From George Washington to Brigadier General William Woodford, 8 December 1779
To Brigadier General William Woodford
Morris Town Decr the 8th 1779 ¼ after 11 OClock A.M.
Dr Sir
I have this minute been honoured with a Letter from Congress of the 4th Instant, directing the Troops of the Virginia line to be put in motion immediately.1 You will put every thing in train and march the whole, with their Tents & baggage as soon as possible to philadelphia, where you will receive farther Orders from Congress. You will apply to the Quarter Master General and take his direction as to the route—and request him to furnish every thing that will be necessary to expedite your march. The Officers & Men of the line with the light Infantry—I shall order to proceed to philadelphia and join their respective Regiments.2 I am Dr sir with great regard & esteem Yr Most Obedt St
Go: Washington
LS, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, MB; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS.
1. For Samuel Huntington to GW, 4 Dec., and the movement of the Virginia line to the southern department, see GW to Huntington, 29 Nov., source note.
2. GW wrote Brig. Gen. Anthony Wayne from Morristown on this date: “The troops of the State of Virginia being ordered by Congress to Philadelphia, you will be pleased to order the Officers and Men of that Line, at present with the Light Infantry, to march immediately to Philada where they will meet the remainder of the Line: Should the Baggage of any of the Officers be with the Regiments to which they properly belong, some person should be sent up, who may see it sent forward with the Baggage of the line” (LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PHi: Wayne Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to Wayne at Second River, N.J.). For Wayne’s reply, see his first letter to GW of 9 December.