To George Washington from Major Henry Lee, Jr., 15 August 1780
From Major Henry Lee, Jr.
Brunswic Landg [N.J.] 15th August. 1780
sir.
I have returned from the business committed to my direction by your Excellency, & am so far on my route to join the army.1
Captain McLane with his Infantry has come up.2 The fatigue of the troops has induced me to halt for a few days to refresh them.
your Excellency will please to direct whether this halt shall be long or short.3 I have the honor to be with perfect respect your Excellys most ob. sert
Henry Lee Junr
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. See GW to Lee, 24 July; see also GW to Lee, 5 August.
2. Capt. Allen McLane commanded the infantry battalion of Lee’s partisan corps. The battalion had been temporarily detached from the corps and was returning from Virginia (see Lee to GW, 11 June, and n.4).
3. On 18 Aug., GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison wrote to Lee from headquarters in Orangetown, N.Y.: “His Excellency received Yesterday your Letter of the 15th from Brunswic, and I am to inform You, that, as the Troops will be pretty refreshed by the time this comes to hand and the General wants our force to be collected, he desires that You will proceed with them, by the route through Westfield—Springfield Acquackinac—and join the Army as soon as You can, without injuring or fatiguing the Men by too rapid and long marches” (DLC:GW).