AMERICAN STATE PAPERS,



A COLLECTION



Of Original and Authentic Documents



RELATIVE TO THE WAR



BETWEEN THE



UNITED STATES



AND



GREAT BRITAIN.



Publifhed by Special Permiilion.



VOLUME THE SECOND.



J 795-



OFFICIAL LETTERS

TO THE HONORABLE

AMERICAN CONGRESS,

Written, during the War between the
UNITED COLONIES and GREAT BRITAIN,

BY II IS EXCELLENCY,

(

GEORGE WASHINGTON,

COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE
CONTINENTAL FORCES,

NOW

PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES.



Copied, by Special PermhTion, from the Original Papers preferved
in the Office of the Secretary of State, Philadelphia.



VOL. II.



LONDON:

PRINTED FOR CADELL JUNIOR AND DAVIF.S, G. G. AND J. RO-
BINSON, B. AND J. WHITE, W. OTRIDGfi AND SON, J. DK

BRETT, R. FAUJLDEn, AND T. EGEKTON.

l 79S-



OFFICIAL LETTERS



FROM



GENERAL WASHINGTON



TO CONGRESS*



Sir, Trenton, January i, 17 77*



Y<



OUR refolves of the twenty-feventh ultimo were tranf-
mitted me laft night by meflieurs Clymer, Morris, and WaU
ton. The confidence which Congrefs have honored qie with
by thefe proceedings has a claim to my warmed: acknowledg-
ments. At the fame time I beg leave to allure them that all
my faculties (hall be employed to direel properly the powers
they have been pleafed to veft me with, and to advance thofe ob-
jects, and only thofe, which gave rife to this honorable mark of
diftindlion. If my exertion^ mould not be attended with the
defired fuccefs, I truft the failure will be imputed to the true
caufe, — the peculiarly di'itreffed fituation of our affairs, and
the difficulties I have to combat, — rather roan to a want of
zeal for my country, and the clofefl. attention to her interefts,
to promote which has ever been my frudy.

On monday morning I pafTed the Delaware myfelf ; the
whole of our troops and artillery, not till yefterday, owing to

Vol. II. B the



ft GENERAL WASHINGTON'S

the ice which rendered their paffage extremely difficult and
fatiguing. Since their arrival, we have been parading the
regiments whofe time oFiervice is now expired, in order to
know what force we mould have to depend on, and how to
regulate our views accordingly. After much perfuafion and
the exertions of their officers, half or a greater proportion
of thofe from the eaftward have confented to ftay fix weeks
on a bounty often dollars. I feel the inconvenience of this
advance, and I know the confequences which will refult
from it : — but what could be done ? — Pennfylvania had al-
lowed the fame to her militia: — the troops felt their import-
ance, and would have their price. Indeed, as their aid is fo
effential, and not to be difpenfed with, it is to be wondered
they had not eftimated it at a higher rate. I perceive that
Congrefs, apprehenfivc of this event, had made unlimited
pro v in on for it.

General Mifflin is at Bordentown with about eighteen
hundred men, and general Cadwallader at Crofwix's, with
about the fame number. — We are now making our arrange-
ments, and concerting a plan of operations, which I fhall at-
tempt to execute as foon as poffible, and which I hope will be
attended with fome fuccefs.

As to the number and filiation of the enemy, I cannot obtain
certain intelligence : but, from the accounts mod to be relied
en, they have collected the principal part of their force, from
Brunfwic and the neighboring polls, at Princeton, where
they are throwing up iomc works. The number there is
reported to be from five to fix thoufand ; and it is confi-
dently laid they have fent the chief part of their baggage to '
Brunfwic. It is added that general Howe landed at Am boy
a day or two ago witii a thoufand light tioops, and is on his ,
march from thence.

I have fent into different parts of Jerfey, men of influence
to fpirit up the militia, and flatter mylelf that the many inju-
ries they have received will induce fome to give their aid. If
what they have fuffered does not roufe their reientment, they

mull



OFFICIAL LETTERS. 3

niuft not pofflbfs the common feelings of humanity. To op^
predion, ravage, and a deprivation of property, they have had
the more mortifying circumftance of infult added : — after be-
ing dripped of all they had without the lead compenfation,
protections have been granted them for the free enjoyment of
their effects. — I have the honor to be, &c. G. W.

P. S. I have not been able to procure returns of our force,
owing to our lituation. I fuppofe that about two or three
and twenty hundred pafTed with me, which number is now
reduced to fifteen or fixteen hundred. No eftimate of our force
can be forme J from the number of regiments : many of them,
by reafon of ficknefs, cannot turn out more than a hundred men.



Sir, Pluckcmln, January 5, 1 777-

I have the honor to inform you, that, fince the date of
my lad from Trenton, I have removed with the army under
my command to this place. The difficulty of eroding the De-
laware on account of the ice made our pallage over it tedious,
and gave the enemy an opportunity of drawing in their ieveral
cantonments, and aflembling their whole force at Princeton.
Their large picquets, advanced towards Trenton, — their great
preparations, and fome intelligence I had received, — added to
their knowledge that the firftof January brought on a didblu-
tion of the beft part of our army, — gave me the ft rouged, rea-
fons to conclude that an attack upon us was meditating.

Our lituation was mod critical, and our force fmall. To
remove immediately was again dedroying every dawn of
hope which had begun to revive in the breads of the Jerfey
militia ; and to bring thofe troops which had nrft crolTed the
Delaware and were lying at Crofwix's under general Cad-
wallader, and thofe under general Mifflin at Bordentown
{amounting in the whole to about three thoufand fix hun-
dred), to Trenton, was to bring them to an expofed place.
One or the other however was unavoidable: — the latter wa$
preferred, and they were ordered to join us at Trenton,
which they did, by a night-march, on the nrft inftant.

B % Qn



4 GENERAL WASHINGTON'S

On the fccond, accoiding to my expectation, the enemy
began to advance upon us ; and, after fome fkirmifhing, the
head of their column reached Trenton about four o'clock,
whilft their rear was as far back as Maidenhead. They at-
tempted to pafs Sanpink creek which, runs through Trenton,
at different places ; but, finding the fords guarded, halted and
kindled their fires. — We were drawn up on the other fide of
the creek. — In this Titration we remained till dark, cannonad-
ing the enemy, and receiving the fire of their field-pieces
which did us but little damage.

Having by this time difcovered that the enemy were great-
ly fuperior in number, and that their defign was to furround
us, I ordered all our baggage to be removed iilently to Bur-
lington foon after dark ; and at twelve o'clock, after renew-
ing our fires, and leaving guards at the bridge in Trenton,
and' other paffes on the fame ftream above, marched by a
round-about road to Princeton where I knew they could not
have much force left, and might have ftores. One thing I
was certain of, — that it would avoid the appearance of a re-
treat (which was of courfe, — or to run the hazard of the
whole army. being cut off) — whilft we might by a fortunate
ft'roke withdraw general Howe from Trenton, and give fome

reputation to our arms. — Happily we fucceeded We found

Princeton about fun-rife with only three regiments and three
troops of light-horfe in it, two of which were on their march
to Trenton. Thefe three regiments, efpecialiy the two firft,
made a gallant refiftance, and, in killed, wounded, and pri-
foners, muff, have loft five hundred men : upwards of one
hundred of them were left dead in the field ; and, with what
I have with me and what were taken in the purfurt and car-
ried acrofs the Delaware, there are near three hundred pri-
foners,- fourteen of whom are officers, all Britifh.

This piece of good fortune is counterbalanced by the lofs
cf the brave and worthy general Mercer, colonels Hazlet and
Potter, captain Neal of the artillery, captain Fleming who
commanded the firft Virginia regiment, and four or five other
valuable officers, who, with about twenty-five or thirty pri-
vates



OFFICIAL LETTERS. 5

vates, were flain in the Held. Our whole lofs cannot be af-
certained, as many who were in purfuit of the enemy (who
were chafed three or roar miles) arc riot vet come in.

The rear of the enemy's army lying at Maidenhead (not
more than five or fix miles from Princeton) was up with us
before our purfuit was over : but as I had the precaution to
deftroy the bridge over Storiey-brook (about half a mile rrom
the field of action), they were fo long retarded there as to
give us time to move off in good order for this place. We
took two brafs field-pieces ; hut, for want of horfes, could
not bring them away. We alfo took fome blankets, fhoes,
and a few other trifling articles, burned the hay, and defhoy-
ed fuch otlver things as the Ihortnefs of the time would ad-
mit of.

My original plan, when I let out from Trenton, was, to
have pufhed on to Brumwic : but the harrafTed flate of our
troops (many of them having had no reft for two nights and
a day), and the danger of loling the advantage we had gained
by aiming at too much, induced me, by the advice of my offi-
cers, to relinquish the attempt : but, in my judgment, fix or
eight hundred frefh troops upon a forced march would have
defrroyed ali their ftores and magazines, — taken (as we have
fmce learned) their military cheft, containing feventy thoufand
pounds, — and put an end to the war. The enemy, from the
belt intelligence I have been able to get, were fo much alarm-
ed at the apprehenfion of this, that they marched immediately
to Brunfwic without halting, except at the bridges (for I alfo
took up thofe on Millftone, on the different routes to Brunf-
wic), and got there before day.

From the belt information I have received, general Howe
has left no men either at Trenton or Princeton. The truth
of this I am endeavoring to afcertain, that I may regulate
my movements accordingly.

The militia are taking fpirits, and, I am told, are coming
in fait from this ftate : but I fear thofe from Philadelphia
will fcarcely fubmit to the hardships of a winter campaign
much longer, efpeciaily as they very unluckily fent their



6 GENERAL WASHINGTON'S

blankets with their baggage to Burlington. I muft do them
the juilice however to add that they have undergone more
fatigue and hardfhip, than I expected militia (eipecially citi-
zens) would have done at this inclement feafon. — I urn juft
moving to Morriiluwn, where I {hail endeavor to put them
under the bed cover I can : — hitherto we have been without
any ; and many of our poor foldjers quite barefoot, and ill
ciad in other refpedts.

I have the honor to be, &c. G. W.



SlR, Aforrl/lozun, 'January 7, 1 7 77.

I AM happy to inform you that the account of general
Mercer's death, tranfmitted in mylaft, was premature, though
it was mentioned as certain by many who faw him after he
was wounded. By intell gence from Princeton yefterday
evening, he was alive, and feemed as if he would do well : —
unhappily he is a prifoner. Had it not been for the inform-
ation I had of his death, I would have tried to have brought
him away, though I believe it could not havebeen effected.

The enemy have totally evacuated Trent and Prince
towns, and are now at Brunfwic and the feveral pofts on
the communication between that and Hudfon's river, but
chiefly at Brunfwic. Their numbers and movements are va-
riouily reported : but all agree that their force is great. There
have been two or three little fkirmifhes between their par-
ties and fomc detachments of militia, in which the latter have
been fuccefsful, and made a few prifoners. The moft con-
fulerable was on funday morning near Springfield, when
eight or ten Waldeckers were killed and wounded, and the
remainder of the party (thirty-nine or forty) made prifoners,
with two officers, by a force not fuperior in number, and
without receiving the lead damage.

The feverity of the feafon has made our troops, .efpecial'y
the militia, extremely impatient, and has reduced the num-
ber very conhderably. Every day more or lefs leave us.
Their complaints, and the great fatigues they had undergone,

induced



OFFICIAL LETTERS.

induced me to come to this place, as die belt calculated of
any in this quarter to accommodate and refresh them. The
fituation is by no means favorable to our vjews ; and, a«
foon as the purpofes are anfwered for which we came, 1
think to remove, though I coiifefs I do not know how we
/hall procure covering for our men elfewhere.

I have die honor to be, Sec. G. W .



Sir, Head- Quarters, Morr'ijiown, Jan. 9, 1777.

I AM honored with yours of the firft inftant, in-
clofing fundry refolves relating to this and the northern army.
Thoie that rcfpecl my department lhall be properly at-
tended to.

lam obliged by vour notice of colonel Baylor, on whom
I ihall confer the command of horfe to which you recom-
mend him. — When die uniform for the regiment is fixed
upon, a horfe properly caparifoned lhall be provided and
prefented to colonel Baylor. — There were no horfes of any
figure or value taken at Trenton.

Since 1 wrote to you laft, the enemy have withdrawn all
their out-garrifons, and centred their whole force at and near
Brunfwic ; but whether with an intention to make a ftand
there or make another pufh towards Philadelphia, I cannot
yet determine. — Upon the evacuation of Elizabethtown,
general Maxwell fell upon the enemy's rear, and made feven-
ty prifoners and took a parcel of baggage.

I have the honor to be, &c. G. ~W\



Sir, Head-Quarters, Morr'iftoivn, Jan. IT, 1777.

I AM honored with yours of the fixth, inclofing fe-
veral refolves of Congrcfs refpedling an exchange to be
propofed between general Lee and the Heiiian fielcl-ofucers
taken at Trenton. Colonel Ralle died the day after the ac-
tion ; and we left one of the majors fo ill of his wounds, that

B 4 I am



S jGENERAL WASHINGTON'S

I am in doubt of his recovery. I can however make an of-
fer of all that remain, in exchange for general Lee, except
one whom you order to be propofed for colonel Allen. If
the offer js rejected by general Howe, I fhall think myfelf
then at liberty to remonftrate to him on his treatment of ge-
neral Lee. If- he will not exchange him, he fhould at leaft
admit him to his parole, as we have ever done their prison-
ers who have fallen into our hands.

I underftand from undoubted authority that they intend to
try the genera 1 by a court-martial, as a deferter from their
fervice, pretending that his refignation was never accepted
of. But I (hall inform general Howe, that, if any fuch ftep
is taken under fo {hallow and illegal a pretext, and their
fentence fhould extend either to affect his life or liberty, they
may depend upon the moft fevere and adequate retaliation up-
on our part.

The enemy have made no move fmce my laft. By every
account, they begin to be diftreffed, particularly for forage,
of which there is little or none remaining in the fmall circle
they poMefs, except fait hay.

By letters from general Heath, of the ninth, he was begin-
ning to move down towards Kingfbridgc with the troops
frpm New-England. This muft add to the diflrefs of the
enemy, who will, by this meafure, be deprived of the fub-
fi Hence they formerly drew from Weft-Chefter and the
counties to the northward of York-ifland.

I have the honor to be, &c. G. W.



Sjr, Head-Quarters, ATorriJlozvn, Jan. 14, 1777.

I Embrace this opportunity, by Mr. Hopkins, of in-
forming you that the enemy remain upon their old ground at
Ambdy and Brunfwic. Our accounts ftill confirm their want
of forage, which J hope will increafc. — If their horfes are
reduced this winter, it will be impofjible for them to take
the field in the fpring.

General



OFFICIAL LETTERS. 9

"General Warner, with two regiments from MafTachn-
fetts, is arrived here: general FL;,:th, with the remainder of
fche troops from that flate, has by this time begun to move
down towards Kingfbrjdge.

1 this day intend to fend in a flag with letters to lord and
general Howe upon the fubje&t of general Lee's exchai ge,
and remonflrating againft the fevere treatment of our prifon^
ers. I indole you copies of both, for your infpe&ibn and
approbation.— I have the honor to be, Sec. G. W.



Sir, Head-Quarters, Morrijloiuri, Jan. 17, 1777.

I HAVE not had the honor of any of your favors
fmce I wrote to you on the fourteenth intrant. — No material
alterations have happened in this quarter. The enemy, from
every account, mean to make Brunfwic their advanced
poff. for this winter. They are endeavoring to draw in
all the forage they can get ; in the courl'e of which, they
have daily fkirmifhes with our advanced parties: but I
think, do what they will, they mull be di it relied greatly be-
fore the winter is over.

By a late refolve of Congrefs, the towns of Carlifle in
Pennfylvania, and Brookfield in Maffachuietts, are fixed upon
for the proper places to erect laboratories, and lay up ma-
gazines of military ftores. Upon communicating this refolve
to general Knox who will have the piiucipal direction of
thefe matters, he was of opinion that Hartford in Connecticut
would be on many accounts more convenient for that pur-
pofe than Brookfield, particularly in refpect to buildings,
which are already erected, and, though not fuch as are im-
mediately fit for the ufes they are intended, may be eafily
converted to them. — General Knox, and others whom I have
confultcd upon the occafion, alfo think that Yorktown will
be full as fafe, and more convenient than Carlifle. — If thefe
fwo alterations fhould, upon a reronfideration, appear to
you in the fame light, and no fleps fhould have been taken

towards



io GENERAL WASHINGTON'S

towards carrying matters into execution, I fhould be glad

that you would, by a new refolve, permit me to direct the
works to be carried on at the places laft mentioned.

Since I began this letter, your favor of the tenth was deli-
vered to me, inclofing fundry refolves of Congrefs to which •
I (hall pay due attention, and (hall inform * * * and * * *
of their difmiffion from the fervice of the ftates.

I have the honor to be, fee. G. W.



Sir, Head-Quarters, JHorr/ftown, Jan. 19, 1777.

THE fluctuating ftate of an army compofed chiefly
of militia bids fair to reduce us to the Situation in which we
were fome little time ago, — that is, of fcarce having anv annv
at all, — except reinforcements fpeedily arrive. One of the
batallions from the city of Philadelphia goes home to-dav, and
the other two only remain a few days longer upon courtefy.
The time for which a country brigade under general Mif-
flin came out is expired, and they ftay from day to day by
dint of folicitation, — their numbers much reduced by defer-
tions. — We have about eight hundred of fheeaitern continen-
tal troops remaining of twelve or fourteen hundred who at
firff agreed to ftay, —part engaged to the laft of this month,
and part to the middle of next. The five Virginia regiments
are reduced to a handful of men, as are colonel Hand's,
Smallwood's, and the German batallion. — A few days apo
general Warner arrived with about feven hundred Maflachu-
fetts militia engaged to the fifteenth of March.

Thus you have a (ketch of our prefent army, with which
•we are obliged to keep up appearances before an enemy al-
ready double to us in numbers, and who from every account
are withdrawing their troops from Rhode-Ifland, to form a
junction of their whole army, and make another attempt ei-
ther to break up ours, or penetrate towards Philadelphia, —
.a thing by no means difficult now, as the ice affords an
«cafy paflage over the Delaware.

I do



OFFICIAL LETTEPvS. n

I do not yet know what effect general Heath's moving
down towards New- York will have. — Yeftcrday morning
a coniiderable firing was heard, which feemed to be about
Kingfbridge, I am in hopes that his appearance on that
quarter with a pretty large force will oblige them to withdraw
part of theirs from Jerfey, to fecure the city of New- York,
which, by late accounts, is weakly garrifoned. — General
Heath has all the eafiern and York militia with him, except
the fmall brigade under general Warner that I mentioned be-
fore, one regiment of Connecticut, (lopped at Providence m
Rhodc-Ifiand, and a number (how many 1 do not know) re-
quelled by general Schuyler to be fent to Ticonderoga. — If it
fhould appear that they are regardlefs of the diverfion made
by general Heath, and perfift in their plan of drawing their
whole army together in Jerfey, I muft order him over with
all his troops, except as many as are neceffary to garriiba
the forts and guard the paffes in the Highlands.

I have ordered away every officer that could be fpared, —
fome to recruit, and fome to collect the fcattered men ot the
different regiments, who are difperfed almoft over the conti-
nent : for, of the vail numbers fent to the hofpitals at dif-
ferent times, few ever returned after they got well.

As militia muft be our dependence till we can get the new-
army railed and properly arranged, I muft entreat you to
continue your endeavors with die flates of Pennfylvania,.
Maryland, and Virginia, to turn out every man they poffibly
can, and for fome longer time than they generally have iTU
pulated for. If they agree for a month or any limited time,
it fhould commence from the time they actually join the ar-
my, and not from the time they leave their homes : other-
wife the marching backwards and forwards confumes the
term of enp"acrement.

I think thefe demands of aid mould be made as quietly as
the nature of the cafe will admit of, efpecially at this time
wlien we are deceiving our enemies with falfe opinions of
our numbers : for, to boaft of our fuperiority in that refpedf,

on



it GENERAL WASHINGTON'S

on cne hand, and to call publicly on the people for afTiitancG
on the other, is an impropriety too glaring : — indeed it lias
been already noticed in fome publications that I have feen
from New- York.

I have the honor to be, &c. G. W.



SlR, Head-Quarters, Aforriflown> fan. 20, 1777.

I AM favored with yours of the fifteenth inftant,
with the fundry refolves inclofed in it. If that refpecling
the continental currency is carried itri&lv into execution, it
cannot fail of folly re-eflabliihing its credit.

I have no objection to the three gentlemen who are recom-
mended for field-officers in the New-Hampihire regiment':
they feem fully entitled to it, as they have raifed the regi-
ment. I will furnifh them with commiiTions from the date
of their appointment, when applied to for that purpofe.

There is fomething particular in the application of colonel
Dubois and his officers for the fum of five hundred and thir-
teen dollars and two-thirds. They were to have been commif-
fioned provided they could raife the men ; but, from their own
pay-abftrac:?, it appears that fourteen otficers only brought
twenty-five men into the held. As they certainlv did not
comply with their agreement,. I would, alter hating the mat-
ter as it really was, iubmit it to Congrefs who have the dif-
pofal of the public money.

I have perufed the petition of rnonheur Faneuil and other
French gentlemen. If they could raife fuch a regiment as
they propofe, it would certainly be ufeful: but I have no coiv
ception that there are Canadians enough to be found even tor
a regiment of the common number, muchlefs of two thoufand
hree hundred and forty-feven, which is the number pro~
tpofed. 1 know, neither colonel Livingfton nor colonel Ha-
zen could ever complete their Canadian regiments when they
had the country open to them. As I would give encourage-
ment to foreigners of real merit, I would put the tiling upon

this



OFFICIAL LETTERS. 15

tliis footing:— if monfieur Faneuil can procure a fufHcienr
number of officers to fall a regiment of the common iize,
and they can give any affurances of being able to ratfe the
men, I would grant them commiilions.

I would beg leave to remark here, that, except we can
throw the many foreigners who hive commiilioos in our
army into a corps together, they will be entirely ufelefs, as
they can neither converfe with officers nor men in any other
kind of regiment.

I am (o well allured that you would not recommend doctor