1To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 6 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Watertown [Mass.] 6 October 1775. . Recommends officers in Col. Edmund Phinney’s regiment for commissions. LS , signed by William Sever, DLC:GW .
2To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 27 September 1775 (Washington Papers)
Watertown [Mass.] 27 September 1775 . Recommends officers in Col. Jonathan Brewer’s and Col. David Brewer’s regiments for commissions. LS , signed by William Sever, DLC:GW .
3To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 5 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of the measures taken by this Government to Engage a number of Indians of the Penobscott, St Johns and Mickmac Tribes in the Service of the united States of America agreable to the desire of your Excellency, Seven of the Penobscott Tribe have Inlisted for the Term of one Year, and have arrived here on their way to New York. As they were very poorly Cloathed, and would not...
4To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 3 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Watertown [Mass.] 3 October 1775 . Recommends officers for Col. Paul Dudley Sargent’s regiment. “The Council would further Suggest to your Excellency, that four Companies were raised, by order of this Colony, soon after the 19th of April last. Two of them in Braintree, One in Weymouth, one in Hingham, Towns within the port of Boston, in Consequence of a determination that certain ports within...
5To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 16 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
Watertown [Mass.] 16 July 1776 . Asks GW’s assistance in procuring the release of the officers and men of the Privateer Yankee Hero , “which was taken after a brave and manly resistance, by the Milford Frigate,” and of James Lovell, “who suffered a long and severe imprisonment in Boston, and was carried off in the Fleet to Hallifax where he has remain’d a close prisoner ever since.” LS ,...
6To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 16 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
We are favored with Your Excellency’s Letters of the 1st & 8th Currt. The State of the Treasury is such that it is impracticable to purchase the Powder as recommended by Your Letter of the 1st inst. & our own Stock on further Examination is so small, that it would be imprudent to lessen it at this time, as there is almost a certainty that you can be fully Supplied by Our Allies ’till the...
7To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 8 December 1776 (Washington Papers)
Immediately on receiving your Excellencies intimations that it was necessary your Army should be reinforced with Four thousand of the Militia from this State, Orders were issued to raise the men—And since that as our affairs grew more serious & Alarming, the Court have given orders to Augment the number to about Six Thousand —every measure hath been adopted to forward the Troops to you with...
8To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 13 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
We embrace this Oppertunity to Inform Your Excellency that the Officers of the Fifteen Battalions to be raised in this State, were Appointed as Follows. The Officer for Six of the Battalions were Appointed by a Committee of the General Court at the Camp near New York. The Officers for Five of them by a Committee of the General Court at Ticonderoga & the Officers for the remainder of them by...
9To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 3 October 1776 (Washington Papers)
Council Chamber, Watertown, 3 October 1776 . Transmits a copy of a letter just received from Richard Derby “containing some Intelligence Which the Board Apprehend your Excellency ought to be made acquainted with.” The council asks to be informed of the posts and commanding officers of the state’s regiments. Df , M-Ar ; LB , M-Ar . Richard Derby, Jr., of Salem informs the council in his letter...
10To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 31 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Packet for Congress contains Dispatches from Pensecola to Ld George Germain and was found on Board a Prize taken by an Armed Vessel from the Port of Salem, which hath been bro’t into that Port. They are not of great Moment, but such as Congress perhaps may wish to see. The Council request your Care to forward them on to Congress We congratulate You on the late brilliant Successes...
11To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 1 August 1777 (Washington Papers)
the inclosed is a Copy of a Letter this moment recd from the Brigadier of the County of Essex: The destination of the Fleet is to us yet uncertain; as soon as further intelligence is obtained, Your Excellency may depend upon it’s being forwarded with all possible dispatch. In the Name & behalf of the Council I am With great Respect Sr Your most Obedt hble Servt LS , DLC:GW ; copy, DNA:PCC ,...
12To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 20 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Council having just received Information by Mr Wentworth that a French Vessel is arrived at Portsmouth in the State of New-Hampshire with about Twelve Thousand Fire Arms, a quantity of Powder, Blankets and other Stores upon the Continental Account —We are directed by the Board to inform your Excellency that we have a considerable Number of Men Inlisted in this State into the Continental...
13To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 10 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
This Department has for a Considerable time past been destitute of a General Officer to take the Command & to issue out such Orders from time to time as the Public Service requires, Frequent Complaints are made to this Board of the Conduct of the Continental Officers on the Staff & Disputes & Contentions are often arising among Said Officers whereby the Public Business is greatly retarded &...
14To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 12 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
your Excellencys Letter of the 4th of October to the Council of this State was duly received, and immediately laid before the General Assembly which fortunately happened to be then sitting. The Assembly have chearfully complid with your Requisition and accordingly orderd two thousand Men to be raisd with all possible Dispatch for the Purpose mentiond. The Council have appointed Brigr General...
15To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 7 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
Sometime since the Council received Your Excellencys favor under the 29th September 1776 Recommending to them to Collect all the Prisoners within this State in Order to be exchanged, a Commissary was immediately appointed, who was furnished with the Necessary Instructions for that purpose, agreeable to the plan laid down by your Excellency—and many of the Prisoners were accordingly...
16To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 20 January 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Council upon Examination of several persons who were sent here by the Committee of Safety of Newbury Port, and were taken on board a Ship from London, and a Brigt. from Cork, both bound to Boston; find that one of the passengers in the latter is a Lieutenant in the 5th Regimt (Earl Peircys) now in Boston, they have therefore ordered the sd Lieutenant Hill with his Servant to be sent to...
17To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 17 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
As We could not but feel the deepest concern for the difficulties Your Excellency has had to encounter, it is with the highest pleasure we now Congratulate you upon the happy turn of Affairs, and the signal Success which by the Blessing of Heaven has of late attended Your Arms; Which we think must greatly disconcert the Enemy, and give them an idea of American Bravery very different from what...
18To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 16 November 1775 (Washington Papers)
The Council received your favour of this day by the Officer of the Guard, and thank your Excellency for your care, and as the Prisoners sent hither, are all disposed of, there will be no occasion for any guard until others are sent in; We have therefore returned the Guard and the Committee of Council, who are appointed to hear and examine &c. Prisoners in the recess of Court (a Copy of whose...
19To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 26 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer, Major Shaw, has at Length arrived here with a few Indians, Inlisted into the Continental Service, we are Sorry he has met with no better Success in this Business, however the few there are we Conceive, Will be of this Service if no other, to keep the Tribes from whence they came in a State of Amity—The Indians when here, were fond of Returning back again to their Families, but were...
20To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 16 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencies Letter of the Seventh Current was duly delivered, and the contents noted. In answer thereto I am dir[ec]ted to inform you that, the Council have ordered one hundred barrels of Gun Powder to be delivered to the Deputy Quartermaster General in this department; to be by him forwarded to your Excellency without loss of time. That quantity being the whole that, the Council thought...
21To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 8 April 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency on the 22nd of December last wrote a Letter recommending that Measures should be taken to Effect an Exchange of Prisoners, as soon as possible and as far as Circumstances will admit of advising that all the Prisoners in this State should be sent to the Commanding Officer of the British Troops on the Island of Rhode Island, This Business has been hitherto delayed as the...
22To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 28 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency in your Letter of the 19th Instant to the General Assembly of this State, having Mentioned that the Army under your Command were much in want of Camp Utensells, and that you knew not how to procure a Sufficiency, The Council have directed the Commissary General of this State to forward to your Excellency, Two Loads of Iron Potts, which he had in his Store for the Use of the...
23To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 2 August 1777 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed are Copies of two Letters one from Salem & the other from Glocester from which it appears that the Information respecting the British Fleet being off Cape Ann is not to be relyed on. Should we gain any certain Intelligence respecting them Your Excellency may Depend on being regularly informed thereof. Any Information from You advising the Situation of the Army under Your Command...
24To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 31 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s favors of the 19th & 22d inst. have been received & Communicated to the Council The Contents were immediately attended to & We should with Chearfulness have fully complied with the requests therein contained had it been in our Power but upon Inquiring into the State of our Military Stores We found that neither Cannon, Shott, Howitzers or Shells could be spared from this State...
25To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 12 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of July 4th is now under Consideration & are not a little mortified that such is the State of the public Magazines with respect to Powder an Article so essential to our Operations. We are disposed to afford every Degree of Aid in our power, The Quantity now in our Magazines that we can reasonably supply is Ten Tuns. There are in this State three powder Mills which can Manufacture...
26To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 4 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 18th Decr last is come to hand which eased us in some Degree of the Anxiety we were in from an Ignorance of your Situation & at the same time gave us great Concern to find you had been so illy supported by the States in your Vicinity at a Period when every Effort might have been expected; but we hope an opportunity for Recollection will awaken a Sense of Injury, that will...
27To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 5 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Distresses of the Inhabitants of the Co’os Country arising from their being nearly situated to Canada a large Territory governed by the Enemies of the United States & Inhabited by Savages the Natives of America have induced Genl Bailey & Col. Chase principal Gentlemen there, well known to be firmly Attached to Interest of the United States to give this Board, a particular Account of their...