George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-23-02-0121

To George Washington from Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton, 2 November 1779

From Brigadier General Duportail and Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton

Great Egg Harbour Landing [N.J.] Nov. 2d 1779

Sir,

We last night received the honor of Your Excellency’s letter of the 25th of October—On the 26th we had the pleasure of advising you fully of our situation and motives for coming to this place. We have since received no further intelligence of the Count—his operations—or ultimate intentions; on which account and from the late period of the season, we have given over all expectation of any thing being done in this quarter. As your Excellency has probably taken your final resolution on this point and limited the day, at which your preparations shall cease, we doubt not, we shall receive early notice of it by which to regulate our return, of which we are the more desirous as our stay here is attended with no inconsiderable expence to the public.1 We have the honor to be With perfect respect Your Excellency’s Obedt & humble servants

Duportail
A. Hamilton

P.S. Your letter of the 18th remains unreceived.2

LS, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW.

1GW seriously doubted the arrival of the French fleet under Vice Admiral d’Estaing but did not abandon preparations for combined operations until he received official notice from Congress (see Samuel Huntington to GW, 10 Nov., and GW to Huntington, 20 and 24 Nov.; see also Planning for an Allied Attack on New York, c.3–7 Oct., editorial note, and GW to Duportail and Hamilton, 11 Nov., to Henry Knox, 12 Nov., and to Philip Schuyler, 24 Nov.).

2See GW to Duportail and Hamilton, 1 Nov., and n.1 to that document.

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