1To George Washington from Colonel Armand, 5 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I beg leave to tell to your Excellency that Having Heard one of your most essential reasons against my promotion—was that I was a very young officer in france —your Excellency must Have Been miss informed, for I am in the kings gards with the rank of a Captain since the beginning of the year 1766—and by the time of my Services, I am not far from getting the Crosse of st louis —if your...
2To George Washington from Colonel Armand, 4 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Colonel Armand, 4 Feb. 1780. On 6 Feb. , GW wrote to Armand acknowledging receipt of Armand’s letter “of the 4th.”
3To George Washington from John Armstrong, 12 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The present distressing Asspect of our publick affairs compels me to add to your Excellencys present trouble the reading of the following lines—about this time I hoped to have heard of your being in Philada and fully intended writing at some greater length than the haste of the bearer will now admit. I need not take up the train much less the causes of our present most critical & dangerous...
4To George Washington from Major General Benedict Arnold, 6 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am requested by the Board of Admiralty to Inform your Excellency, that they have in Contemplation an Expedition with several of their Frigates, which will require Three, or four, hundred Land Forces to Act in Conjunction, and who may Act as Marines when on Board, which will obviate the great dificculty of procuring Men for the Ships—They wish to be informed If the Men can be Spared From the...
5To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Francis Barber, 14 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I arrived at this place on the 12th instant, and the day following the magistrates were assembled. Upon reading your adress they expressed great distress at the sufferings of the army, and the utmost readiness to take up the business immediately. They possessed not the least doubt, that the quantity of Indian corn (of wheat, they said, they had none) would be speedily collected; but were...
6To George Washington from Brigadier General Jacob Bayley, 16 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Since my last Letter by Mr Thompson in which was Inclosed Mr Metcalfs Letter dated at Montreal 13th Novr I have had no certain Accounts from Canada, but by a Torey who came to his Friends and gave them Warning to take Care of themselves as a large Party under Colo: Butler would be over to this River this Winter —The Tories have done Mischief a little above Charlestown have stole the Towns...
7To George Washington from Brigadier General Jacob Bayley, 22 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your Excelency was Pleased More than a Year Since to order that the Indians at Coos Should be Supplied Provitions and Since have Repeated the Same orders which Favours we Greatfully acknowledge as our Safty in a great measure depends on the Friendship with those Savages Your Excelency did not Give me the least Latitude to Supply with any other article, but Last march (and I did the Same in...
8To George Washington from John Beatty, 23 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
The declining State of my private family Concerns, renders it a duty incumbent on me to pay a Stricter attention thereto, than is compatible with a continuance in the Public Service. I am to request therefor that your Excellency will please to conceive of me as ⟨r⟩esigning the office of Commissary of Prisoners and am to entreat that some Person may be Authorized to receive such information and...
9To George Washington from John Beatty, 8 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have to represent to your Excellency that since the Post of Elizabeth Town has been Guarded by Detachments from the Army it has been the practice of the Commanding and other officers at the Post to break open and Examine indiscriminately all Letters whether of a public or private nature, which may pass to or come from New York, by this means I find my official Letters have not only undergone...
10To George Washington from Ephraim Blaine, 16 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
Last Wedensday I accepted the Appointment of Commissa[r]y Genl of purchases and previous thereto had every assurence from Congress of their utmost exertions in furnishing Money and recommending such Measures to the Executive Authorities of the United States as will not fail in enabling me to procure Ample supplies for the army —I am Promised Instructions and money the 21st Instant at which...
11To George Washington from Ephraim Blaine, 25 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have not meet with the success I had reason to expect in Conectticutt the Governor and Assembly have not taken up the recommendation of Congress in Nominating or appointing a deputy Commissary to execute the purchases of their state —doubting it wou’d be Giving them Exstroardonary trouble and the disapointment their agent might meet with in not receiving money to discharge his purchases and...
12To George Washington from Theodorick Bland, 28 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
Having been a few days ago honord with a Letter from the President of Congress, informing me of their Acceptance of my Resignation, I feel myself impelled by every vertuous consideration on Quiting the Military Line, to testify to Yr Excellency the gratefull Sense I have of the many favors and the Patronage with which you have honord me while I have served under your Command; And to assure yr...
13To George Washington from the Board of Admiralty, 15 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
The recent complaints made to this Board by Prisoners from New york on Parole of neglect in the Commissary Generals department we flatter ourselves will apologize for our requesting your Excellencys interference. We have this day wrote Colo. Beatty fully on the Subject directing him to furnish this Board monthly with an Accurate return of all Marine Prisoners within his Department, and as we...
14To George Washington from the Board of Treasury, 14 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
By your Excellency’s Letter to Congress of the 4th instt we are happy to be made acquainted that Proposals for an Exchange of Prisoners, by the Commanders in Chief of the American and British Armies, are in the Way of being opened. How far the Subject on which we now trouble Your Excellency may be involved, or ought to be thought of previous to or in any Discussion of this Matter, we cannot...
15To George Washington from the Board of War, 28 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
We have been honoured with your Excellency’s Letter of the 23d I have given Orders to the Comissy Genl of Military Stores in Consequence. As many Colours as possible shall be provided but until we recieve the Articles from France, of which we have lately had agreeable Accounts, we cannot have the Standards prepared agreeably to the Plan proposed vizt to have two for every regt—one the Standard...
16To George Washington from the Board of War, 5 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
We have the Honour to enclose an Extract of a Letter from Mr Henry of Lancaster on the Subject of Hides whereby we find little good Effect has been produced from the Order you were pleased to give at our Instance for 2,000 to be sent to Philadelphia. The general Account of the Hides in Mr Hatfield’s Care deserves serious Attention & Enquiry as, if it be true, great Mismanagement must appear on...
17To George Washington from the Board of War, 22 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
The board do themselves the honor to forward returns of Maj. Lee’s Corps, Von Heers Corps, Schots Corps—& of five Companies of the German Regiment, which are all the returns they have, of those requested in your Excellencys favors of the 15th & 18th instant. Col. Armand is now in the City, & is directed to have a return of his Corps prepared; which will be forwarded as soon as finished—but...
18To George Washington from the Board of War, 3 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Board have a Plan of Intelligence accompanied with some other Matters of which we will hereafter inform your Excellency & which being communicated to a Comittee of Congress has been approved by that Comittee. To carry this plan into Execution we have employed Major Howell late of the 2d Jersey Regt commanded by Col. Shreve. Major Howell desires that, to facilitate the Measures we have...
19To George Washington from the Board of War, 4 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
We beg to apologize for omitting the Acknowledgment of your Excellency’s Favour of the 8th of Feby relative to the Ordnance & Stores to be lodged at Fort Pitt. Immediately on reciept of that Letter Orders were given for the provision of the Articles which are now ready to proceed when the roads will admitt. If any offensive Operations are intended in that Quarter we wish to be favoured with...
20To George Washington from the Board of War, 14 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Board have been honoured by your Letters of the 11th. We are much obliged by your ready Compliance with our Request contained in our Letter of the 3d & we hope substantial Benefits will acrue from the Measure. Col. Mitchell was pointedly directed to proceed to Camp this Day. We believe he has complied with the Orders ⟨w⟩e gave; if not Nothing shall be wanting on our Part to accelerate his...
21To George Washington from the Board of War, 3 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
We were duly honoured with your Excellency’s Letter on the Subject of Mr Loring’s request for a Quarter Master & a Serjeant or two to proceed to Philadelphia with Cloathing for the Prisoners at this Place. In Consequence we wrote to Congress the Letter a Copy whereof is enclosed. We are directed to take Order in the Bussiness & are of Opinion that the Cloathing should come on attended in such...
22To George Washington from Jabez Bowen, 5 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
This will be deliver’d your Exellency by Capt. Campbell of the 71st British who you will perceive by the incloased Vote of the Council of War, is recommended to you for Permission to go into New Yorke for the purposes theirin expressed; as the Officers have Subsisted intirely at their owne expence tis necessary that they should be supplyd with Cash &c. I doubt not but your Exellency will...
23To George Washington from Colonel Daniel Brodhead, 11 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you on the 10th & 22nd of November and on the 13th of December last and not having been Honored with a line in answer to either of them Letters begin to fear you have not duly received them wherefore I take the liberty to inclose Duplicates. I likewise inclose the proceedings of a Genl Court Martial on the trial of Lieutt Arthur Gordon adjt of the 9th V. Regt and a return of the...
24To George Washington from Colonel Richard Butler, 13 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
In Compliance with your Excellency’s Orders I have been Endeavouring to Obtain the Supplies Required in the County of Hunterdon, & am happy to find the Magistrates & Inhabitants Apparantly Disposed to do Ev[e]ry thing in their power, but the Inclemency of the weather is Such that I fear their promises Cannot be performd in the time Specified but I Still hint the Necessity of my laying hand too...
25To George Washington from Colonel Richard Butler, 21 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am honourd with Your Excellencys letter of the 18th wherein you Are pleasd to order one thousand bushels of wheat to be Sent to Morristown; in Obedience to which, I have Sleds Engaged & Shall Send of[f] from this Place about 500 bushels on monday, & I hope to Send About 1000 bushels from Amwell in the Same Week, I have A Right to Expect 1000 bushels more in Pittstown—Cols. Beavers & Taylors...
26To George Washington from James Caldwell, 10 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of an application made to me last week by Genl Irwin I did interest myself to procure grain for the Troops in this District. The principle difficulty was to obtain money. This I overcame by promising Loan office Certificates —And have succeeded in pro[c]uring grain far beyond my most sanguine expectations. I believe I have already enganged three thousond Bushels, which I can...
27To George Washington from James Caldwell, 30 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I inclose your excellency a letter from General Stirlings B.M. in answer to one I wrote to them respecting the plunder. I believe what he says is true, and that he has very sufficient reason for severe retalliation. If we did right in burning Boats, which were private property, and some of them the property of good friends, because occasionally taken into the services of the enemy, I do not...
28To George Washington from James Caldwell, 19 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
Lord Stirling has no doubt acquainted your Excellency with the Order he published after leaving Statten Island respecting the plunder taken from the Inhabitants. As the care of sending it back was committed to me, I went this day to Town to obtain a Flag for that purpose—but was told by the Officer commanding there that he could not grant a flag without your excellencys order. If it is your...
29To George Washington from James Caldwell, 28 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Experience of your Excellencys patience & readiness to indulge the Country where consistent, emboldens us to trouble you with this request. This morning, in consequence of a report, that the Connecticut Troops were to be removed & others sent down in their room, several of the most reputable inhabitants of the several Districts where the Troops are quartered have waited upon me, to intreat...
30To George Washington from Sergeant John Cambridge, 20 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
The petition of John Cambridge Serjt Colo: Henry Sherburne’s Regiment, in your Execellency’s Army as my Colo: is Absent and on Furlow at present and before he want away, I want unto him, and he told me, he Could not do it, without your Excellency Approbation. Which Causeth me at present to Apply to your Execellency for a Discharge. I have hired one Of the Soldiers that belonge to the Same Regt...