20241General Orders, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Benjamin Durant of Capt: Wadsworth’s Company & Col. Bailey’s Regiment, convicted by a General Court Martial whereof Col. Wyllys was President, of “getting drunk on Guard,” sentenced to receive Thirty Lashes. Patrick Lion of Capt: Curtis’s Company; Regiment late Learnad’s, convicted by the same Court, of “sleeping on his post”; sentenced to receive Twenty-five lashes. Benjamin Wallace of Capt:...
20242Proclamation for the Evacuation of New York, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
B y H is E XCELLENCY GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esquire, General, and Commander in Chief of the Army of the United States of North-America. W hereas a Bombardment and Attack upon the City of New-York, by our cruel, and inveterate Enemy, may be hourly expected: And as there are great Numbers of Women, Children, and infirm Persons, yet remaining in the City, whose Continuance will rather be prejudicial...
20243To George Washington from Lord Drummond, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Being deeply intarested in the welfare of America I think it my Duty to communicate a Matter of Intelligence which I flatter myself may be rendered conducive to the Restoration of a Disirable Peace And in this View I request your Excellency’s Permission to land at New York to go to Philadelphia in Order to lay the same before the General Congress. In the course of a Conversation I have had...
20244From George Washington to Lord Drummond, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have your Lordships Favour of this Day, accompanied by Papers on Subjects of the greatest Moment, & deserving the most deliberate Consideration. I can allow much for your Lordships well meant Zeal upon such an Occasion, but I fear it has transported you beyond that Attention to your Parole which comprehends the Character of a Man of strict Honour. How your Lordship can reconcile your past or...
20245From George Washington to John Hancock, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
The circumstances of the Two Armies having undergone no material alteration since I had the honor of writing you last, I have nothing particular or Important to communicate respecting them. In my Letter of Yesterday I forgot to mention the arrival of Lord Dunmore here. By the examination of a Capn Hunter who escaped from the Enemy and came to Amboy on the 14th transmitted me by Genl Roberdeau,...
20246To George Washington from John Hancock, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 16th Inst: per Post this Minute came to Hand, & shall be laid before Congress on Monday. I do myself the Pleasure to enclose sundry Resolves for your Information, and likewise to forward the Commissions ordered by a Resolve of Congress on the 10th Inst., a Copy of which I transmitted in my Letter of that Date. With the most ardent and sincere Wishes for your Health &...
20247To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
The Last night the Fire Ships & Row Gallies made an attempt, Upon the Enemys ships, which lay at Anchor up the River, The Fire ships were well Conducted, the Armed Schooner was Grappled and Burnt, The Phenix was Grappled for a Bought Ten minutes, But got herself Clear, The Lady Washington Galley and Independence, were Conducted with Great Judgment and Bravery, I wish I could Say that the Other...
20248From George Washington to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 17 August 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Maj. Gen. William Heath, 17 Aug. 1776. Heath’s letter to GW of this date is docketed in Joseph Reed’s writing: “Major Genl Heath Kingsbridge Aug. 17 1776 Answerd do.”
20249From George Washington to Lord Howe, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Being authorized by Congress, as their Commanders in every Department are, to Negociate an Exchange of Prisoners, and presuming as well from the nature of your Lordships command, as the Information Genl Howe has been pleased to Honour me with, that the Exchange in the Naval Line will be subject to your Lordships direction, I beg leave to propose the following mode of Exchange for your...
20250From George Washington to Major General William Howe, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor to transmit the Inclosed Letter from Major French, & at the same time to inform you, that his Exchange for Majr Meigs, whose parole I am advised you have, will meet my approbation—I would take the liberty also to propose an Exchange of any Captn you may chuse for Capn Dearborn whose parole I have heard was delivered you with Major Meig’s. Give me leave to assure you Sir,...
20251To George Washington from Major William Smith Livingston, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Colo: Hand has this Morning reported to the General that since Yesterday Evening four Vessels of War, one of them the Solbay have sailed from the Fleet at the Narrows—Two Brigs a Sloop and Schooner came in from Sea and the Man of War that lay off the Hook these two Days past came in—The Morning being very Thick he could discern nothing distinctly at the Hook but that late in the Evening of...
20252From George Washington to the New York Convention, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
When I consider that the City of New York will in all human probability very soon be the scene of a bloody conflict: I can not but view the great Numbers of Women, Children & infirm persons remaining in It with the most melancholy concern—When the Men of War passed up the River the Shrieks & Cries of these poor creatures running every way with their Children was truly distressing & I fear will...
20253To George Washington from Abraham Yates, Jr., 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Mr Denning hath made the Convintion Acquainted with your Excellenceys Sentiments upon obstructing the Navigation of the East River between the Grand Battery and Governor’s Island. we now take the Liberty of inclosing the Copy of our Resolution for that purpose, which together with this Letter will be handed to your Excellency by the Gentleman of the Committee to whom we make no doubt Sir that...
20254To George Washington from Abraham Yates, Jr., 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am directed to inform your Excellency that immediately upon the receipt of your favor of this morning respecting the Women, Children and Infirm persons remaining in the City of New York—The Convention appointed a Committee for the purpose of removeing and provideing for such persons—I inclose a Copy of the Resolves for that purpose and hope you will soon be releived from the Anxiety which...
20255From George Washington to Robert Yates, 17 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with yours of the 13th & 14th inst. and am pleased to find you have been successfull in procuring Cannon for the Defence of Hudsons River; also that there is such a good prospect of effectually securing the Pass at Fort Montgomery, the mention you make of General Clinton’s attention to that & other important Objects gives me great satisfaction, & confirms me in the opinion that...
20256John Adams to Abigail Adams, 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
My Letters to you are an odd Mixture. They would appear to a Stranger, like the Dish which is sometimes called Omnium Gatherum. This is the first Time, I believe that these two Words were ever put together in Writing. The litteral Interpretation of them, I take to be “A Collection of all Things.” But as I said before, the Words having never before been written, it is not possible to be very...
20257From John Adams to Samuel Adams, 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I had the Pleasure of a line from you, at Princetown, and Yesterdays Post brought me another from New York. I thank you for this Attention, and for the encouraging Account you give of the State of our Affairs at New York and Ti. The last is agreable to the Official Letters We have from General Gates who has at last Sent Us a general Return of the Army and Navy upon a more distinct, accurate...
20258To John Adams from William Tudor, 18 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
It was with no small Degree of Pleasure, on my Return here, I observed the Cheerfulness which brightened the Countenance of every Soldier I met. The whole Army are in most excellent Spirits and shew an Impatience for Action. And the Spade and Pick Ax have been so well employ’d, that there is scarce a Spot upon the whole Island, where a Redoubt or Breast Work could be of service, but what has...
20259To Benjamin Franklin from John Kearsley Read, 18 August 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society A series of years hath pass’d since you were troubled with a letter from me. My neglect of writing to you has been from a supposition that (hitherto) your engagements could not have allowed you time to attend to the less important concerns of a branch of the family so farr remote from you, as I have ever been. I hope however, should you find leisure, you...
20260To Benjamin Franklin from George Ross, 18 August 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Phenix and Rose have Just now passed our Batterys and I fear without much damage. I was in one of the Batterys during the whole time they were within gun shot. The visit they had two nights agoe from our fire ships made them sick of their Station and they have now Joind the fleet at the Narrows. Every countenance here is chearfull and if our Enemies...
20261To Benjamin Franklin from George Washington, 18 August 1776 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have been honourd with your favour of the 16th., and the several Inclosures contained therein, which are now return’d with my thanks for the oppertunity of perusing them. I also Inclose you a Letter from Lord Howe, sent out (with others) by a Flag in the Afternoon of yesterday. With it comes a Letter for Lieutt. Barrington, who if not among those who...
20262General Orders, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
As nothing contributes so much to the good order and government of troops, as an exactness in discipline, & a strict observance of orders; and as the Army is now arranged into different divisions; those divisions formed into brigades, and the brigades composed of regiments; The General hopes and expects, that the several duties of the Army, will go on with regularity, chearfulness and...
20263To George Washington from William Blodget, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Hands report, mentions no Uncommon movements of the Enemy. The General desires me to acquaint your Excellency that he finds himself considerably better this Morning than he was Yesterday, and is in hopes in a few days, to be able to go abroad, ’tho still very weak. I am with Respect Humble Servant ALS , DLC:GW .
20264From George Washington to Benjamin Franklin, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been honourd with your favour of the 16th, and the several Inclosures contained therein, which are now return’d with my thanks for the oppertunity of perusing them —I also Inclose you a Letter from Lord Howe, sent out (with others) by a Flag in the Afternoon of yesterday. with it comes a Letter for Lieutt Barrington, who if not among those who broke their Parole, & went of for Canada,...
20265To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have thought proper to communicate to you certain Intelligence which I have recieved from my Brother respecting Captain Grimes, whose Conduct (if I have been rightly informed) does not entitle him to that Place in your Esteem which he now holds, nor to that Confidence which you have thought proper to put in him. His leaving the Gally at Rode Island in the Time of the Attack, to take Convoy...
20266From George Washington to John Hancock, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with your Favor of the 16th with Its Inclosure and am sorry It is not in my power to transmit Congress a Copy of the Treaty as they require, having sent It away with the Other papers that were in my Hands. The Resolution they have entered into respecting the Foreign Troops, I am persuaded would produce Salutary Effects, If It can be properly circulated among them. I fear...
20267To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Early this morning the Phoenix Man of War, Rose Frigate & the Two Tenders, came to Sail & stood down the River, keeping close under the East Shore, in order to avoid the Fire of our Cannon; but notwithstanding this Precaution, the Phoenix was thrice Hull’d by our Shot from Mount Washington, & one of the Tenders once—The Rose was Hull’d once by a Shot from Burdit Ferry—They kept their men...
20268From George Washington to Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer, 18 August 1776 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer, 18 Aug. 1776. In a letter to GW of 19 Aug. , Mercer refers to “your Excellencys Letter of yesterday.”
20269From George Washington to the New York Convention, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
I have been honoured with your Letter of the 17th with the Resolution of your honourable Body for obstructing the Channel betwixt the Grand Battery and Nutten Island. Having gone into a considerable Expence for stopping that of the North River, and such as I am not certain I shall be justifyed in, and the Obstructions there being far from compleat, it will not be in my power to engage in the...
20270To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 18 August 1776 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s favor of the 13th Instant was Delivered me about nine Last Evening. I am very Confident that you have pursued Every measure in your power, to releave our wants in this Quarter, and to Facilitate the works going on to the Northward; we have people in every Quarter Attemping to procure the variety of Articles, that are wanted, but after all, We shall fall Considerably short,...