To George Washington from Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington, 11 September 1779
From Brigadier General Jedediah Huntington
7 OClock P.M. 11 Septr [1779]
Dr Sir
Just now Captain Stevens of my Brigade came into Camp from Killingsworth1—he says that two Vessels arrived at New London last Wednesday, who sailed in Company with a French fleet from the West Indies of 70 Sail, that in the latitude of Bermudas they left them—That 40 sail had parted and gone to France, the rest were bound to this Coast—that there were in the fleet several men of War. I am Yr Excellency’s Most Obedt sert
J: Huntington
Copy, enclosed in GW to John Jay, 12 Sept., DNA:PCC, item 152; copy, DNA: PCC, item 169.
GW forwarded this intelligence to Congress the next day, along with intelligence received from Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates (see GW to Jay, 12 Sept.), and he asked Huntington to obtain additional intelligence (see GW to Huntington, 12 Sept.).
1. Aaron Stevens (c.1734–1820), of Killingworth, Conn., served as a captain in the Lexington Alarm of April 1775. In July 1775, he joined the 7th Connecticut Regiment as a first lieutenant. After that regiment was disbanded in December 1775, Stevens became a captain in Col. Samuel Mott’s Connecticut State Regiment in June 1776. In January 1777, he received a commission as a captain in the new 7th Connecticut Regiment. Stevens left the army in January 1781. Killingworth was located along the coast, approximately 23 miles west of New London.