51To George Washington from Maj. Gen. Robert Howe, 19 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. Robert Howe, 19 Nov. 1779 . GW wrote Howe on 20 Nov. : “I have received your letter by Colo. Moylan of yesterdays date.”
52To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 14 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment receivd the inclosd from —— by Express. he writes me that the detail of intelligence he sends me is particularly given your Excellency in his letter to you, so that I need not trouble you with a Repetition —His discontent seems to increase, and if I may credit his accounts he has some reason for it, for his trouble Risk & Expence as he sets it forth, exceed his Emoluments....
53To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 14 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am this moment Honour’d with your Excellency’s letter, of the 12th Instant, I shall endeavour to be at Morris Town on the day mentioned—Should the Arrangments I am to make in this Quarter, which my private letter will set forth, appear to your Excellency of such a Nature, as to render my attendance this way more important, than any service I can do by sitting upon the Court Martial, you will...
54To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 16 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Having furnish’d —— with Expresses, And directed him to forward any Circumstances of intelligence to Morris Town, and having settled other arrangements, I shall in order to attend the Court Martial set out and hope to arrive at Head Quarters by the 20th at farthest. I have had some accounts from New York since I wrote your Excellency last, but they being similar to those receiv’d by me from ——...
55To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 30 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have just now had Accts from an Emissary below the following is an Extract from his letter “12000 Troops Embar’d & saild their Destination suppos’d to be Georgia principally, tho’ all of them it is thought will not go there, the 26th Regiment has been Draughted the Commissiond and non Commissiond Officers are all gone to England to Recruit a great number of Vessels suppos’d to be Victualrs...
56To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 7 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was Yesterday honour’d with your Excellency’s favour of the 5th Instt, and shall in Obedience to your request proceed to my command in a day or two, or Earlier, should you think it requisite, tho’ Some Business very consequential to me requires that time, if it can be Spared me without Injury to service. It has been very lately Suggested to me by one of my friends that your Excellency meant...
57To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 17 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I left Morris Town on Friday, and arrived at this place on Sunday. A Detail of Military Matters, I perswade myself Your Excellency duly receive’s from Genl Heath, who is still here, which renders a descant on that Subject from me, at present unnecessary. I have the Honour to be, with the greatest respect Sir Yr Excellency’s Most Obt Hume Sert LS , DLC:GW . The previous Sunday was 13 February....
58To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 28 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letters of the 16th & 19th Inst: directed on public Service to General Heath, & that of the 22d to him or the Officer commanding in this Department, reach’d me the Day before yesterday—the Contents of the two first shall be duly observ’d, & I had anticipated the Purpose of the latter, having taken the requisite precautionary Steps previous to the Reception of it, in...
59To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 28 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Col. Udney Hay having represented to me that it was impossible for him to go thro’ the Duty of his Department without more Expresses than he was authoriz’d to appoint, & as at this Juncture the very Existance of the Troops in this Department depended on the Information he was to give, & receive, to & from those who were employ’d to procure, & those who had in Possession, Provision, & Forage, &...
60To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 4 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I wish for your Excellency’s instruction as to the inclos’d Ac[coun]t, which I should be glad you could return me by Express. The claim has merit, the officer from Every account I have had (and that Reputable) did in an Extraordinary manner Exert him self, & serve the cause, and was at an Extraordinary Expence & in my opinion ought to have his Acct Allow’d I am Dear sir most Respec[t]fully...
61To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 4 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment heard from —— an Extract of whose letter I send you, and also a Copy of one written to him sign’d as you will find by perusing it, the original of which I have receiv’d but must return to —— as he desires to have it again. I Earnestly wish the news respecting the British Fleet may be true, nor do I wholly discredit it, as I have had the Same intelligence from several hands....
62To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 7 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I inclose your Excellency the Copy of a letter I just received from colonel John Mead of Militia at Horseneck, and also one of Governor Trumbulls to him. Colo. Meads apprehensions by consulting the date they took rise from, seem to have been impressed by those movements of the Enemy, when the thaw prevented their Enterpr[i]se. The Expectation of support from this Quarter upon very trifling...
63To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 8 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Favour of the 2d Inst: directed to Genl Heath, or Officer commandg at this Post I have just receiv’d —the Contents of which shall be punctually observ’d. Our Party on the Lines took an Ensign of Delancy’s, by Name Vincent I have ordered him to be reported to the Commissary of Prisoners, & sent him upon Parole to such Place as Col. Hay shall point out—A Copy of the Parole I...
64To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 16–17 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been honourd with your Excellencys favours of the 11th Instt, one of them Reach’d me on the Evening of the 14th, the o⟨ther⟩ Early in the morning of the 15th. I had received informations Similar to yours and had written to your Excellency upon the subject and was just Sending off by Express whe⟨n⟩ your letter arrived and render’d his goi⟨ng⟩ un[n]ecessary. I had also written to Governor...
65To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 17 March 1780 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Maj. Gen. Robert Howe, 17 March 1780 . GW wrote Howe on 21 March: “I have before me your two favors of the 16 and 17th instant.” GW wrote in the same letter: “I return the proceedings of the Court martial transmitted in your letter of the 17th.”
66To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 20 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I sent down a Guide who has pretty intelligent Conexions below and is himself intelligent, his accounts I send your Excellency tho they are not very Explicit or satisfactory. One of his Relations was in New York two or three days ago, he says that An Embarkaton is taking place and they seem to intend a Sea Voyage, that three Generals are to go with it, Mathews, Patterson, & a Hessian General...
67To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 25 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am anxious to know the Result of the Enemy’s Enterprize against Paramus—the Alarm reach’d me the Day it happened, & I sent out Persons to learn the Particulars who are not yet return’d. I was witheld from writing to your Excellency upon the Subject from the Certainty that you must have heard of it sooner than I did, & because no Opportunity offered, & I had no Express ready. Your...
68To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 2 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Expiration of inlistments have so weaken’d our Regiments that we really have not men Enough to do the Duties of this Post, and we are momentarily growing weaker—Poors Brigade would be a Comfortable addition to our strength at this Post, and I wish if service does not forbid it I should be happy to be empowered to Call them down. I should not Mention this to your Excellency did I not think...
69To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 3 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
My letters written one on the morning of the 2d Instant, and one on this day, both of which I believe you will receive by Majr Bawman, in some measure anticipate the necessity of this. When I Ventur’d to express a wish, that I might be permitted to call down Poors Brigade, I order’d Barracks to be prepared for their reception, which are now ready, I therefore with gladness dispatch’d an...
70To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 10 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have some Time since received Accounts, from various Agents, that Troops of the Enemy in great Force were embark’d, & embarking for South-Carolina—That their Horse which were canton’d out, were all call’d in to New York—that great Quantities of Forage, & a great Number of Waggons were put on Board their Vessels, that all Vessels fit for the Service of their Government were taken up, & all...
71To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 18 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Col. Hay this Moment tells me that He is under the Necessity of setting out to-Morrow Morng by four oClock for Head Quarters, in Consequence of Directions sent him by Major Genl Greene —Not having Time to go into a Detail of the Circumstances from which this Army have so amazingly suffered for Want of Provision & Forage, I am glad that He will have an Opportunity of seeing your Excellency, as...
72To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 27 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
Colo. Hay just gave me a call in his way to Morris Town, and has occasion to be so much in haste, that it gives me no time to Write fully—I have such malancholy accounts from Commissaries of every sort, respecting supplies, that I should wound your Excellency’s peace were I to particularise, without answreing any good end, as I am certain you are exerting your self to the utmost to Guard...
73To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 1 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I hear every two or three Days from New York but the Details given me have not been consequential enough t⟨o⟩ be sent purposely by Express, & no safe casual Opportunity has lately happen’d. I have had a pretty good Account of the Troops that have sail’d from New York, & my Informants assure me they did not exceed two thousand—that the British themselves talk’d only of three, but that it is...
74To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 1 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
Since writing my other letter, I have been Honour’d with your Excellency’s favour of the 29th of April —All the Fascines between West Point, and Kings ferry have long since been remov’d to a place of safety, as would those below it, had I known they had been there, but Colo. Kosceozcko inform’d there were none lower down—I have remov’d a good many of the Gabions, but they tumble to pieces in...
75To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 1 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have found Occasion to send down —— with a Flag to new York, as I want him to brighten his chain, and as some late instances give me reason to think the Enemy have Confidence in him; he has not of late given me any intelligence, but if he gets Access to New York I think he must on his return be able to communicate somthing Substantial. Colo. Gouvion is just on the Point of finishing the...
76To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 6 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the Pleasure to inform your Excellency that a Party under the Command of Capt. Cushing of the 1st Massachusett’s Regt went down the other Night to the Quarters of Col. Delancey, & brought off three Officers & seventeen Privates from within two or three Hundred Yards of their Work Number Eight—Col. Delancey had, luckily for himself, gone out upon some Occasion in the Eveg, & was...
77To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 6 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
General Parsons havin⟨g⟩ arrested Captain Hoogland of Sheldons Dragoons for several Circumstances of Disrespect and other matters has requested of me a Court martial, I have doubts of the propriety of my ordering it as I am not certain the Horse at present Attach to my Command, and therefore I beg leave privately to be inf⟨orm⟩d by your Excellency whether I ought to do it or not, which I...
78To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 11 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have this Day a Letter from —— He writes me that He was in New York on the 3d of this Instant—on that Day a Frigate of short Passage arrived from England Express, immediately upon which a Council of War was held—that a Frigate was ordered to prepare for sailing on the Instant to South Carolina, that she sail’d with Dispatches immediately after the Council rise—that the next Day another...
79To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 13 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s letters marked Private, I have this day received, and immediately sent Major Sargent to Hartford to execute their contents the importance of which I am so sensible of —I conceive the Escort of Horse now ordered annihilates the necessity of the Sergeant and Twelve, ordered in Colo. Meads favor of the 11th received last night, as the marquis’s Baggage is as I hear with Monsieur...
80To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 14 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
If it is convenient I should be glad to have a part of the Corps of Executioners attached to this Department, those finishers of the Law having become immediately & absolutely necessary to us, If your Excellency thinks it proper please hasten to us some of these People without delay. The Enemy have several times lately been acting against Colo. Millen, with both Horse and Infantry, and he has...
81To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 22 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
It is impossible to express to your Excellency the Difficulties I have met with to supply this Army with Provision, or the Anxiety of my Mind consequent thereto—the Recollection of it is as painful to myself as the Recital would be to you. The inclos’d Copies of Letters & Proceedings will give you Information ⟨on⟩ the Methods I have been compel’d to adopt—extraordinary perhaps in their Nature,...
82To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 22 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
your Excellency’s Letter of the 16th Instant arrived last Night —Col. Gouvion has been told of your Desire to have him up—He wishes me to inform you that the Want of Forage having rendered it necessary to send his Horses at some Distance from Camp, he can not set out until they are recall’d, which he shall do without Delay, & upon their Arrival will set off immediately. I wish he could have...
83To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 22 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
The season for taking the Field my Dear General is now arriving, and as I have had my Tour of Duty at this Garrison in a situation as perplexing as anxious, may I venture to hope that when Field Operations do take place, I may not be kept at this Garrison unless Actual service at it should happen. If I know my self at all, and if as a soldier I have any merit, it lies rather in Field service...
84To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 25 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Enemy have been lately out to Horse Neck—I warn’d the Officer of Militia of it, for I had Intelligence of their Intentions—Their Guard however was surpris’d—three were kill’d & two wounded, several Inhabitants carried off & two Houses burnt —They have been, & are collecting Horses from Long Island & elsewhere, & by the Choice they observe in the selecting them, they are for Men, not Teams,...
85To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 31 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am very sensible of the Embarrassments & perplexities you mention in your private letter, they would I am certain have depress’d, and perhaps subdued almost any mind but yours, and I have often thought, and frequently said, that the difficulties you Encounter and surmount give you more intrinsic Merit than the Victories others have obtain’d; and this I doubt not History will hereafter...
86To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 31 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
The inclos’d Copy of a Letter from Governor Trumbull received last Night, I transmit your Excellency without Delay, & should wish to receive your Directions thereupon —The Incursions of the Enemy into this State, & that of Connecticut, the Injuries the[y] do the Inhabitants, & the Benefits the[y] derive from the Supplies they obtain thereby must excite an earnest Desire in every Bosom to...
87To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 5 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Favors of the 1st & 3d are before me—Notwithstanding the Hand Bill of Mr Rivington I think there are Reasons to doubt the Authenticity of what he says relative to the Reduction of Charles Town—as Informations from New York obtain’d from the Tories left it safe on the 10th of May, & not apparently in Danger of speedy Subduction. In Consequence of the Report of Sir Harry...
88To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 6 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Informations I had of the Enemy’s Intentions of marauding in Force, & of which I gave your Excellency an Account yesterday, having been confirm’d to me by Intelligence received various Ways last Night, & from Sources that have seldom been mistaken, have induced me to advance Nixon’s Brigade, & to direct Glover’s to possess their Cantonments near & at the Village, that we may not receive...
89To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 9 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
Having been inform’d that some Difficulty would arise in obtaining the Public Horses from those Persons into whose Hands they had been lodged to forage them through the Winter, & having had it confirmed by many Persons having refused to deliver those up which were call’d for until the[y] were paid the Expence of having foraged them—I directed Col. Hay to proceed in Person, & fall upon Measures...
90To 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...
91To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 16 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
your Excellency’s Favor of the 10th Instant has come to Hand—previous to which I had taken Methods to learn what the Enemy meant, & the Intelligence I got led me to think that this Post was ultimately their Aim. I was inform’d that they set out with a View to drive you if possible, & from the diminutive Idea they had of your Force they made no Doubt of effecting it, & that as they made...
92To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 16 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
your Excellency’s Favor of the 15th arrived this Moment—I the Day before yesterday acquainted Governor Clinton with the Situation of this Post—the Aspect Things wore, & suggested to him the Necessity of warning the Militia to be ready on the shortest Notice, & lamented the Absence of the New York Brigade in such Terms as could not I think but contribute to induce his remanding them unless...
93To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 18 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
Six of the Enemy’s Ships are in View of Verplank’s—two of them, one a Frigate, near Tallow’s Point. These may either be the Harbingers of more, or they may mean to divert you—To Morrow will probably determine the Matter here—with your Excellency it may be determin’d already. The Enemy drew near the Shore at Sing Sing & kept up a considerable Cannonade either at a Lookout Party of mine, or to...
94To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 19 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am this moment Honour’d with your Excellencys Favour of the 18th Instant—In consequence of my application to Governor Clinton he has Orderd a Body of Militia to join me with all possible expedition, and warn’d a number more to repair to me when Alarm Signals are given —Upon the appearance of some of the Enemies Ships Yesterday, I instantly sent express to Governor Clinton urging the...
95To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 20 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
A confidential Agent in New York whose Letter is dated the 18th Inst: confirms the Arrival of Genl Clinton and Admiral Arbuthnot with the Return of a considerable Body of Troops from Charles Town & a Fleet of seventy Sail—He says that many of the Officers had been on Shore, but none of the Troops—That they talk great Things against the Jerseys, & confidently of attacking this Post—the latter...
96To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 24 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s Letters, which the Hurry I am in, will I hope excuse my not being able to answer fully—Those Measures which you recommend that have not already been executed, shall be carried into Effect with all possible Expidition—what you have said in one of yours relative to Verplank’s & stony Points, will I am much afraid in our present Situation if literally complied...
97To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 27 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have Such intelligence as makes it more than probable the Enemy look this way, tho’ not having had it from my most authentic sources I can not speak of it positively. I wish They may Attempt it with all my heart, Contest becomes requisite some where, the carolina Debt should be paid off, and West Point seems to be a good Bank to Draw upon, may it answer their Draughts I pray God I have...
98To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 30 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
As soon as General Huntingtons Command Arived, I Wrote to Governor Trumbull a letter of which the inclos’d is a Copy and soon after the Express set out I was so happy as to receive Your Excellencys favour by which I found I had Acted with propriety. Your letters to both Governors and to General Fellors were in a moment Forwarded. I made an Instant demand of the Returns Sir you requ[e]sted,...
99To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 3 July 1780 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. Robert Howe, 3 July. On 7 July , GW wrote Howe: “I recd your favr of the 3d with the Returns” ( DLC:GW ).
100To George Washington from Major General Robert Howe, 3 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I send your Exccellency by Mr Moylan all the Returns that are come in, & shall be anxious until I hear they are safe in your Hands. you may perhaps think that Stony & Verplank’s are endowed with more Stores than they ought, but they were lodged in them under Auspices different from those which your Excellency’s last Letters have set up —& to have removed them would have intimated to the...