79471From 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...
79472To 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...
79473General Orders, 22 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79474To 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...
79475General Orders, 23 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79476To 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...
79477From 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...
79478Remarks 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...
79479To 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...
79480To 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...
79481To 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...
79482To 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.”
79483General 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.
79484To 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...
79485General Orders, 25 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79486From 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...
79487From 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...
79488To 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...
79489To 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...
79490From 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...
79491To 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...
79492General Orders, 26 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW .
79493To 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...
79494From 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...
79495To 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...
79496From 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...
79497From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 26 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favd with yours of the 13th and 18th instt with the several letters and papers they inclosed. Mr McHenry has informed me of the failure of the Refugee expedition to the Coast of Monmouth; but he mentions an account from Genl Maxwell of a Body of New Levies and Refugees having been embarked, supposed for Georgia. I could wish if it be so, that the numbers might be ascertained with...
79498General Orders, 27 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Ensign Henry Strupp of the German Regiment is appointed Adjutant to the same from the 1st day of October 1778. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Despite this order, it appears that Henry Stroop (Strupp, Strape; 1753–1843), a Pennsylvania carpenter, served as a lieutenant in Col. Benjamin Flower’s corps of artillery artificers from May 1778 to December 1780 (see Pa. Archives Samuel Hazard et al.,...
79499To George Washington from Brigadier General James Clinton, 27 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
On the 19th Instant I was honoured with your Favour of the 31st of December. I am happy to hear the Impediments which suspended Genl Schuy[l]er from Command are removed with so much honour to that worthy Officer, and I am anxious for his resuming it, as I shall always think myself happy in being Commanded by a Man of such distinguished Abilities. I hav just received a Letter from the...
79500To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail, 27 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
Remembrance of the Uneasiness which we felt on the subject of Boston, in the month of October—engages me to represent to Your Excellency that we may have our anxiety revived next Campaign, unless we take seasonable precautions—Your Excellency sent me to that City in order to form a plan of the necessary fortifications—I had the honor of delivering you the Plan —but from what I have learnt, the...