To George Washington from Nathaniel Shaw, 13 August 1780
From Nathaniel Shaw
New London [Conn.] August 13th 1780
Sunday 8 OClock P.M.
Sir
This day Six Persons deserted from the Brittish Fleet and Came into this Harbour in a Small boat, the Information they give, is that the Fleet were to Return to their Station of Block Island this day, and that General Clinton was Imbarking his troops att White Stone,1 and were to Come down the Sound to Procede Against New Port, and that two Ships was dispatch’d from the Fleet to Convoy the Transports to New Port—The Brittish Fleet are now Under Sail Steering to the Eastward,2 Inclos’d is a List of their Force,3 I am Sir Your most Obedt & hume Servt
Nathl Shaw
P.S. The Above is Sent to New Port.
ALS, DLC:GW. A notation on the cover reads: “p[er] Express.”
GW replied on 16 Aug. from headquarters at Orangetown, N.Y.: “I have recd your favors of the 11th and 13th instant. I perceive that you have transmitted the intelligence contained in the last to Rhode Island, and I would always wish you to do the same whenever you gain any information which may be interesting to the French General and Admiral” (LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, CtNlHi; GW signed the cover).
1. The British were not embarking the troops at Whitestone, N.Y., but preparations were in progress “for a sudden move of the army” (Henry Clinton to Marriot Arbuthnot, this date, in , 450; see also “Amicus Reipublicae” to John Mercereau, 19 Aug., in GW to William Heath, 21 Aug., n.1).
2. Movements of British ships also were reported on 15 Aug. (see Heath to GW, 17 Aug.; see also Shaw to GW, 18 Aug.). The major portion of the British fleet did not sail from Gardiners Bay off Long Island, N.Y., until 18 Aug. (see Arbuthnot to Clinton, that date, in , 451; see also Shaw to GW, 20 Aug.).
3. The enclosed undated “List of the British Fleet now lying at Anchor in Gardiners Bay and in the sound” gave the ship names and number of guns as: the London, 98; the Bedford, Robust, Royal Oak, and Invincible, all 74; the Prudent, Raisonnable, and Europe, all 64; the Romulus and the Renown, both 50; the Roebuck, 40; the frigates Raleigh, Iris, Charlestown, Richmond, Boston, Virginia, and Guadeloupe; the sloops of war Galatea and Halifax; and three unnamed ships: one a 74-gun ship, one a 50-gun ship, and one a fire ship (DLC:GW).