From George Washington to Brigadier General William Woodford, 2 November 1779
To Brigadier General William Woodford
Head Quarters West-point [2 Nov. 1779]
Dr Sir
I have been favored this morning with your letters of the 29th Ulto1 and the 1st instant.
Should you be able to find a proper position nearer Stoneypoint, you may adopt it in preference to the ground you now occupy.2
General Heath who has moved down to the neighbourhood of Verplanks-point received my instructions, in your absence, relative to the works proposed to be erected on Stoney-point;3 and Lt Col. Pawling of the New-York State troops, with a party of about 250 has been sent to aid in this business.4 As soon as you take your new position you will be pleased to send to Stoneypoint, parties to facilitate the works, which I wish to be completed as soon as possible. You will continue at the fascines as usual or till further orders. I am Dr Sir Your most obt servt
Go: Washington
LS (undated), in James McHenry’s writing, NN: Emmet Collection; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The draft, also in McHenry’s writing, supplies the date for the LS.
1. Woodford’s letter to GW of 29 Oct. has not been found.
2. GW gave more explicit orders regarding a campground in his letter to Woodford written at West Point on 4 Nov.: “If you have not already made choice of some spot for an encampement, the neighbourhood of Haverstraw forge, upon the upper road leading from Stoney point to Sufferans appears to me to be most proper. Three, four, or five miles from the point may not be amiss.
“Let your State ⟨Cloathier⟩ come up for a proportion of what blankets are in store” (LS [photostat], in McHenry’s writing, NjP; ADfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW). Woodford replied to GW on 6 November.
3. See GW to William Heath, 27 Oct.; see also the second letter from GW to Heath, 24 October.
4. See GW to Albert Pawling, 31 Oct., found at Heath to GW, same date, n.4.