21To George Washington from Colonel Elias Dayton, 17-20 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I had the honour to receive your Excellencys letter of the 7th instant four days since. I am sorry to acquaint your excellency that my health is not yet as well established as I could wish, being at present exceedingly troubled with a swelling in my thigh, which has confined me closely for a fortnight past, it however bears a favourable appearance & I expect to be able to join the troops in a...
22To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 9 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
Three persons upon whom I very considerably depended for for the discovery of every important movement or transaction of the enemy are apprehended and closely confined in New York, and I am just informed are sentenced to die. As it has become more dangerous, from the late great jealousy and circumspection shewn by the enemy, so it has become more difficult to find such as will undertake to...
23To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 15 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
The fleet of which I gave your Excellency advice in my last, set sail & left the hook the day before yesterday about ten oClock. The account which I transmitted of the number of sail, of troops and the horses embarked was, I believe strictly true. Two frigates only sailed out with them, but I could not learn with certainty whether any part of Arbuthnot’s fleet were to join them on their way....
24To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 18 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
I enclose for your Excellency’s perusal a New York paper of the 16th which was handed to me last evening. As I conceived, the undoubted proofs it contains of a rupture between England and the States of Holland might be of essential importance to us, I have thought proper to forward it to your Excellency by the most expeditious mode of conveyance. A vessel just arrived in New York brings an...
25To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 26 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
In my former letter I acquainted your excellency with the difficulty which attended the sending any persons to the city. Those difficulties & indeed greater still subsist, no one within a fortnight haveing been admited to go their & return, very few of the inhabitants of Staten Island are suffered to cross & not even those without a particular permission from the commandt. The fleet which I...
26To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 30 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
By a person from New york 28th inst. it appears the british fleet were then laying at the hook with the troops on board, The enemy have again vissited Elizabeth Town but have gained little by the excurtion as appears by Capt. Scuders letter inclosed—I have also inclosed the New york account of an action between the french & english fleets by which I think it does not appear the english have...
27To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 7 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the fourth with the annexed duplicate came safe to hand—The original was no doubt taken into New York, as I see by the papers, that the post was carried there. On recollection, your Excellency will remember a plan suggested at Morris town in December last which I was desired to execute. Lieut. McMichael who was the person in view I have ordered to be taken from a flag of truce,...
28To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 14 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
I received your Excellency’s letter dated the 11th last evening. I believe without a doubt that another embarkation is in great forwardness and that in every point it will be more respectable than that of the last under General Phillips. I have enclosed a letter from Capt. Scudder commanding at Elizth Town, which is in a great measure confirmed by my private intelligence from the city. How...
29To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 20 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
Soon after I received your Excellency’s letter, the person who was the subject of it communicated to me the following intelligence. Colonel Conolly with his corps to proceed to Quebec as soon as possible, to be joined in Canada by Sir John Johnson with a number of tories and Indians said to amount to three thousand. His rout is to be by Buck island, Lake Ontario and Venango and his object is...
30To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 9 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s letter of the 1st Instt and shall do every thing in my power to comply fully with the requisition contained in it, altho’ I have of late experienced much greater difficulty in gaining good intelligence from the other side than formerly. I am in daily expectation of having an interview with the person mentioned lately, when I have effected which, I hope to be...
31To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 16 May 1781 (Washington Papers)
In my last I informed your Excellency that the British fleet had sailed the 8th Inst. I have since discovered that the mistake took its’ rise from the circumstance of a great part of it having fallen down below the watering place on that day. I would now acquaint your Excellency that the fleet really sailed on Sunday, convoyed by six ships of the line. Their delay thus long has I imagine been...
32To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 25 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
On the morning of the 21st a body of the enemy, said to amount to fifteen or twenty hundred men landed at shoal harbour near Middletown point and on the evening of the same day, which was the latest intelligence I have had, they had taken a position within four miles of Monmouth court-house. By the accounts from New York of their having carried with them tents, baggage &c. I am inclined to...
33To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 26 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
The enemy, who I informed your Excellency in my last had landed in Monmouth, returned the next day having burned two or three private houses and carried off a small number of cattle—They had four or five men killed and a considerable number wounded with several deserters; upon the whole it appears that they gained very little by their expedition. Arbuthnot’s fleet two days since, lay off Sandy...
34To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 30 June 1781 (Washington Papers)
In my last I acquainted your Excellency with the return of the enemy from Monmouth—On monday night a party consisting of one hundred men landed in Rahway and carried off near fifty head of cattle, about the same number of sheep with fifteen of the inhabitants prisoners, and on thursday night they landed eighty men, three miles south of Elizth Town, which took off with them thirty cattle. They...
35To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 8 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
As soon as your Excellency’s orders were received, to march the Jersey Brigade, no time was lost for calling the parties at Sussex, Pompton and the Clover the last of them arrived the 6th but we were under the necessity of sending a party into the country to procure cattle, as we have not had any meat for some time past, except what we have been obliged to take in that way—This together with...
36To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 12 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I arrived at this place at 8 oClock this morning with the Jersey troops, excepting one subaltern and twenty men whom I ordered yesterday towards the new bridge for the purpose of seizing for our use some fat cattle of which we were in great want and which were most probably designed for the enemy. Enclosed is a letter I received from the Revd Mr Caldwell since we marched; I take the first...
37To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 14 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed is a return of the men now at this place. I have reason to expect that their number will soon be encreased, as four hundred & fifty men are directed by a law of the state to be immediately enlisted, and, as an encouragement for this purpose, each recruit is to receive a bounty of Thirty two silver dollars. When we marched from Morris, public waggons were not to be had we were of...
38To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 23 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
By a person from Newark I am just informed, that a number of heavy cannon have been lately sent from New York to the narrows, at which place, they say, a French fleet is shortly expected. The accounts from New York which appear to have some foundation are, that the Regiment of Anspach with the British light infantry are ordered to return from the southward. I have heard from Colonel Seely, who...
39To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 28 July 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have just received the intelligence from below, of the arrival of a large fleet at the hook on wednesday last. It is said to contain near four thousand men and generally supposed to be the army under Lord Cornwallis. Should there be any foundation for the above, I have reason to expect every hour, a confirmation of it, by an officer whom I sent to Newark the day before yesterday for the...
40To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 27 December 1781 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed is an account of their present force in New York and its dependencies, handed to me by a person who I believe is well informed. Unluckily for me, on sunday night a party of militia from second river, crossed over to Bergen and went into a house near the fort where they made prisoners a Capt. Harding and McMichael—the former was paroled, but the latter being known and demanded by one...
41To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 12 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency the 27th Ultimo and enclosing some returns &c. in which I mentioned some particulars respecting a persone whom I then had, confined in Irons. Bruin, who first gave notice of Sir Harry’s correspondence with the Pensylvanian revolters, and whom they have held in irons since that period in New York, I have got enlarged. And McMichael has been...
42To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 9 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
I received safely the letter which contained your Excellency’s orders for the relief of the Garrison at Wyoming—as the men now there are, by reason of age lameness & other infirmities, fit persons for Garrison duty only. I would ask your Excellency’s permission to relieve the officers only . I have reason to think that the men now there will be contented to stay with a new set of officers and...
43To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 22 February 1782 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed is the proceedings of a court martial held on a deserter from the second Regiment of Jersey, he was taken from a party of British sailors on their way from Philadelphia to New York to be exchanged, his Officers say he is a very bad fellow—Three days since two frigates with twelve sail of transports left N. York and it is publickly said they are gone to bring all the troops from...
44To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 9 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
Last night I received the enclosed and as it contains intelligence that may be of consequence to the states, I have taken the liberty of forwarding it to your Excellency by the first opportunity. I am informed that the British are actually at work in erecting lines from North to East River, particulars of which I shall have soon, a number of ships are said to have just arrived at Sandy Hook. I...
45To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 15 March 1782 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ the officers of the Jersey line are in want of every species of cloathing, and altho the Pay master generals notes would be a considerable relief, yet they are induced from motives of prudence & policy unanimously to decline accepting them. Necessitous as our circumstances are, we conceive it far more eligible to make this sacrifice than to hazzard the affects which our receiving the...
46To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 6 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
General Clinton gave orders three days since to all the troops under his command to desist from any farther offensive operations against the Americans, without his particular and express orders for the purpose. The Accounts from New York say that vessels are detached to order in all those which are cruising upon our coast, but I have not seen any official confirmation of it. A fleet is now...
47To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 14 May 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have received your Excellency’s letter of the 7th with the proceedings of a court martial enclosed, which proceedings the court were of opinion from the nature of the oath they had taken, they could not communicate to any person untill the commander in chief’s pleasure shuld be known, they therefore dispatched them to Head Quarters without my knowledge when your Excellency returned them to...
48To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 8 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
In Consequence of your Excellencys Order, Mr Depuyster was apprehended & confined in the Jersey Camp, and a Representation of his Case immediately forwarded to Governor Livingston—Previous to the Governors Answer, Mr Depuyster applied to Council, claiming the Priviledges of a Subject of the State of New Jersey, this Council advised, & accordingly issued by his Directions two Writs of habeas...
49To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 17 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
I am honored with two letters from Your Excellency dated the 11th: Your Excellencys Orders for sending on Mr Depeyster, provided upon a representation of the matter, it was approved by the Governor together with his directions for that purpose, were the reasons which occasioned my conducting with him in the manner I have done. Ignorant of your Excellency’s intentions respecting Mr Depeyster &...
50To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 18 June 1782 (Washington Papers)
In my letter of yesterday I informed your Excellency that I had ordered Capt. Asgil to the Jersey Huts but upon waiting on him today I found him in such a situation that humanity would have shuddered at the idea of his removal he has been in a fever for some time past and the agitation of his mind upon the apprehension of less agreeable quarters and perhaps more indelicate treatment have...