George Washington Papers
Documents filtered by: Recipient="Sullivan, John"
sorted by: date (descending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-23-02-0073

From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 28 October 1779

To Major General John Sullivan

Hd Qr W. Point 28 Octbr 1779

Dr

Since my letter of yesterday, I have received an account (tho it does not come well authenticated) that the enemy had destroyed the forage at Middlebrook and were still in that quarter.1

I wish you to move towards them as light, and with as much expedition as possible.2 The Virginia division under Lord Stirling, and the Light Infantry under Genl Wayne with your own troops and the militia will give you a considerable body. I leave it intirely to yourself—to act either on the defensive or offensively according to circumstances. I am Dr Sr Yr

G.W.

Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.

1. GW is referring to Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe’s raid into New Jersey (see GW to George Clinton, 29 Oct., and n.5).

2. In response to GW’s order, Sullivan’s command apparently began marching southward on 1 Nov. (see Sullivan Expedition Journals, description begins Frederick Cook, ed., and George S. Conover, comp. Journals of the Military Expedition of Major General John Sullivan against the Six Nations of Indians in 1779 With Records of Centennial Celebrations. Auburn, N.Y., 1887. description ends 190, 210, 274, 283). The movement ended within a few days because of altered military circumstances (see GW to Sullivan, 31 Oct.; see also GW to William Maxwell, 1 Nov., and Maxwell to GW, 3 Nov.).

Index Entries

    You Are Looking At

    Source Project
    Washington Papers
    Title
    From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 28 October 1779
    Author
    Washington, George
    Recipient
    Sullivan, John
    Date
    28 October 1779

    Reference

    Cite as
    “From George Washington to Major General John Sullivan, 28 October 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-23-02-0073. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 23, 22 October–31 December 1779, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2015, p. 78.]

    More between these correspondents