To George Washington from Brigadier General William Winds, 4 July 1778
From Brigadier General William Winds
Hd Qrs Elizabeth Town [N.J.] July 4th 1778
Dear General
I am happy in having it in My power to Inform you, from What I think pretty Good Authority, that there has not lately been any Material Movements of the Enemy about New York or the Islands Dependant on it, no troops are Yet Come from Middletown to Either of the above places, Nearly the Whole Strength of the Enemy on York Island are said to be Collected at & Near Kings Bridge.
A Person Who lately Made his Escape from New York By swiming across the North River, Informs me he has Counted all the Troops on York Island, & Declares, there are not 2000 Men Including Delanceys Corps. I Expect soon to be Able to Give your Excellency a particular Account of the strength & position of the troops on Staten Island.
I have heard that 600 or 700 Prisoners have been landed there from Philadelphia of Which I shall soon be better Informed than at present. I am Respectfully Your Excellencys Most Obdt Hume servt
Wm Winds B:G:
ALS, DLC:GW. GW’s aide Robert Hanson Harrison replied to this letter on 5 July, writing Winds: “His Excellency received your favor of the 4th Instant and thanks you for it. He has nothing of a particular nature, either to communicate or to request and only wishes, as before, your vigilance & attention to the movements of the Enemy & the earliest advices of them or of any other material occurrences” (DLC:GW).