From George Washington to Major General Nathanael Greene, 31 August 1779
To Major General Nathanael Greene
Hd Qrs [West Point] Augt 31 1779
Dr Sr,
I recd your favor respecting the state of the back road,1 & in order to effect that business with the least inconvenience to the troops, I have inclosed you a letter to Col. Hall of the Delaware battalion2—It is left open for your perusal, & you will find that I have desired him to follow your directions, which you will be pleased to give him; and take such steps about the necessary tools as you think proper—On the 28th Inst. I wrote to Col. Hall to join his Brigade here—he was to take the route by Morris town pompton Ringwood, & the Clove—but I conceive, If you send off immediately yr letter will probably reach him before he leaves his camp at Middle Brook. I am Dr Sr &c.
G. W——n
Df, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
GW modified these instructions the following day (see the source note to GW’s second letter to Stirling of 1 Sept.).
1. No letter from Greene to GW on this subject has been found. GW is referring to the main army’s supply road, which ran from Sussex, N.J., through Goshen and Chester, N.Y., to New Windsor, N.Y. (see Map 7).
2. See GW to David Hall, this date.