TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. III (1775-1776) [1889]
Edition used:
The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1889). Vol. III (1775-1776).
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- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1775.
- Answer to an Address of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. 1
- To James Warren, President of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts.
- To the President of Congress. 1
- To Richard Henry Lee, In Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To General Thomas. 2
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To General Court of Massachusetts Bay.
- To Deputy Governor Cooke, of Rhode Island.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lewis Morris. 1
- To J. Palmer.
- To the President of the Council of Massachusetts Bay.
- To the Provincial Congress of New York.
- To a Committee of the General Court of Massachusetts Bay.
- To Lieutenant-general Gage.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Deputy-governor Cooke.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Lieutenant-general Gage.
- To J. Palmer.
- To Sir William Howe. 2
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Caesar Rodney and Thomas Mckean. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Wooster. 2
- To the Inhabitants of the Island of Bermuda. 2
- To the Major and Brigadier Generals.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To Colonel Benedict Arnold. Instructions.
- To Colonel Benedict Arnold.
- To the Inhabitants of Canada. 1
- To Thomas Everhard, Virginia.
- To Deputy Governor Cooke.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major Christopher French. 1
- To Brigadier-general Joseph Spencer.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Captain Daniel Morgan.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the General Officers.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Robert Carter Nicholas, Virginia.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Committee of Falmouth, Casco Bay.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the General Court of Massachusetts.
- To Josiah Quincy. 1
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Brigadier-general John Sullivan. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed, Philadelphia.
- To Colonel William Woodford. 2
- To the President of Congress.
- To William Palfrey, Portsmouth. 3
- To Henry Knox. Instructions.
- To Major-general Artemas Ward.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Aaron Willard. Instructions.
- To Lund Washington, Mount Vernon. 1
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Cooke.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Colonel Benedict Arnold.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress. 1
- To Joseph Reed.
- To His Excellency General Howe.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To the General Court of Massachusetts.
- To the President of Congress.
- 1776.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Governor Cooke.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Charles Lee. 1 Instructions.
- To the Council of Massachusetts Bay.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel Benedict Arnold.
- To James Warren, Speaker Etc.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the General Court of Massachusetts Bay.
- To Matthew Thornton. 1
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the New England Governments.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Colonel Benedict Arnold.
- To Commodore John Manly.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the General Court of Massachusetts.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To Miss Phillis Wheatley.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Commanding Officer At New York.
- To the President of Congress.
- Proclamation On the Evacuation of Boston.
- To the General Court of Massachusetts Bay.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Colonel Thomas Mifflin, Quartermaster-general. Instructions.
- Answer to an Address From the General Assembly of Massachusetts.
- To Major-general Putnam. Instructions.
- To John Augustine Washington.
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Cambridge, 2 November, 1775.
Sir,
I could not suffer Mr. Randolph to quit this camp, without bearing some testimony of my duty to the Congress; although his sudden departure (occasioned by the death of his worthy relative, whose loss, as a good citizen and valuable member of society, is much to be regretted) does not allow me time to be particular.
The enclosed return shows, at one view, what reliance we have upon the officers of this army, and how deficient we are likely to be in subaltern officers. A few days more will enable me to inform the Congress what they have to expect from the soldiery, as I shall issue recruiting-orders for this purpose, so soon as the officers are appointed, which will be done this day, I having sent for the general officers, to consult them in the choice.
I must beg leave to recall the attention of the Congress to the appointment of a brigadier-general, an officer as necessary to a brigade, as a colonel is to a regiment, and one that will be exceedingly wanted in the new arrangement.
The proclamations and association, herewith enclosed, came to my hands on Monday last. I thought it my duty to send them to you. Nothing of moment has happened since my last. With respectful compliments to the members of Congress, I have the honor to be, &c.
Edmund Randolph, who had served for a short time as an aid to General Washington.
Peyton Randolph, president of the first Continental Congress. He died suddenly at Philadelphia on the 22d of October. A long and intimate friendship had existed between him and Washington. He had lately been absent from Congress to preside in the Virginia Convention, and his last letter to Washington was dated September 6th. It begins with the following paragraph:—
“I have it in command to transmit to you the thanks of the Convention of Virginia for your faithful discharge of the important trust reposed in you, as one of their delegates to the Continental Congress. Your appointment to an office of so much consequence to America, and incompatible with your attendance on this duty, was the only reason that could have induced them not to call you to the same service. Your brother delegates were unanimous in their acknowledgments, and you will believe it gives me the greatest satisfaction to convey to you the sentiments of your countrymen, and at the same time to give you every testimony of my approbation and esteem.”
Although the election of a brigadier-general was appointed for November 23d, the journals contain no mention of any action taken until January 1776, when Joseph Fry was chosen for the army in Massachusetts, and Benedict Arnold for the army in the northern department.
Proclamations issued by General Howe, on the 28th of October. The first was for prohibiting any person from leaving Boston, in which he says, “I do, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me by his Majesty, forbid any person or persons whatever, not belonging to the navy, to pass from hence by water or otherwise without my order or permission given in writing. Any person or persons detected in the attempt, or who may be retaken upon sufficient proof thereof, shall be liable to military execution, and those who escape shall be treated as traitors by seizure of their goods and effects.” The second proclamation prohibited any person from carrying more than five pounds in specie away from the city. The association was for embodying the citizens to defend the town. See Remembrancer, Vol. ii., p. 191. Boston Gazette, November 6th, 1775.
With this letter is the Royal Proclamation of 23 August, 1775, “for suppressing rebellion and sedition.”
Read in Congress, November 13th.
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