16711To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Chase, 4 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Colo. Harrison yesterday having informed Me that a Constitutional Post Office is now established, and that You are appointed the Head of that Department, the present Deputies I doubt not will be removed, particularly in this City and Baltimore Town. Give Me Leave to recommend Mr. York as a Rider from Philadelphia. I never heard an Imputation on his Character and...
16712General Orders, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
It is with Indignation and Shame, the General observes, that notwithstanding the repeated Orders which have been given to prevent the firing of Guns, in and about Camp; that it is daily and hourly practised; that contrary to all Orders, straggling Soldiers do still pass the Guards, and fire at a Distance, where there is not the least probability of hurting the enemy, and where no other end is...
16713To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
This covers the Observations as Usual. Capt. Morton who came out of Boston yesterday in the afternoon informs that a little before he came away the Generals went over the ferry to Bunker Hill to consult (as it was said) upon the propriety of taking possession of a considerable eminence in this Town a little West of Winnisimmit Ferry commonly known by the name of Greens Hill; and I am informd...
16714From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favoured with yours of the 31st July—we have yet no certain Account of the Fleet which sailed out of Boston the 25th but if our Conjectures & Information are just we may expect to hear of it every Hour. I am now, Sir, in strict Confidence to acquaint you that our Necessities in the Articles of Powder & Lead are so great as to require an immediate Supply—I must earnestly intreat...
16715From George Washington to a Committee of the Massachusetts Council, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you have an Extract of such parts of my Instruction’s as I conceive you want to be informed in —I did not know whether, as the proceedings of the Congress are not yet made publick, how far I was at liberty to communicate what I have—further I cannot go at present. I beg the favour of you to make a tender of my best respects to your honourable board & do me the justice to believe that...
16716From George Washington to Lewis Morris, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I have been favoured with your Letter of the 18th Ulto by Messrs Ogdan & Burr, & wish it was in my power to do that justice to the merits of those Gentlemen which you think them entitled to—whenever it is, I shall not be unmindful of your recommendations —The two or three appointments with which I have been honour’d by the Congress were partly engaged before I receiv’d your Letter, & you will...
16717From George Washington to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your publick Capacity, & the Hope that you will be both able & willing, to give us some Assistance, has led me to make this Application. The Situation of the Army, as to Ammunition, is by no Means what it ought to be. We have great Reason to suspect, the Enemy very soon intend to bombard our Lines; & our Stock of Powder is so small, as in a great Degree to make our heavy Artillery useless. I...
16718From George Washington to William Trent, 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 22d Ulto came to my hands a few days ago —the hurry of business in which General Gates necessarily got Involved immediately upon his arrival at this Camp put your Memorandum out of his head; which was a matter of no consequence, as Colo. Mercer is already fully advertised of every circumstance relative to the Sale of his Estate. As I have none of the Papers with me, I cannot...
16719From George Washington to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 4 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured [with] yours of the 31st July informing me that the new Levies were coming forward with all Expedition; As the Enemy has lain longer inactive than I expected I hope they will arrive in Time to give us their Assistance. My Last Letter from the Honble Continental Congress recommends my procuring from the Colonies of Rode Island & Connecticut a Quantity of Tow Cloth for the Purpose...
16720General Orders, 5 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
For the establishment of order, and to prevent disputes between Officers, as well for fixing a regular and proper distribution of the Commissions of the Continental Army, part of which are already arrived from the Congress and the rest hourly expected: It is ordered, that a meeting of the Field Officers of each Brigade, be held to morrow Morning at Eight OClock, as near as may be to the Center...
16721To George Washington from Jacob Duché, 5 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
You will find by the inclosed, that I have taken the Liberty to inscribe to you a Sermon, which I lately preached to the First Battalion of our City commanded by Col. Dickinson; not doubting, but under the Sanction of your name, it will meet with the Public Candour. If the Manner in which I have treated the Subject should have the least good Influence upon the Hearts & Actions of the Military...
16722From George Washington to James Otis, Sr., 5 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
The Bearer Colo. Baldwin has this Morning reported that among others out of Boston, the Barrack Master’s Wife came Yesterday; and is now detain’d at Malden —As there may be Inconveniences, from Persons being Suffer’d indescriminately to go thro. the Country, many of whom, are undoubtedly disaffected to the Publick Interest: I have caused a Court of Inquiry to set upon several, but the Business...
16723To George Washington from James Warren, 5 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I am Just Informed that Mr Benja. Hitchburne A Young Gentn from Philadelphia has been Intercepted by A Capt. of one of the Men of War at Newport. who took from him two Letters to your Excellency, & one to Me. what they Contained I cant say—they have sent him A Prisoner to Boston and the Bearer says he is now in Goal there. I could Wish any Method could be devised for his Liberation. he is A...
16724General Orders, 6 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
16725To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 6 August 1775 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 6 Aug. 1775. On the night of 6 Aug., Baldwin informed GW: “I wrote you a Scroll from Malding this afternoon.”
16726From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 6 August 1775 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 6 Aug. 1775. On 6 Aug. Baldwin wrote to GW : “I have Just Receivd your Excellencies Letter of this Evening.”
16727To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Loammi Baldwin, 6 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you a Scroll from Malding this afternoon[.] The hurry I was in to return back to Chelsea again, the Inconveniances for writing I hope will Excuse me. I think it my duty to give your Excellency a more full & Particular account of this affair[.] Between 4 & 5 Clock I heard the report of Cannon from the floating Battery’s & Soon found they were upon the move[.] I emediatly ordered all the...
16728To George Washington from Jonathan Boucher, 6 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Dear Sir,—I thought it far from the least pleasing circumstance attending my removal hither that it placed me in your immediate neighbourhood. For having now been happy in your acquaintance several years, I could not help considering myself, nor indeed help hoping that I was considered by you, as an old friend; and of course I counted on our living together in the pleasing intercourse of...
16729To George Washington from Joseph Palmer, 6 August 1775 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Joseph Palmer, 6 Aug. 1775. On 7 Aug. GW wrote to Palmer : “Your favour of yesterday came duely to my hands.”
16730To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 6 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I thank You my Dear General for your very kind and polite Letter of the 28th ult., which I just had the Honor to receive. Immediately on my Arrival here, I issued such Orders respecting the Provisions & Stores, (which I found had been most scandalously embezzled or misapplyed) as I hoped would effectually have brought Matters into a Right Train, but it is the Misfortune of the People here,...
16731From George Washington to James Warren, 6 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
I should be very glad to procure Mr Hitchbourns Release agreeable to your Favour of yesterday if I could think of any Mode in which it was practicable. To propose it on any other Footing than an Exchange would I fear expose the Application to Contempt. As I observe he is included in the Vote delivered me this Morning by a Committee from the General Court. I apprehend it had best be left on...
16732To Benjamin Franklin from Edward Bancroft, 7 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I had lately the honour of acquainting you by Capt. Read with some particulars which I now confirm, and although but little of importance has since occurred I am induced to trouble you again with a few suggestions respecting the Title of the different Indian Tribes of America to the property and Jurisdiction of their Territories. You will doubtless remember...
16733To Benjamin Franklin from Benjamin Gale, 7 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This letter was apparently Franklin’s first news of an invention that might, given a fair trial, have affected the course of the war. Until the entrance of France, Britain had virtually complete control of the sea; the Royal Navy supplied and reinforced British armies, and moved them at will along the coast. Any challenge to the navy’s predominance would...
16734General Orders, 7 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Captain Kilton of Col. Patterson’s Regiment, tried by a General Court martial for “Neglect of duty” is found guilty of a Breach of the 49th Article of the Rules and Regulations for the Massachusetts Army; They therefore sentence him to receive a severe reprimand from the Commanding Officer at the head of the regiment. Application having been made for Sutlers to supply the different Regiments...
16735To George Washington from the Norwich Committee of Correspondence, 7 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
We the Committe of Correspondence for the Town of Norwich Think it our indespensable Duty to Accquaint your Excellency of a Matter we think may possibly be of the utmost importance at this most Critical Juncture of affairs & hope the occasion of our Writing will Sufficiently apologize for the Liberty, we (tho. Strangers) have Taken—Yesterday Morning this Town was alarmed with an Acct of...
16736From George Washington to James Otis, Sr., 7 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
By the General Return made me for last Week, I find there are great Number of Soldiers and non-commissd Officers, who absent themselves from Duty, the greatest Part of which I have Reason to believe, are at their respective Homes, in different Parts of the Country; some employ’d by their Officers on their Farms, & others drawing Pay from the Publick, while they are working on their own...
16737From George Washington to Joseph Palmer, 7 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your favour of yesterday came duely to my hands—as I did not consider local appointments, as having any operation upon the general one, I had partly engaged (at least in my own mind) the Office of Quartermaster Genl before your favour was presented to me. In truth Sir, I think it sound policy to bestow Offices indiscriminately among Gentleme⟨n⟩ of the different Governments; for as all bear a...
16738To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 7 August 1775 (Washington Papers)
Fessenden is not returned hither—Your Letter to Majr General Schuyler was forwarded ⅌ Express the 1st instant —enclosed is Copy of a Letter from Colo. Saltonstal received yesterday —I Ordered him as Colo. of the third, Colo. Saml Coit of the 8th —and Lt Colo. Saml Abbot of the 20th Regiment in this Colony forthwith to raise so many Men of their Regiments as could speedily be got in readiness...
16739The Pennsylvania Committee of Safety to a Commissioner and Three Assessors of Bucks County, 8 August 1775: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania State Library, Harrisburg <August 8, 1775: In answer to your letter of July 29 the committee directs you to provide 300 stand of arms and accoutrements as voted by the Assembly. We will provide you with patterns, which you will take care to have followed in the manufacture; we will settle your accounts and have the treasurer pay you. If any opposition develops, inform us and...
16740From Benjamin Franklin to Philip Schuyler, 8 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Massachusetts Historical Society Your Letter to the President of the Congress, arrived here just now by an Express from Albany, and is brought to me, the Congress being adjourn’d and all the Members out of town but my self. I have taken the Liberty of looking into it, to see if it required any Service from hence in our Power to render. I wish we had more Powder to send you as you desire:...