82611From George Washington to Major General William Heath, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you have the Copy of a Return which I received the 18th instant from Colo. Putnam, specifying the number of Men, drawn from each Regiment of the line, to compose his Regiment of Infantry, and the quantity of Cloathing furnished to each detachment. Colo. Putnam complains, with justice, of the partiality of the distribution referred to in the Return, as not bearing a due proportion to...
82612To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday honored with yours of the 13th and 17th Instant and altho your Excellency did not think your self authorised to give direction in the Instances in which I requested it, I beg you will be pleased to accept my thanks for so fully Expressing Your Sentiments, on the case of Majors Hull and Cogswell I am writing the General Assembly of Massachusetts on the Subject, no endeavours of...
82613From George Washington to William Livingston, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Notwithstanding the enemy have been for some time past making demonstration of sending detatchments from New York, they still continue there with their whole collected force. On our part we have lately been obliged to march a considerable body of troops to the Southward, and a part of those which remain are daily leaving us from the expiration of their terms of service. These and many other...
82614From George Washington to William Livingston, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The situation of our army at this time compared with that of the enemy makes it necessary we should be very much upon our guard. They have more than double our force collected at New York and we are mouldering away dayly. They have been some time past making a show of embarkation; but whether it is sincere or a mere feint to lull us into security is not easy to tell. But If they really design...
82615To George Washington from William Livingston, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
My last to your Excellency was of the 19th instant; in answer to your favour of the 16th I now have the Honour of inclosing to your Excellency the Resolution of our Legislature in Consequence of your Letter. I could have wished that some thing more expeditious had been resolved upon, as the mode adopted will probably require more time; than the Exigency will admit of. I trust however, that...
82616From George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you have the several papers respecting the claims of Captains Becker and Steddiford which were referred to me by Congress —It appears to me that there is no way of providing for these Gentlemen, but introducing them into the 4th Pennsylvania Regt under the Resolve of Congress of the 24th Novemr 1778. You will therefore be pleased to enquire what dates their Commissions are to bear in...
82617From George Washington to Major General Arthur St. Clair, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Since I spoke with you some circumstances have changed the appearance of the two matters we talked over. The article of provision looks more promising, and the hard weather may delay the sialin[g] of the enemy. You will therefore, if agreeable, use the present time for the purpose of your request. I am Dr [Sir] Your obt & hble servt. Df , in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript...
82618To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Last Saturday a Considerable Number of transports fell down to red hook—& on Sunday Morning about 10. OClock they weighed anchor & fell lower —but whether there were any troops on board, or whether they went farther than the Narrows, the Informant can’t tell as he could not possibly pass to New York on acct of the Ice in by Bergen point. he is since gone over & an Other to Staten Island, from...
82619To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 21 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment returned from Paulus Hook, Eighty sail of transports (said to be full of men) fell down to Sandy Hook between the hours of 10 OClock this Morning & three in the afternoon —none had as yet sailed out of the Hook—but seemed to be assembling for the purpose. I have not been able to Determine what troops or Corps are on board but expect further Intelligence every moment which I...
82620General Orders, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The General Court Martial whereof Majr General Howe is President is to sit tomorrow morning ten ôclock at Norris’s tavern —Lieutt Col. Comt Weissenfels is appointed a member of the Court, vice Colonel Hazen—and Colonel Jackson, vice Colo. Humpton absent on command. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Adj. Gen. Alexander Scammell’s orderly book entry for this date includes an additional general order:...
82621To George Washington from John Beatty, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from John Beatty, 22 Dec. 1779 . GW wrote Beatty on 26 Dec. : “I have received Your Letter of the 22d Instant.”
82622From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel William De Hart, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
You will proceed with the detachment under your command to Paramus —The Objects of it are to cover the communication between this & Kings Ferry—to give protection to the well affected Inhabitants & restrain the others by preventing all kind of intercourse with the Enemy & to obtain the best intelligence of their movements & designs. The many disaffected people in that neighbourhood renders...
82623From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Letter of yesterday and am extremely concerned to find that you meet with such difficulties in quartering the Officers whose rank & situation require they should be lodged in the houses in the vicinity of the Army. I regret that the Inhabitants should be unwilling to give shelter to men who have made and are still making every sacrafice in the service of their Country, and...
82624To George Washington from Brig. Gen. Samuel Holden Parsons, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letters not found: from Brig. Gen. Samuel Holden Parsons, 22 Dec. 1779. GW wrote Parsons on 23 Dec.: “I received Yesterday both Your Letters of that date.”
82625To George Washington from Brig. Gen. Enoch Poor, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. Enoch Poor, 22 Dec. 1779 . GW wrote Poor on 26 Dec. : “I this day received your favor of the 22d.”
82626To George Washington from Joseph Reed, 22 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Favour of the 16th Instt advising us of the melanch[o]ly State of the Army came to Hand on Sunday Evening, & was early the next Morning laid before the Council. Soon after a Committee of Congress laid before us a Letter on the same Occasion & to the same Import. We did not consider it wise or prudent to spend Time in unavailing Complaints of Misman[a]gement or Neglect but to endeavour to...
82627General Orders, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Adj. Gen. Alexander Scammell’s orderly book entry for this date includes general orders: “The Main Guard to be reliev’d tomorrow from the Maryland Line—a Sub. 2 serjeants & 40 R[ank] & F[ile] from the same for Fatigue tomorrow at the Orderly Room” (orderly book, 17 Oct. 1779–22 March 1780, DNA : RG 93, Orderly Books, 1775–1783, vol. 33). Maj. Caleb Gibbs wrote a...
82628From George Washington to Colonel Armand, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
You will proceed with your corps to Monmouth County and take such a station as will best accommodate your men and horses and enable you to communicate with Major Lee for the purposes of mutual security, covering the country and preventing all intercourse between the inhabitants and the enemy. As your corps has been upon very active and severe duty during the campaign, I do not require that...
82629From George Washington to John Beatty, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of this date to Mr Harrison has been laid before me. On account of the very distressed situation of Monsr de Antroche, as represented by You, I have no objection to your permitting him to go to New York on parole to return when called for. If he can effect his absolute exchange for the Officer intitled in regular course, It will be agreable to me. With respect to Mr Boudinot’s...
82630To George Washington from Clement Biddle, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Clement Biddle, 23 Dec. 1779 . GW wrote Biddle on this date : “I have received your favour of this date.”
82631From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your favour of this date, inclosing a Copy of Mr Blanes letter requesting you to furnish him, for the Commissaries department with a quantity of the Indian Corn laid in for the use of your own —Notwithstanding the loss of some horses as you observe may be the consequence of affording him the supply—the present distress of the Army for the want of flour is such, that I cannot...
82632From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Hearing that you had written to Mr Mitchell yesterday to repair to this place immediately; & convinced that you knew nothing of the letter I had received from him in consequence of my summons some days ago, I now inclose you a copy of it to show how far his absence from Philadelphia may retard the march of the Virginia Troops and affect the business of supplies. You will jud[g]e from this...
82633From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed I have the honor to transmit the Copy of a letter which I received last evening from General Wayne who had been to reconnoitre the situation of the Enemy upon Paulus Hook —Should the Fleet, which he mentions to have fallen down to the Hook, proceed to Sea, Your Excellency will receive information of it from Major Lee, who is stationed in Monmouth, and who is directed to advise...
82634From George Washington to Brigadier General William Irvine, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The state of the 4th and 11th Regiments of Pennsylvania in respect to Cloathing is represented to me as being so deplorable, that I must request you to endeavour to accomodate them immediately with the ready made Cloathing that came from Philada or at least so much of it as will cover those who are naked—this will make no odds in the end, and I doubt not but the Officers of those Regiments...
82635To George Washington from Major General Benjamin Lincoln, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I write by this opportunity rather from a desire to embrace it, than because I have any particular news to communicate. Since my last an exchange of prisoners has taken place, our private soldiers have been all liberated, and but few of our officers remain in the enemy’s hands; among them is Colo. Elbert of the 2d Georgia battalion. The enemy claim a Brigadier for him, he was appointed...
82636From George Washington to Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I received Yesterday both Your Letters of that date. The Note Mr Tilghman gave was only intended to authorise Hatfield to meet his Brother once, whom he expressed a desire of seeing and from which occasion he expected he might obtain some interesting intelligence. From the information I have had of the character of this family of people—I am by no means satisfied that they would answer any...
82637To George Washington from Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am inform’d that forty Sail of Transports fell down to the Narrows last Fryday said to be a fleet for England, no Troops on Board, but Transports with Troops have been faling down every Day since; Genl Clinton’s & Ld Cornwalli⟨s’s⟩ Baggage I am informd (so that I think it cannot be doubted) Are imbarkd—Yesterday a Conversation was had among their Officers on whom the Command would devolve on...
82638To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 23 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The intelligence that Colo. Butler brings from Amboy which place he left at 12 OClock this day is, that 137 sail of shipping lay at Anchor in sandy Hook Bay at 8 OClock this morning. That between that and the hour he left it 102 sail had weighed Anchor and gone out to sea—among which was a large Man of War with a Flag at her fore topmast head, thought to be Admiral Arbuthnot—that 35 sail of...
82639General Orders, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Major Thomas Moore is to join the Light Infantry immediately and take command of that part of it formerly in Colonel Febigers regiment. The Honorable the board of War having procured a small supply of shirts and linen and directed the distribution of them among the officers of the line and staff who are not adopted by any state; The Cloathier General is to deliver them upon returns signed by...
82640From George Washington to the Board of War, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
General Arnold, whose trial is now going on, has represented that the Evidence of Colo. Mitchell is so material that he cannot dispense with it—and that without it—his Trial cannot be brought to a conclusion. I had on the application of the General, summoned him to attend, but by a Letter from him of the 17th he has deferred coming till he should receive farther directions, alledging “that the...
82641To George Washington from Eden Burroughs, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
THESE wait on your Excellency, to inform, that while Col. Hazen’s regiment remained at Coos, Lieut. Crowley, an officer of the train, meeting with my son, a young lad, of the age of fourteen years, persuaded him to inlist into his company; with some difficulty I obtained his release from that inlistment: But the young lad having his mind inflamed, by many fair promises and airy encouragements,...
82642To George Washington from Major General Nathanael Greene, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am not well acquainted with the facts represented by Colo. Moylan; but think they may be well founded. I know nothing with respect to Mr Hubbard’s Relations, where they live, or what influence they can have over him: but it is natural to suppose, if his friends live where the Colo. says they do, that they would attempt to influence him to have the Horse remov’d at a distance. Mr Hubbard is a...
82643From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I do myself the honor of transmitting the Copy of a letter which I received late last evening from General Wayne, from which it appears, that the fleet has sailed from New York. The moment I receive any further particulars of their destination, or the number of Troops on board, I shall forward them. Your Excellency will also find inclosed the Copy of a second letter from Mr Champion to Colo....
82644To George Washington from Samuel Huntington, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am honoured with your Excellency’s favours of the 7th—8th 11th & 15th instant, some of which have much engaged the attention of Congress. I should have been happy to have had it in my power before this time to communicate to your Excellency the proper decisions of Congress on the important Matters contain’d in several of those Letters. At present I have the honour to transmit your Excellency...
82645To George Washington from Maj. Henry Lee, Jr., 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Henry Lee, Jr., 24 Dec. 1779 . GW wrote Lee on 28 Dec. : “I have recd your favr of the 24th.”
82646To George Washington from Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I am inform’d that the Fleet which had fallen down to the Hook Saild Yesterday at 2 o’Clock P.M. and consisted of near 100 sail under Convoy of 1 Ship of 74 Guns & 1 of 40 Guns & one of 36 Guns bound to Europe, No Troops on Board —The Fleet with Troops are still at the Watering Place ’tis expected this Fleet will fall down to the Hook about the forepart of next Week —The Horse on Staten...
82647From George Washington to Brigadier General William Woodford, 24 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday your Obliging favor of the 20th came to hand. I am exceedingly sorry so many obstacles have occurred to impede the advance of the Troops—and that these in part, from the season, are likely to encrease the distance of your march more than was intended. I have the most implicit confidence that no efforts will be wanting on your part to overcome such as are practicable and to answer the...
82648General Orders, 25 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
All resignations for the future are to be made in the following manner—The officer applying will produce a certificate from the Auditor that there are no accounts in his office unsettled; another from the regimental Pay-Master to the same effect, and another from the officer commanding the regiment—the latter will also express that the state of the regiment does not make the resignation...
82649From George Washington to William Greene, 25 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The enemy having asked permission for an unarmed vessel to proceed to New-Port with clothing and necessaries for the prisoners at Rutland, I have granted a pass-port for the same, to proceed from the port of New-York. I thought it necessary to give your Excellency this notice; and that the Quarter Master may have time to make preparation for their transport to Rutland. Two sergeants have also...
82650From George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 25 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to lay before your Excellency the representation of a certain Elizabeth Burgin late an inhabitant of New-York. From the testimony of different persons, and particularly many of our own officers who have returned from captivity, it would appear, that she has been indefatigable, for the relief of the prisoners, and in measures for facilitating their escape. In consequence of...
82651Enclosure: Elizabeth Burgin to James Caldwell, 19 November 1779 (Washington Papers)
July 17th being Sent for by generr. Patterson Surspacted For helping the amaricans presiners to mak their acape gorge Hebbuy Coming from your Exelence the Weak before and Cared out Mager van Burah Capt. Crain Lt Lee Who Mad ther acape from the guard on Long Island Gorge Higby Braught a paper to me from your aide Derectted to Col. Md gaw on Long Island he the Sd gorge Higly being taking up and...
82652From George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, 25 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of addressing your Excellency on the 11th inst. I then informed you it was reported that the fleet, which had been some time preparing at New York had sailed the day before. I have since found the account was premature; or, that if any Vessels went out at that time, they were but few. I have now certain information that a fleet of about one hundred sail, under convoy of a 74—a...
82653From George Washington to Colonel Stephen Moylan, 25 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your two letters of the 15th and 16th of december. I am extremely sorry that the question of quartering the cavalry stands upon so very disagreeable a footing between Mr Hubbard and yourself. But there are reasons which will not suffer me to retract the order contained in mine of the 20th. Though I doubt not the cavalry may be well provided and accomodated at the places you...
82654From George Washington to Philip Schuyler, 25 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 12th Instt came safe to hand & conveyed all that pleasure which is derived from an assurance of mutual friendship—to continue & deserve which shall be my care, & among the sincerest of my wishes. Your Recollet has not yet appeared in this quarter—more may be gathered from his appearance, & the manner in which he tells his tale, than from the authority under which he comes,...
82655General Orders, 26 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
General Irvine will take the command of a detachment to relieve General Parsons —for detachment Colonels Humpton and Ogden—Lieutt Colonels Olney and Ford—Majors Christopher Steward and Byles—The detachment to parade at 11 ôclock with two days provisions ready cooked. Varick transcript , DLC:GW . For the detachment under Brig. Gen. Samuel Holden Parsons, see GW to Parsons, 13 Dec. ; see also...
82656From George Washington to John Beatty, 26 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received Your Letter of the 22d Instant, inclosing Three from the British Commissary of prisoners of the 30th of Novr & the 3 & 9 of this month, with a Memorial from a Mr Spillard, an Assistant Commissary. It is agreable to me that a flag Vessel should be sent to Rhode Island with Cloathing for the prisoners of War at Rutland—to be conveyed under the care of a German and British...
82657To George Washington from George Clinton, 26 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
Immediately on the Receipt of your Excellency’s Letter of the 16th Instant, (which did not come to hand ’till the Eveng of the 22d) containing the alarming Account of the Situation of the Army with respect to Provisions, I convened the purchasing Commissaries in this Quarter that I might know what Supplies they were able to furnish and whether any Exertions of mine would tend to forward the...
82658To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 26 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
The cloathing issued to the troops a few days before your Excellencys departure from West Point was by no means adequate to the pressing wants and necessities of the troops in general. Since the season has become more severe; at this Post those who then were and still are destitute suffer excedingly. The men are constantly complaining to their Officers and they to me, and the service injured...
82659From George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, 26 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
On the 13th Instant I had the honor to receive your Excellency’s Letter of the 28th Ulto with a Copy of the Resolution of the Assembly to which it refers. The proceeding is founded in a generous & just liberality with respect to the Officers & Soldiers who had not been provided for by the Act alluded to—and will I hope at least have a happy operation in alleviating their distresses which were...
82660To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 26 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to return the letter from Governor Johnson of the State of Maryland to Your Excellency of the 27th October last. The proposal of making the companies of artillery from that State one corps would, if complied with, totally derange the system of promotion in the line of artillery, and introduce every bad consequence that can follow the supersceding a great number of Captains of...