21From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 11 July 1776 (Washington Papers)
At a crisis like the present, when our Enemies are prosecuting a War with unexampled severity—When they have called upon foreign mercenaries, and have excited Slaves and Savages to arms against us, a regard to our own security & happiness calls upon us to adopt every possible expedient to avert the blow & prevent the meditated ruin. Impressed with this Sentiment, and impelled by necessity, the...
22From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 19 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
I was honored the night before last with your favor of the 13th Inst. and at the same time that I conceive your anxiety to have been great by reason of the vague & uncertain accounts you received respecting the attack on Long Island, give me leave to assure you that the situation of our Affairs and the Important concerns which have surrounded me & which are daily pressing on me, have prevented...
23From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 29 September 1776 (Washington Papers)
Genl Howe having signifyed to me, a desire of making a General Exchange of Prisoners both Officers, and privates, it becomes necessary to have an exact Return of the Numbers in our possession. You will therefore be pleased to have all the Continental prisoners of War, (belonging to the Land Service) in the different Towns in your State, collected and brought together to some convenient place,...
24From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 6 November 1776 (Washington Papers)
The situation of our Affairs is critical and truly alarming; The dissolution of our Army is fast approaching and but little, if any prospect of levying a New one in a reasonable time. A large part of it under the denomination of New Levies, are now on the eve of their departure, and this at a time when the Enemy have a very numerous & formidable force, watching an Opportunity to execute their...
25From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 11 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
Certain that the British Court would leave nothing unessayed in the course of this Campaign, to establish her unwarrantable claims over the United States and to deprive them of their rights, the Congress were induced upon reconsidering their first vote of Levies, to compose the Army, to determine that 16 Battallions more should be raised in addition to those they had resolved on before; And as...
26From George Washington to the Massachusetts General Court, 13 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
The prospect of a vigorous attack upon Ticonderogo some time past, founded on a supposition that the Enemy might pass the Lakes on the Ice, induced me to order all the Continental Battalion of your State to march as fast as they were raised to that Post. A reconsideration of their Views, and the well grounded probability that they will draw the greater part of their force from Canada by Water...