From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., and Colonel Samuel Elmore, 1 August 1776

To Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., and Colonel Samuel Elmore

New York [1] Augt 1776

Sir

Having just received from Congress a return of Colo. Elmore’s Regiment now in your State, with directions that it shall join this Army,1 I request the favor of you to order him to march immediately to this place—They have appointed John Brown Esqr. Lieut. Colo. of it, and Robert Cocke Esqr. Major.2 Commissions for such Officers as appear with their respective Companies I am to fill up. I have the honor to be Sir with great respect Sir Your most obedient Servant

G. Washington

P.S. ½ after 12. I this minute recived a report from General Greene that thirty Ships are coming in to the Hook.3 Do hurry the Troops on, my good Sir.4

LB, addressed to Trumbull, Ct: Trumbull Papers; LB, addressed to Trumbull, DLC:GW; two Varick transcripts, DLC:GW. The LB in DLC:GW, which is in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, is dated 1 Aug. 1776. It is followed by a memorandum in Harrison’s writing that reads: “A Similar Letter to Colo. Elmore. This Letter Countd (or rather Orders) in Letter of 7 Augt in Letter Book A” (see GW to Elmore, that date).

One of the Varick transcripts is addressed to Trumbull, and the other one is addressed to Elmore. The main body of the latter document reads: “Having just received from Congress a Return of your Regiment now in the State of Connecticut, with directions that it shall Join this Army, I request the favor of you to march immediately to this place. They have appointed John Brown Esqr. Leiutenant Colonel of it, and Robert Cochran Esqr. Major. Commissions for such Officers as appear with their respective Companies, I am to fill up.” The postscript does not appear in that document.

1. See Hancock’s second letter to GW of 30 July.

2. The LB in DLC:GW reads “Robt Cockran Esqr. Major.” Congress appointed John Brown (1744–1780) of Pittsfield, Mass., and Robert Cochran (Cockrane) to these positions on 29 July (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 5:615).

3. See Greene’s first letter to GW of this date.

4. This sentence does not appear in the LB in DLC:GW or the Varick transcript addressed to Trumbull.

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., and Colonel Samuel Elmore, 1 August 1776
Author: Washington, George
Recipients: Trumbull, Jonathan Sr.
Elmore, Samuel
Date: 1 August 1776

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., and Colonel Samuel Elmore, 1 August 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-05-02-0405. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 5, 16 June 1776 – 12 August 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993, pp. 540–541.]