TO GOVERNOR TRUMBULL. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. V (1776-1777) [1890]
Edition used:
The Writings of George Washington, collected and edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford (New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1890). Vol. V (1776-1777).
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- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1776.
- To the President of Congress. 1
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lieutenant-general Howe.
- To Major-general Lee. Instructions.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Heath. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To Governor Livingston, New Jersey.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Board of War.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To Lund Washington.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Brigadier-generals Lord Stirling, Mercer, Stephen, and De Fermoy. Instructions.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Lee.
- To the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lieutenant-general Howe.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Colonel Joseph Reed, Or Colonel John Cadwalader, 1 At Bristol.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- 1777.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Robert Morris, George Clymer, and George Walton, a Committee of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To Lieutenant-colonel Edward Antill.
- To Lieutenant-general Earl Cornwallis.
- To Colonel George Baylor.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Colonel Nathaniel Gist. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lord Howe.
- To Lieutenant-general Howe.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To General Heath.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Cooke.
- To Lieutenant-general Howe.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Governor Trumbull. 2
- To Governor Livingston.
- General Washington’s Proclamation.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Sullivan.
- To the Governor of North Carolina. 1
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Arnold.
- To Brigadier-general Parsons. 2
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Brigadier-general Knox.
- To Brigadier-general Maxwell. 2
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia.
- To the Council of Massachusetts Bay.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Robert Morris.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Brigadier-general Andrew Lewis.
- To Lieutenant-colonel Robert H. Harrison. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Brigadier-general Wooster. 1
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Sullivan.
- To Major-general Greene. Instructions.
- To Major-general Mifflin.
- To Robert Alexander.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Elias Boudinot.
- To Governor Cooke.
- To Brigadier-general Arnold.
- To Brigadier-general Parsons.
- Proclamation Respecting Deserters.
- To General Heard.
- To Colonel Reed Or Colonel Cox.
- To Lieutenant-general Howe.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Brigadier-general Mifflin.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Brigadier-general Glover.
- To Doctor James Craik. 2
- To Major-general Lincoln.
- To Brigadier-general Mcdougall.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel Alexander Spotswood.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Mcdougall.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Greene. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Monsieur Malmedy. 2
- To the President of Congress.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Governor Henry.
- To Brigadier-general Parsons.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Brigadier-general Mcdougall.
- To James Warren.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Parsons.
- To Governor Henry.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Appolos Morris.
- To Colonel Samuel B. Webb.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To Lieutenant-general Howe.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Major-general Arnold. 1
- To M. Danmours.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To General Lee. 2
- To Governor Rutledge.
- To General Sullivan.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To De Coudray.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Lieutenant-general Sir William Howe.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To the Brigadier-generals of Militia In the Western Parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.
- To the Committee of Congress. 2
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Lord Stirling.
- To Major-general Schuyler.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Governor Trumbull.
TO GOVERNOR TRUMBULL.
Headquarters,Morris Town,
1 February, 1777.
Sir,
I have the pleasure of yours of the 23d January by Major Wyllys, and thank you for your congratulations upon our late successes, which have been attended with very happy consequences, as the enemy have remained very quiet at Brunswick and Amboy since the affair at Princetown.
I have wrote to Congress in a very pressing manner not only to send on a present supply of money, but to forward the check-books and loan-tickets with the greatest expedition.
I most sincerely wish it were in my power to procure the immediate release of all our officers and soldiers who have been so unfortunate as to fall into the hands of our enemies; but when the chance of war has turned the scale against us in point of numbers what more can be done than to give those a preference who have longest endured captivity? That I might avoid every imputation of partiality for the officers of any particular State, I have in all my letters to General Howe, and to Mr. Loring, the Commissary of prisoners, directed that an equal proportion of officers of the Eastern and Southern States be sent out. But without paying any regard to my request, they have given Pennsylvania more than her proportion, having never discharged one of the Maryland officers taken on Long Island. Major Meigs and Captain Hanchet are already released. We have no general officer to propose for Colonel Waterbury, and if we had, General Thompson, who was taken long before, has a preference.
If General Howe does not accede to the proposal of Congress for giving up all the Hessian field officers taken at Trenton, for General Lee, Lieutenant Colonel Hart and Major Wells will probably come in for their turn of exchange. You, by your return, have sent in but three captains, and I have convinced Major Wyllys, who ranks as captain, that I cannot consent to propose him for one of those without doing injustice to Captain Dearborn, who was taken at Quebec, 31st December, 1775, and Captains Trowbridge and Percival, taken the 27th August last upon Long Island. By my state of the exchange of prisoners, a captain is still due us. If there should be, I have desired Major Wyllys may be accepted for him.
You mention the names of several subalterns who were taken upon Long Island and York Island, whose release you would wish, but there are yet eight gentlemen taken at Quebec who have a right to a preference. I have made a proposition to General Howe, which, if he accepts will give great relief to our prisoners. It is the establishment of an agent, to reside in New York, to see that the prisoners are well used, and to supply them with necessaries.
I should have had no objection to appointing Colonel Root, to the command of a regiment, could it possibly be raised upon the terms allowed by Congress, which is a bounty of 20 dollars; but by your State and that of Massachusetts having given an additional bounty of 33⅓ dollars, not a man can be raised till the eight regiments allotted to your State are full. I have, I may say, unfortunately given seven of the additional regiments to gentlemen of New England, and I was under the strongest hopes that they, from their influence, would have soon filled their regiments; but I cannot suppose that men will enlist for a bounty of 20 dollars, with them, when they can get 53⅓ dollars from this State. I have the honor, &c.
“The General positively forbids all recruiting Officers whatever, giving a greater bounty for men, or making them any other promises, than what is particularly mentioned in the Resolve of Congress for that service, nor does he admit of Officers inlisting men out of one State, to serve in another, unless they are of the additional Battalions, the Congress’s own Regt. or the Train of Artillery, without Special orders issued for that purpose; great inconvenience and injustice arising therefrom, and necessary to be prevented.”—Orderly Book, 1st February, 1777.
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