From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 22 October 1779
To Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Head Quarters [West Point] 22d October 1779
Dear Sir
I recd yours of yesterday late last night—I had, previous to the arrival of it, heard of the evacuation of the points, from the other side of the River.1
I purpose going down early tomorrow morning—Be pleased therefore to order a covering party of 100 Men to be upon Stoney point tomorrow morning by eight OClock—at which time I shall be glad to meet you there.2 I am Dear Sir Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PHi: Wayne Papers. GW signed the cover of the LS, which was addressed to Wayne at Haverstraw, New York.
1. GW is referring to an unfound second letter from Wayne written on 21 October. Wayne indicated that he wrote that letter at 3:30 P.M. in his letter to GW of this date. For the British evacuation of Verplanck Point and Stony Point, N.Y., on 21 Oct., see GW to Horatio Gates, this date, and n.7.
2. Tilghman drafted the portion of this letter that begins at the start of this paragraph when preparing GW’s letter to William Heath of this date. The letter to Heath differs in that it requested a covering party for Verplanck Point, the King’s Ferry terminal on the east bank of the Hudson River.