1To George Washington from John Mathews, 6 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received your favor of the 26th Ulto the 1st inst. In answer thereto, I beg leave to observe—That all the gentlemen now prisoners at St Augustine, were either acting as officers in the militia; or as private soldiers, at the time they were made prisoners. And I cannot conceive they can be looked upon, in any other light, than that in which they acted at the time of their captivity. Indeed by...
2To George Washington from John Sullivan, 6 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I was Duly honored with your Excellencys favor of the 4th of Feby & omitted writing Since upon a Supposition that you had gone to Rhode Island. I am happy to find your Excellencey Entertains the Same Sentiments of the virtues and abilities of Colo. Hamilton, as I have Ever Done myself—After I wrote your Excellency I found The Eyes of Congress Turned on Robert Morris of this City as Financier....
3To George Washington from John Berrien, 5 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have had the Honour of Receiving your Excellency’s Favour of the 25th Uto by Lt Torrey, Respecting the Detention of some Hospl Stores, & the reasons said to be Alledged by me for such Detention, I must Observe in Justice to my Charactor, that your Excellency has formed a true Judgment; that there was Some Misapprehension on the part of those who have Reported to you, which are that the...
4To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 5 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
i Received this afternoon your two letters one of the 21 of february the second of the first of march. i have not time enough to enquire how it happened so; but i am exceedingly sorry of that accident. i will do all my endeavours for Reparing it as much as it is possible. i will set off two morrow morning and i will go as fast as my horses will be able to do. i will go by new windsor and...
5To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 5 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the Honor to forward the enclosed Despatches from General Greene; also the enclosed Copy of a Letter from Governor Jefferson which contains the latest Intelligence received from the Southward. Perhaps the enclosed Letter addressed to your Excellency, (supposed to be) from Governor Jefferson, may contain similar Intelligence. By the enclosed Copy of an Act of Congress of the first...
6To George Washington from Captain Abraham Whipple, 5 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Having been in the War ever since June 1775 invested with a Command by Sea which held in service of the United States onboard their Ships Columbus & Providence where Continued till the surrender of Charlstown so. Carolina by Capitulation to the British Arms when became a Prisoner to Vice Admiral Arbuthnot who admitted me to Parole as Commanding Officer of the Ships of the United States on that...
7To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Jeremiah Olney, 4 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to Receive your Excellency’s favr of 21st Ulto & Shall punctually Execute your orders in Collecting & forwarding the Scater’d Recruits —Those that have from time to time Joyn’d the Rendezvous assign’d, I have lost no time in preparing & Sending forward in Several Detachments amounting to 132 the greater part of which must have arriv’d before this, your Excellency is pleas’d to...
8To George Washington from Colonel William Shepard, 4 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencies favor of the 22d ulto came safe to Hand, Rd on the 1st Instant; duly observd the contence, immedeately sent off an express to Majr Ashley who has charge of the Recruits at Great Barrington, to git them in redyness to March, and with orders to him to take Command of the whole those Rendezvousing at Great Barrington with those I shall send from this Post under the Comd of an...
9To George Washington from the Board of War, 3 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Board have to acknowledge the Reciept of your Excellency’s Letters of January 10th, 31st & Feby 19th & 23d. The two first should have been answered sooner but the first was mis laid & we waited to have the Determination of Congress on the Subject of the second which is not yet recieved. It is a standing Instruction to the Commissaries of Hides to make Leather Caps out of all Leather which...
10To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 3 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Having Been Empowered By Congress, the Board of War, and the Virginia delegates to oppen Any Letter directed to them, I also took the liberty of Reading that of Baron de stubens to Your Excellency Wherein I found Useful intelligences. My presence Had Been Necessary to forward Every Article from philadelphia—as soon as it Could Be spared I Came Here with all possible Speed—But Notwistanding...
11To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 2 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed was put into my hand the last evening. Although the field Officers who were appointed to command the detachment which marched on the 19th ulto were appointed in my orders, yet as they were those your Excellency was pleased to name in your letter of the 17th I am induced to communicate the inclosed to you. I have learnt that the officers of the other lines have thought themselves...
12To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 2 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 26th Instant came to hand last Evening. Baron Steuben’s Letter, which you mention as referred to in Governor Jefferson’s Letter, by some Mistake of the Governors Secretary, was not enclosed in his Despatches to me and has never come to Hand. This I ought to have noted on the Copy of the Governor’s Letter transmitted to your Excellency. The Detachment under the...
13To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 2 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Letters of the 25th and 26th are Both Come Yesterday to Hand, which Shows that the Expresses Have Not Made Great dispatch —I would Have done Myself the Honor of writing to Your Excellency, Had I Not Every Minute waited for intelligences from the South ward. Your Excellency Remembers that our Shortest Calculation on the Arrival of the troops at Head of Elk Was for the 6th of March—I am...
14To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 2 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys Letters of the 3d and 13th of February came duly to hand, but I delayed answering them from an Expectation that you was a⟨bs⟩ent from the Army, and because I had nothing explicit to inform you of with regard to the Recruiting, that Business not having come before the Assembly untill yesterday, although General Wayne, General Irvine and myself have constantly attended to press...
15To George Washington from William Gordon, 28 February 1781-1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The multiplicity of business upon your hands will apologize sufficiently for your not answering my last wrote when the campaign was going on; nor is it strange, that after a while you should forget it: but wishing to hear from your Excellency before your attention becomes wholly engrossed by more important matters, I now send You my hearty congratulations, upon the several appearances of...
16To George Washington from Barbé-Marbois, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
J’ai reçu une Lettre des parens de M. de la Radiere que la mort de cet officier a sensiblement affligés. Ils desirent que votre Excellence veuille bien m’exprimer dans une Lettre particuliere ou de toute autre maniere son opinion touchant ses Services et son Zele: je sais combien un pareil temoignage peut-être pretieux à sa famille, et qu’après avoir perdu M. de la Radiere, Si quelque chose...
17To George Washington from Colonel Charlus, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Je n’ai point voulu partir pour Suivre Mr de la fayette dans l’Expedition, que votre excellence a projette contre le gal arnold Sans obtenir d’elle la permission d’etre temoin des Succès, que Son courage, et Son zele peut nous donner lieu d’Esperer. Mon attachement pour la cause commune, et L’amitiée, que Mr de la fayette veut bien avoir pour moi m’engagent à lui demander de Servir comme...
18To George Washington from Colonel Dillon, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
L’amitié qui éxiste entre Mr le Cote De charlus et Mr Le marqui De La fayette m’offre une ocasion toujours heureuse pour un Soldat—Mr De charlus est Décidé a Suivre L’éxpédition que votre éxcelence a confiée a Mr De La fayette, Son éxemple, et la permission que ce géneral veut Bien me Donner de la Suivre comme volontaire ne Peut qu’être aprouvé De touts ceux qui veulent Bien S’intérésser a...
19To George Washington from Colonel Moses Hazen, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
[ Fishkill, N.Y., 1 March 1781 ]. In a long “Memorial” petition, Hazen details his services and those of the 2d Canadian Regiment from the start of the war as prelude to asking for delinquent pay and an answer as to why so few soldiers have been incorporated into the regiment as called for by the congressional “Resolution of the 3rd of October last.” Hazen also questions why he has not been...
20To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment received a letter from Mr Commissary Stevens, in which he expresses himself as follows: “Mr Forsyth’s clerk informs me that one hundred barrels of flour and twelve barrels of beef were left at Pecks kill, which were sent there for the detachment that marched last week, and that they were without guard. I wish, if you think proper, you would give directions for them to be...
21To George Washington from Major General Benjamin Lincoln, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I was this morning honored with your Excellencys favors of the 10 & 21 Ultmo Orders will be immediately issued for collecting the recruits and I hope they will in a few days come on cloathed. It will be difficult to send them on without, as they have been promised cloathing and are not therefore prepared to march without them—They will be armed here. The fifteen hundred coats for the troops in...
22To George Washington from William Livingston, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will perceive that the inclosed Letters request of me a favour entirely out of my department. How far good policy may require the discharge of the young man, those who have authority to order that measure are doubtless proper Judges. Mr Foster, the writer of one of the L[e]tters, is a gentleman of considereble distinction amongst us. Perhaps the preserving the good humour of...
23To George Washington from Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to send to your Excellency, an Extract from the Ministerial Letters which I have received by the Frigate commanded by Mr De La Perouse. You will see that my son has staid, by orders of his Majesty to wait for the result of a definitive project. By Private Letters of the 20th [Decem]ber all from Versailles, We Learn that the Pce de Montbarey has given his resignation, that he...
24To George Washington from Major General Steuben, 1 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
On Monsieur Tillys arrival in James River I began to prepare for an enterprize against Portsmouth, which preparations I fortunately Continued, although he informed me he should not stay in the River, I have it therefore in my Power to afford the necessary assistance to the affair now in agitation, much sooner than could be expected. You need not My Dear General be under any apprehensions that...
25To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 28 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the honor to write your Excellency on the 15th Inst., when I was endeavouring to collect a body of Militia to reinforce this Army. But the enemy early on the 19th filed off to Hillsborough, where Lord Cornwallis issued a proclamation, a copy of which is enclosed, and made use of every art to induce the people to join him. To prevent his success in the execution of this business,...
26To George Washington from Benjamin Harrison, 28 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
The Inclosed letters for Mr Carter the unworthy Son of a very worthy Father I must beg in his name and my own may be sent with a flagg to New-York as soon as possible, as he must stand in the greatest need of assistance, he fell into the hands of the Enemy in a stupid drunken ⟨fro⟩lick, I hope the accident may bring him to his senses, if it do[e]s not nothing will, I am extremely glad to hear...
27To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 28 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with your’s of yesterday. Am happy to hear that the prospect of a supply of provisions is so favorable. The fatigue-men, and if possible, six carpenters shall be sent the day after to morrow, to work on the logs above Newburgh. I some days since reduced the troops on the lines from two, to one hundred rank and file; and in consequence of your pleasure, signified in yours of the...
28To George Washington from Joseph Willard, 28 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
By the direction of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, I have the honor of acquainting your Excellency, that Janry 31, 1781, you were elected a member of that literary Body. Your Excellency’s name—a name revered and celebrated, not only in your native land, but through Europe, the Academy considers as giving an additional lusture to this Institution. We doubt, not your Excellency will...
29To George Washington from Captain Destouches, 27 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
votre Exellence aura vû par La derniere Lettre que jay Eû l’honneur de Luy adresser, que ie [je] ne perdes pas un momant pour mettre Lescadre du Roy En ètat de transporter Les Trouppes françaises au point ou elle Les dèsire, et faire prendre aux forces Braves que jay sous mes órdres, un Telle position, que La flotille du sr árnold, ne puîsse Luy Èchaper, quelques forçes que Les Ennemis...
30To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 27 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed came to hand the last night—it is without date, but I apprehend was written yesterday morning. I expect Major Maxwell up to day. Many of the arms and accoutrements turned into the store by the discharged soldiers want repair, especially the latter. I am inform’d it has been the practice to send them to Albany; but this is attended with much trouble, and considerable expence. Would...