1To George Washington from General William Howe, 29 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the receipt of your Letter of the 20th January 1777, in which you propose to establish Mr Lewis Pintard, a Merchant of this Town, as your Agent to reside here under Parole to transmit no Intelligence but what belongs to his Office, whose Business it shall be to provide Necessaries for such Prisoners as fall into my Hands, I have not any Objection to your appointing the...
2To George Washington from Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston, 15 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Committee of Arrangement of Officers for this state have been more than three Months Appointing the Officers to my Regiment, and have not yet Finished, a Lieutenant Colonel, a Lieut:, and two Ensigns, Qr Master, Are the Officers now wanting: The Competitors for the Lieutenant Colonels Commission, who are two Shoe makers, have had just Interest enough at Court to Exclude all others, and...
3To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Christian Febiger, 6 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
After returning Your Excellency the most sincere Thanks of Colonel Morgan, Major Heth and myself for your particular Favour in getting us exchangd and restord to the Service of our Country—I have the honor of informing your Excellency of my Arrival in this City with the first Company of our Regiment, two Companies more being on their March and hourly expected, those men, who are in Town are...
4To George Washington from the Pennsylvania Council of Safety, 29 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
This will be delivered to your Excellency by Colonel Emas McCoy of the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment. The Rank of Officers in this Regiment is not yet settled, and from their present temper we apprehend much discontent will arise from any determination by this Council, and thereby the public Service be greatly injured, which possibly may not be the case if settled at Head-Quarters and by your...
5Orders to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hanson Harrison, 16 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
General Howe having proposed that some mode should be fixed for the future exchange of prisoners, their subsistances &c.—and appointed Lt Colo. Walcot of the Army under his command to negotiate respecting the same, you are to repair to the House of Mrs Feild on the Road leading from Brunswic to Bound Brook on Monday the 17th Instt to meet Colo. Walcot—confer with him & receive such...
6To George Washington from Robert Morris, 6–15 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with yours of the 2d Inst. the good opinion you are pleased to entertain of me makes me very happy because there is no mans opinion I reverence more and that very circumstance is at the same time the source of trouble in my mind as you force me to abandon that Idea of Security which I was desirous of maintaining; it is truely lamentable that we have never been able to this day to...
7From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 19 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
A report is currt here wch gives me much pain. it is, that in consequence of some Orders of your Lordship, or dispute with the Militia, five or Six hundred of them have gone home in disgust—turn’d others back which were coming on and spread universal uneasiness and dissatisfaction as they travel’d. I hope the report is without foundation; unhappy will it be for us if it is not, when we stand...
8From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 20 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am exceeding sorry to hear your State has ordered several Battalions to be raised for the defence of the State only, and this before proper measures are taken to fill the Continental Regiments; You cannot be insensible how unequal any one State is unconnected with the others to defend itself, if the Enemy shou’d make a descent against it with any considerable force; neither have you the...
9General Orders, 9 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The General Court Martial held at Chatham, the 8th Inst: whereof Brigadier General St Clair was President, for the trial of Col. Mordecai Buckner, accused of “Shamefully Misbehaving before the Enemy, in thc Action of the 23rd of Jany last,” And of “Quitting his post and party in time of engagement”—have after mature consideration, sentenced the said Col. Mordecai Buckner, to be cashiered, and...
10From George Washington to William Shippen, Jr., 26 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I have the greatest reason to believe that soldiers, when they are dismissed the Hospitals, in which they have been, instead of joining the Corps they belong to, go strolling about the country at their own option, to the great detriment of the service. It is absolutely necessary, that a remedy should be provided against this evil in future, which can only be found in making it an invariable...
11To George Washington from Landon Carter, 22 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
If any thing could alleviate my feelings for you in your Pro virili retreat indeed! A Small remnant of an army, who respected their general & their country, more than they did a visit to their wives and families, under all the ravagements & ravishments of an enimy, if not properly withstood: I say if any thing could alleviate such feelings, it was my active anxiousness, to encourage the...
12From George Washington to Major General Philip Schuyler, 15 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since Writing the Letter herewith, I received a Copy of a Letter from General Howe, transmitted me by General McDougall, in which he very modestly makes a Proposition for Major Edmisstons being permitted to go to Canada. Your own Reflections will immediately convince You of the Impropriety of Complying with It, and confirm what I before suggested, that the whole has been a Contrivance for...
13To George Washington from Bartholomew Dandridge, 16 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
It is probably a very unseasonable time to interrupt that attention you must be constantly paying to the momentous concerns you are engaged in, but I could not omit so good an Opportunity as offers by Mr Walker to let you know that I am alive and in good health, and that all our Relations at present enjoy the same blessing, as far as I know or have heard, for it is seldom I have the pleasure...
14General Orders, 5 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Fast day directed in Yesterday’s General Orders was a mistake, it being ordered by the Governor & Assembly of this State, to be kept the 6th of March, not the 6th of this Month; which the Army is to take notice of. Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
15From George Washington to Major Generals Benjamin Lincoln and John Sullivan and Brigadier General Philemon Dickinson, 22 … (Washington Papers)
An Inconvenience of considerable Magnitude arising from the Practice of carrying Household furniture &C. in Waggons & Carts to the Enemy has determined me to direct that in future nothing shall be transported that way—I do not mean to prevent such of the Inhabitants as choose to withdraw within the Enemy’s lines from taking with them all their Apparel & Household furniture as usual if they can...
16From George Washington to Samuel Washington, 15 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Gentlemen returning from Camp will, I expect, be so overburthened with News, that you will scarce know the want of it for a Month to come. to them therefore I refer you with this assurance of mine, as an opinion, that Genl Howe will move towards Philadelphia the moment the Roads become passable for his Artillery and Baggage. I got Thornton Inoculated on Wednesday Week. he has had the...
17From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 7 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
I wrote to you on the 5th from Pluckemin, a Copy of which I inclose, least the Original should have miscarried. I confirm all the Orders given in mine of the 5th only that I would (if it is agreeable to you both) have Genl Lincoln continue with you, and let some other proper Officer conduct the Troops who are to join me. But this I leave intirely to yourselves. I beg you will keep up every...
18From George Washington to Lord Cornwallis, 8 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Lordship’s Favor of yesterday was delivered to me by the Officer who met your Flag of Truce. You may be assured that no Molestation will be offered to the Convoy of Money and Stores which General D’Heister means to send to the Hessians taken at Trenton, or to the Surgeon and Medicines for the wounded at Princetown, by any part of the regular Army under my command. But I cannot answer for...
19From George Washington to Brigadier General Gold Selleck Silliman, 11 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Chester delivered me your letter of the 7th instant, mentioning the appearance of some of the ennemy’s ships in the sound, and your apprehensions thereupon. I am well convinced, there is no reason to dread the descent you speak of; and that these little desultory motions have no serious design, but are only intended to divert our attention from the important objects which ought to...
20Circular to the Colonels of Various Continental Regiments, 12 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
You are hereby required immediately to send me an exact return of the state of your Regiment, and to march all the Recruits you have to Philadelphia, where they will be innoculated, and receive further orders from the Commanding Officer in that City—No plea’s for delay, drawn from the dispersion of the Officers and Men, can be admitted. Every Commanding Officer should know where his inferior...
21From George Washington to the Commanding Officer in Philadelphia, 24 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
My situation will not admit of the smallest delay in dispatching & forwarding to this place all the Troops in Philada. Let the utmost expedition be used in fitting them out as fast as they arrive, & no time be lost in sending them on under proper Officers. I am Yr most Obedient Humble Ser. LS , in George Johnston’s writing, NHi : Gates Papers. Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates apparently received this...
22From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 11 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I did my self the pleasure to write you yesterday, and informed you that I had sent you Sixty Thousand Dollars for the recruiting service in your State—After I had sent the money off, I received a letter from Genl Knox, advising me that he was under the most pressing necessity for twenty thousand Dollars for the use of the Ordnance Department, but that he could not get that Sum in the State of...
23From George Washington to Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, 3 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 10th of last month, with the enclosed papers. I must recall your attention to what I have before said on the subject of your intended attack. You must be sensible that the most serious ill consequences may and would, probably, result from it in case of failure; and prudence dictates that it should be cautiously examined in all its lights,...
24Proclamation concerning Persons Swearing British Allegiance, 25 January 1777 (Washington Papers)
By his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON , Esq; General and Commander in Chief of all the forces of the United States of America. PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS several persons, inhabitants of the United States of America, influenced by inimical motives, intimidated by the threats of the enemy, or deluded by a Proclamation issued the 30th of November last, by Lord and General Howe, stiled the King’s...
25From George Washington to Colonel Samuel Blachley Webb, 8 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I last night received your Letter of the 1st Instt, and am sorry to find that you meet with so many difficulties in raising your Regiment. I cannot request Governor Trumbull to advance the Extra bounty; That would be approving a measure which I have always condemned as impolitick and injurious to the General interest, and would be promoting a proceeding, so far from being authorized by the...
26To George Washington from Major General Charles Lee, 26 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
I am extremely glad that Morris is so far recover’d that there is a probability of his leaving Philadelphia Where I left him (as I thought) in a very bad way from the effects of his Southern expedition—I have the sincerest love and affection for him—his excellent qualities, his good sense and integrity must endear him to evrybody who knows him—Eustace I consider as my adopted Son. considering...
27General Orders, 21 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
The execution of Serjt Porterfield is stopt ’till Friday the 28th Instant. The Colonels, and Commanding Officers, of all the Continental Battalions at present in the Jerseys, are immediately to make out their respective Abstracts up to the first of this Month, giving Credit in them, for all sums of money received by them respectively on account, and deliver them to the Pay Master General—No...
28General Orders, 27 February 1777 (Washington Papers)
The officers are desired to make Returns of any Rope-Makers, they may have in their respective Corps. The execution of Serjt Porterfield is suspended by the General’s Orders, ’till Friday the 14th of March. Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
29To George Washington from Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 21 March 1777 (Washington Papers)
I hope to be able to send to your Excellency’s Assistance One Regiment of continental Troops by the last of next Week. These will be Detachments from all the Regiments raisd in this State; I can send nearly this Number as soon as a Field Officer’s Command as that cannot march ’till the present Class are out from the Hospitals. Colo. Livingston informs me your Excellency’s Orders to him to make...
30From George Washington to Col. Thomas Elliott, 12 January 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Col. Thomas Elliott, 12 Jan. 1777. On 22 Mar. Elliott wrote to GW that “I make no doubt but you have been surprised why I did not comply with your Orders of the 12th Jany . . . Your Letter . . . came to hand abt the tenth of Febry.”