78091To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 7 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s letter of the 5th. As to the report “of the Brittish fleet of Men of war having Sailed in quest of the french fleet,” I belive there [is] Nothing in it, for I saw a Certain person Yesterday who must have known it, had it been so, and would have Mentioned it; as he was desireous of telling me every Circumstance that has lately happend Among the rest he informed...
78092To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 7 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
In Obedience to your Orders of the 2nd from Fish Kill, I sent Lieut. Colo. Williams with a Proper Detatchment to Repair the Road to Litchfield. Quarter Master Alexander has just Returned & makes the following Report of the Road & Encamping Grounds viz. 1st days March from Genl St Clair Quarters to Talmans & Soles, Bridges 12 Miles 2nd To Preston 10 Miles (very Stony Road) 3rd To Mount Tom 8...
78093General Orders, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
78094From George Washington to John Beatty, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
When at Fredericksburg I expected you would have laid before me a detail state of the wants and condition of the prisoners with the enemy the better to enable me to represent their case and real sufferings to Congress. As I cannot proceed in this matter without the paper refered to you will be pleased to transmit it as soon as possible. If sent to Gen. Maxwel he will take charge of it to me. I...
78095To George Washington from George Clinton, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am extreamly sorry to trouble your Excellency about an Unhappy Affair which I am sensible will give you Pain—Last Evening I was favoured with the inclosed Letter from Genl Nixon giving an Account of some violent and unprovoked Abuses having been lately committed by Officers of the Army on three of the Subjects of this State. The Parties injured mean to seek Justice of the Offenders in the...
78096From George Washington to George Clinton, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I recd yours of yesterday inclosing a letter from General Nixon and a deposition respecting the abuse of several inhabitants of this State by some Officers of the Army. I shall immediately order the Officers to be secured untill Civil process shall issue against them. A flag Boat was standing up the River yesterday, with directions to proceed as far as Fishkill landing to take off the family...
78097From George Washington to Major General Johann Kalb, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
As I am removing Head Quarters from this place, it may not be unnecessary to inform you, that the former directions given you respecting the objects of your division and the conduct you are to observe with regard to the Highland-posts still continue in force. The Quarter Master here has represented to me that the present position of your troops so near the road causes a consumption of the...
78098From George Washington to Major General Alexander McDougall, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
An outrage has been committed on some inhabitants of this State, by a Lieut. Henderson—Marshal—B. Ball and an Ensign Smith, as appears from the deposition in the hands of the bearer of this letter. As these officers are in your command, you will be pleased to direct them under immediate confinement; and to remain so till the civil power can take up the matter. Henderson and Ball I beleive are...
78099From George Washington to Colonel William Malcom, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I can have no objection to such of the officers of Col. Poors Regiment as are supernumerary returning to their homes—The officers may settle among themselves who a[r]e to go but you will determine upon the number necessary to continue with the Regiment. p.s. I could wish you to attend to the quantity of provision in garrison—that it may be at all times adequate to its support in case of...
78100To George Washington from Colonel William Malcom, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed are the Weekly returns—Two Sentences of a General Court Martial, and a letter I received last Night from Mr Smith at Haverstraw. It is in my opinion very necessary to have a good Officer, at Kings ferry—And as there are Troops at fishKill, perhaps Your Excellency might approve of ordering Capt. Santford with his party, to the ferry. I beg leave to refer your Excellency to Col. Hay,...
78101To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have to inform your Excellency that last evening I recd a Letter from Major Howell dated the 4th Inst. says that on the 1st Inst. a Fleet of four Ships & eight Brigs Schooners & Sloops sailed to the Southward, designed as they imagined for Egg harbour; Several Signal Guns was heard on the 3d in the Morning and they were again seen off—Same day two Ships went in & one the day before. I wish...
78102To George Washington from Otis & Andrews, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellencys orders of 27th in favr of Colo. Baylors Regt shall be complied with as far as possible, tho haveing but a small quantity of white Cloth on hand & very little to be purchased, fear we shall not get sufficient for the demand, The Cloaks shall be immediately finished, & the articles for your Excellency & family procured. Clothing proper for Officers we have none of upon hand,...
78103From George Washington to Major General Israel Putnam, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I shall remove this afternoon to Fredericksburg to which place be pleased to address any future intelligence. If the enemy should make any move up the river of a serious nature, you are immediately to call upon Baron de Kalb who will remain here untill the designs of the Enemy are more fully known. I would recommend it to you always to keep a sufficiency of Boats ready to throw over your force...
78104From George Washington to Brigadier General Charles Scott, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I learnt with equal chagrin and astonishment from your letter of yesterdays date, of the new disgrace which has happened to Sheldons horse—these surprises can only be attributed to the unpardonable inattention of Officers—and their scandalous sacrifice of every other consideration to the indulgences of good Quarters—the frequency of them becomes intolerable and demands some exemplary...
78105From George Washington to Brigadier General John Stark, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have been favd with yours of the 31st Augt and 7th 15th and 28th Septemr. The subject of Mrs McNeils petition comes under the notice of the Qr Mr General. General Mifflin, who was in that Office at the time the grievance complained of was committed, has lately had one million of dollars put into his hands for the purpose of discharging all old demands, and I see that Colonel Hughes is...
78106To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 8 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I wrote your Excellency Yesterday by Colonel Craig, General Maxwell now sends you the Intelligence he has Just received from Major Howell I hope to have something more explicit from thence tomorrow as two Messengers besides an Officer have been sent for every particular that has lately happened with regard to the Sailing of Ships. I am afraid the Major has not kept a good look out as he...
78107General Orders, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Particular Brigade returns to be made to the orderly Office on Monday next agreeable to a form which will be given by the Adjutant General. Regimental Returns to be delivered in the same day by the Brigade Majors containing every Article of Cloathing in Possession of the non commissioned Officers and soldiers discriminating the good and serviceable from the bad and unserviceable; These returns...
78108To George Washington from Vice Admiral d’Estaing, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Letter which Your Excellency did me the honor to write the 5th of this month—was sent down to me last night at 8 OClock by the care of Major General Heath—I recognised in the intelligence which you were so kind as to give me and the speed with which it came, the interest which you take in all that regards the Kings Squadron—and I confess to you, that however persuaded I am that the great...
78109To George Washington from Major General Horatio Gates, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
At five yesterday evening, I had the honour to receive Your Excellency’s Letter of the 7th: Inclosed is the proceedings of a General Court Martial held upon two Men, suspected to be Spies; they are sent to Your Excellency under the care of Brigade Major Marshall, who has a quantity of Counterfeit Money to deliver to Your Excellency, that was found upon the delinquents. The Prisoner,...
78110To George Washington from Major Richard Howell, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Letter of the 5th last has reach’d me and I am alarm’d at the supposition of my Inattention to Duty—Your Excellency may rest assur’d that I am every Day in person at black-point & nothing can escape my Notice—The report you mention is false & the heavy Ships are now in View off the Neversinks. The princess Royal of 90 With a flag, two 80s & a 74. The rest of the fleet are...
78111To George Washington from Henry Laurens, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to Your Excellency the 2nd Instant by Ross, since which Your Excellency’s several favors of the 29th Ulto & 3d Inst. with the several papers refer’d to have been duly presented to Congress—the former is committed to the Board of War—I have communicated the Extract from Count d’Estaings’ letter to Monsr Girard—Congress have no objection to granting leave of absence to...
78112From George Washington to Fielding Lewis, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Fielding Lewis, c.9 Oct. 1778. GW wrote Benjamin Lincoln on 9 Oct. : “If you should go thro Alexa., you will also pass Fredg—I have therefore given you a Letter to a Brother in law of mine in that Town.”
78113From George Washington to Major General Benjamin Lincoln, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry I happened to miss you yesterday. I waited till two Oclock p.m. in expectation of your arrival, and then divided my family upon difft roads—but all of us escaped your Tract. conceiving that this might happen, I left a few introductory Letters (for you to some of the first Gentlemen in Carolina) with Baron Kalb, and would now inclose you others to my friends in Virga if I knew what...
78114To George Washington from Major General Alexander McDougall, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
You may remember, I informed you this morning, I had Sent Col. Putnam to inspect the roads to Farmington; and directed him to cause Such routs be mended from this, throˆ the Severals Towns you mentioned, to that Town, as he on inspection should Judge most eligible for the march of the Army. I beg leave to inclose his report on this Subject, handed to me by the Bearer, who returns to the Party...
78115From George Washington to George Measam, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am favoured with your letter of the 4th instant. The several particulars contained in it shall be considered and any measures that may appear necessary in consequence, taken. There is one part of it, however which demands my immediate attention. You wish to have regimental returns made of the cloathing wanted for each regiment in order to make it up in parcels answerable to those returns—for...
78116From George Washington to Colonel Rufus Putnam, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have perused your Report of this day to Genl McDougall. You will continue your examination of the different roads, and reconnoitre the most convenient halting places on each—allowing the interval of an easy days march from one to the other—and make a report of the whole to me, that I may be enabled to regulate the different routes. The Road towards Litchfield appears from your account of it...
78117To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
Fredericksburg, 9 October 1778 . “I do myself the honor to Communicate my sentiments on the subject of the different routs by which an army may penetrate into Canada from these States, and on the preparations requisite to be made in the quarter from whence an Army would march.” Schuyler favors the Lake Champlain route rather the routes by way of Lake Ontario to the west or Coos, Vt., to the...
78118To George Washington from Brigadier General Charles Scott, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I this moment Recd Your Excellencys favor of Yesterdays date. the Contents shall be particularly observed. Last night about 10 oClock I Was informd by A country man from Near the Enemy lines that they Wear going off from their Incampment about Phillaps’s hous and as He understood imbarking. Since which I recd a letter From Colo. Armand who Seams to be Very shure that they are going off his...
78119To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I wrote your Excellency yesterday by one of the fixed Expresses returning to Camp from Philadelphia. soon after which I received yours of the 6th and in order to answer it more fully I rode down to Second River to Converse with Colonel Dayton and the Gentlemen who have more particularly watched the Enemy’s forage boats in their way thro’ New Ark Bay. As to the Sort of forage, they have taken...
78120To George Washington from Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 9 October 1778 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a resolution of the Legislature of this State, directing me to order two Companies of Colo. Enos’s Regiment, to the Town of Greenwich—The exposed situation of that Town and the adjacent parts will I flatter myself justify the measure. I am also to request that your Excellency would order a detachment of the Army under your command, to the same or some other place in...