From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 19 October 1778
To Major General Stirling
Head Qrs near Fredericksburg Octo. 19th 1778
My Lord.
Between Eight and Nine OClock last night, I received your Lordship’s favor of the 16th Instant, accompanied by another inclosing Two papers.1 The intelligence you conveyed is very interesting, and it appears the more so, as the late accounts from Genl Scott, though not so particular as those given by Captain Clunn, correspond with it. I shall expect to hear from you frequently, as every circumstance, now, will have it’s weight; and that your Letters may come the more expeditiously, I have written to the Quarter Master General to establish a lay of Expresses between us.2 I think it will be adviseable for you to have the same done on the route from Major Howel to yourself. I am My Lord with great esteem & regard Yr Lordship’s Most Obedt st
Go: Washington
p.s. I thank the Ladies much for their Compliments—and you will be pleased to present ’em mine in return—and the New-married Couple my wishes for their happiness.
LS, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, NNMM; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. The draft reads: “two news papers.”
2. GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison wrote Nathanael Greene on this date: “His Excellency [GW] requests, that you will send to the different Expresses on the Rout to Boston, and order them to be always in a situation to start at a moments warning both night and day. The Advices from New York are interesting & such as point strongly to a total evacuation—His Excellency also desires, that you will send on the communication from hence to Elizabeth Town—and have a suitable number of Expresses established—and in readiness to fly on the earliest intelligence being conveyed by Letter. At present he cannot receive an amount from thence under two or two & a half days. . . . P.S. The person you send on the Elizabeth Town Route must call here—as the Genl wishes to write by him as early as possible” (PHi: Gratz Collection).
Later on this date Harrison again wrote Greene: “Nobody has yet called for His Excellency’s [GW’s] Letter to Lord Stirling and in expectation that it would have been the case, he has deferred sending it. You will be pleased to fix as early as you can upon a person to establish Expresses between this & Elizabeth Town & direct him to call here—as the General keeps his Letter to My Lord to go by him & which he wants to transmit immediately” (MH: Dearborn Collection).