From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 13 November 1779
To Major General John Sullivan
Head Quarters West-point [13] Novr 1779
Dr Sir
If you yet have nothing more than conjecture for the enemy’s descent in Jersey,1 I beg you will order the 7th Massachusetts Regiment (late Alden’s) immediately to join Pattersons Brigade at this place2—And Major Parr to comply strictly with the inclosed order (which issued the 7th instant).3 They may as the nearest and best way, take the route by Kings-ferry. The baggage of the Regiment may from thence come up by water.
I cannot avoid expressing much surprise, concern, and displeasure, at Col. Barbers inattention to the returns of the troops under your command. I have not had a return of them since the middle of July, and the Adjutant General informs me that he can neither get returns nor answers to his letters, when they are applied for. This is not consistent with the punctuality and usual good conduct of Col. Barbar, nor with my prepossessions in his favor—and I wish you to speak to him accordingly.4 For essential purposes I want these returns immediately. I am Dr Sir Your most Obt sevt
Go: Washington
P.S. Col. Scammel informs me that he has regularly furnished the troops under your command with such general orders as respected their notice. I inclose however that of the 6th of Septr and request it may be immediately attended to, as without this we cannot proceed in a distribution which our wants make absolutely necessary to be entered on without loss of time.5
LS, in James McHenry’s writing, NhHi: Sullivan Papers; ADfS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The postscript on the ADfS is in McHenry’s writing. That document and the Varick transcript are both dated 13 November.
1. For fears of a British attack on New Jersey from Staten Island, N.Y., see Sullivan to GW, 4 Nov., and n.1 to that document, and 6 Nov. (first letter); see also GW to Sullivan, 6 Nov., and to Anthony Wayne, 9 Nov., and n.1 to that document.
2. Lt. Rudolph Van Hoevenbergh, encamped at Pompton, N.J., wrote in his diary entry for 11 Nov. that “Aldens Reg’t” and the rifle corps although “order’d to march to West Point were detained for want of waggons” ( 283). Van Hoevenbergh’s diary entry for 12 Nov. indicates that those two commands departed for West Point on that date ( 283). Col. Ichabod Alden had died in 1778, but his name remained associated with the 7th Massachusetts Regiment. GW transferred the 7th Massachusetts Regiment to Brig. Gen. John Paterson’s brigade in the general orders for 14 November.
3. The general orders for 7 Nov. dissolved Maj. James Parr’s rifle corps.
4. GW is referring to Lt. Col. Francis Barber.
5. The general orders for 6 Sept. required brigade returns by 10 Sept. that described the condition of blankets in each regiment “in such manner that the good bad and wanting will amount exactly to the number of non-commissioned officers and privates.” Inclement weather prompted an early distribution of blankets (see GW to James Wilkinson, 2 Nov., source note; see also General Orders, 17 Nov.).