To George Washington from John Hancock, 29–30 April 1777
From John Hancock
Philada April 29[-30]th 1777.
Sir,
You will perceive from the enclosed Resolves which I do myself the Honour of transmitting, that Congress have had under Consideration the State of Ticonderoga and have come onto sundry Re⟨solv⟩es on the Subject. I beg Leave to refer your Attention to them, and am particularly to urge that you immediately write to the Eastern States and request them in the Name of Congress to pursue every Means for compleating and forwarding the Troops ordered for that Post.1 From the approach of the Enemy in that Quarter, it is highly probable, that Delay in the Matter, will be attended with the Loss of that important Pass.
I have wrote to Genl Gates, and to the Convention of New York relative to the enclosed Resolves.2 I have the Honour to be, with Sentiments of the greatest Respect, Sir your most obed. & very hble Servt
John Hancock Presidt
April 30th. Since writing the foregoing, Congress have come to sundry other Resolves, which I enclose and to which I must refer your Attention.3 Your Favour of the 28th Inst. I was duely honoured with, and immediately laid it before Congress.
LS, DLC:GW; LB, DNA:PCC, item 12A. The mutilated portions of the text of the LS are supplied within angle brackets from the letter-book copy.
1. The letter book reads: “have come into sundry Resolves on the Subject.” The direction for GW to write to the New England states is included in the enclosed resolutions of 29 April. In them Congress further directs GW “to send to Congress the names of the general Officers ordered to repair to Tyconderoga and the names and number of the regiments under marching orders for that place” (DLC:GW; see also , 7:305–7).
2. For these letters of this date, see , 6:674–75.
3. Hancock apparently enclosed the broadside printed by John Dunlap of Philadelphia that contains Congress’s resolutions of 29 April demanding settlement of all recruiting accounts (see the two copies of that broadside in DLC:GW and , 7:309–11). Hancock also enclosed handwritten copies of Congress’s resolutions of 30 April concerning the affairs of the commissary general’s department, the hastening of the march of North Carolina troops to GW’s army, and the appointment of committees to deal with the loss of provisions at Danbury, Conn., “to prepare an Address to the Inhabitants of the Thirteen United States on the present Situation of public Affairs,” and “to confer with the executive Power of the State of Pennsylvania upon the general Situation of Affairs in that State” (DLC:GW; see also ibid., 314–17).