise dispos’d of. I have directed him to wait upon you immediately on his Arrival & must beg the Favor of your Advice...
6From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 6 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your Favours of the 30th August & 2d Instt are duly received. The Concurrence of the Committee in the Bermudas Voyage is very agreeable & I hope will prove a happy Earnest of its Success. Inclosed is a Letter to the Inhabitants of that Island of the Tenor you have suggested: but I shall depend upon Captn Whipples not making Use of it except in Case of real Necessity. I am to acknowledge your...
7From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 18 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your Favours of the 9th, 14 & 15th Instt have been duly received: The Readiness of the Committee to co-operate with me in procuring the most authentick Intelligence & dispatching Captn Whipple for this Purpose, is peculiarly satisfactory, & I flatter myself will be attended not only with Success, but the happiest Consequences to the publick Cause—I should immediately have sent you Notice of...
8From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 5 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
By an intelligent Person &c. (as in the preceding Letter) Your several Favours of 26. & 29. Septr were duly received—The Care of the Men respecting whom you request Direction in yours of the 29th I will consider of, as there are some Regulations forming in the Army of which I chuse to see the Result before I make any Disposition. you will therefore be pleased to have them employed in this...
9From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 13 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
I am favour’d with yours of the 10th & am Sorry it has so happened that the proposed Scheme of Intercepting the Enemy’s Ordnance Stores cannot have your Assistance. The Experience your Officers & Men have had by an earlier Attention to Sea Service would have made them very acceptable on the proposed Enterprize. The Fleet which sailed out of Boston a few Days ago & of which I apprized you the...
10From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke and Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Information, being of the highest Importance, I thought it proper to transmit it to you with all Dispatch. I am Sir yr mo. Ob. Servt LB , in Edmund Randolph’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The letter-book copy is addressed to Cooke and is followed by a note reading “A Letter in the same Words was written to Governor Trumbull of Connecticut.” Trumbull’s letter book...
11From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 29 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 25 Inst. came safely to hand. Capt. Whipple’s Voyage has been unfortunate, but it is not in our power to Command Success, tho’ it is always our duty to deserve it. I hope he will be mo⟨re⟩ Successful in his intended Voyage. If it ⟨is⟩ proposed in Consequence of the Direction of the Congress I think it proper you shoud apprize him that two Schooners have Sailed from hence to...
12From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 2 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have your favour of the 28th Ulto before me—immediately upon reciept of it, I communicated the Contents to the D: Commissary, (Mr Trumbull being sick in Connecticut—) as a business appertaining to his department; but, as Deputy, he wishes for the direction of his principal, to whom I could wish you to write, as he is at Lebanon & not expected back under three Weeks—his intention I know, was...
13From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 15 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
Cambridge , 15 November 1775 . “Inclosed you have a Copy of instructions given to Genl Sullivan on his departure for Portsmouth New Hampshire.” LS , in Stephen Moylan’s writing, NjMoHP ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The contents of this letter are nearly identical to the third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs of GW’s letter to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., of this date. See Circular Instructions for...
14From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 18 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 13 Inst. by Mr Phillips I received; In answer thereto you will be pleased to Order the Officers and men that have been stationed at Block Island, to march to this Camp; Reinforcements are wanting, & probably will be, when they are here, they will be Incorporated in the Continental army, if they Choose it; The many circumstances attending the new arrangement of which, had in...
15From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 6 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 25 & 30 Ultimo I received, and am to inform you that from the good Character you gave of Mr Aborn, I ordered the Agent in whose care his Vessell was, to deliver her up to him; There were other circumstances too, that were favourable to Mr Aborn & Induced a beleif that he was not Inimical to our cause. I am much Obliged by your kind attention to my two Letters of the 15 & 18...
16From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 7 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 4 Instant, I this moment Received, advising of the taking of a Captain & midshipman of One of the Kings Armed Schooners—You will be pleased to take their parole, not to leave North Hampton untill they are properly discharged, they will, be sent there, where there are several other officers, prisoners. As soon as the deficiency can be ascertained, I will Inform you, at...
17From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 14 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of the 11 Instant was handed me by the Two French Gentlemen, for which I am exceedingly Obliged to you—I have heard their proposals and plan for Supplying the Continent with Arms & Ammunition, which appear plausible and to promise Success; But not thinking myself authorized to enter into any contract respecting the same, and being not fully acquainted with the measures Congress...
18From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 17 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
By sundry persons and Accounts just from Boston I am Informed, that the Ministerial Army is in very great distress for want of fresh provision, and having received Intelligence that there are Two hundred Fat Cattle on Block Island, and some Transport Vessels cruizing that way in quest of Necessaries for the Army, I must request you to have the Cattle &c. removed from thence immediately, and...
19From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 20 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
The Letter accompanying of this was wrote before your favour of the 19th pr Express came to hand. Under my present Instruction’s and more especially, in my present Situation, I could not justify the sending of a Regiment from these Lines to you unless there was an apparent design of Landing a body of Ministerial Troops on Rhode Island; at present, I do not think this is to be apprehended, as a...
20From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 6 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
I received your favour of the 1 Instt and return you my thanks for the Blankets, and your promise of having more procured, as they are much wanted: I did not see Mr Hale who brought them, nor the Account, or the Money should have been Transmitted you by his return—You will please to draw on the Quarter Master General and It shall be immediately paid. I have seen General Lee since his...
21From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 16 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
It is exceedingly painfull to me, that I should have so often troubled you respecting this Army, and that I am under the necessity of applying to you again: But you must in some measure be Involved, in whatever difficulties attend me. To my great Surprize I find, that notwithstandg I had taken the utmost care to prevent the Soldiers, that would not reinlist in the New Army from carrying away...
22From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 23 February 1776 (Washington Papers)
this will be handed to you by the Barron of Woedtke, who was by distress of weather drove on shore at Cape Cod, he was bound from St Domingo to Philadelphia, to offer his Service & deliver Some Letters he has for different Members of Congress—as he is a gentleman & a Stranger I reccomend him to your hospitality & politeness—your attention must be very acceptable & advantagious to him, giveing...
23From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 8 March 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Nicholas Cooke, 8 Mar. 1776. On 18 Mar. Cooke wrote to GW : “I am favoured with yours of the 8th & 14th instant.”
24From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 14 March 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Nicholas Cooke, 14 Mar. 1776. On 18 Mar. Cooke wrote to GW : “I am favoured with yours of the 8th & 14th instant.”
25From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 17–19 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to Inform you that this morning the Ministerial Troops evacuated the Town of Boston without destroying It, and that we are now in the full possession, upon which events I beg leave to Congratulate you, and sincerely wish If the Ministry persevere in the same unconstitutional and despotic measures which too long have marked their conduct, that our opposition and resistance...
26From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 21 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 18 & 19 Instant I received and am extremely sorry to hear that your Militia are so deficient in Arms—I fear the misfortune is too common, nor do I know how It will be remedied—In this Army, Although I have pursued every mode I cou’d devise for procuring them, there is still a great deficiency & a considerable number of men without any in their hands. The peculiar situation...
27Circular to Nicholas Cooke, Lord Stirling, Brigadier General William Thompson, and Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 27 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
I take this earliest opportunity to acquaint you that the Men of War and Transports with the Ministerial Troops sailed this afternoon from Nantasket Harbour. There is only a Man of War and two or three other armed Vessels now remaining there. In consequence of this movement I have ordered a Brigade to march to morrow morning for New York, and shall follow with the remainder of the Army as soon...
28From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 31 March 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer Colo. Putnam, who has been employed as an Engineer in the Army under my Command, is now on his Way to New York; I have order’d him to wait upon your Honor to afford you such advice & assistance in the Construction of your Works as his time will permit. You will find him capable and ingenious, & I am happy in having this opportunity of sending you an Officer of such experience. I am...
29From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 1 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment received your favour of Yesterday by Express and shall take every necessary Step to send you all the reinforcement I possibly can, and that without delay. General Green was to have march’d this day with five Regiments for Norwich by way of Providence. I have ordered him to hasten his March—General Sullivan with six Regiments sett of last Friday Evening for Norwich. I have...
30From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 6 April 1776 (Washington Papers)
General Washington’s Compliments to Governor Cooke and the Gentlemen of Providence, and acquaints them that he intended to have set out on his Journey this forenoon, had he not been prevented by their polite invitation which he will do himself the honor to accept. D , in William Palfrey’s writing, MH : Cooke Papers. GW was “invited to an elegant Entertainment at Hacker’s Hall, provided by the...