From George Washington to Major General Israel Putnam, 6 March 1779
To Major General Israel Putnam
Head Quarters Middle brook March 6th 1779
Sir
Upon reciept of this Letter you will put Hazens regiment in motion—Inclosed are his instructions—his whole Regiment is to march1—You will please to put the remaining part of Poors Brigade under Marching Orders—their destination will be pointed out in a Subsequent Letter2—and you will use the most effectual means to cause every Officer & Soldier now on furlough, or who may obtain leave of absence after this reaches you (unless extraordinary reasons should induce the contrary) to join their respective Regiments before the first of May next. I hope Generals Parsons & Huntington are with their Brigades.3 I am &ca
Go: W——n
ADfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Cancelled text at the top of GW’s draft manuscript reads “To Majr Genl Putnam—or Officer commanding at.”
1. The enclosure concerning Col. Moses Hazen, who led the 2d Canadian Regiment, has not been identified, but see GW to Hazen, this date, which outlines an immediate march to Coos, Vt.; see also Putnam to GW, 13, 22 (first letter), and 28 March.
2. Troops from Brig. Gen. Enoch Poor’s brigade were sent to reinforce Maj. Gen. Alexander McDougall’s command defending the Hudson Highlands (see GW to Putnam, 16 and 17 March, and McDougall to GW, 15 April [first letter], DLC:GW).
3. For GW’s displeasure over the leaves taken by brigadier generals Samuel Holden Parsons and Jedediah Huntington, see GW to Putnam, 10 February. Putnam delayed demanding that Parsons return to camp from New London, Conn., because of intelligence reports that the British planned to raid that place, and the absent general did not rejoin his brigade until early April (see Putnam to GW, 28 March and 1 April; Parsons to GW, 29 March; and Huntington to GW, 7 April). Huntington was with Putnam at Camp Redding by 4 March (see Putnam to GW, 4 March).