TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS. - 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 THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Morristown, 12 May, 1777.
Sir,
I was this morning honored by your letter of the 10th Inst., accompanied by the proceedings of Congress of the day before.
The conduct of too many officers, in with-holding the pay of their soldiers, I am persuaded, is reprehensible, and has been the cause of uneasiness & of many desertions. Every measure in my power will be exerted to prevent such abuses in future, and every aid given to punish the offenders in an Exemplary manner; But Congress will excuse me, when I tell them, it will be impossible to comply with their recommendation upon this subject; unless the Genl. officers withdraw their attention from matters of the utmost importance and such as require their constant use. Were this not the case, the dispersed situation of the Officers at this time, thro the different States on the recruiting service, would prohibit the Enquiry. Nor do I apprehend the Regulations empowering & enjoining the Regimental Paymasters to bring them to an Account will be found competent to the End. Such Officers will be proper to state the accounts in the first instance & to receive Vouchers, &c., but will not do to settle them finally, as their connections with the Regiment will subject them much to the influence of the Officers. I should suppose, if Two or three Gentlemen of integrity and of ability in accounts, were appointed Auditors, to attend the Army, till the Business is finished, it would be the best expedient that could be fallen on. They would be a check on the Paymasters, and, I am persuaded, will be the means of the Accounts being fairly and justly liquidated. If a settlement can be once obtained, I trust the same confusion will never take place again, as the Paymasters will receive and pay all money due to the Regiments and account for it and as the army is on a more permanent footing than it ever was before; For this, like most other inconveniences and difficulties which we have experienced, is to be imputed in a great measure to short Inlistments and the frequent dissolution of our Troops.
A return of the Army in Jersey, as late as the 6th Instant—I transmitted yesterday morning in a Letter by Mr. Randolph of Chestnut Street, which you will probably receive today, and from which Congress will be able to determine the expediency of calling out the Militia from Delaware and Pennsylvania. Tho’ it gives me pain, that we should be under the necessity of recurring to such a measure, yet I should suppose it to be adviseable. Our Army is weak and by no means equal to that of the Enemy, and till their designs are known and we are more reinforced with Regular Troops, we should be prepared in the best manner we can. I would observe, if the Militia are called out, it should be for a fixed determinate time? For tho’ they will certainly return when that expired, yet that is more tolerable than for them to go off in parties every day, as their Whim and caprice suggest, which has always been the case, when the time was not stated. I would also observe, if it is possible, they should be engaged to march out of their State, if they are ordered. If their service is located, they will move with great reluctance if they do at all.
On Saturday, a smart skirmish happened with a Detachment of our Troops, who attacked a number of the Enemy near Piscataway, in which our men behaved well and obliged the Enemy to give way twice, as reported to me with loss. The Enemy receiving a strong reinforcement, our People retreated to their post. I cannot give the particulars as they have not been sufficiently ascertained. Their pickets, were also attacked yesterday by some of our parties, from Bound Brook, and forced within their lines.
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