1To George Washington from Col. David Forman, 11 May 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Col. David Forman, 11 May 1777. GW wrote Forman on 15 May : “I am favd with yours of the 11th.”
2To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 10 June 1777 (Washington Papers)
Last Evening I rode to Shrewsberry and this Morning Mounted my Horse at Two OClock and rode Down to the Heights of Middle Town to Examin into the State of the Enemies Ships at Sandy Hook, At Amboy and Princus Bay. I recd Information that fifteen Ships Come from amboy Last Evening and Come to in Princus Bay under Stratin Island—With my Glass I Counted them Very Distinctly laying At Anchor—What...
3To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 6 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
The Very busy Season of the Year renders it impossible to keep out a Sufficient Number of Guards to prevent the Enemy from plundering the Inhabitants, unless I take Post near to Sandy Hook. I have pitched on a peice of Ground that is so near as to prevent all small pillageing Parties coming Off, and at the same Time Commands a full prospect of Amboy, Staten Island, and the Bay as far up as the...
4To George Washington from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 16 July 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 16 July 1777. GW writes in his letter to Forman of 18 July that “I am favd with yours of the 16th instant by Express.”
5To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 23 July 1777 (Washington Papers)
On Sunday the 20th of this Instt I had the Honr of Informing your Excely that 160 Sail of the Enemy Fleet had come from the Watering Plase, and lay in Sandy hook Bay —On Monday Morning, fifteen Transports and Men of War Join’d them, and about 10 OClock, 80 Small Briggs., Schooners, & Sloops, came out of the Narrowes & Join’d the Grand Fleet—Tuesday they lay still—This Morning at Half past Six...
6To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 2 August 1777 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the Honr of Transmiting your Excely An Acct of the Enemies Fleet’s sailing, Nothing of Importance has Come to my Knowledge—The Cork Fleet Consisting of 34 Sail Left Sandy hook on Tuesday Morning Last. The Accts respecting the Situation of our Northern Army as handed to us at this place is so Various as to Induce me to beg the favr to have the Accts from Some one of your Excelys...
7To George Washington from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 26 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 26 Sept. 1777. GW wrote Forman on 27 Sept. : “I received your favor of the 26th Inst.”
8To George Washington from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 28 September 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 28 Sept. 1777. GW wrote Forman on 29 Sept. : “I recd yours of yesterday.”
9To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 11 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to my engagement of your Excellency, I immediately waited on the legislative Body of this State for an Order to call out the Militia to reinforce your Excellency’s Army. I procured an Order from the Assembly for two Thousand men to be ordered from this State, and was so happy as to meet with the Concurrence of the Governor & Council. A Copy of the Order from the Governor I herewith...
10To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 15 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
From Freehold I Wrote your Excely what steps I had Taken on my return to Draw out The Militia. At That time I could not tell what effect the order would produce. I now have The Mortification to Inform your Excely th[a]t I do not belive I shall Collect three Hundred men. The Monmouth Militia have Turned out Quite as well as Usual, but from the Irruptions of Several of The Enemies pillaging...
11To George Washington from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 17 October 1777 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Brig. Gen. David Forman, 17 Oct. 1777. GW wrote Forman on 19 Oct. : “I have yours of the 17th.”
12To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 26 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excelys favr of the 22d Directed to me at The Salt works Unfortunately Went to The Salt Works by the lower road at The Same Time I came to Freehold by the upper, by Which means your Excelys orders ware not handed me untill Friday afternoon —previous to Which I had recd an Express giveing an Acct of The Defeat of the Troops your Excly mentioned to have Crossed to Attack the Fort and Their...
13To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 29 October 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excelys favr of the 27th was handed me This afternoon, previous to my rect of it I had given orders to several of The Militia officers of This part of The Country to Assemble Their men—and have used my endevours with Genl Newcomb to obtain a return of The men it is said he has Assembled That They might be put on some Duty either in The Garrisons or on some out guards—But the Genl...
14To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 7 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
Your Excelys favr of the 31st I recd the 1st Novr and The same Morning I recd an Answar from The Counsil of Safety to a Letter I had wrote to Govr Livingston Respecting The Conduct of Brgr Genl Newcomb—The Counsil of safety in their Letter to me enclosed one for Genl Newcomb which they assured me contain’d Their orders to him to make me returns of his Brigade and receive my orders—I...
15To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 1 January 1778 (Washington Papers)
Agreeable to your Exclys request I herewith inclose a Memorial respecting The Salt Works—in The Memorial I have not Specified the Quantity of Salt that I suppose the Works will Dayly produce as Those matters Cannot be with Certainty assertained—yet I think we shall when intirely Compleat produce at Least Two Hund. Buss. ⅌ Day—a Quantity That will Abundantly Supply all the Wants of your Excelys...
16To George Washington from David Forman, 28 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
The Above named Gent. have at all times executed every command to which the[y] have been ordered while I had the Honr to command them, with great exactness. I therefore beg leave to recommend them as officers, that will endevour to deserve any Notice Yr Excelly may honour them with. I am Yr Excelly’s Most obdt Humble Servant ALS , DLC:GW . Preceding this text on the manuscript is a “Return of...
17To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 28 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
I am directed by Genl Lee to Inform your Excely That The Enemy’s Front have advanced One and a half Miles On The road leading to Middle Town and South Amboy. When The Express Come off They ware at The fork of the ⟨rode⟩ one leading towards Middle Town The Other to South Amboy. I have no doubt of Middle Town being Their distination, as Amboy would Expose There Left flank to your Excelys Army. I...
18To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 17 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have the Honr to Inform Your Excely that I have Establishd difrent posts for upwards of fifty Miles along the Sea Costs, that I think it will be Impossable for any Number of Ships to be on this Coast without my Immediately being informed of it. Enclosed your Excely will have the examination of three Masters of Vessells & a Mercht that have made there Escape from the Prison Ship—They appear...
19To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 17 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday Afternoon three Frigates arrived within Sandy Hook—In the Evening a fourth Ship of War run in—The Tory Report of this Day is that Adml Arbuthnot was onboard. This Afternoon a Large Fleet appeard Standing for Sandy Hook—The air my Intilligencer says was too Foggy for good Observation But that before Sundown he Counted Sixty five Sail of Ships of War and Transports distinctly—and Saw a...
20To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 19 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
On Saturday Night Elevin OClock I had the Honr to Inform your Excly of the Arrival of a Fleet within Sandy Hook from the Southward, that there remained no doubt of there being British and probably Sr Harry Clinton —As I proposed to Your Excly, As soone as I had dispatched the Express I rode down to the High Lands of Middle Town —The Day was rainey and dull—so as to prevent any particular...
21To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 23 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I had the Honr of receiveing Your Excely Favr of the 21st last Evening, wherein your Excly expreses an Opinion that Sr Henry Clintons Object at prest is West Point —My Want of knoledge of that place hardly permits my Attempting to form a Judgement of the Appeara⟨n⟩cees that might indicate an Attack—Yet the Mind will on ⟨su⟩tch Important Subjects Attempt forming a Judgt—My Last Inf⟨or⟩mation to...
22To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 30 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
My last Informed Your Excellency that Eight of Adml Abuthnots Ships had gone to the Southward—& that several Light Vessells of War wer[e] Constantly plying in the Offing —My Inteligencers have made No material observations Since untill Yesterday in The afternoon The wind at West five oClock P.M. The Guard Ship Laying at the Hook Fire’d a Gun, at the same Time hoisting a flagg at Her Mizen...
23To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 9 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed your Excly has a Diary kept on the Highlands of Middle Town, by it Your Excellancy will Observe that the small Fleet prepared for sinking & to Inturupt the Navigation to New York are returned to Sandy Hook —The same person Informes me, that two Deserters landed yesterday from one of the Enemies Ships of War who says they had a report on Board that a French fleet was on the Coast. All...
24To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 12 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was Hond with your Ecelencys favr of the 10th This Morning Together with dispatches for His Excly the Count de Rochambout & the Chavelier de Turnay—Your Excly may depend on my takeing the Earliest opportunity of delivering the dispatches to His Excly The Count de Rochambout after Sending forward to Your Excellancy & Capt. Dennis An Acct of the Fleets Arrival. It would give me grate pleasure...
25To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 17 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Thursday Afternoon last Six Heavy Ships Come in from The Southward & Come too Not far distant from the place Count De Estang’s Headmost Ships Lay in 78 —from the Bustle that appeard in Arbuthnots fleet it was Generally Supposed on Thursday Afternoon and Fryday that it was part of Adml de Turnays Fleet—Saturday a Communication was opined betwen Arbuthnots Ships and the Six that Come in on...
26To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 21 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Capt. Denniss going so Early only permits me Time To enclose to Your Excly a Sketch of The Diary from the [Atlantic] Highlands and The Information of a Certain Lt Wolcott. I have The Honr to be Your Excly Most obdt Humble Servt ALS , DLC:GW . For the return of pilot Patrick Dennis to headquarters, see GW to Henry Lee, Jr., 19 July . The enclosed report of ship movements in New York Harbor sent...
27To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 27 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was Hond with your Excellancys favr of the 24th by Capt. Rudolph respecting the Hornd Cattle and Horses from the parts of Shrewsberry and Middle Town that I had the Honr to mention to your Excellancy when I was at Camp—Majr Lee had Marched all his Horse previous to my Geting the Letter for East Town, Except Capt. Rudolphs Troops about 24 in Number —from a Conviction that so few Was Intirely...
28To George Washington from David Forman, 1 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
I This afternoon recd information from my Inteligencer on the High lands of Middle Town That a Large Number of Shipping Appeared Early This Morning in The Narrowes—At Twelve OClock One Hundered Sail had Come too at Sandy Hook and a Number of Large Ships Then on There way down from The Narrowes—Some of Them he Thinks are Large Ships of War, but Could not determin with Certainty when he sent of...
29To George Washington from David Forman, 14 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am this minute Informed that Admiral Rodney with twelve sail of the line & four frigates are Arrived off Sandy Hook from the West Indies—My Informant also says that they yesterday took a french Frigate to the southward & sent her this day up to N. York —This Acct my informer Says may be relyd upon—He further adds (but not with Certainty) that 5,000 British Troops are to be sent in a few days...
30To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 12 November 1780 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday my Intelligencer from The Highlands of Neversink Informed me of The Approach of a Considirable Fleet from the Southward to Sandy Hook—& allso of a Considerable fleet Comeing down from New York But Could not be particular in either as The rear of Neither of the fleets was Come Too—The Fleet from New York I am Assured from good Authority has Troops on Board for Carolina and I belive to...