From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 1 June 1779
To Major General Stirling
Middle Brook June 1st 1779
My Lord.
For some time past my intelligence from the enemy pointed to a considerable movement.1 By My last accounts from General McDougall of the 30th May, the enemy had advanced from Kings Bridge in force, and was then near the White plains. It is not easy to fix a just opinion of his object. We however know what points we should secure. On last Saturday the Pennsylvania troops marched on the route to Pompton.2 Your division will move to-morrow in case every thing is ready in the quarter masters line—and the Maryland troops the day after—to ground more relative to our posts on the Highland and the present situation of the enemy.3
As his manœuvers may throw us frequently into motion while the court martial on the trial of Genl Arnold will employ a number of our officers4—I shall be happy if you have completed your business so far as to be able without inconvenience to rejoin the army.5
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. For the British operations then under way up the Hudson River, see William De Hart to GW, 30 May, n.1, and General Orders, 1 June, n.1.
2. The last Saturday was 29 May. For the march of the Pennsylvania division, see GW to Arthur St. Clair, 29 and 31 May.
3. For the marching orders given to Stirling and the Virginia division, see GW to Stirling, 2 June. For the marching orders given to Maj. Gen. Johann Kalb and the Maryland division, apparently on 3 June, see the source note to that same letter (see also GW to John Jay, 3 June [first letter], and GW to Henry Knox, 4 June [first letter], source note).
4. GW deferred the court-martial of Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold in the general orders for 2 June (see also General Orders, 29 May; Council of War, 1 June; and GW to Arnold, and to Timothy Matlack, both 2 June).
5. Stirling was in Trenton, N.J., where he had lobbied for a bill relative to his property that passed the legislature on 31 May (see Stirling to GW, 10 and 24 May).