To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 15 October 1778
From Major General Stirling
Aquakanoc [N.J.] Octor 15: 1778
Dr Sir
I wrote your Excellency yesterday from Hackensack, the parties of horse which followed the Enemy returned last Night they got to powles hook about one oClock, about one hundred Sail of transports lay off that place.1 This forrageing Jaunt has Cost the Enemy at least Seventy deserters a great proportion of them fine fellows Granadiers & light Infantry, we lost one a foreigner.
The troops are Marching to their Stations, I expect to be at Elizabeth Town this Afternoon—I am your Excellency’s Most Obt Humble Servant
Stirling,
ALS, DLC:GW. Stirling wrote in the lower-left corner of the addressed cover: “Pr favour of Capt. Livingston.” The bearer may have been Abraham Livingston (1754–1802), who served as a captain in the 1st Canadian Regiment from December 1776 to January 1781, and subsequently as a captain of New York militia levies.
1. For other accounts of the withdrawal of this British foraging expedition from New Jersey to New York City between 13 and 15 Oct., see William Woodford to GW, 13 Oct., and note 1 to that document.