To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel William De Hart, 25 July 1777
From Lieutenant Colonel William De Hart
[25 July 1777]
sr
A Wednesday Morning the fleet upwards of 100 Sail Sailed from Sandy Hook1—And Stood An Eastern Course—Yesterday Afternoon Nine More sailed from New York six went out of the Hook & three Come too at the Watring Place, Their Frigates & some Other Small Vessels lay at New York Volentine Jones M: Genl Commands at New York.2 Some Hessians went A few days Ago to Kings Bridge. Cammel’s Regt has left Bergen,3 Buskirks, Bartons & Dungans Tory Regts Are at Statin Island. I am Told A British Regt too I belive the 42d—I have not heard of Any movement of the Torys, from N. York last Night this was the State of the fleet. I will Keep A man On the mountain With A Glass where if the fleet returns the Earliest Notice Shall be had Unless its Hazy Weather. I Am sr Your Most Hum. Servt
Wm DHart
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The previous Wednesday was 23 July 1777.
2. Valentine Jones (d. 1779), who served as lieutenant colonel of the 52d British Regiment from March 1752 to May 1772, when he was promoted to colonel, and as colonel of the 62d British Regiment beginning in 1777, was appointed major general for American service only in January 1776. Jones returned to England after the campaign of 1778 because of illness and died the following year.
3. George Campbell of New York was appointed lieutenant colonel of the King’s American Regiment in December 1776.