To George Washington from Major General Steuben, 15 June 1780
From Major General Steuben
Springfield 15th June 1780
Sir
I have the honor to inclose your Excellency a Letter from Major Lee by which you will perceive that two Men had deserted from the first Post he visited this morning & perhaps others will be found gone from the other Posts.1
I was utterly unacquainted with your Excellencys intentions of releiving Major Gibbs or I should have represented the necessity of keeping Those Troops on the Lines who could be depended on.2
Inclosed I send the Disposition of the Troops under my Orders.3 I have the honor to be Your Excellencys most Obed. Servant
steuben
LS, DLC:GW.
1. The enclosed letter from Maj. Henry Lee, Jr., to Steuben, dated “thursday morng” (15 June), reads: “I have as yet visited but one post. No occurrence last night on the side of the enemy. Two from a subaltern’s party deserted us during the night—probably as many more from the other several posts. I lament the withdraw of faithful troops” (DLC:GW; Lee wrote “p. dragoon” on the letter). Lee lamented the withdrawal of Maj. Caleb Gibbs’s detachment (see n.2 below)
On 13 June, Lee sent Steuben a report that the latter apparently passed to GW: “This evening the Enemy’s cavalry made a[n] attempt on my advanced post opposite the Stone brid[g]e—they were in force & moved with vigor & judgement.
“I am happy in informing you, they were baffled in their attempt by Capt. Furnan [Forman] & Lt Armstrong with their partys of Infantry—the enemy had one killed & several wounded—We have suffered no loss at all. I was unfortunately at that moment with the cavalry on the Newark road, or probably our joint efforts might have produced a fortunate issue” (DLC:GW; misidentified as Lee to GW).
2. GW had assigned Maj. Caleb Gibbs’s detachment to Steuben’s advance corps on 9 June (see the general orders for that date).
3. This enclosure has not been identified.