TO GOVERNOR COOKE. - 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 COOKE.
Morristown, 3 April, 1777.
Sir,
I am honord with yours of the 18th of last month.
The late ample arrivals of arms at Philadelphia and at Portsmouth, added to those which we before had, puts us out of all further uneasiness on account of that necessary article. The eleven hundred and seventy-six stand, which you received from the Continental agent at Boston, will be very near the number wanted for your two Continental battalions when complete; and I desire that they may be carefully collected from the militia, to whom any part of them were lent, and applied to that purpose. The effects of granting extravagant bounties, and of raising bodies of men upon colonial establishments, now appear, from the returns of the low state of your Continental battalions. From the first cause, the men are taught to set a price upon themselves, and refuse to turn out, except that price is paid; and I am informed in some instances, in Massachusetts, one hundred pounds lawful money per man has been paid. It is also evident, that the raising of the colonial brigade for fifteen months retards the Continental enlistments; for General Spencer in a letter of the 26th of March writes to me, that the first has five hundred men, and the last but three hundred and eighty, about half of whom have had the smallpox; and he adds, that General Varnum was only then preparing hospitals for the inoculation of the remainder. Strange that this should have been neglected so long, when my orders were given on the 3d of March, to provide quarters and to inoculate immediately.
You certainly overrate the Number of the Enemy upon Rhode Island, if they consist of only six Hessian and two British regiments. The Hessian regiments, when they came out complete, did not exceed six hundred men each, and the British two hundred and fifty each. Now, if they have decreased by Casualties in proportion to the other troops in the British army, they are scarcely more than three thousand; a number too small to make any attempt upon the Main. I am convinced, from every appearance, that they intend to leave Rhode Island, where they have wintered comfortably, and kept up a considerable diversion, and join their main Body in this Province. How I am to oppose them, God knows; for, except a few hundred from Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, I have not yet received a man of the new Continental levies. So far from being able to consent, that your Continental battalions should remain at home, supposing the enemy should continue upon the Island, that I am obliged, in the most positive Terms, to order every Man, who has had the smallpox, to come immediately forward, and those who have not, so soon as they are recovered. I have written to General Varnum to the same effect. As it is my duty to afford equal protection to every part of the continent, you may be assured, if I thought there was any real danger to be apprehended from the enemy at Rhode Island, that, instead of drawing the Continental troops from that quarter, I would add to their numbers. But, when there is every probability of their coming away, and, supposing they should stay, as the internal strength of the country would hinder them from setting foot upon the main, I think I am excusable in drawing every man in the Continental service (except those intended for the northern department) to this point, to give opposition to the grand army of the enemy, who, unless they are checked, will, in turn, overrun every State in the Union.
As the safety of the whole confederacy depends upon each State’s furnishing the quota of men allotted to it, I must call upon you in the most pressing manner first to endeavor to complete your allotment by the usual methods; but, if your men will not turn out voluntarily, notwithstanding the great encouragement given by the State, I beg you will, if your powers are adequate, insist upon each district’s furnishing a certain number, as they have done in Massachusetts. If neither of these modes can be fallen upon, to good effect, we may as well give up the cause. I have the honor to be, &c.
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