To George Washington from Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington, 25 June 1780
From Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington
Bush’s at the Mouth of the Paramus Road1 near
suffrans half after 2 oClock [25] June 1780]
Dr Sir,
I wrote Your Excellency an hour & half ago since have recd Yours by Lt Keeler from Pequananck June 252—have ordered the Baggage between sidmans & Slots—& the Troops to take post at the Bridge about half way between suffrans & Slots3—shall remain here for the present for sake of more conveniently hearing & communicating Intelligence—have desired Major Stagg to inform me of everything material.4 I am with the Greatest Respect, Yr Excellencys Most Obedt
J. Huntington
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. “Bush’s” has not been identified, but was undoubtedly located where the road from Paramus, N.J., joined the road from Pompton, N.J., about one mile south of Suffern, New York.
2. This letter has not been found.
Two Keelers held lieutenant rank in the Continental army at this time.
Isaac Keeler (born c.1754) joined the 2d Connecticut Regiment as an ensign in January 1777. He received promotion to lieutenant in May 1777 and became regimental quartermaster in September 1780. In January 1781 he joined the new 3d Connecticut Regiment and served until that regiment disbanded in June 1783.
Thaddeus Keeler served as a sergeant in the 2d Connecticut Regiment from July to December 1775 and as a sergeant in a Connecticut state regiment from June to December 1776. In January 1777, he joined the 5th Connecticut Regiment as a lieutenant and was named regimental quartermaster in May 1780. In January 1781 he joined the new 2d Connecticut Regiment and served until it disbanded in June 1783.
3. Samuel Sidman (Syndenham; c.1720–c.1778) operated a tavern inherited from his father-in-law in 1748 until his death. His widow, Angneitje Van Deusen Sidman (1724–1798), then maintained the tavern, located near the Ramapo River on the east side of the road leading from Suffern through Smiths Clove. Along that road, Sidman’s tavern was about a mile southeast of Stephen Slot’s tavern and a mile northwest of the bridge, then known as Sidman’s, across the Ramapo River.
4. John Stagg (1758–1803), of New York, joined Col. William Malcom’s Additional Continental Regiment as a lieutenant in March 1778. From October to December 1778, Stagg served as brigade major for the garrison at Fort Clinton, West Point. Stagg served as assistant adjutant general at GW’s headquarters from May 1779 to December 1780. He left the army in January 1781.