The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• 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 COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.

Cambridge, 10 January, 1776.

Gentlemen,

In the confused and disordered state of this army, occasioned by such capital changes as have taken place of late, I have found it almost impossible to come at exact returns of the strength of our lines. Not till last night was I able to get in the whole, since the dissolution of the old army. By these I find myself weaker than I had any idea of, and under the necessity of requesting an exertion of your influence and interest to prevail upon the militia of this government, now in the pay of the Continent, to continue till the last of the month and longer, if requisite. I am assured that those of New Hampshire will not stay any longer than they engaged for, notwithstanding our weak state and the slow progress we make in recruiting, which by the last week’s report, amounts to but little more than half of our usual complement, owing it is said to the number of men going or expecting to go into the provincial service at or near their own homes.

I am more and more convinced that we shall never raise the army to the new establishment by voluntary enlistments. It is, therefore, necessary that the neighboring governments should consider in time and adopt some other expedient for effecting it.

The hurry I was in the other day, when your committee did me the honor to present a petition from a person, (whose name I have forgot,) wanting to be employed in the Continental army, prevented me from being so full on the subject as I wished.

I shall beg leave, therefore, at this time to add, that I hope your honorable Board will do me the justice to believe, that it will give me pleasure at all times to pay a proper respect to any recommendation coming from them, and that the reason why I do not now encourage such kind of applications, as was then made, is, that the new army was arranged, as near the plan and agreeable to the orders of Congress, (although some unavoidable departures and changes have taken place,) as it was in my power to comply with; and the officers thus constituted ordered to recruit. Every attempt, therefore, of others not of this appointment must counteract, and has been of infinite prejudice to the service. They infuse ideas into the minds of men they have any influence over, that, by engaging with them, or, which is tantamount, not engaging with others, they shall be able to force themselves into the service. Of this we have numberless instances. I am, therefore, anxious to discourage every attempt of the kind, by convincing such persons, that their engaging a company will not bring them in. If such persons could once be convinced of this, the business of this army would go on more smoothly, and with much more regularity and order. In short, gentlemen, it is scarce possible for me to convey to you a perfect idea of the trouble and vexation I have met with, in getting this matter fixed upon some settled footing. One day an officer would serve; another, he would not, and so on, till I have hardly known what steps to pursue for preserving of consistency, and advancing the good of the service, which are the only objects I have in view. I have no friend whom I want to bring in, nor any person with whom I am in the least connected, that I wish to promote. I am, gentlemen, with much esteem, &c.