79201To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 20 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been long wishing for the pleasure of seeing you in Camp but Conclude from the Multiplicity of Buisness in which you are Engaged that it will be some time before we shall Experience that Satisfaction. Our City is completely finished. it’s Regularity is equal to any on the Continent—& it’s Internal police at least as regular as that of Phila. I can Assure your Excellency that we are much...
79202General Orders, 21 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Deputy Clothier General is to issue a woolen cap to each effective man present belonging to the brigades in this camp on returns made by the commanding officers of brigades, countersigned by the Adjutant General. The men on detachment at Monmouth to be omited in the return as they will be drawn for separately. The Brigade Commissaries are regularly to turn in all the cattle’s horns and...
79203From George Washington to Colonel Armand, 21 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have perused your letter of yesterday on the subject of recruiting your corps—In answer to it I must inform you, that when you and Count Pulaski declared your intention of quitting this Country—the consideration of the many inconveniences attending small independent Corps had determined me to recommend the incorporation of your troops and his. The evident utility of such an arrangement, in...
79204To George Washington from Captain David Hopkins, 21 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Capt. David Hopkins, 21 Jan. 1779. GW wrote Hopkins on 1 Feb. : “I have received your memorial of the 21st of January.”
79205From George Washington to John Jay, 21 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Rawlins who as well as his officers in general distinguished himself at the affair of Fort Washington has remaining of his Regiment about fifty or sixty men and a few officers. As the latter are at present an expence to the Continent without being employed—and the Colonel after having deserved well of his Country and suffered a grievous captivity, has some claim to attention—I beg...
79206To George Washington from John Pierce, Jr., 21 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I would inform your Excellency that there is now in the Military Chest about 380,000 Dollars—which after the whole Army is paid for October, and the Money taken in of the two Emission’s which I see by resolve of Congress we are to Exchange, will not be sufficient for November—I imagine five or six hundred Thousand Dollars more will pay November & December and what exigences may arise in the...
79207General Orders, 22 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79208To George Washington from John Jay, 22 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency will receive herewith enclosed a Copy of an Act of Congress of the 21st Inst. I have the Honor to be with the greatest Respect & Esteem, Your Excellency’s most Obed. & Hb. Servt LB , DNA:PCC , item 14. Jay wrote similar letters on this date to major generals Horatio Gates, Benjamin Lincoln, and John Sullivan; paymaster general William Palfrey; deputy paymasters Ebenezer Hancock...
79209General Orders, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79210To George Washington from General Henry Clinton, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was honoured with your Letter of the 26th of last Month, with its enclosure. In order to prevent the irregularities, which, under the pretence of Reconnoitring, would otherwise be committed by individuals in every Army, it has been the custom in Europe (if I recollect right) that any Infantry patroling without a Non Commissioned Officer should be liable, if taken by the Enemy, to be treated...
79211From George Washington to the Continental Congress Committee of Conference, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Cloathing the Army well is a matter of such essential and fundamental importance, that it ought not by any means to depend on contingencies, but some plan should if possible be concerted to produce regular and constant Supplies. Whether this can be best effected by governmental Contracts with the Court of France, or any other power disposed to assist us—or in the way of Commerce by a Committee...
79212Remarks to Continental Congress Committee of Conference, 23–31 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
In consequence of the opinion of the Committee on the three plans submitted to them, some time ago, for the operations of the next Campaign, I have countermanded the orders which were given for the intended Expedition to Niagara but do not know upon what ground my Conduct will stand justified, as there are Resolves of Congress directing the necessary preparations for the enterprize and nothing...
79213To George Washington from Colonel George Gibson, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Assembly of Virginia in their late Act passed for the reinlistment of their Troops have not taken any notice of the Two state regiments anex’d to the Continental Army. from what cause I Know not unless it may be that they conceived the regimts to have been Continental Troops from the time they were taken into the Service, Indeed His Excelly the Governor & many Gentn of the House of...
79214To George Washington from John Jay, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have had the pleasure of receiving and communicating to Congress your Excellency’s Letter of the 21st Inst: respecting Coll Rawlins—Copies of two Acts of Congress of this day, One on that Subject, & the other refusing a Request of Major General Phillips to go to New York & ordering him to Virginia, are herewith enclosed. I have the Honor to be With the greatest Respect & Esteem Your...
79215To George Washington from James McHenry, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to communicate to your Excellency (in addition to my information through Mr Tilghman of the 21st Instant) by Major General Lord Stirlings particular directions, that on the 17th a detachment of the enemy (of about two hundred men) from New York effected a landing on the Middletown shore (near one Thomas Browers)—But re-imbarked in the night, without penetrating the country, or...
79216To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William Washington, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : from Lt. Col. William Washington, 23 Jan. 1779. GW wrote William Washington on 9 Feb. : “I have recd yours of the 23d and 30th ulto.”
79217General Orders, 24 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Regimental Pay-Masters are immediately to make out returns of shoes actually wanted in their respective Regiments, which the Brigade Majors are to digest into Brigade returns regimentally, have them signed by the officers commanding Brigades and deliver them in to the Orderly-Office next tuesday forenoon. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . The following Tuesday was 26 January.
79218To George Washington from Major General Israel Putnam, 24 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honor’d with your Commands of the 8th Inst. respecting the Cloathing purchased by Major Bigelow and the mode to be taken for supplying the Connecticut Troops, with a proportion of it. I know not to what your Excellency alludes, in General Parsons’s Letter, which in your opinion, contains some insinuations not of the most delicate nature: As I never saw it, or heard the contents, except in...
79219General Orders, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79220From George Washington to George Clinton, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 29th December only reached me a few days ago—I shall lay before Congress, that part of Your Excellency’s letter, which respects the payment of those supplies which you were under the necessity of taking out of the regular line—after the loss of the Highland Posts—as it is not in my power to order the present Quarter Master and Commissary General to discharge accounts prior to...
79221From George Washington to Brigadier General James Clinton, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favors of the 9th and 13th insts.—In my last of the 19th I informed you that it was the desire of Congress that a fort might be built for the Oneidas if they requested it—and I am therefore glad that you have ordered that work to be executed—I also at that time inclosed an order upon the Commissary of Military Stores at Springfield for what amunition you might think...
79222To George Washington from Major General Alexander McDougall, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honor to address you by Captain Bedlow. I have not been favored with any of your’s, since that from Paramus of the 16th Ultimo. Your being absent from the Army, occasioned the Caution on the Address of my late Letters, “not to be opened [but] by the Commander in chief.” I take the Liberty to inclose correct Copies, of my Orders for Permits of Provision below, and the Regulation of...
79223To George Washington from Major General Israel Putnam, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I wrote your Excellency yesterday, in which I gave you all the intelligence that could be collected. As my Domestic affairs, are in much confution, and there is many things which cannot be setled, but by myself, I am under the necessity of requesting yr Excellencys permission to be absent from Camp for about thirty days—If I may be permitted, I should choose to set off some time in the month...
79224From George Washington to Major General Philip Schuyler, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
In my last of the 18th instant I omitted to approve of your plan of endeavouring to have the Enemy’s shipping upon Lake Ontario destroyed by the Indians. I had some such Scheme as that in contemplation when I desired that particular information should be obtained of the situation of the place in which they were laid up for the Winter. You will be pleased to direct any kind of combustible...
79225To George Washington from Major General Philip Schuyler, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Excellency’s Favor of the 31st Ult. I had the Honor to receive on the 20th Instant. I feel myself sensibly affected by the generous and polite Manner in which your Excellency leaves me the Alternative to take the Command in this Department or not—My Letters of the 27th Ult. & 2d Inst. which could not have come to Hand when your’s was written will evince the propriety of my declining the...
79226General Orders, 26 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79227To George Washington from Major General Horatio Gates, 26 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the Honour to write to Your Excellency, I have received the inclosed Letters from General Bayley, and Colonel Bedel. The intelligence contained in them, being nearly the same with that sent before, by several conveyances, to Your Excellency, I did not think it necessary to dispatch it by a Special Messenger. By the Numbers of Prisoners sent lately from New York, Newport, and...
79228From George Washington to Brigadier General William Maxwell, 26 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 12th instant, and one inclosing a return of deficient Cloathing which is without a date. Inclosed you have an order for all the deficiencies except the Blankets of which I cannot make a distribution, that will do equal justice, before my return to Camp. You may do as you think proper with those people who the enemy will not admit within their lines. I cannot see what...
79229To George Washington from Brigadier General William Maxwell, 26–27 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have but little news to acquain Your Excellency with at present and that not verry certain, but such as it is I think it my duty to send it. There seems to be a good deal of a bustle amongst the new Levy’s and Refugees they have been making every atempt to see their Friends here, and declared with sheding of tears that they were going to leave the Continent or to the Southward so that they...
79230From George Washington to Major General William Phillips, 26 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving your favor of the 4th December two of the 6th and one of the 16th Jany. The application relative to Lieut. Maxwell I find was answered in my absence from Camp —that respecting a conference intended to serve as a basis for a final negociation of the exchange of the Convention Troops, you have withdrawn —It only remains therefore for me to say on the subject of...