1From George Washington to Steuben, 9 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
I yesterday recd the honor of yours from Portsmouth inclosing the Copy of a letter from Messs. Franklin and Dean the original of wh. I shall be glad to receive from your own Hands as soon as it is convenient for you to undertake the Journey. As it will lay solely with Congress to make a suitable provision for you in the American Army you will be under the necessity of prolonging your Journey...
2From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 18 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
In answer to the letter which you delivered me yesterday, on the subject of your department. I have to assure you that it is my most earnest wish to conciliate the rights of the Inspectors with those of the officers commanding Corps—and that the public good may be advanced by a perfect harmony between them—with this view the plan proposed in General orders the 15th inst., was made—and it was...
3From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 19 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of receiving a few days since your letter of the 6th instant; I am much obliged to you for the polite assurances you give; and in my turn, I beg you will believe, that when the institution at the head of which you have been placed, can once be established upon a footing mutually agreeable to you and to the army, to which end all the measures I have taken in it have been...
4From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 26 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Walker delivered me your favor of the 10th inst. with the Sequel of your Manuscript—Inclosed I transmit you my Remarks on the first part—the Remainder shall follow as soon as other affairs of equal importance will permit. I very much approve the conciseness of the work—founded on your general principle of rejecting every thing superfluous—tho’ perhaps it would not be amiss in a work of...
5From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 11 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favor of the 5th and now return you the Sequel of your work accompanied by a few notes. It gives me great pleasure to learn that the foregoing part is in such forwardness for the press—With respect to the Title I think “ Regulations for the Infantry of the United States ” will be sufficient—In a Letter to Congress I have signified my approbation of the work —it remains for...
6From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 27 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the pleasure of your favor of the 17th. Col. Fleury’s coming up to camp may answer the purposes you mention, till the regulations can receive a final completion—I would therefore wish to see Col. Fleury as soon as convenient, with such parts of the regulations as are necessary for immediate application. I am sir your &. Df , in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW...
7From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 1 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with four letters from you three of the 22d and one of the 27th. One of them incloses a representation from the Gentlemen in your department, requesting some additional privileges, in consideration of the additional trouble incident to the extensive duties of their offices—Their request appears to me so reasonable that I shall immediately take measures to have them...
8From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 2 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favour of the 29th of Sepr containing a plan for recruiting the army for the next campaign, which I have attentively considered—Many parts of it correspond exactly with my ideas and with the proposals I have made and am making to Congress—Such parts of it as are new and appear to me calculated to promote the service shall be added. I have the honor to be With much esteem...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 16 October 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter on the general subject of the deficiencies in the Virginian quota of troops came to hand yesterday by post: but not attended by Colo. Davis’s particular returns as the letter seemed to imply. This particular return is so essential that without it our legislature can do nothing towards supplying the deficiency and as they have just met I think it is important that there should be no...
10From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 7 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
In a letter which I have been favoured with from his Excelly the cheva[lie]r De la Luzerne I am led to expect the honor of his Compy at Camp in the course of this Month. As it is my wish to accomodate him in the best manner circumstances will admit of (which at best as you well know will be bad enough) and to pay him evy respect due to his high rank and Station I shall thank you for previous...
11From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 8 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 26th brot down to the 29th of January with the papers annexed and have carefully considered the contents, on which I shall give you my sentiments with freedom and confidence. The principal point on which your memorial to Congress turns is the force requisite for the next campaign. To determine this on good grounds we ought first to settle the following...
12From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 18 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been favd with yours of the 12th and 14th instants. I had recd the Resolve of Congress, of which you inclosed me a Copy, immediately from the president, and in consequence of it; instantly gave the necessary directions for the proper Returns to be brought in to enable me to furnish the States with an account of the deficiency of their Quotas of Troops —This, from the dispersed State of...
13From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 6 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
On saturday I received the Honor of Your obliging Favor of the 23d Ulto and was extremely sorry to find that your indisposition still continued; before this I hope you are perfectly recovered. Returns of the Troops have been transmitted to all the States, except those of North and South Carolina & Georgia, which have no Troops in this Quarter, and so particular as to enable them to form a...
14From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 2 April 1780 (Washington Papers)
I duly received your letter of the 15th of March, which hurry of business has prevented my acknowleging sooner. Last night brought me your favour of the 28th—The propositions made by you to Congress for the arrangement of the Army this campaign appears to me upon the whole best adapted to our circumstances; and especially since so much of the season has elapsed without entering upon it I am...
15From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 2 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
My Nephew waits on you to present his thanks for the honor You meant to confer on him, by appointing him one of your Aids—And, at the same time to assign his reasons for declining the favor. If he should not be explicit in doing this, when I next have the pleasure of seeing you at head Quarters, I shall not fail to do it myself. Be assured my dear Sir, that I shall entertain a proper sense of...
16From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 15 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I shall ride up to Morris Town this morning and return in the evening. Should you communicate an alarm to the Camp by the firing of your peice of Cannon, I shall direct it to be repeated by the signal Gun at Chatham, by which means it will reach me immediately—You very well know the inconveniencies of giving the Country a false Alarm, and am persuaded you will not, on that account, take up any...
17From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 18 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 14th and approve the measures you are taking. With regard to the light infantry you will see by the late General order, that I have ordered each regiment to furnish a company consisting of twenty rank and file —This is to be increased afterwards in proportion to the strength of the regiments—This appears to me to be the best plan to begin with. I think of...
18From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 22 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favor of the 18th Inst. and am pleased with the attention you are paying to the formation of the New-raised Troops of the State of New York. It will be best I think, to suspend the execution of the plan for forming three complete Companies of Light Infantry from the State Regiments to be joined to those furnished by the York line; until it is known how far the measure will...
19From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 24 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly favoured with your Letters of the 20th 21. and 22 Inst. It was not my intention that the Companies of Light Infantry should finally consist of different numbers—My design was at present to draw out twenty men from each Regiment for that service, and to augment the Companies hereafter to the full establishment, whenevr the strength of the several Regts will admit of it. As the...
20From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 22 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
Though I am sensible how important your services will be in this quarter; yet as to the Southward, there is an army to be created, the mass of which is at present without any formation at all, your services there will be still more essential—and as I am persuaded your inclination is to be wherever you can be most useful, I have recommendd it to Congress to send you with General Greene to the...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 24 November 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
As you have been so kind as to remain here, among other purposes, for that of organizing our troops meant to be forwarded to the south, I beg leave to inclose to you a resolution of the Executive of this State, entered into previous to your arrival here appropriating such of the men as were before unappropriated to any particular corps, and directing in what manner they shou’d be officered. I...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 25 November 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The Officers were desired to give notice to the militia when arms were delivered them that no man would ever be discharged till he had returned his arms or given justifiable reasons for not doing it, and this was given out in general orders by the commanding officers. Nothing was said at that time about other stores, but I shall when the order for their discharge is given out, desire that...
23From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 26 November 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Brigadr. Genl. Lawson now waits on you for the purpose of informing you of the state of his corps. I would have done myself the pleasure of introducing him to you personally, but am engaged in the council chamber and shall be so till three o’clock. When yourself and Genl. Lawson shall have settled those essential wants without which his corps cannot proceed I shall be happy to do every thing...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 1 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I this moment received your letter, and have extended Mr. Elliot’s powers to the procuring subsistence for the marching troops. You will perceive by the inclosed resolution of assembly (which was put into my hands about two o’clock to-day) that they doubt whether the time, for which Genl. Lawson’s corps is enlisted, will not be so nearly expired before they reach the scene of action as, under...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 3 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I was equally surprized and mortified to learn by your letter of yesterday that mine of the day before had not been delivered. The resolution of assembly was put into my hands at two o’clock in the afternoon of Friday. At 7. o’clock I delivered letters to an express for yourself, Genl. Lawson , and Genl. Muhlenberg , with orders to be with you at farthest by an hour by sun on Saturday. I was...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 4 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been just honored with your favor of Yesterday expressing your Opinion that it will be for the general good to dispense with the services of the Corps under Genl. Lawson; and take the Liberty of putting under cover to you my Letter to General Lawson desiring him to give them a discharge. The Diversion of their Services to an object different from that to which they had attached their...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 6 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the pleasure of inclosing to you an order for the Shoes, Shirts and Cloth you desired. Mr. Armistead the Commissary of Stores to whom it is directed and who now waits on you, sais he has not that number of Shoes, but will call on the Continental Q.M. in hopes he may have some which are of course subject to your order. He has no white cloth but will if it be possible in our circumstances...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 8 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed is a Copy of a requisition I have received this morning from Lt. Colo. Lee. With respect to cloathing for so many of his Legion as were raised in other States and consequently not credited to us in our Continental quota we do not conceive the call on us to be proper; as it is totally unprecedented for the troops of one State to be clothed by another, nor does our condition or...
29From George Washington to Major General Steuben, 10 December 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have received the three Letters you did me the favor to write, before you Left Philadelphia; and have made representation to Congress respecting the Inspector Department agreeable to your request. This Moment I am also favored with Yours of the 24th Ulto from Richmond, and am pleased to find you are still pursuing, with indefatigable industry those measures which will tend so much to promote...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 21 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received authority from the Legislature , to provide cloathing and blankets for the troops by seizing the same which will be accompanied by endeavors to purchase. Agents are out procuring salted beef and others setting out to procure pork in as large quantities as they are to be had to be stored on the Roanoke and its navigable waters. Ten thousand barrels of flour will certainly be...