To George Washington from Major General Israel Putnam, 27 September 1778
From Major General Israel Putnam
Highlands [N.Y.] 27th septr 1778
Dear Sir
By the latest accounts from the other side of the River, the Enemy, have been reinforcing considerably, and have got 17 Feild peices at the liberty pole. Their intention I amagine is to plunder the Country, of all the stock they can collect and return. I have not an Idea of their Visiting us at this post. We continue to send Fatigue to the Fort daily. I am dear sir Yr Most Obedt Servant.
Israel Putnam
LS, DLC:GW. A notation in the lower-left corner of the addressed cover reads: “Favord by Col: [William] Grayson.”
Putnam apparently enclosed with this letter the letter that Col. Oliver Spencer wrote to him at 5 a.m. on this date from King’s Ferry, N.Y., which reads: “yesterday I Sent a Boad down as Low as Dobbs’s Ferry for intelligence and I believe this may be Depended on that there are 15 Sail of Shipping up the river as far as Phillips’s four of which Large and then under Sail Beating Up with the flood; there has been a party of the enemy’s horse and foot Above Dobbs’s, and it is Said that the enemy’s main Body Lies in Phillips’s Woods just above his house, I Shall endeavour to get farther information this Day and will Transmit to you whatever I think may be Depended on” (DLC:GW).