Adams Papers Digital Edition

Papers of John Adams, volume 5

From James Warren

From James Warren
283 Henry Laurens, Richard Henry Lee, and John Adams to Joseph Trumbull, 5 September 1777 Laurens, Henry Lee, Richard Henry JA Trumbull, Joseph Henry Laurens, Richard Henry Lee, and John Adams to Joseph Trumbull, 5 September 1777 Laurens, Henry Lee, Richard Henry Adams, John Trumbull, Joseph
Henry Laurens, Richard Henry Lee, and John Adams to Joseph Trumbull
Sir State House Philadelphia 5 September 1777

The Resolve of Congress which you will receive under this Cover will shew you that we are appointed a Committee and for what purposes.1

We request you to transmit to us by the earliest good opportunity the fullest intelligence in your late department of Commissary General and you will further oblige us by adding any further information properly authenticated relative to the enquiries which we are ordered to make.2 We are with great regard sir, Your most obedient servant

Henry Laurens Richard Henry Lee John Adams

RC (Ct: Joseph Trumbull Coll.).

1.

The resolve of 27 Aug. called for the collecting of evidence by correspondence with appropriate persons and bodies relative to the evacuation of Ticonderoga. The three-man committee was elected the next day ( JCC , 8:684–686, 688).

 2.

Similar letters went out to others, including Richard Varick (offered for sale, The Collector, July–Aug. 1954, p. 75) and George Clinton, who laid the committee's letter and the congressional resolve of 27 Aug. before the New York legislature (Clinton to Laurens, Lee, and JA, 23 Sept., Public Papers of George Clinton, 10 vols., Albany, 1899–1914, 2:342–343).