17351From George Washington to Nicholas Cooke and Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed Information, being of the highest Importance, I thought it proper to transmit it to you with all Dispatch. I am Sir yr mo. Ob. Servt LB , in Edmund Randolph’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The letter-book copy is addressed to Cooke and is followed by a note reading “A Letter in the same Words was written to Governor Trumbull of Connecticut.” Trumbull’s letter book...
17352From George Washington to the Falmouth Committee of Safety, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
The Desolation, and Misery, which ministerial Vengeance had planned, and, in Contempt of every Principle of Humanity, has been so lately brought on the Town of Falmouth, I know not, how Sufficiently to detest. Nor can my Compassion for the general Suffering, be Conceived beyond the true Measure of my Feelings. But my Readiness to relieve you, by complying with your Request, signified in your...
17353Agreement with John Fisk, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Articles of agreement between George Washington Esqr. Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, for himself and his successors in the said command, and John Fisk. Witness, That the said George Washington doth hereby bind himself, to receive of the said John Fisk, any Quantity of Powder not exceeding twenty Tons; for each Pound of which he engages to pay the said Fisk, four Shillings lawful...
17354From George Washington to John Hancock, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
My Conjecture of the Destination of the late Squadron from Boston in my last has been unhappily verified by an Outrage exceeding in Barbarity & Cruelty every hostile Act practised among civilized Nations. I have inclosed the Account given me by Mr Jones a Gentleman of the Town of Falmouth of the Destruction of that increasing & flourishing Village. He is a very great Sufferer & informs me that...
17355Enclosure: Deposition of Pearson Jones, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Falmouth Monday October 16: 1775. The Canceaux Ship of Sixteen Guns Commanded by Capt. Mowatt, a large Ship, Schooner & a Sloop Armed, Anchord below the Town. The 17th at 3 P.M. they weighd and came up and Anchored within gunshott and Immediately Capt. Mowatt sent a Letter on Shore to the Town, giving them two hours to Move their families out, as he had orders to fire the Town. The Town...
17356To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
[Watertown, Mass.] 24 October 1775 . Recommends officers in Col. Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge’s regiment for commissions. LS , signed by James Otis, Sr., DLC:GW .
17357To George Washington from the Inhabitants of North Yarmouth and New Gloucester, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
We the Inhabitants of North Yarmouth and New Glocester in the County of Cumberland beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency that we in these & the neighbouring Towns are greatly alarmed and distressed by the Desolation of great Part of the Town of Falmouth which was on Wednesday last cannonaded and set on Fire by some of his Majestys Ships of War, the Particulars of which we suppose your...
17358From George Washington to Nathaniel Woodhull, 24 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 12th Instant I duly received, and thank you for inclosing Captain Thompsons Information. The Contents of the Deposition, now transmitted to you, are of such a Nature, that I thought, no Time should be lost in giving you the earliest Notice of them. I am Sir yr mo. obt Servt LB , in Edmund Randolph’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Some member of GW’s staff...
17359Receipt to the Treasurer, [24 October 1775] (Madison Papers)
Received twenty pounds for the Use of Colo. James Maddison for collecting Arms by Warrant from the Committee of Safety. Ms ( Vi ). Entered in the Treasurer’s Office Receipt Book, probably by Robert Carter Nicholas. Signed by JM.
17360From Thomas Jefferson to Francis Eppes, 24 October 1775 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last, we have nothing new from England or from the camps at either Cambridge or St. John’s. Our eyes are turned to the latter place with no little anxiety, the weather having been uncommonly bad for troops in that quarter, exposed to the inclemencies of the sky without any protection. Carleton is retired to Quebec, and though it does not appear he has any intimation of Arnold’s...
17361Octr. 25th. 1775. Wednesday. (Adams Papers)
Mr. Duane told me at the Funeral of our late virtuous and able President that he, Mr. Duane, had accustomed him self to read the Year Books. Mr. De Lancey who was C hief J ustice of N. York he said advised him to it, as the best Method of imbibing the Spirit of the Law. De Lancey told him that he had translated a Pile of Cases from the Year Books, altho he was a very lazy Man. Duane says that...
17362Abigail Adams to John Adams, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have been highly favourd this week past. No less than 5 Letters I have received from you. It is a releif to one to know that we have a Friend who shares our misfortunes and afflictions with us. Your Letters administer comfort to my wounded Heart. It will sometimes when of of my Gaurd swell and exceed the bounds I endeavour to set to it. It is natural to mourn the loss of any comforts in...
17363From John Adams to James Warren, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
A Method of collecting Salt Petre from the Air which is talked of here is this. Take of Lime and Ashes equal Quantities, and of horse dung a Quantity equal to both the Ashes and Lime, mix them together into a Mortar, with this Mortar and a Quantity of long Straw to keep it together build two Walls Eighteen Inches thick, and three feet high, about four feet asunder. Then make a Center and turn...
17364From John Adams to James Warren, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Governor Ward of Rhode Island has a son about five and twenty years old who has been so far carried away in the Absence of his Father, with a Zeal for his Country as to inlist into the Artillery as a private. He never Said a Word to the Governor about, or he would have had a Commission. A younger Brother, who solicited of his father Permission to enter the service, was made a Captain. Now it...
17365From John Adams to James Warren, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Upon the Receipt of the Intelligence of Dr. Church’s Letter, Dr. Morgan was chosen in his Room. This Letter is intended to be sent by him, and therefore probably will not go in ten days. John Morgan, a Native of this City, is a Doctor of Physick, a Fellow of the Royal Society at London; Correspondent of the Royal Academy of Surgery at Paris; Member of the Arcadian Belles Lettres Society at...
17366To John Adams from William Gordon, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I begin upon a half sheet, as a quarter may possibly not hold what I have to write, but should I comprehend the whole within that compass, shall dock your allowance, the times demanding the utmost frugality as well as courage. Pray how many more burnings of towns are we to be abused with by the British Barbarians, ere the long suffering of the Congress is concluded, and every manly exertion of...
17367To John Adams from James Otis Sr., 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I Recived your favor of the first Current and Note the Contents and in answer say that I am Obliged for this first favor of the Kind Since you have Been In Congress. The Gentlemen of your Comitee have had Every Demonstration of Respect shewn them by the Councell and house of Representatives of this Province and I hope it Was agreeable to them : We have had an agreeable interview and our...
17368To John Adams from Josiah Quincy, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I have now before me your obliging Letter of the 6th: Instant. It came to hand with another for your good Lady, which was imediately forwarded to her by Mr. Thaxter who was here when I received it. At the same Time, I received a Card from our Friend Doctr: Franklin, assuring me a friendly visit before he returns to Philadelphia. If he can spare Time to take a View of the Harbor I hope to...
17369To John Adams from William Tudor, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I wrote you by the Post 3 Weeks ago but have not been honour’d with a Line since your Returnto Philadelphia. I should write oftener but every Thing of Importance is communicated in the Prints, and I am in no Secrets at Head Quarters, and I hate to set down to write when I can’t tell You something worth reading. About 10 Days ago two floating Batteries were ordered down Cambridge River to fire...
17370To John Adams from John Winthrop, 25 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
I received your Favor by Mr. Lynch. I was very sorry I had no opportunity of Shewing respectto the Gentlemen of the Congress, and was particularly concerned that I could not have more ofthe conversation of my excellent Friend Dr. Franklin. But they were continually sitting at Head Quarters, and the Council were every day sitting at Watertown; so that I never saw them butonce, which was when...
17371General Orders, 25 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Otway Byrd Esqr. is appointed to act as Aid-de-Camp to Major Genl Lee, during the Absence of Samuel Griffen Esqr. and is to be obeyed as such. For the future Peas and Beans are to be valued by the Commissary General at Six shillings, lawfull money a bushel. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Byrd continued to serve Lee as an aide-de-camp after Griffin’s return.
17372To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 25 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Captain Whipple returned here from his Voyage to Bermuda on Friday last. He had received authentick Intelligence of the Arrival of the Packet at New-York before the First Time limited for his Cruise was expired, and immediately sailed for Bermuda. He had light flattering Winds for several Days, and, when near the Island, met with a violent Gale, which drove him Three or Four Degrees to the...
17373From George Washington to Major Christopher French, 25 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
I now set down to give a final Answer to your Application respecting your Swords—Dr Franklin confirms what I before mentioned that the Priviledge claimed was no Part of the Stipulation made at Philadelphia, but passed without Discussion. Having made Inquiry I find the Rule with Regard to the Indulgence in Question is, that Prisoners do not wear their Swords. I therefore cannot approve of it,...
17374[Thursday October 26. 1775.] (Adams Papers)
On Thursday October 26. 1775. The Subject again brought on the Carpet, and the same discussions repeated, for very little new was produced. After a long discussion in which Mr. John Rutledge, Mr. Ward, Mr. Lee, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Gadsden, Mr. Dyer, and some others had spoken on the same Side with me, Congress resolved that a Committee of five members be appointed to take into Consideration, the...
17375To John Adams from Henry Knox, 26 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Encourag’d by your kindly mentioning my name in your Letters to several Gentlemen this way I now take the liberty of writing to you. A number of the Generals desir’d me to act as engineer and said that when the delegates from the Continental Congress came here the matter should be settl’d—myself as cheif engineer with the rank and pay of Colonel and a Lt. Col. Putnam as second also with the...
17376From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Greenleaf, 26 October 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I intended to have called upon you yesterday at Watertown, but was prevented by other Business. Mr. Goddard, appointed Riding Surveyor to the General Post-Office, is on his Way, settling the Post-Offices from Philadelphia Eastward. He will probably be here in a few days, and has Instructions for Regulating everything relating to them. I think it will be...
17377General Orders, 26 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
As several of the Officers have not yet signified their intentions respecting the requisitions contain’d in the orders of the 22nd Instant, and as the Nature of the Case will admit of no delay—The General directs, that every Officer in the army, do forthwith declare to his Colonel or Commanding Officer of the regt to which he belongs, whether he will, or will not continue in the service, until...
17378To George Washington from the Massachusetts Council, 26 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
[Watertown, Mass.] 26 October 1775 . Recommends officers in Col. Ebenezer Bridge’s regiment for commissions. LS , signed by James Otis, Sr., PHi : Gratz Collection. Sprague transcript , DLC:GW .
17379To George Washington from David Parker, 26 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Many & various are the Difficulties Which I have to encounter by the Confinement to wch I am subjected; the Justice of your Proceedings against me Strike me with the most Avid Conviction when I reflect upon the Iniquity of my own unjustifiable Conduct. I am may it please your Excellency necessitated, by a consciousness of my former & erroneous Practices to acquit every Measure adopted against...
17380From George Washington to Major General Philip Schuyler, 26 October 1775 (Washington Papers)
Your several Favors of the 12th & 14th Instant came safely to Hand, though not in the proper Order of Time with their several Inclosures. You do me Justice in believing that I feel the utmost Anxiety for your Situation: that I sympathize with you in all your Distresses, and shall most heartily share in the Joy of your Success—My Anxiety extends itself to poor Arnold, whose Fate depends upon...