From George Washington to Colonel Theodorick Bland, 26 July 1777
To Colonel Theodorick Bland
Mr Lott’s [N.J.] July 26. 17771
Sir
Your two expresses have delivered me your letters both of the 25th instant. If this reaches you before you have passed Trentown, you are to halt there till further orders or till you receive authentic information of the enemy’s fleet being in the mouth of the Delaware bay, in which case you are to proceed to Philadelphia as before directed—But if you have passed it, you are then to halt at Bristol, and to govern yourself in the same manner as if you had halted at Trentown. I shall detain one of your expresses to carry you any dispatches that may be necessary in consequence of any further intelligence I may receive. The enclosed to Cols: Moylan & Morgan you will be pleased to forward.2 They contain similar instructions to those given you. I am Sir Yr Most Obedt Servt.
Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. Abraham Lott (1726–1794) was a prominent New York City merchant who had fled the city with his family in 1776 to a house at Beverwyck, the country estate of Lucas von Beverhoudt near Troy Hills, N.J., several miles northeast of Morristown. Lott returned to New York City in 1783, and from 1786 to 1789 he was in debtors’ prison because of large debts incurred during the war.
2. See John Fitzgerald to Stephen Moylan, this date, in GW to Moylan, 24 July, n.1, and GW to Daniel Morgan, this date.