1From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 30 August 1780 (Washington Papers)
As it appears by some recent intelligence, that the Enemy are removing from Long Island to York Island —And as their movement from the latter (by way of Spiten Devil can be masked & rapid) I request your Lordship to give a standing order—while we remain in this position—to the Regiment on the left of Poors Brigade, in case of a landing and firing at the Picket on their left, to march...
2VII. From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 8 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am just making a detachment of three batalions under General Hand—which are to be employed to day as actively as the situation of the enemy will permit in conjunction with the Militia. While the enemy remain in their present position, Maxwell’s brigade will preserve the post it held last evening—reposing to day and acting as a covering party. I shall send it a field piece for this purpose....
3X. From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 8 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am now at the Connecticut farms meeting House, where the Head of our Column is advanced. The Troops are halted and will ly on their arms to night to act as occasion may require. If the Enemy begin to cross over to Staten Island and you are well & clearly ascertained of the fact & circumstances indicate that they mean to continue passing—the Troops on your informing me of it or such part as...
4III. From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 7 June 1780 (Washington Papers)
The enemy landed at De Harts Point last night in considerable force—and are advancing rapidly this way. They may aim at our camp or they may only intend to proceed as far as the mountains and file off to the left making a sweep of all the forage Cattle &c. in their way. In any case we ought to collect the Militia to give them all the opposition in our power. I request your Lordship to give the...
5From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 19 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
You will perceive by the inclosed letter from General Maxwell that there is a great diversity of opinions respecting the proper position for the Brigade —I would ride down myself and view the different grounds, but I am engaged in business with the Committee of Congress —I would therefore wish your Lordship to go down again in the morning with captain Rochefontaine and ultimately determine the...
6From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 18 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
Colonel Craig of the 3d Penna Regiment has laid before me the Copy of a division Court Martial held by your order upon Joseph English for deserting from that Regiment and inlisting in Colo. Livingstons. I observe that your Lordship has disapproved the sentence (which found the prisoner guilty and ordered him to return to his former Regiment) upon a presumption that no Soldiers were inlisted...
7From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 22 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed you will find an extract of a letter which I received yesterday from Governor Livingston, with twelve Copies of the Act for recruiting the number of Men therein mentioned. You will be pleased, in consequence of the Governor’s request, immediately to order as many Officers, as can possibly be spared from the Jersey line, to go upon the recruiting service, selecting such as are best...
8From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 13 March 1780 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to Major General Stirling, 13 March 1780 . Stirling wrote GW on 19 March: “I Yesterday received your Excellency’s letters of the 5th & 13th.”
9From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 5 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have read the orders wch you had framed for your division —they are certainly good, but in substance except in a very few instans. are very explicitly enjoined by the regulations; & have been reiterated at different periods in the general orders antecedent to the promulgation of the established “regulations for the order & discipline of the Troops”; & since, in many particular ones by a...
10From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 29 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The present condition of the ice, opening an easy communication to all parts of the enemy, and thereby affording them occasions to make attempts on such of the officers of the army, as may be most remote from its protection: This, with other reasons, which must occur to your Lordship, induces me to request that you will, as soon as possible, choose such quarters as may give perfect security in...
11From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 14 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have directed Lt Colo. De Haart with a detachment of 250 Men to move from paramus to Newark and send parties of observation from thence to Bergen to watch the motions of the enemy upon the North River and at Paulus Hook. He will communicate with your Lordship by way of Elizabeth town and is directed to receive any commands from you. The detachment will move from hence as soon as the sleds,...
12From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 14 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am this moment favored with your Lordships letter of this date. The detatchment under Col. Stewart moved off on sleds from the parade about half after 2 O’clock, and the artillery passed by this place at four this afternoon. I had ordered down 500 axes, with shovels and picks; of the former however, I find on inquiry that only one hundred and eighty were in store which is all that could be...
13From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 13 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
Herewith Inclosed are your Lordships discretionary Instructions —In addition to what you read in the morning, & in consequence of Genl Irvines information respecting the state of the Ice between York, long, & Staten Islands I have inserted a clause by which you will see that if things continue in the condition he represents I would have your Lordship turn your thoughts to the practicability of...
14From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 13 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have recd yours by Colo. Steward. Upon your letter and his representation, I shall direct the whole of the detachment which is to move tomorrow, to proceed directly to join the main Body, Should the severity of the Weather continue, and your information of the numbers—situation and circumstances of the enemy make it probable that an attempt upon them openly will succeed, I leave it to your...
15From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 10 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
I should be glad, on receipt of this, to see your Lordship on some matters of business as soon as possible. I am my Lord your Lordships most obt servt LS , in James McHenry’s writing, NHi : Stirling Papers; Df , DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . GW probably is referring to his planning for an attack on the British forts on Staten Island; he intended Stirling to command the attack (see GW...
16From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 9 December 1779 (Washington Papers)
From the unlucky failure of the expedition against Savannah and the apprehension of the Enemy’s pushing their operations in the southern Quarter—Congress have been pleased to direct, by an Act of the 4th Inst. received yesterday, the whole of the Virginia Troops to be immediately put in motion, with a view of sending them to the Southward. I have accordingly given orders for their march to...
17From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 29 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowlege your Lordships favor of the 26th. As your Lordship was not with the division I have given my instructions to Brigadier General Woodford to return and take post between Sufferans and Stoney-point, provided the enemy have gone back. I am, &. Df , in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . Stirling’s letter to GW of 26 Oct. has not been found. See GW to...
18From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 26 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with your letter of the 22d and am much obliged to you for the intelligence it contains. The chief part of it I have had confirmed from different quarters. Your Lordships offer to go down to the Count should he favor us with a visit is very interesting but it has been anticipated by my sending Gen. du Portail and Lt Col. Hamilton, who some time since set out on this...
19From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 7 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your Lordships letter of the 5th; and the observations that were inclosed. I shall not fail should we be fortunate enough to have it in our power to enter upon such an undertaking as your Lordship has supposed, to pay them a proper attention and I have to request such further suggestions as may occur to your Lordship on this subject. We have however no certainty...
20VIII. From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 4 October 1779 (Washington Papers)
By advices which I have just received from Congress, I have no doubt of the French fleet (under Count D’Estaing) coming this way—and that it will appear in these Seas immediately —The prospect of preventing the retreat of the garrisons at Stony—and Verplanks point ⟨(⟩so far as it [is] to be effected by a Land operation) again revives upon probable ground, and I am to request, that your...
21From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 30 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have received your lordships favour of the 28th with the enclosed letter from Governor Livingston on the subject of Lady Mary’s visit to her friends —The reference of this letter to me, I can consider in no other light than a renewal of the first application; and I beg leave to assure your lordship that the necessity in which I feel myself of not complying with your wishes, is to me as...
22From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 29 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
General Wayne the better to cover the country in the vicinity of Stoney point and to confine the enemy within their works, has my permission to take a post in that vicinity. Haverstraw Forge has been more particularly mentioned—As I think this position is not intirely without danger, I wish your lordship to advance a corps of troops to some intermediate point between Suffrans and the forge...
23From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 28 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have your favr of the 27th —Supposing the Continental Cloathing delivered to the Virginia line last Fall to be of equal quality with that delivered to the other part of the Army, they ought now to be in better condition than any other troops, as they had at the same time contrary to my judgment and express desire, a very considerable quantity of State Cloathing in addition to the...
24From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 25 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was yesterday favd with yours of the 23d inclosing Major Lees and Major Hays letters and a few days ago with that of the 20th —By information of a deserter the Enemy have sent three Regiments from Stoney and Verplanks points and have therefore contracted their works. All accounts from New York agree that a very considerable embarkation is in agitation, but they differ much as to numbers and...
25From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 19 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I have been favored with your Lordships letter of the 18th and that of Col. Taylors. Very particular applications have been made to me of late, similar to that from your Lordship, which I have uniformly refered to the civil authority: Your Lordship will readily perceive the necessity for preserving the same conduct in all cases. In the present instance, however, I should find myself peculiarly...
26From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 14 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
Your removal from Ramapough to your present position was on account of the Arrival of the enemy’s reinforcement —but that having been found from its numbers, and their situation in respect to health, inadequate to an attempt upon these posts, I think you may with safety return to your old ground near Sufferans. This you will do immediately afte the Receipt of this. I have another Reason for...
27From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 13 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
Some circumstances having made it necessary to station Major Lee’s corps at Monmouth, your Lordship will have his post at Paramus occupied by Lt Col. Washington—Inclosed is a letter directing him to take your orders on this occasion. I am my Lord Your Lordships Df , in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW ; Varick transcript , DLC:GW . A purported LS was offered for sale by American Art...
28From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 1 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
I was last Night favd with yours of the 30th Ulto with Colo. Taylors intelligence, and Rivingtons paper inclosed. I am in hopes that we shall in a day or two receive more accurate accounts of the real strength of the Reinforcements —I shall desire Docr Cochran to give order respecting the sick of your division: and will have Lieut. Drummonds conduct enquired into; such proceedings must not be...
29From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 1 September 1779 (Washington Papers)
Genl Greene has represented to me the bad state of the road leading from new Windsor to Easton and the delays occasioned in consequence of it—to the transportation of our provisions —The number of men necessary to be employed immediately in this service is 100; one half to begin at Sussex court house, & repair to Easton—the other from New Windsor to the former place—As we obtain our supplies...
30From George Washington to Major General Stirling, 28–29 August 1779 (Washington Papers)
The arrival of Arburthnot which comes to me, through different channels, makes it prudent to draw our force more together till we can ascertain the amount of the reinforcement by which we may form a better judgment what it will be practicable for the enemy to undertake —Your Lordship will therefore be pleased to march towards Junes leaving a regiment at Suffrans to give countenance to the...