61To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 16 April 1779 (Washington Papers)
As your Excellencey has honoured me with an appointment to Command the Intended Expedition I must beg Leave to Lay my Sentiments before you in writing as words used in Conversation may vanish in Air & the Remembrance of them be Lost while writing will remain Either to Justify my opinion or to prove that it was Erroneous The variety of Reasons which I urged yesterday for passing with the main...
62To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 9 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the hono’r to inform your Excellency, that some time after Colo. Jacksons Corps arriv’d in this department, a number of his Officers presented a Memorial to me, setting forth, that, Colo. Jackson did not behave as He shoud have done in the Action of Monmouth, and expressing their dissatisfaction, in being commanded by an Officer, whose Courage and Conduct, they had powerful reasons to...
63To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 3 March 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowlege the reciept of your Excellency’s esteem’d favor of the 14th of last Month, wherein, you express an uneasiness, at a Spirit of Mutiny which General Varnum assures you, has made its appearance among the Troops, whom I have the honor to command. As I was not before acquainted with this Circumstance, was not a little surpriz’d to recieve my first information, from...
64To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 20 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, 20 Feb. 1779. GW wrote Sullivan on 3 March : “Notwithstanding your letter of the 20th Ult. was directed to be forwarded in the most expeditious manner, yet it did not reach me till last night.”
65To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 11 February 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, 11 Feb. 1779. GW wrote Sullivan on 22 Feb. : “I have your favr of the 11th instant.”
66To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 14 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your Excellency’s esteem’d Favor of the 20th of December, and in answer to it, beg leave, to inform your Excellency, that Colo. Jackson’s Band is by no means compleat. He has four Musicians & but two Instruments of Music which were procur’d by his officers without any expence to the Public. His principal Musician does the duty of Fife Major, and...
67To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 20 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honor of Inclosing Your Excellencey a Letter from Lieut. Brownigg at New Port which will give your Excellencey the Number of Forces which went from New york also a Return of the Commissary at Newport which with making the proper allowances & Deductions will give their Numbers on Rhode Island which I have Calculated & think their Rank & File to amount to 5949 —Mr Browniggs Letter...
68To George Washington from John Sullivan, 7 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Sullivan, 7 Dec. 1778. On 20 Dec., GW wrote Sullivan : “I have your two letters of the 2d and 7th Int. now before me.”
69To George Washington from John Sullivan, 2 December 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Sullivan, 2 Dec. 1778. On 20 Dec., GW wrote Sullivan : “I have your two letters of the 2d and 7th Int. now before me.”
70To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 29 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Inclosed Letter of General Stark with the Certificate of Mr Southwick (Issuing Commissary in this Department) will Shew your Excellencey how Little faith is to be placed in the promises of Commissaries; They Lead us along by promises from Day to Day till our Stores are Compleatly Exhausted & then Leave us to provide for ourselves or Starve. If their Impudence as well as Indolence did not...
71To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 23 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I Last Evening had the Honor of Receiving Your Excellenceys favor of the 18th Instant: My Letter of the 20th Superseades the Necassety of a particular answer to that part of it which Respects the Commissarys Department—I only beg Leave to observe that My Reasons for not Troubling your Excellencey with my Situation arose from a Desire to Avoid Distressing a mind which has already Suffered (but)...
72To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 20 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Conduct of the Commissaries having involv’d me in some difficulty, I beg leave to represent the Affair to your Excellency for your Advice and directions. Immediately on receiving Intimation from your Excellency, that there was a probability of an expedition against Rhode Island, and, that proper Magazines should be established I applied to the Commissaries, who supplied this department,...
73To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 19 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosd I have the honor to transmit your Excellency a List of Officers in Colo. Henlys Regiment with their respective Ranks as specifyd by the dates of their Appointment. Since my last I have not collected any thing interesting in this department but shall do myself the Honor of giving your Excellency the earliest information of every Circumstance that may tend to illustrate the Enemys...
74To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 18 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am Just Returnd from the western Shore. I find Byron has Eleven Ships of the Line Strung along in the Channel a 74 has Lately come in Dis Masted There are a number of other Ships nearer in toward the Town which I Suppose to be Frigates & transports. Every Account Seems to Speak an Evacuation Though not So Sudden as I once thought—the Dismasting his 74 will I think Detain them Some time I...
75To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 15 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
By Deserters as well as from various other Channels I have a Confirmation of the Accounts given in my Last a Searjent, a Searjent major, two privates, with an Inhabitant Came off two Days Since The Searjent major is very Intelligent he Says that The Transports are all preparing to take in Troops that they are ordered to be ready by the 18th Instant & he has no Reason to Doubt of their Quitting...
76To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 13 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I this morning Received the Inclosed Intelligence from Colo. Greene and have no doubt but the Fleet he mentions is Byrons or that part of it which has Escaped The Late Storms. by Some Reports A part of that Fleet viz. three Ships were Cast away on Nantucket Shoals—The Newport paper gives an Account that Euleven British A Number of Foreign Regiments & Several of the New Raised Corps have Sailed...
77To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 12 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
Mr Temple is now on his way to Fredericksburgh with an intention to pay his Respects to your Excellency. From a long Acquaintance with this Gentleman’s Character and from every thing I can learn with respect to the part he has taken in the present Controversy—I think I can venture to assure your Excellency that his Wishes and Actions have been correspondently favorable to America. And I doubt...
78To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 10 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of Receiving your Excellenceys favors of the 3d & 5th Instant & have Since waited in Expectation of having it in my power to give your Excellencey Some Intelligence of Importance from this Quarter There was an appearance Some time Since of an Evacuation of Rhode Island: about three Days Since I thought it almost Certain; but Some new maneuvres have Since taken place which...
79To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 4 November 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of your Excellencys favor of the 29th Instant Nothing new in the Enemys movements has taken place Since my Last. your Excellencey was pleased to Inclose me a Resolve of Congress respecting General Gates—I am at a Loss to know Either the Reason or the meaning of it. how far his Command will Interfere with mine his Conduct will Explain & point out the path I ought to pursue. in...
80To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 31 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, 31 Oct. 1778. GW wrote Sullivan on 3 Nov. : “I have your favr of the 31st Ulto inclosing Major Talbots Account of the capture of the schooner Pigott.”
81To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 26 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since my Last I had the Honor of Receiving your Excellenceys favor of the 22d Instant giving an Account of two Divisions of the Fleet having Sailed I am far from thinking their Design is to operate in this Quarter yet your Excellenceys Instructions (to be prepared) Like all your other orders have with me a weight which I Trust will Ever witness how Little Influence my own Judgment has in the...
82To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 22 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I This morning before Day Break had the Honor of Receg your Excellenceys favor of the 20th Instant & Shall in Consequence Take Every measure to Discover the Enemys Intentions in this Quarter. I have Lately had a number of Inhabitants Sent from the Island; a number of Deserters have Lately come off & persons which I Sent on for Intelligence have returned: from all these I can Collect nothing...
83To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 18 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge your Excellency’s esteem’d Favo’r Of the 17th Instant, and shall take every necessary precaution & make every necessary Provision for their Reception, shou’d the Enemy bend their Force this way—In my last I had the Hono’r to inform your Excellency, (which I presume you have before this recievd,) that the Fleet which was the Subject of your Excellency’s enquiry...
84To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 16 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I Take this opportunity by Capt. Collins to Inform your Excellencey That The Fleet of thirty Sail mentioned in my former Letters turns out to be a wood Fleet Convoyed by five Ships of war There is nothing further worth your Excellenceys attention in this Department I have the honor to be Dear Genl with much Esteem your Excellencys most obedt Servt ALS , DLC:GW . Sullivan wrote in the...
85To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 14 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honoured with your Exceellenceys favor of the 11th Instant I have as yet heard nothing of the Fleet Seen off Stamford. I this morning Received the Inclosed Letter from General Prescott with a Large Box containing Packages for myself the Governor Council Representatives Ministers of the Gospel &c. in this State; They Contain Proclamations Similar to the one Inclosed. I have...
86To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 11 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge your Excellency<s> Favor of the 4th Instant, and shall invariably comply with your Intentions as pointed out therein respecting the Cloathing. I have no reason to doubt, but the Troops under my Command may be satisfactorely supply’d in the manner you propose. I was likewise duly honord with your esteemd favor of the 5th Ulto; and beg leave in answer, to assure...
87To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 6 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I take this oportunity by an Officer of Colo. Cranes (who goes upon Business of the Regt) to Inform your Excellencey that Every thing Remains Quiet in this Quarter we have an Account which I fear is but too true That the Rawley is Taken She was first Ingaged with a Frigate & a forty gun Ship hove in Sight Came up & after giving her a few Broadsides She was oblidged to Strike —prizes Come in to...
88To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 3 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I can give you no Information from this Quarter Save that Amiral Biron in the Ninety Gun Ship Accompanied by the Seventy four Left Newport Sunday Last, they had Genl Pigot on Board. Lord Howe in a fifty Gun Ship came to Newport & on Monday Sailed for England Genl Pigot by Letter Informed me that his private affairs called him to Europe & that my Correspondence must be with General Prescott in...
89To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 29 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the hono’r to acknowledge your Excellencys Favor’s of the 20th and 22d Instants, and previous to their reception, had design’d to request your Excellency, to relax the order, which directed me to write you by express once a day, as the nature of the Intilligence which I have had lately the hono’r to communicate, was not sufficiently interesting, to demand so frequent and expensive a...
90To George Washington from Major General John Sullivan, 27 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have heard little from the Enemy since the date of my last. They are erecting Barracks on the Island, and have sent off many of the Inhabetants. Circumstances, which convince me they propose taking up their Winter Quarters there. I have the honor to be, with the most exalted esteem, Dr General Yr Excellencys most obedt hble Serv. LS , DLC:GW . Sullivan’s previous letter to GW is dated 25...