1. Michael Van Court (1739–1814) of Somerset County, N.J., was an express rider and an assistant quartermaster general.

2. GW’s letter to Laurens of 22–23 Oct. had been read by Congress on 28 Oct. (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1070).

3. For Laurens’s letter to Horatio Gates of 29 Oct. regarding Congress’s refusal to let Balcarres go to England on parole and its concern that some captured British officers, like Balcarres, may have previously obtained paroles to New York City through bribery, see Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 11:145–46; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1065. For the background on Balcarres’s case, see Gates to GW, 9 Oct., n.2; see also GW to Gates, 10 Oct., and Gates to GW, 13 October. On 21 Oct. Congress had responded to a request from British commissary of prisoners Joshua Loring that Balcarres and another British prisoner in American hands, Capt. Digby Strangeways, be paroled to England, by informing American commissary of prisoners John Beatty that “Congress do not approve of partial and parole exchanges; but that they are willing to make a general exchange of officers, whether of the convention or otherwise, as far as number and ranks will apply” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1033).

4. The enclosed copy of this act of 26 Oct. reads: “Resolved, That Count Pulaskis Legion and all the Cavalry At or near Trenton be ordered forthwith to repair to Sussex Court House there to wait the Orders of Genl Washington, and that the president [Laurens] write a Letter to the General informing him of this resolution and pointing out the Necessity of Ordering the Cavalry to some place or places where they may be easily Supplied with Forage” (DLC:GW; see also JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1061–62).

5. Congress had resolved on 27 Oct. that “Mr. le Vienne have leave to go to France, but that he have no other commission than the brevet already granted him” (JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1066). For background on Colonel Vienne’s efforts to obtain this leave of absence, see his letters to GW of 15 Sept. and 5 Oct.; GW to Vienne, 29 Sept. and 16 Oct.; GW to Laurens, 29 Sept.; and Laurens to GW, 9 October.

6. Congress had approved the pension for Anne-Louis, chevalier de Tousard, and the brevet promotions for him, Edmund Brice, Presley Neville, and Philippe-Louis, chevalier de Failly, on 27 Oct. (see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1068–69).

7. For Congress’s approval of the issuing of warrants for these two amounts respectively on 16 Oct. and this date, see JCC description begins Worthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37. description ends , 12:1014, 1078.