From Alexander Hamilton to Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor, [29 October 1779]
To Lieutenant Colonel John Taylor1
[Great Egg Harbor Landing, New Jersey, October 29, 1799. The description of this letter in the dealer’s catalogue reads: “… is sending clothing to Taylor by pilot boat. ‘I am getting sick & cant say any more.’” Letter not found.]
1. ALS, sold by G. A. Baker & Company, Inc., May 4, 1943, Item 25.
When this letter was written, H and Brigadier General Louis Le Bèque Du Portail were at Great Egg Harbor on the New Jersey coast awaiting the arrival of the French fleet under Charles Henri Hector, comte d’Estaing (John Holker to H, October 21, 1779 ( , II, 205, note 1); H and du Portail to George Washington, November 2, 1779 [ , II, 219]). Washington had assigned a similar task to Major Henry Lee and in addition had asked him to report on British activities in and around New York Harbor ( , XVI, 279–80). In his instructions to Lee, Washington also wrote: “I would advise you to keep up a communication … with Lt. Colo. Taylor at Elizabeth town, forwarding your dispatches to him and send them by Express to me.” Taylor was a lieutenant colonel and colonel of the First New Jersey State Regiment. See also Lee to H, October 22, 1779 ( , II, 208–09); Washington to Taylor ( , XVI, 455–56).