1From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 30 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
You will immediately proceed to Philadelphia, with such of your assistants, as you shall think necessary, to take a full and complete survey of the city the River Delaware and their environs, in order from a collective view of the whole, to form a well-digested plan, for the defence of the River and consequently the city. You are well aware, that in case of an attempt to approach the city by...
2From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 27 August 1778 (Washington Papers)
You will proceed as speedily as convenient to the Highlands and examine the several fortifications carrying on there for the defence of the North River. When you have done this you will make me a full report of their state and progress, with your opinion of any alterations or additions which may appear to you necessary in improvement of the present plan. In doing this, you will of course...
3From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 19 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have perused the memorial which you delivered relative to the defence of the North River at this place —and upon a view of them highly approve what you have offered upon the Subject—Col. Kosciousko who was charged by congress with the direction of the forts and batteries—has already made such a progress in the construction of them as wd render any alteration in the general plan a work of too...
4From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
You will proceed forthwith to Boston in the State of Massachusettes Bay. You will examine into the state of the fortifications which have been erected and are erecting for the defence of that Town against a Land attack; and you will form a plan, from a view of the whole local situation of the place, which shall appear best calculated to give it the most effectual security, that circumstances...
5From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 31 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favour of the 20th, inclosing your remarks on the state of the fortifications already erected for the defence of the Town of Boston, and on such amendments and additions as appear to you necessary to render them effectual. Your reasonings and observations appear to be strong and well founded; but at this distance, and without so perfect a knowlege of the local...
6From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 24 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
The estimate you delivered me some time since of the Cannon wanted for the works of West Point, having been, by some accident mislaid, I am to request you will deliver a copy of it to the President of Congress—which you will be pleased to do as speedily as possible. I am With great consideration and esteem—Sir Your most Obed. servant. Df , in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick...
7From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 8 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
Congress has by an act of the 2d inst. directed me to order an Engineer to proceed to south Carolina for the service of the southern Department—if I shd judge it necessary. As I think the presence of a skilful Engineer indispensible in that Country I am to desire that you will detach one of the Corps—with directions to repair to Charles Town and take the orders of Major General Lincoln or the...
8From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 29 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to find by yours of the 20th that you have met with so many delays and disappointments in the prosecution of your plan for taking a survey of the Delaware. Altho’ I am anxious to see you in Camp, I shall be very unwilling to recall you while there is the least prospect of your rendering any service; I must therefore desire you to point out to that public Body before which you may...
9From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 9 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
A body of troops is ordered to rendesvous at Wyoming on the Susquehanna. There will be some works to be carried on in that quarter which will require an Engineer. You will readily conceive the nature of frontier fortification and will be pleased to send a Gentlemen in your department whom you judge proper for the purpose. He had best proceed in the first instance towards Sunbury where he will...
10From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 27 July 1779 (Washington Papers)
You will be pleased to make an arrangement of the officers who have presented themselves for appointments in the companies of Sappers and Miners, which I will transmit to the Board of War to obtain their commissions —The numerous drafts that have [been] made from the line for different purpose⟨s,⟩ would make it inconvenient at this time to take out others for the purpose of forming these...
11From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 22 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am to request you will give instruction to your assistants attached to the different works—to turn their attention to the barracks necessary at each to cover the men required to be constantly stationed for the immediate security of the respective posts—and the places at which it will be most proper to erect them—Were it not for the difficulty of transporting materials to those high mountains...
12From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 10 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
The only material intelligence which I have obtained from New York or respecting the Enemy since your departure, is contained in the inclosed account, which I received yesterday from Captain Monroe. This in your communications with His Excellency Count D’Estaing, you will be pleased to shew him. As we shall have occasion for a great many boats, in case a cooperation between the Count & us...
13From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 18 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with Colonel Hamilton’s letter, mentioning your arrival early on the 11th at Philadelphia; and your being about to set off for Lewis town the morning on which it was written. I have attentively considered the object to which you more particularly refer, and am now to authorise you (provided the Count will not determine on a co-operation to the full extent of my...
14From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 21 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
In my Letters of the 10th & 18th I transmitted All the intelligence I had obtained, respecting the Enemy from the time of your departure to those two periods; and, by the present conveyance, I enclose You an Extract of a Letter from Major General Gates of the 15th. —By this you will perceive he was fully persuaded, that the Enemy were preparing to evacuate Rhode Island—and he expected, from...
15From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 25 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have just now received a letter from Col. Hamilton, mentioning your having changed your position of Lewis Town, for that of little Egg harbour, and that you would write me more fully on your arrival at the furnace. In my last I informed you that the enemy had evacuated both their posts at Kings-ferry, since which no alteration has taken place, that has come to my knowlege. Things at Rhode...
16From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 30 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I inclose You an Extract of a Letter of the 26th which General Greene has just received from Mr Bowen D.Q.M. Genl, dated in New port, announcing the evacuation of Rhode Island by the Enemy on Monday night last. The intelligence is not to be doubted, although by some means or another it has happened, that I have not received any advices from Genl Gates upon the subject, or a Letter from him...
17From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 1 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this day been favd with yours of the 26th ulto informing me of your removal to Great Egg Harbour. My letter of the 18th, which had not reached you, went, as you supposed, by way of Philada, and lest any accident may have happened to it, I inclose you a duplicate —Mine of the 30th ulto, which went thro’ Major Lee, informed you of the evacuation of Rhode Island: I have since recd a letter...
18From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 2 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since mine of yesterday I have received another letter from my confidential correspondent in New York dated the 29th ulto. He informs me that the 57th Regt Rawdons Corps and the Artillery mentioned in his last, were to sail on that day for Hallifax, and with them all the heavy ships of War except the Europa. The Daphne Frigate, with Sir George Collier and Colo. Stewart on board, was to sail...
19From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 11 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
Being absent from Head Qrs on a visit to the several Outposts of the Army, when your favor of the 2d Instant arrived—and not returning till last night—it was not in my power to answer it before. I am precisely in the predicament you are—with respect to the Count—his intentions or ultimate operations. I have not heard a single syllable about either since your departure, except what was...
20From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 27 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Notwithstanding the occasion we should have for your services in this quarter should any active operations commence, the critical situation of Charles Town and the importance of that place induce me to wish you were there. I am doubtful whether you can arrive in time; but I have submitted the matter to Congress to determine according to the advices they have received. The letter to them is...
21From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 13 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received with much pleasure your letter of the 8th from Philadelphia, & sincerely congratulate you on your liberation from Captivity, and safe arrival at that place. I shall set out the day after tomorrow for New Port. had you not So lately come off a long & tiresome journey, I should have been glad of your company thither—but this being impracticable, & there being no immediate occasion for...
22From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 21 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
My Visit to the French Army at Rhode Island has been delayed by important business & must necessarily be retarded a while longer. There are particular reasons which makes me anxious to have you along with me in this tour. If it is not inconvenient to you therefore to leave Philadelphia immediately, I should be glad if you would join me as soon as possible—That I may know certainly whether you...
23From George Washington to Brigadier General Duportail, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Some unexpected events have determined me suddenly to set out for Rhode Island. I depart tomorrow—and dispatch you this to request you will join me there as soon as possible. Your information and advice will be very important to our plans. My stay at Rhode Island will be very short. Accept the assurances of the esteem & regard with which I am Dr Sir Yr Most Obed. servt. Df , in Alexander...
24From George Washington to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 28 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
As you are perfectly acquainted with the plan which has been concerted with His Excellency the Count De Rochambeau at Weathersfield: I need not enter into a detail of particulars. but have only to request therefore, that you will be pleased to make the Estimates of the Articles in Your Department necessary for the operation, and that the previous Arrangements for the seige, as far as they are...
25From George Washington to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 17 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
I inclose to you, the arrangement of the Army—If there is any place more proper than the one I have assigned for the Engineers, & Corps of Sappers and Miners, pray let me have your sentimts thereon by return of the bearer, as I want to publish the whole in the Orders of this day. If it is convenient to you, it would be my wish that you and the Q.M. Genl should view—to morrow—a spot to form our...
26From Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 26 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am directed by the Comander in Chief to transmitt to you the inclosed Copy of Charges made against Majr Moreman, by Capt. Billings—upon which His Excellency desires you will order Majr Moreman under an Arrest—At the Same Time the General desires that Majr Moreman’s Charges against Capt. Livermore may be transmitted to the Adjutant General, who has Order to have Capt. Livermore put into...
27From George Washington to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 28 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
The subject you have written upon, is equally perplexing and incomprehensible to my understanding—I will talk more fully to you there on when we meet at two O clock. In the meanwhile I am—Dr Sir, with much estm & Regd Yr most obt Sert DLC : Papers of George Washington.
28From George Washington to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 7 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am made happy by the receipt of your Letter of the 2nd Inst. and the other Dispatches announcing the arrival of the Count de Grasse. Nothing now gives me uneasiness but the two things you mention, not hearing from the Count de Barras who sailed the 24th of Augst, and the resolution for the departure of the fleet at a certain time. Our measures must be forced, & every intermediate moment...
29From George Washington to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 26 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
In answer to your letter of the 24th I beg leave to inform you, that as no immediate operation requires your presence in this country, I shall most chearfully second your application to Congress for a Six months furlough to yourself & Col. Gouvion for the purpose of arranging your private affairs in France. The other request appears to me to involve difficulties that will deprive me of the...
30From George Washington to Antoine-Jean-Louis Le Bègue de Presle Duportail, 31 October 1781 (Washington Papers)
General Duportail, Commandant of the Corps of Engineers, having signified his desire of obtaining leave to go to France, for the arrangement of his domestic Affairs—It is with the greatest satisfaction I embrace this oppertunity of testifying the sense which I entertain of his distinguished Talents & Services. His judgment in Council, and well conducted valour in the field, claim the highest...