George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-30-02-0012

From George Washington to Colonel Christopher Greene, 2 January 1781

To Colonel Christopher Greene

Head Quarters New Windsor 2d Jany 1781.

Sir

The diminution of our force, by the discharge of the Levies, obliges me to call in all Continental detachments of the Army, not absolutely necessary, at remote posts.1 You will theref⟨ore⟩ immediately upon the receipt of this, march with your Regiment and any new Recruits which may have joined, to that part of the Army which lays in the neighbourhood of Peekskill, and with which you will be brigaded. You will leave behind a Captain—two Subs. and a suitable number of non Commissioned Officers to receive and f⟨orwar⟩d the Recruits. You will apply to the State and let them know that the Continental Store is at present destitute of cloathing, and there will be a necessity of their cloathing the Recruits before they come on to the Army. Let this be done in your proper Uniform, that they may not dif⟨fer⟩ from that of the Regiment when they join.

I have informed Count Rochambeau that I have given you orders to come on.2 I am Sir Yr most obt Servt

Go: Washington

LS (photocopy), in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW, ser. 9; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Mutilated portions of the LS are supplied in angle brackets from the draft, which GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman also penned.

1GW refers to the short-term levies, or drafts, raised for the campaign of 1780 whose time of service had expired at the end of that year. Greene’s 1st Rhode Island Regiment was posted in Rhode Island.

2See GW to Rochambeau, 3 January. Greene’s command reached its new post before the end of the month (see William Heath to GW, 30 Jan.).

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