1To George Washington from Elias Dayton, 26 March 1781 (Washington Papers)
In my former letter I acquainted your excellency with the difficulty which attended the sending any persons to the city. Those difficulties & indeed greater still subsist, no one within a fortnight haveing been admited to go their & return, very few of the inhabitants of Staten Island are suffered to cross & not even those without a particular permission from the commandt. The fleet which I...