To George Washington from Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 19 November 1779
From Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Acquakeneunk Bridge [N.J.] 19th Novr 1779
Dear General
I send you a Sacradotal Villain who came from new York the day before yesterday he effects a total Ignorance of every matter or thing Concerning the Enemy—but acknowledges that after being dismissed our Service—and Discarded by his flock—he in a fit of Desperation went Voluntarily into New York—with an Intention to go to England—(a place where Religion is so predominant, that any Clergyman especially a prespeterian must find bread).
It’s a Custom with the Enemy when ever they meet with a Capital Caitiff—Which they think will serve their purpose—to send him to the Prevost & the more effectually to make the Villian he is to Ingraciate himself into the good Opinions of some of the prisoners, who when Liberated on parole he may appeal to if distrusted or Suspected by the Country.
I don’t think that this fellow is sent as an Immediate Spy to Ascertain the Numbers & Situation of your troops—but I believe him to be Employed to poison the minds of the people & to act as an Occat[i]onel Spy—however your Excellency will best determine upon an Examination—but he is such a Complete adept in equivocation—& from his former profession so fully master of Hypocrisy & Dissimulation, that I believe you will not be able to draw any thing out of him.1
You’l find by all the late York papers an acct of the Surprisal of Fort Stanwix (alias) Schuyler—is it true—or is it to act a Counterpoise to Genl Sullivans expedition.2
We have nothing further from the enemy but that the refugees are numerous & troublesome and on the point of Starving, & that a body of troops as a Covering party is to take post in the English Neighbourhood whilst their gentry are carrying off the plunder which is for their own emolument—it is also said that there are 600 of them Embodied under a Colol C[u]yler.3
I am this moment Honored with your Excellency’s letter of the 17th I hope it may not be long before a General Distribution of Clothing will take place—for I believe we shall be Obliged to send off at least 100 men who are too naked to do duty—the 130 pair of Shoes will not furnish the one half that are actually barefoot. I am Your Excellency’s most Obt & very Hume Sert
Anty Wayne
ADfS, PHi: Wayne Papers.
1. For more on John Eliott, see GW to William Heath, 21 Nov., and n.1 to that document.
2. Wayne is referring to reports like one printed in The Royal American Gazette (New York) for Thursday, 11 Nov., under the heading New York, same date: “Yesterday arrived here a person who left Albany last Thursday, and brings the agreeable intelligence, That early in the morning of Tuesday the 2d inst. Colonel Butler and Captain Joseph Brandt, at the head of 1500 veteran Loyalists and Indian Warriors, surprized and took Fort Stanwix, in which were only, at that time, one hundred rebel troops, the greatest part of the garrison having been drawn out to assist in demolishing the Indian crops and wigwams. Not one escaped from the fort, but intelligence of the event was brought to Albany on the afternoon of the following day, by persons resident in its vicinity, who observed the British flag displayed on it the morning on which it was taken.
“On Wednesday the 3d the Kinderhook militia were on their march, as well as those from the adjacent townships, but the general opinion was that they were not to attempt re-taking the fort, that being deemed impracticable, but to prevent the Loyalists and Indians from carrying their depredations down the country in return for the base conduct of Mr. Sullivan and his swarm of locusts which he carried into the Indian country.
“Colonel Gansevoort was to command the rebel army, which, it is thought would be obliged to keep the field during the winter, if Colonel Butler did not, after demolishing the fort and destroying most of the settlements on the Mohawk river, which was deemed out of their power to prevent, retire to Niagara.” Such reports were erroneous. An accurate account appeared in The Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser (Philadelphia) for 9 Nov. under the heading Fishkill, N.Y., 4 Nov.: “It was rumoured lately, That the British and Indians were coming down in force, against Fort Schuyler, which occasioned the militia of Albany county to assemble; but it proving groundless, they were ordered to return home” (see also George Clinton to GW, 28 and 29 Oct.).
Maj. Gen. John Sullivan had led an expedition against the Six Nations during the later summer and early fall (see GW to Benjamin Harrison, 25 Oct., and n.6).
3. For the recent unsuccessful attempt to form a Loyalist command under Abraham C. Cuyler, see Heath to GW, 14 Nov., n.1.
Abraham C. Cuyler (1742–1810) served prior to the American Revolution as a lieutenant in an independent company of rangers and retired from British service on half pay circa 1768. He subsequently became a colonel in the Albany County, N.Y., militia before siding with the British and leading a Loyalist force in an unsuccessful attempt to relieve Gen. John Burgoyne’s army in 1777. His efforts to raise a formal Loyalist command began in fall 1779 and ended in failure in January 1780. Later that same year, Cuyler formed and eventually led as colonel a unit called the Loyal Refugee Volunteers. After a split within this organization, Cuyler sailed for England in January 1781. He moved with his family to Montreal in 1782 and spent the rest of his life in Canada.