27331From George Washington to Elias Boudinot, 3 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
A Letter from Congress will accompany this containing two resolutions relative to prisoners. You will perceive by them that Congress go upon the presumption of our furnishing our prisoners in the Enemy’s hands wholly and intirely with provisions. Their fixing no rule for liquidating and accounting for the rations heretofore supplied by the Enemy, is a proof that they do not intend them to...
27332From George Washington to Henry Laurens, 3 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
On the Ulto I had the honor to receive your Favor of the 27th with the Copies alluded to. As the proceedings of Congress in this instance seem to imply, that our Unfortunate people in the hands of the Enemy are to be victualled by us, I have only to wish that the Supplies may be constant & plentiful. I have transmitted your Letter to Mr Boudinot who is out of Camp, and have requested his most...
27333To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 3 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
My last trouble was under the 27th Ulto by Messenger Barry. Your Excellency’s favor of the 31st together with Genl Foremans memorial came to hand last night, I presented it to Congress & the Subject matter will be taken under consideration this Morning. Inclosed your Excellency will find an Act of Congress for appointing a Major Genl under Your Excellency’s direction to proceed with Marquis...
27334From John Adams to Henry Laurens, 4 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had this Moment the Honour of yours of the 15. Ultimo and I thank you for your Kindness to Mr. Thaxter of whom I had not before heard, Since he left this Place. The Act of Congress inclosed in your Letter, I will take with me to Europe, for which Country I hope to embark in five Days in the Boston Frigate, not without Regret at having been delayed So long. I shall make out Six Copies of the...
27335To Benjamin Franklin from Courtney Melmoth, 4 [February] 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I beg leave in a few Lines, to intimate to you, and thro’ your means to Mr. Dean and Mr. Lee, the nature and extent of those Services which I am so anxious to be retained for. I would chearfully undertake the replies of those inundations of Letters which issue from all sorts of application for offices, and, I think, I could perform this branch to your...
27336General Orders, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
At a General Court Martial whereof Coll Clark was President January 27th—Charles Smith a soldier in 1st New Jersey Regiment tried for desertion & inlisting again as a substitute & acquitted—The General approving orders him to be immediately released. The most pernicious consequences having arisen from suffering persons, women in particular to pass and repass from Philadelphia to camp under...
27337To George Washington from Ephraim Blaine, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
A Few Queries for the Consideration of His Excellency General Washington, & the Honorable the Committee of Congress now sitting at Moore Hall. 1st As this is the Season for procuring the Stall’d Beef, and a time we shall be Necessiated to Issue Pork, would allowing the Soldiery 1½ lb. Bread or Flour & ¾ lb. Beef or Pork be a sufficient ration untill there is an appearence of a more Plentiful...
27338To George Washington from Commodore John Hazelwood, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received a Letter from the Adjt General, wherein he informs me it’s Your Excellencys express orders, that I shou’d send forward to Camp those few Troops Your Excellency was so kind to spare me for the use of our Fleet. I shall comply with the request assoon as possible—I expect our Pay Master in a few days, & assoon as we can pay them for the time they have been with us, they shall be...
27339To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I wrote to your Excellency from Springfield concerning the Cannon which were sent from Albany to Farmington in Connecticut, and that I had determin’d to wait your further directions about them, as I suppos’d Genl Gates must have had some particular object in view by ordering them to that place. The greater part of the Cannon that arriv’d at Portsmouth have been brought to this Town by Water,...
27340From George Washington to William Livingston, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
Brig. Genl Count Pulaski informs me that there are three Troops of Jersey Horse who would enter into the Continental Service for a short time if they could obtain your Excellency’s consent—They will be a very great releif to our Horse if they can be spared and will answer another very valuable purpose. We find that our common Dragoons are not proof agt the Bribes offered to them by the people...
27341From George Washington to Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your two Letters of 29th and 31st of last month; the forming any considerable Deposit of Forage at Trenton, while you have so small a Force to protect it does not appear to me advisable, as the Enemy may with the greatest facility destroy it. My approbation of Capt. Craigs appointment was signified in my last Letter; I cannot at any rate consent to your giving Mr Zelienski the...
27342To George Washington from Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski, 4 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I join the letter from et prisoner, It wil determined mi answer. The Cavalry is Placed according to Instruction from Colonel Bidel. I remain hier with the detachement of Lenceurs. I mean If Your Excely approved of to March toward Borlington in this time. Our Magazin wil be form sufficient for to furnish the Whole Cavalry fifteen Days by Soch Time we shal biguin the Gnrl Exercise I Report...
27343From Alexander Hamilton to Commodore John Hazelwood, 5 February 1778 (Hamilton Papers)
It is his Excellency’s desire, that you have all the public boats below the falls, removed as expeditiously as possible to Coryells ferry, or higher, as you may think necessary for their safety. Their present situation exposes them to being destroyed or taken without much difficulty, and we should feel the loss of them. I am Sir Your most Obd Serv ALS , George Washington Papers, Library of...
27344From Benjamin Franklin to David Hartley, 5 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript: Library of Congress I am exceedingly obliged by your interesting yourself so warmly in behalf of those unhappy people. I understand you advanc’d money: Your bills on that account will be punctually paid. As yet I have heard of none. Understanding that a certain Person promised to make proposals for healing a certain Breach, I postpon’d and delayed a material Operation till I should...
27345Ralph Izard to the American Commissioners, 5 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society When Congress did me the honour to send me a Commission, and Instructions for the Court of Tuscany, they did not inform me to whom I was to apply for money to bear my expenses. I therefore think it proper to apply to you, to know if you have any money belonging to them in your hands, and if it is agreeable to you for that purpose to give me a Letter of...
27346To Benjamin Franklin from ——— de la Radière, 5 February 1778: résumé (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society <Orbec, February 5, 1778, in French: I take the liberty of requesting you to forward this letter to M. de la Radière, my son. He and three fellow officers of engineers joined your army. We have written him often to give him news of the family, but his most recent letter last September says that he has had no word, and asks that you take care of his mail. I...
27347General Orders, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
In Congress June 10th Resolved, That for the future the Quarter Master or other Person drawing provision for any Regiment Corps or Detachment shall on the last day of every month make out an abstract of the number of retain’d rations due to each officer respectively and also the number of each part of a ration due to each regiment corps or detachment and deliver the same to the respective...
27348To George Washington from Major General John Armstrong, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
My unacquaintance at coming to this place, with the Complexion of Congress & exertions of that body for the approaching Campaign has prevented me the pleasure of writing you sooner; and the little I yet know far short as it must be of your better intelligence, can only serve as a farther expression of that line of duty I have long determined to pursue. My apprehensions are Still painful with...
27349To George Washington from General William Howe, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
By Advices lately received from Rhode Island, transmitting to me a Copy of a Letter from General Heath to Lieutenant General Burgoyne, (Copy of which is enclosed) I am informed that it is determined to detain General Burgoyne’s Troops in New England, until all Demands for their Provisions and other Necessaries are satisfied; and that this Determination is grounded, not only upon a Requisition...
27350To George Washington from John Laurance, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with your Excellencys desire I have perused the Articles of War with Attention—As they now stand I have found them answer to every Case that has happened since I have acted as Judge Advocate—No alteration occurs to me that is necessary to be made except the restriction in the Number of Lashes, and the Authority of ordering Courts martial for the Trial of Capital...
27351To George Washington from George Read, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to inform your Excellency that our Legislature have not made any Provision for filling up of the Battalion belonging to the State. One of our Counties is yet unrepresented in the House of Assembly owing to the interference of the Military on the day of Election, this Step occasioned such a division among the Representatives of the other two Counties, that it was impracticable to...
27352To George Washington from Brigadier General George Weedon, 5 February 1778 (Washington Papers)
Since the Commencment of Hostilities in America, we have on our parts observed as far as I have been able to judge a strict line of honor and humanity towards those of the Enemy who the Chance of war put into our hands, Or, who came over to us in the Charecter of Deserters. While we have Acted upon those generous principles & administered comfort to the unfortunate Captive, the Enemy on their...
27353From John Adams to William Ellery, 6 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I had, Yesterday the Pleasure of receiving your Letter of the 22d of January, and beg Leave to assure you, I shall pay all proper Attention to its Contents, by rendering to the Gentleman whom you recommend, every service in my Power. I had before been introduced, to that young Gentleman by his Father, for whom I have conceived a great deal of Esteem, and from what I saw of the son and from...
27354From John Adams to James Lovell, 6 February 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have received, this Morning, by several Hands and at other Times during the last Week, Several of your Favours. I will endeavour to acknowledge each if I can but if I should mistake in my Hurry and omit, one or two I hope you will excuse it. One of Jany 1. one of Jany. 17. one of Jany 21. one of Jany. 20. with their Enclosures. I will, do all I can to ensure a Passage for the Resolution of...
27355The Franco-American Treaty of Alliance, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
DS : National Archives; copies in French and English: Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two), University of Virginia Library; copy in French: Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid The hope of concluding this treaty and the one that follows had been the commission’s mainstay for fourteen months, but negotiating them took less than three weeks. Gérard began the discussions on...
27356The Franco-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
DS : National Archives; copies in French and English: Massachusetts Historical Society, Harvard University Library, National Archives; copies in French: Archives du ministère des affaires étrangères (draft), Harvard University Library, Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Traité d’Amitié et de Commerce The most Christian King, and the thirteen United States of North...
27357The American Commissioners to Ferdinand Grand, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Library of Congress We hereby request That you would pay Such Bills as shall be drawn on you upon Our Acct. by the Honl. Wm. Lee Esqr. or the honl. Ralph Izard Esqr. for any sums they may have Occasion for To the Amount of Two Thousand Louis D’orrs to each of them. We are sir Your most Obedient Humble Servants (Signed) Notation by Franklin: Letter of Credit written to M. Grand for Messrs...
27358To Benjamin Franklin from La Rochefoucauld, [6 February 1778] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Le Duc de la Rochefoucauld fait bien des complimens à Monsieur franklyn, en le remerciant des bonnes nouvelles d’Amérique qu’il a bien voulu lui donner; il a l’honneur de lui envoier sa traduction à laquelle il a fait quelques corrections, dont deux assez longues qu’il a mises sur un papier à part; si Monsieur franklyn les approuve, et s’il veut renvoier le...
27359From Benjamin Franklin to La Rochefoucauld, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
AL : Bibliothèque municipale, Mantes Mr. Franklin presents his Respects to M. le Duc de Rochefoucauld, with many Thanks for the Pains he has taken, and the Improvements he has made in the Translation. Mr. F. has only one Doubt, which is of the Word habilité in the 2d Article, put for the English Industry: He perceives that Industrie in French has not precisely the same Meaning. And If habilité...
27360John Ross to the American Commissioners, 6 February 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I had the honour to address you on the 29 Ulto. on the business of Mr. Thomas Morris late Commercial Agent now deceast, and tho not as yet favoured with your answere, doubt not Your attention to those measures, Proper to command possession and a liberty of Inspection into those Books and papers now under Seals. The Ship La Brune under the direction and command of...