681To John Jay from Anthony Benezet, 2 February 1779 (Jay Papers)
With affectionate respect, I hereby salute thee, & take the freedom to send thee the inclosed Pamphlet, containing Some Thoughts on War, Slavery &c. of which I earnestly request thy serious perusal. Indeed the subject is of the greatest weight to All, even as Human-Beings; but much more so to those who, indeed believe the great truths of the Christian Religion, God becoming Man, & dying for...
682From George Washington to William Henry Drayton, 12 July 1778 (Washington Papers)
Permit me to assure you, that the cordial terms of your obliging favour of the 5th afford me the most sensible pleasure. It, naturally, is my ardent wish, that my well-meant endeavours, for the prosperity of my country, may meet the approbation of my countrymen; and I cannot but be peculiarly flattered by every instance of esteem, from the discerning part of them. The want of a longer personal...
683To George Washington from Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, 10 November 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Loss that your Excellency has met with, when you joined your family, and the grief that you must have experienced, has afflicted me very much. I beg of your Excellency to accept of my very sincere and tender condoleance. I have received two Letters from your Excellency for Count de Grasse, at the time you wrote them, you did not know that he had set under sail, on the 4th inst. with a fair...
684From George Washington to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 17 August 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 17 Aug. 1776. Heath’s letter to GW of this date is docketed in Joseph Reed’s writing: “Major Genl Heath Kingsbridge Aug. 17 1776 Answerd do.”
685Alexander Hamilton and Oliver Ellsworth to John Dickinson, [23 June 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
We have the honor to inclose for Your Excellency and the Council a copy of the resolutions communicated in our conference yesterday. Having then fully entered into all the explanations which were necessary on the subject, we shall not trouble your Excellency with a recapitulation. But as the object is of a delicate and important nature, we think it our duty to request the determination of the...
686To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 19 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed five Acts of Congress, Viz. one of 12th and four of the 16th Instant; respecting the eleven Companies of Artificers raised by the Quarter Master general; The procuring of Witnesses and depositions in trials before Courts Martial; And the Constituting a sub Cloathier for the Artillery, Cavalry, Artificers and Corps composed of troops from different...
687From George Washington to James Mease, 21 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I this day recd yours of the 18th by Lieutenant Gamble who has brought down 463 Coat ready cut out. I could have wished that had not been done, as I intended to have had them made up in a new fashion which I think will save Cloth—be made up quicker and cheaper and yet be more warm and convenient to the Soldier. I desire that all the remainder of the Virginia Goods may be immediately sent on in...
688From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 19 February 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am grieved to find, that instead of six or eight thousand weight of Powder which I fondly expected to receive from Providence (agreeable to your letter) that I am likely to get only 4217 lbs. including the 3,000 wt belonging to this Province, if to be had —My Situation, in respect to this article, is really distressing; and while common prudence obliges me to keep my want of it concealed, to...
68930th. Sunday. (Adams Papers)
In the forenoon Mr. D went to Mr. Wolff’s. In the afternoon I went and took a ride with him. Fine weather. In the margin: “Mrs. B. brought to bed.”
690General Orders, 13 August 1781 (Washington Papers)
For the Day Tomorrow Major General Howe Lieutenant Colonel Millen For Picquet Major Ashley Inspector Captain Warner vice Robinson The Commander in Chief having been informed that various practices have been made use of by the officers of one regiment to inlist for the War men who are engaged for three years in another. He thinks proper to direct that a stop may be put to such mode of...
691Tuesday May 6. (Adams Papers)
Dined at Mr. Jays. Lt. General Mellville, who is here to solicit for the Inhabitants of Tobago, the Continuance of their Assembly and Tryals by Jury, was there.
692[Diary entry: 29 May 1775] (Washington Papers)
29. Dined at the City Tavern. Spent the Evening in my own Room.
693To George Washington from Maj. Gen. Steuben, 29 June 1779 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Maj. Gen. Steuben, 29 June 1779. GW wrote Steuben on 1 July: “The proposals towards a monthly inspection contained in … your letter of the 29th appear in general to be very eligible.”
694From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Sherman, 15 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was last Evening favd with yours of yesterday. It gives me pleasure to hear that you have executed your Business with so much ease and satisfaction. I have had the same favorable reports from several of the neighbouring Counties. You will be pleased to call upon the Commissaries who are in Brunswic and direct them to attend at the several places fixed upon by the Magistrates to receive and...
695Virginia Delegates in Congress to the Virginia Convention, 18 [May] 1776 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed resolutions were reported by a committee appointed to consider of a letter from general Lee to the president. We have nothing to observe upon them unless it be, that the surgeons whom the director general of the hospital is empowered to appoint, and the regimental surgeons to be nominated by the convention, according to a resolution lately forwarded to you, are different officers....
696From George Washington to Major Benjamin Tallmadge, 10 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
Annexed is a Copy of my last Letter, which from the tenor of yours of the 7th inst. I am inclined to think you have not received—it was sent by the return of the Dragoon, who brought me your Letter of the 9th February—The Legislature of New Jersey certainly never meant that the Law regulating the Prices of Necessaries should have a retrospective view and invalidate anterior Contracts —you will...
697To George Washington from Peter Scull, 19 May 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 10th instant inclosing the arrangement of the ninth Virginia Regiment was delivered the 15th by Colonel Gibson. Commissions have been issued and delivered in consequence of it. I herwith transmit the promotions in the 6th Regiment of Connecticut, occasioned by the resignation of Captain Pond. I have the honor to be with profound respect Your Excellency’s most...
698From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 30 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have desired Genl Gates to give you immediate information of the arrival of the Enemy’s Fleet in Delaware, upon which you are to move down to Philada with all the Troops at Trenton. My former directions were to wait orders of march from me, but you are now to attend to those of Genl Gates. Be pleased to communicate this to the Officers commanding the different Corps and desire them always to...
699From James Madison to Benjamin Harrison, 1 February 1782 (Madison Papers)
RC (Maine Historical Society, Portland). Franked “public Service” and “J. Madison Jr.” Addressed to “His Excellency Benjamin Harrison Esqr. Governor of Virginia.” Docketed, “J Madison Recd. 14h. Febry 1782.” Your Excellency’s favor of the 19th. Ult. notifying to me the desire of the Executive to associate me with the Revd. Mr. Andrews in settling the boundary between Virga. & this State, came...
700From Benjamin Franklin to Vergennes, 18 August 1780 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères; copy: Library of Congress I received the Letter your Excellency did me the honour of writing to me yesterday relating to Mr. Jackson Jones. I knew nothing of him ’till his Appearance here. He has shown me a Letter of Governor Johnston’s by which it appears that Mr. Jones was establish’d in a Trading House of good Credit in West Florida, while...
701From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, [17 March 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, March 17, 1783. Letter not found. ] “List of Letters from General Hamilton to General Washington,” Columbia University Libraries. Two letters from H to Washington on March 17, 1783, are listed. One letter is printed in PAH Harold C. Syrett, ed., The Papers of Alexander Hamilton (New York and London, 1961– ). , III, 290–93.
702The American Commissioners to Thomas Morris, 26 January 1777 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Library of Congress We have expected some Remittances from you to our credit, in consequence of the sales which have been made at Nantes. You must be sensible how very unbecoming it is of the situation we are in, to be dependent on the credit of others. We therefore desire that you will remit with all possible expedition the Sum allotted by the Congress for our expences. Notation: Mr. T....
703To George Washington from Peter Van Rensselaer, 1 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with your Excellencies favour of the 14th Ultimo, the Ammunition directed General Knox to send to this place is come to hand, your Excellency may rely on my Utmost Economy in the expenditure; heretofore I have been used to Issue only on an order of the Officer commanding this post, & for the future I will Strictly observe that no stores are to be delivered but upon an order of...
704From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 8 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am this day favor’d with yours of the 27th & 29th of May. I am surprised at the accounts you give me of the want of Cloathing for the Troops of Massachusetts. I took it for granted that they had been sent forward when it was intended that all your Troops shou’d go the Northward, & that they wou’d meet them at Peekskill. My reason for this was, that the Cloathier General repeatedly assured me...
705General Orders, 9 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW . A transcript of another orderly book from GW’s headquarters includes a general order for this date that reads: “The regimental paymasters will apply for the pay for the months of March, April, and May” ( NN : Bancroft Collection). GW’s warrant book for this date records a payment of $70 to “Christopher Colles, preceptor of Mathameticles to the Artillery for June”...
706From George Washington to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, 22 September 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you on Friday last requesting your earliest arrival with the Troops under your command to join me. This I must repeat, and have sent an Officer on purpose to deliver my Letter, to whom I refer you for the particulars of our Situation & that of the Enemy at this Time. I shall only observe respecting them, that the main body of their Army lay last night, near French Creek Bridge about...
707To George Washington from General William Howe, 29 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter of the 20th January 1777, in which you propose to establish Mr Lewis Pintard, a Merchant of this Town, as your Agent to reside here under Parole to transmit no Intelligence but what belongs to his Office, whose Business it shall be to provide Necessaries for such Prisoners as fall into my Hands, I have not any Objection to your appointing the...
708Editorial Note on Franklin’s Accounts, 1780 (Franklin Papers)
No new accounts were initiated during the period of this volume. The following accounts cover these months: VI and VII ( XXIII , 21); XII ( XXV , 3); XVII ( XXVI , 3); XIX and XXII ( XXVIII , 3–4); XXIII ( XXIX , 3); XXIV ( XXXI , 3); XXV, XXVI, XXVII, and XXVIII ( XXXII , 3–5); XXIX ( XXXIII , 3). We offer here a summary of entries which have not found a place elsewhere in our annotation, but...
709To Benjamin Franklin from James Turing and Son, 2 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Your Excellency will we trust pardon Our boldness in adressing you on the present Occasion, And we therefore without further apology for the intrusion, beg leave to acquant you that Our Vessel De Brunetta Cap’n Thomas Griffiey with a cargo of Wine & Fruit from Oporto was Seized upon, on the nineteenth of August in Lat: 49”11 Long: 7”3 from Teneriffe by the...
710General Orders, 5 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
[Officers] For the day Tomorrow[:] Brigadier General Wayne[,] Colonel Craig[,] Lieutenant Colonel Johnston[,] Major Hamilton[,] Brigade Major Darby Morning Orders November 5th Major Knapp is appointed Field Officer of the day, for this day, vice Major Throop, furloughed. Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
711To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 26 June 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to forward a dispatch recommended by the president of Congress, to be sent to you by a particular conveyance. Lieut. Stokely is charged with it, and directed to deliver it into your own hands. Lord Cornwallis was at Birds yesterday, from which place he retired with his main body, into Williamsburg. We have been pressing his rear, with our light parties, supported by the army,...
712From George Washington to John Jay, 21 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Rawlins who as well as his officers in general distinguished himself at the affair of Fort Washington has remaining of his Regiment about fifty or sixty men and a few officers. As the latter are at present an expence to the Continent without being employed—and the Colonel after having deserved well of his Country and suffered a grievous captivity, has some claim to attention—I beg...
713From George Washington to Brigadier General George Clinton, 31 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
A Captain who escaped from New York on Saturday Evening and who arrived here this morning, informs, that about Three Thousand Troops (British & Hessians) were embarked from the City & Staten Island when he came away. It was generally said, they had in contemplation an expedition to Chesepeak Bay and to make a descent on the Eastern Shore. There were some who conjectured, they mean to go up the...
714[Diary entry: 16 May 1780] (Washington Papers)
16th. A very great dew & fog. With little wind in the forenoon & very warm. In the afternoon it was pretty fresh from the Southward and about dusk came out from the Northward.
715From George Washington to Colonel William Woodford, 30 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 6th Inst came to my hands a Post or two ago and the answer delayed longer than I intended from the multiplicity of business in which I am engaged.— I am sorry you should consider Genl Mercer’s late appointment as a slight put upon your services, because I am persuaded no slight was intended.—Whilst the service was local, and appointment of Officers affected no other Colony...
716March [1780] (Washington Papers)
1st. Raining in the morning and drizling all day with very little Wind but a thick fog. Roads very deep. 2d. Wind coming out very fresh at West. In the Night it cleared, & froze a little. Continued boisterous thro’ the day & towards evening grew cold. 3d. Ground hard frozen. Morning clear & pleasant with but little wind and that from the South. Mid-day cloudy & lowering—variable...
717From Benjamin Franklin to Joshua Johnson, 29 December 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress I am much obliged by your kind attention in sending me from time to time the American newspapers that have come to your hands. Please to accept my thankful Acknowledgements. I have the Pleasure now to acquaint you that tho’ my application at your Request for arms or a Loan of money for your Province in particular was not attended with success the Opinion here being...
718To Benjamin Franklin from Charles-Nicolas Jullian and Other Applicants for Emigration, 17 November 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society A number of people, as usual, sought Franklin’s help to emigrate to the New World or recommended their restless friends to his good graces. As far as we know, none of them received any encouragement from him. Louis Fouché writes from Romegoux in the Charente on December 4. Thirty-six years old, a native of the island of Oléron, and son of Capt. André Fouché...
719To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 11 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I send to your Excellency, under the auspices of Mr Pomroy, a young Gentleman who was a Captain in the British Service by name Joel and who after (as he says) giving up his Commission, came over to this Service. His Case is particular, he will explain it himself, he is young, Sensible, and I should hope Sincere, he can give you some Details, and I think he may with propriety have an audience...
720From George Washington to Major General Benedict Arnold, 3 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your two agreeable favors of the 19 and 22 Ulto came to hand, which I now have to acknowledge. I am very happy to learn that your wounds are less painful and in so fair a way of doing well—the only drawback in the pleasure [I] receive is that the condition of your wounds is ⟨s⟩till such as not to admit of your active services this campaign. You will rest assured that I wish to see you in a...
721George Washington to Chevalier de la Luzerne, 15 February 1780 (Hamilton Papers)
Morristown [ New Jersey ] February 15, 1780 . Regrets that the shortage of men makes it impossible to send detachment to guard William Duer’s tree-cutting expedition. Believes that a guard will not be necessary, but suggests applying to the local militia, if one is desired. Df , in writing of H, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress.
722From George Washington to George Campbell, 24 December 1781 (Washington Papers)
I accept with singular pleasure the Ensign of so worthy a Fraternity as that of the Friendly sons of St Patrick in this City: a society distinguished for the firm adherence of its members to the glorious Cause in which we are embarked. Give me leave to assure you, Sir, that I shall never cast my Eyes upon the Badge with which I am honored, but with a grateful remembrance of the polite and...
723To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, 11 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
Since my last by Lieutenant Smith I have been able to collect no assisstance, the Malitia of Southold about one Hundred and fifty in number deserted me at the River Head on my way to Huntington haveing heard that long Island was given up to the Enemy, Colonel Mulford was gathering the Malitia of South and East Hampton when this Report (industriously Circulated by our Enemies) was spread among...
7246th. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Stay’d at home all day. Mr. D rode out in the afternoon. Pretty good weather.
725To Benjamin Franklin from William Alexander, 28 December 1777 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you two letters last Summer in which I mentioned the feu Gregois and the Comte de Rostaing. I wish I had known by a single line That They came Safe to Hand. This goes by that Gentleman who is a Genl. officer of Artilery, and a Man of great Worth. If You will venture to take a friend of my recommending I recommend Him to you. He was sent out as...
726From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 15 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I received yesterday your two favors of the 11th instant. The latter announcing the appearance of the French fleet off New-port harbour. We wait anxiously for further particulars which we expect to day. Mr Corny mentions the bad state of the road of communication between Providence and New-port. It appears essential, as the intercourse may be great on this route, to have it attended to. I...
727To Thomas Jefferson from Edward Stevens, 10 November 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you with a Letter from Genl. Gates , by the latter I presume you’ll be informed that on Monday last the General left this for the westward with about 120 Cavelry, composed of detachments from Whites, Washingtons Armongs [Armand’s] and Nelsons Corps. The Maryland Troops with a detachment of the Virginia regulars under Colo. Buford, the whole consisting of about 800 moved...
728From George Washington to Brigadier General William Woodford, 14 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday received a letter of the 28th ulto from his Excellency Governor Jefferson of which the enclosed is an extract. It being impossible for me under present circumstances to take up the Business, you will be pleased to follow the directions therein contained, and nominate such Officers to reinlist the old Soldiers as you shall deem best qualified for that purpose. Inclosed you will find...
729General Orders, 14 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Artist Charles Willson Peale wrote in his diary that he dined with GW on this date after arriving in camp at noon ( Miller, Peale Papers Lillian B. Miller, ed. The Selected Papers of Charles Willson Peale and His Family . 5 vols. New Haven, 1983–2000. , 1:266).
730From 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...