From George Washington to Patrick Dennis, 11 July 1780
To Patrick Dennis
Hd Qrs Col. Deys house [Bergen County, N.J.]
11th July 1780
Sir
Upon receipt of this you will be pleased to repair, to the station of rendezvous for the pilots in Monmouth, to which place Major Lee is ordered with his horse.1 Perhaps you may fall in with him. It is essential that no time be lost, as it comes from New-York, from tolerable authority that the French-fleet is near the coast.2 You will take with you the pilots which are near you.3 I am
G. W——n
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
2. See Elias Dayton to GW, 7 July; see also John Mercereau to GW, 8–9 July.
3. GW had already been consulting with Dennis. On 30 June, GW had written him from Ramapo, N.J.: “I request the favour of you to be at Head Quarters as speedily as possible to give me your opinion on some points of importance and to determine the necessary arrangements about Pilots” (Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
Dennis, a merchant ship captain from New Jersey, had served as pilot for Vice Admiral d’Estaing’s French fleet in 1778 (see William Livingston to GW, 16 July 1778, and n.1 to that document).