- 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 COLONEL THOMAS MIFFLIN, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL.
INSTRUCTIONS.
As the motions of the enemy, and the operations of the ensuing campaign, render it indispensably necessary, that a very large body of troops should be immediately assembled at or near New York, you will immediately proceed to Norwich in Connecticut, where you will, in concert with the Brigadier-Generals Heath and Sullivan, regulate the embarkation of the brigades under their command, and settle all such matters with the commissary-general of provisions, and contracts for the transports, as may be further necessary for expediting the march of the rest of the army with the stores, artillery, and camp equipage. This being done, you will proceed without delay to New York; where your first care will be to provide barracks for the troops, firing, forage, and quarters for the general officers. Fix upon a proper house or houses for a general hospital, and stabling for the Continental draught-horses. Intrenching tools must also be immediately provided, with a sufficient quantity of joists and planks for platforms, and timber for gun-carriages; in short, every article necessary for the public service, and which your experience in the last campaign convinces you will be wanted in that now approaching.
The variety of the business of your department renders it next to impossible to point out particularly every duty of your office. Therefore, a latitude is given you in these orders and instructions, which, together with the directions and advice of the commanding general at New York, must be the rule for the future regulation of your conduct; and I shall at present only recommend, that the same integrity, zeal, diligence, and activity, which has animated your past services, may govern that which is to come. Given at Head-Quarters, in Cambridge, this 24th day of March, 1776.
“I beg leave to transmit to you the copy of a petition from the inhabitants of Nova Scotia, brought me by Jonathan Eddy, mentioned therein, who is now here with an Acadian; from this it appears, they are in a distressed situation; and, from Mr. Eddy’s account, they are exceedingly apprehensive, that they will be reduced to the disagreeable alternative of taking up arms and joining our enemies, or to flee their country, unless they can be protected against their insults and oppressions. He says that their committees think many salutary and valuable consequences would be derived from five or six hundred men being sent there, as it would not only quiet the minds of the people from the anxiety and uneasiness they are now filled with, and enable them to take a part in behalf of the colonies, but be the means of preventing the Indians, (of which there are a good many,) from taking the side of government, and the ministerial troops from getting such supplies of provisions from thence as they have done. How far these good purposes would be answered, if such a force was sent, as they ask for, it is impossible to determine in the present uncertain state of things. For, if the army from Boston is going to Halifax, as reported by them before their departure, that, or a much more considerable force would be of no avail; if not, and they possess the friendly disposition to our cause, suggested in the petition and declared by Mr. Eddy, it might be of great service, unless another body of troops should be sent thither by administration, too powerful for them to oppose. It being a matter of some importance, I judged it prudent to lay it before Congress for their consideration; and, requesting their direction upon the subject, shall only add, if they determine to adopt it, that they will prescribe the number to be sent, and whether it is to be from the regiments, which will be left here. I shall wait their decision, and, whatever it is, will endeavour to have it carried into execution.”—Washington to the President of Congress, 27 March, 1776.
There seems to have been in Nova Scotia a strong spirit of opposition to the government, and a tendency to join with the other colonies in open resistance, particularly among the Acadians. The petition above-mentioned was dated on the 8th of February, and signed by twelve persons, resident in Cumberland county, and members of different committees, who had acted, it would appear, with some degree of secrecy, and under fear of the government. Threatening proclamations had been issued, and measures adopted for raising a military force. The petitioners say: “We agreed in our committees, that nothing should be done publicly, as it might instigate the others to fall upon us sooner than they intended, and as we could not tell what was the intention of the Continental Congress concerning us. Therefore we pray ardently, that your Excellency will please to relieve us, that we may be able to express our sentiments publicly, and join our little strength with the other colonies in preventing the ensigns of slavery from being set up in any part of this great empire. We further desire, that this our request may be kept a secret for the present.”
A member of one of the committees also wrote a private letter to Washington, in which he said: “The great contest between Britain and America has hitherto been only treated speculatively among us. I presume a sympathy with our brethren on the continent reigns in the breasts of the generality of the inhabitants. With gladness would we be active in the glorious struggle, if our situation and circumstances were such, as to afford the least glimpse of success; but our remoteness from the other colonies and our form of government, joined with the indigence of the inhabitants, render it in a manner impossible without succour from some other quarter. As to the Acadians, I have dwelt among them near twenty years, and am well acquainted with their manners and ways. They are to a man wholly inclined to the cause of America. There are but about two hundred regular troops in Halifax, including raw recruits from Newfoundland and other places. Had we at present two or three hundred men, they would secure all that part of the province between this place and Halifax.”
As the British army, lately embarked from Boston, had sailed for Halifax, it was of course inexpedient for Congress to attempt any relief to the petitioners by sending troops to Nova Scotia.
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