To John Jay from Alexander McDougall, 9 March 1777
From Alexander McDougall
Head Quarters Peeks Kill 9th March 1777
Sir
General Sullivan arrived here to To-day from Head Quarters in Jersey. He had it in charge from General Washington to communicate to me, a matter
of the utmost importance in Condfidence.1 It is of Such a Nature and of Such moment that it must not be commited to Paper. I cannot Posibly Quit this post, or I would have mounted my Horse the moment he left me, (in his way to Connecticut) to converse with you on the Subject, in order that the Convention might be made acquainted with it, ^in^ a way the most advansive of the Public Security. Colonel Livingston2 informed me this evening, that you intended to Set off tomorrow morning for Kingston, induced me to Send you this by express. I have therefore to beg of you to come down to this post, as soon as Posible. You must not think of goeing up before I see you; more depends upon it, than you have can conceive. It cannot be let off to convention without previous deliberation; nor will it be Safe to risque it on Paper; and the Subject requires dispatch.3 I flatter my Self You have so much Condfidence in my Judgment, that I would not urge you to this Journey without necessity Called for it. Adieu
Alexr McDougall
ALS, NNC (EJ: 6928). Endorsed by JJ: “Gen. McDougal 9 March 1777 / Desiring me to come to Peeks Kill.” On 21 Dec. 1776 Washington directed McDougall to return to the Highlands from New Jersey to command at Peekskill “in Conjunction with” George Clinton. , 7: 419.
1. Major General John Sullivan apparently delivered to McDougall Washington’s letter of 6 Mar. 1777, in which the commander ordered McDougall to compile “exact returns” of all the troops in New York, “except those which are gone to Ticonderoga,” and to call these forces to Peekskill, “there to hold themselves in perfect readiness to march at a moment’s warning.” Expecting a spring offensive against Philadelphia, Washington planned to use Peekskill, as an assembly point for forces from New England as well as from New York, so that troops could easily be moved to the south in case of a British attack. On 9 Mar., Sullivan reported to Washington: “I have called on General McDougale & Informed him Confidentially of the State of our Army—he Says there is about 600 Continental Troops here with two Massa. Militia Regts—he is of opinion that the Continental Troops here Should be Sent forward & that this State Should Garrison this post, for which purpose he will call on Mr Jay to consult with him about the most effectual Measures to Bring it About.” Washington to McDougall, 6 Mar. 1777, , 7: 257–58; Sullivan to Washington, 9 Mar. 1777, “Letters and Papers of Major-General John Sullivan, Continental Army,” New Hampshire Historical Society, Collections 13 (1930): 326–27.
2. Henry Beekman Livingston.
3. On 12 Mar., McDougall wrote Washington: “I sent for Mr. Jay and . . . we were both of Opinion, that Draughts must immediately be made out of the Militia, to fill up the Regiments. He is gone to Convention, to endeavour to accomplish it. I think he will effect it.” JJ is not on record as joining the New York Convention until 17 Mar. While the convention made some provisions for strengthening the armaments of the Highlands forts in the next week, no resolutions for calling out the militia to Peekskill and other strongholds were passed until 24 Mar., when news of the British raid on Peekskill made reinforcement of the Highlands imperative. McDougall to Washington, 12 Mar. 1777, DLC: Washington Papers, series 4; , 1: 838, 847–48.