George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-14-02-0186

From George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Flower, 18 March 1778

To Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Flower

Head Quarters [Valley Forge] 18th March 1778

Sir.

As seven of the Gallies at Bordentown are to be stripped and Sunk, not having men sufficient to work them, I desire you will send down travelling Carriages to remove the fine heavy Cannon belon[g]ing to them. If you have not carriages ready for the whole; send down as many as you have, with orders to remove part of them at first some distance from the Water, and then return for the remainder—I depend upon your doing this immediately upon receipt of my letter, as the Cannon are liable to be taken away or destroyed should the Enemy come up the River and we have none of equal weight to replace them. I am Sir Your most Obedt Servt

Go: Washington

LS, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, NjFrHi; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The LS was addressed to “Colo. Benjn Flowers or his deputy at Allen Town,” and GW signed the cover.

GW’s later orders for the removal of small arms from Bordentown were conveyed in a letter of 20 Mar. from GW’s aide Alexander Hamilton to Maj. Samuel French: “His Excellency has received good information, that there is a number of arms and spare Bayonets at Borden Town in New Jersey. This he thinks a very improper depositary for them, and desires you will have them removed thence, without delay to one of the Laboratories on this side the Delaware, Allen Town, Lebanon or elsewhere” (DLC:GW).

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