I. To George Washington from Captain Jonathan Dayton, 7 June 1780
I
From Captain Jonathan Dayton
Near Eliza: Town [N.J., 7 June 1780]1
past 1 oClock—Wednesday morn.
Sir
I am directed by Colo: Dayton to inform your excellency that the enemy landed this night at 12 oClock, from the best intelligence four or five thousand men & Twelve field pieces, & it is his conjecture they intend to penetrate into the country. I am your excelly’s most hum. servt
Jona: Dayton Capt. 3rd J. Regt
ALS, DLC:GW.
Jonathan Dayton (d. 1824), son of Col. Elias Dayton, joined his father’s 3d New Jersey Regiment as an ensign in February 1776 and became the regiment’s paymaster the following August. Promoted to lieutenant in January 1777, Dayton became the regiment’s captain lieutenant in April 1779. He served as an aide-de-camp to Maj. Gen. John Sullivan from May to November 1779 and received promotion to captain the following March. Taken prisoner at Elizabeth, N.J., in October 1780 and exchanged later that year, Dayton transferred to the 2d New Jersey Regiment in January 1781. He left the army in November 1783.
1. GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison docketed the letter “7 June.”