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Front Page  Titles (by Subject) TO MAJOR-GENERAL PUTNAM. - The Writings of George Washington, vol. VI (1777-1778)
TO MAJOR-GENERAL PUTNAM. - George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, vol. VI (1777-1778) [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. VI (1777-1778).
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- The Writings of George Washington.
- 1777.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Governor Henry.
- To the Council of Safety of New York.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To Lieutenants Bird, Dorsey, Craig, Moore, and Gray. 1
- To Governor Clinton.
- To Benjamin Franklin, In Paris.
- To Benjamin Harrison, In Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Wayne.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress. 2
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Sullivan.
- To General Cadwalader.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Lieutenant-colonel Alexander Hamilton.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Lord Stirling.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Sir William Howe. 1
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel Christopher Greene. Instructions.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Brigadier-general Potter. 1
- To Lieutenant-colonel Samuel Smith.
- To Governor George Clinton.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Thomas Wharton, President of Pennsylvania.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Baron D’arendt. Instructions.
- To John Augustine Washington.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To John Hancock. 1
- To Major-general Sullivan.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Forman.
- Circular to Pulaski and Colonels of Horse.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- Call For a Council of Officers.
- To Francis Hopkinson and John Wharton, of the Navy Board. 1
- To Landon Carter.
- To Lieutenant-colonel Alexander Hamilton.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Varnum.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Sir William Howe.
- To Jeremiah Powell, President of the Council of Massachusetts.
- To General Thomas Nelson.
- To Col. Theodorick Bland.
- To Brigadier-general Conway.
- To Henry Laurens, President of Congress. 2
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Varnum.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Governor Henry.
- To Sir William Howe.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To Alexander Hamilton.
- To Brigadier-general Conway.
- To Major-general St. Clair, Major-general Baron De Kalb, and Brigadier-general Knox. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Richard Henry Lee, In Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To the Officers and Soldiers of the Militia In the Counties of Hunterdon, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Greene.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To Joseph Reed.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To George Read, President of Delaware.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the Executives of the Eastern States.
- To Major-general Conway. 1
- To Governor Livingston.
- 1778.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major General Gates.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Wharton.
- To Major-general Arnold. 1
- To Sir William Howe.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To Major-general Putnam.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Major-general Charles Lee.
- To a Committee of Congress. 1
- To Sir William Howe.
- To Henry Laurens.
- To John Parke Custis.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Peter Colt. 2
- To Thomas Nelson, Jr.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Brigadier-general Wayne. Instructions.
- To Sir William Howe.
- To Major-general Mcdougall.
- To Major-general Gates.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Richard Henry Lee.
- To Governor George Clinton.
- An Address to the Inhabitants of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. 1
- To William Duer.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Bryan Fairfax. 2
- To Thomas Wharton, President of Pennsylvania.
- To Colonel George Baylor. Instructions.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Brigadier-general Parsons, At West Point.
- Copy of the Letter Referred to Above.
- To the Marquis De Lafayette.
- To Lieutenant-general Burgoyne.
- To George William Fairfax, In England.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Robert R. Livingston.
- To Philip Schuyler, James Duane, and Volkert P. Douw, Commissioners of Indian Affairs.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To Major-general Mcdougall.
- To the President of Congress.
- To James Bowdoin, President of the Council of Massachusetts.
- To Brigadier-general John Cadwalader.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Sir William Howe.
- To the President of Congress.
- To John Ternant. 1
- To Major-general Armstrong.
- To Patrick Henry.
- To Patrick Henry.
- To Governor Trumbull.
- To Thomas Mckean. 1
- To Colonel Josias C. Hall.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Colonel Mathias Ogden.
- To the President of Congress.
- To the General Officers In Camp.
- To John Banister, Delegate In Congress.
- To Major-general Mcdougall.
- To Major-general Charles Lee.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Gouverneur Morris, In Congress.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Governor Livingston.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Major-general Heath.
- To the President of Congress.
- To Henry Laurens.
TO MAJOR-GENERAL PUTNAM.
Chester, 1 August, 1777. Dr Sir,
I have this moment received intelligence by express, that the enemy’s fleet yesterday morning about eight o’clock sailed out of the Capes in an eastern course. This surprising event gives me the greatest anxiety, and, unless every possible exertion is made, may be productive of the happiest consequences to the enemy, and the most injurious to us. I have desired General Sullivan’s division, and the two brigades that left you last, immediately to return and recross the river, and shall forward on the rest of the army with all the expedition in my power. I have also written to General Clinton requesting him instantly to reinforce you, with as many militia of the State of New York as he can collect; and you are, on receipt of this, to send on an express to Governor Trumbull, urging it upon him to assist you, with as many of the Connecticut militia as he can get together, and without a moment’s loss of time.
The importance of preventing Mr. Howe’s getting possession of the Highlands by a coup de main is infinite to America; and, in the present situation of things, every effort that can be thought of must be used. The probability of his going to the eastward is exceedingly small, and the ill effects that might attend such a step inconsiderable in comparison with those, that would inevitably attend a successful stroke upon the Highlands. Connecticut cannot be in more danger through any channel than this, and every motive of its own interest and the general good demand its utmost endeavors to give you effectual assistance. Governor Trumbull will I trust be sensible of this. I am, &c.
A letter to General Greene of this date is written from the City Tavern at Philadelphia. Others are dated from Chester on Delaware, at 9.30 and 10 o’clock p.m.
“I had proceeded thus far in order to look out for a proper place to arrange the army, when I received the provoking account that the enemy’s fleet left the Capes of Delaware yesterday, and steered eastward again. I shall return again with the utmost expedition to the North River; but as a sudden stroke is certainly intended by this manœuver, I beg you will immediately call in every man of the militia that you possibly can to strengthen the Highland posts. The importance of Fort Montgomery is such, that I wish you to repair immediately to it, if you possibly can, consistent with the duties of the office upon which you have newly entered. A party must be still kept to secure the entrance of the Clove.”—Washington to Governor George Clinton, 1 August, 1777.
As Washington feared that “if any of the troops enter this city [Philadelphia], it will only tend to debauch them,” they were ordered to halt at Germantown, and strict orders given that no officer or soldier was to come into Philadelphia on any account.
On the 3d, word was brought that the fleet was again off the Capes, which produced such uncertainty as to induce Washington to issue the order summarized in the first paragraph of his letter to Governor Trumbull of August 4th.
“With respect to the Tory, who was tried and executed by your order, though his crime was heinous enough to deserve the fate he met with, and though I am convinced you acted in the affair with a good intention, yet I cannot but wish it had not happened. In the first place, it was a matter, that did not come within the jurisdiction of martial law, and therefore the whole proceeding was irregular and illegal, and will have a tendency to excite discontent, jealousy, and murmurs among the people. In the second, if the trial could properly have been made by a Court-Martial, as the division you command is only a detachment from the army, and you cannot have been considered as in a separate department, there is none of our articles of war that will justify your inflicting a capital punishment, even on a soldier, much less on a citizen. I mention these things for your future government, as what is past cannot be recalled. The temper of the Americans, and the principles on which the present contest turns, will not countenance proceedings of this nature.”—Washington to Brigadier-General Deborre, 3 August, 1777.
“From the representation made to me respecting Brown & Murphy, I then thought it became necessary to execute one of them by way of example; but as you are of opinion that the necessity is in some degree removed, and from late discoveries that there is a possibility of their not being guilty, you have my free consent to pardon them both, as it is my most sincere wish, that whenever we are guilty of an error in matters of this nature, it may be on the side of mercy and forgiveness.”—Washington to General Sullivan, 10 August, 1777.
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