941To Benjamin Franklin from the Comtesse Conway: Two Notes, [August? 1777] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society These two undated notes, we believe, were written in the order in which we print them, and between hers of April 14 from Ville-d’Avray, near Sèvres, where she was no doubt visiting a friend, and that below of September 1 from her home in Auxerre. These two can be assigned with some confidence to a single month, August. The first note refers to a battle...
942Form of Recruiting Commission, [28 November] 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
To Gentleman: You are appointed, and forthwith are to proceed, to recruit men to serve in the infantry of this commonwealth. Each man is to receive at the time of enlistment a bounty which with that heretofore received shall make seven hundred and fifty dollars to serve during the war, and the following articles of clothing, that is to say: A coat, waistcoat, a pair of overalls, two shirts, a...
943George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 7 December 1779 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] December 7, 1779 . Sends information concerning British fleet; enemy attempts to depreciate American currency; and probable future movements of British army. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
944To George Washington from Nathanael Greene, 9 December 1781 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed is a copy of my letter to Congress which contains all material matters of occurrence since I wrote your Excellency before. Capt. Shutrick, who transacts the business for Major Hyrne in the commissary of Prisoners department since his misfortune has transmitted a copy of the State of that business in this quarter and upon examination I found Major Hyrne had forwarded one a few days...
945To George Washington from William Jackson, 12 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with the receipt of Your Excellency’s letter of the 5th instant. The Officers who have been arranged to the first Pennsylvania regiment are ordered to repair to Charlestown in consequence of your intention to continue that corps in the southern Department. As the Powers vested by Congress in the Secretary at War do not comprehend the business of Exchange—I beg leave to...
946Order of March from Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, 10 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
To his Excellency Gen. Washington Commander in Chief of the American Army. Persuant to your Excellency’s Orders We have consider’d upon a proper Order of March for the Army in crossing the Schulkill & recommend that the Troops march in the following Order Viz. Part of Pennsylvania Militia under Potter first. The Baggage Stores and Park of Artillery to cross at Sweeds Ford setting off at least...
947To George Washington from Stephen Keyes, 16 December 1775 (Washington Papers)
I trust to your Excellency’s well known Character to pardon a Stranger & Inferior—who presumes to address you on a matter of Consequence to himself, tho’ perhaps of very little to you[.] I wou’d then Inform your Excelly that not long Since I was recommended to Brigadr Genl Spencer for a first Leiutenancy, by Col. Reed, and his other field Officers, which was agreeable to the Captain under whom...
948[Tuesday. September 17th. 1776.] (Adams Papers)
Tuesday. September 17th. 1776. The Committee appointed to confer with Lord Howe, agreable to the order of Congress, brought in a report in Writing, which was read as follows: In Obedience to the orders of Congress, We have had a meeting with Lord Howe. It was on Wednesday last upon Staten Island, opposite to Amboy, where his Lordship received and entertained Us, with the Utmost politeness. His...
949List of Payments Made by Ferdinand Grand, [25 July 1781] (Franklin Papers)
D : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères Copie de lEtat fourni à Mr. de fleury & signé par Mr. Franklin le 25 Juillet 1781 . Etat des payemens faits par Mr. Grand, pour le Service des Etats Unis par ordre de Mr. Franklin depuis le 4 Janvr. 1781 jusques au 27 Juillet inclusivement l.t. 3.447.389. 1.3 à quoi il faut ajouter les payemens à faire de ses Engagemens ou acceptns. connus à...
950General Orders, 15 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
It is with singular pleasure the Commander in Chief congratulates the army on the success of our arms under Major General Greene in South Carolina. On the 10th May Lord Rawdon who commanded the Post of Camden was compelled to evacuate it with great precipitation & marks of distress after destroying the stores and several Buildings and leaving three officers and fifty eight men who were too...
951To Benjamin Franklin from Claude-Isaac Peuch, 15 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society En qualité de Sujet d’un Etat libre qui a tout sacrifié pour se procurer l’independance, j’ai admiré plus d’une fois les efforts surprénnans et généreux de vos Compatriotes pour se procurer les mêmes avantages et se délivrer d’un joug qui auroit certainement été aggravé, à mésure que les Oppresseurs auroient trouvé de facilité de l’appesantir. Comme...
952From Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. to New York Officer Commanding at Dobbs’s Ferry, 18 October 1782 (Washington Papers)
His Excellency the Commr in Chief directs me to inform you, that havg con s idered the Case of Adjutant Chalmers, who was put in Confinement At your post, by Major Smith, & made some further Enquiry concerng him, he is pleased to Order him to be released—you will therefore be so good as to enlarge him, & order him to depart immediately into the Country, taking his parole in Writing that he...
953From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Digges, 25 June 1780 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I received yours inclosing a very obliging Letter from Mr. President Banks. The Congress cannot be said to have ordered the Instructions I gave, tho’ they would no doubt have done it, if such a Thing had been mentioned to them. It is therefore not proper to use any farther Endeavours to procure a Medal for them. I do not indeed perceive that one is intended for me as...
954From George Washington to La Luzerne, 16 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose Your Excellency a letter which came under cover to me from the Count De Rochambeau. I think the plan of engaging the German Deserters will answer a good purpose. The Chevalier De Ternay has applied to me to have a Vessel loaded with flour now in the Delaware convoyed by the Continental Frigates to Boston and the Sloop Saratoga Sent to the West Indies with his last...
955To George Washington from George Clinton, 8 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I thank your Excellency for the Intelligence communicated by your private Letter of Yesterday Afternoon—There is a Party of six or Seven daring Fellows from the Enemy now in this Part of the Country who have plundered the Houses of two or three of our public Officers; whether they have any Thing farther in View I am not able to determine—I have been for some Time passt out of the Way of...
956From George Washington to George Clinton, 19 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I last evening recd the inclosed from Congress with a request that I would take measures for carrying the plan recommended by Colo. Hartley into execution. The advices which I have just recd from different quarters bear the strongest marks of an immediate evacuation of New York. These considerations induce me, should it be deemed expedient, to make an addition to Colonel Cortlands command by...
957Thomas Simpson to the Commissioners, 8 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Its extremely disagreeable to me, that my first address to you, shou’d be on such an occasion, as the following detail, which is that immediately on the capture of the English Ship of war Drake, off the harbour Carrickfurgus, in Ireland Captn. Jones was pleased to appoint me (his first Lieutenant,) to the command of her for Brest, giving me instructions, a correct copy of which I inclose, and...
958From George Washington to Jean-Baptiste-Joseph, comte de Laumoy, 16 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have been informed by Letter from the Count de Rochambeau, as well as by yours of the 14th, that your Exchange has taken place. You have Sir my sincere Congratulations on this Event, which cannot but be very agreeable to you. You will probably have some Concerns to attend to in Phila. before you leave that City—as soon as those are adjusted, you will please to proceed to & join the Army...
959From George Washington to Joseph Reed, 19 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
With respect to prisoners of War mentioned in yr Excellency’s Letter of the 3d Instt—I beg leave to observe that it has been my wish from the beginning of the contest to the present day, that no distinction should exist with respect to them—that the whole should be considered on one general & liberal scale as belonging to the States, and not to this or that State—be exchanged according to...
960To Thomas Jefferson from Nathaniel Burwell, 30 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Carter’s Grove, James City County, 30 Mch. 1781 . Encloses names of six militia ordered by court martial to serve as regular soldiers for six months and adds: “I expected there would have been more.” Three have already gone off, and if there is no objection, “as there are some circumstances that make in Favor of the other three,” they will be delivered at the prison, “that by being near their...
961From George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 25 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am favd with yours of the 15th. According to my present Ideas and expectations my Quarters for the Winter will be at or near Middle Brook, at which place the Pennsylvania, Maryld and Virginia troops will be hutted. Should Mrs St Clairs ill state of health require your attention, after your Affair before Congress is determined, I shall have no objection to your remaining with her, while the...
962To Benjamin Franklin from the Comtesse de Benyowzky, 6 July 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Pardon si je prend La liberté de vous ecrire, je vien d’aprendre que un nomé Graubner bourgois de paris, a eté ché vous Monsieur, pour vous importuner par a port [par rapport] une Lettre de change, de mon mary Le quelle a eté doné pour de l’anciene déte de mon bau frére qui a été au Service du Congré, je vous demande mille excuse a La place de mon mary,...
963[Diary entry: 13 June 1775] (Washington Papers)
13. Dined at Burn’s in the Fields. Spent the Evening at my Lodging’s.
964Jonathan Williams, Jr., to the American Commissioners, 10 September 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Nantes, September 10, 1778: M. Montaudoüin has learned from Mr. Kergariou, commander of the French frigate Oiseau , that the Guernsey and Jersey privateers which infest this bay provision in Bilbao under pretense of being American. I hope this practice can be stopped.> Published in Taylor, Adams Papers , VII . This prominent Nantes merchant, identified...
965To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 14 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s letter of the 7th with the proceedings of a court martial enclosed, which proceedings the court were of opinion from the nature of the oath they had taken, they could not communicate to any person untill the commander in chief’s pleasure shuld be known, they therefore dispatched them to Head Quarters without my knowledge when your Excellency returned them to...
966Traveling Expenses of Martha Washington, 1 July 1783 (Washington Papers)
An Acct of Mrs Washingtons Expences from Virga to my Winter Quarters & back again to Virginia according to the Memms & Accts wch I have recd from her & those who accompanied her 1775 Lawful Decr To amount of her Expences from Virginia to Cambridge 85. 2. 6 1776 July To Ditto from New York to Virginia after the Enemy Landed on Staten Isld Including her Residence in Phila at Board for sometime
967C. W. F. Dumas to the Commissioners: A Translation, 18 August 1778 (Adams Papers)
Since my last letters, nothing worthy of writing about has occurred. That is not to say, however, that every day I have not had some occasion of acting for the general welfare of the cause and, therefore, of visiting the French embassy daily in order to receive intelligence and letters, or to provide extracts which sometimes are sent to the Cabinet, but more often, and even with regularity, go...
968From George Washington to William Livingston, 21 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am now arrived myself on the East side of the Delaware, and the main body of the Army is on the Other from whence it will cross as soon as possible. This would have been effected in part to day, had it not been for the rain and the very doubtful appearance of the morning, which prevented the Troops from moving till it was late. The Afternoon will be employed in passing the Artillery and such...
969To Benjamin Franklin from Joshua Barney, October [i.e., 6 November] 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Capn. Barney has the honor of assuring his Excelly. Doctr. Franklin of his most respectfull Comps. & wth. pleasure accepts his polite invitation to dinner on Saturday next Addressed: A Son Excellence / Monsieur Le Doctr. Franklin / ministre Plenipotentiare / des Etats Units de / L’Amerique en / son hotel / a Passy The day after Barney arrived in Paris with...
970From John Adams to James Warren, 9 June 1776 (Adams Papers)
I shall address this to you as Speaker, but you may be Councillor, or Governor, or Judge, or any other Thing, or nothing but a good Man, for what I know. Such is the Mutability of this World. Upon my Word I think you Use the World very ill, to publish and send abroad a Newspaper, since the 29 May without telling Us one Word about the Election, where it was held, who preached the sermon, or &c....