To George Washington from Major Benjamin Tallmadge, 21–22 August 1780
From Major Benjamin Tallmadge
Round Hill [Conn.]
Augt 21st[–22] 1780 1. OClock A.M.1
Sir
The enclosed Dispatches having just come to hand, I have the honor to forward them to Your Excellency by Express.2
The Express which bro’t the enclosed,3 & the other Letters from Rhode Island, was fired on by a Party of seven armed Men, between Stanwich & this Place, about 12 oClock last night—He happily escaped without injury. I have the Honor to be with great Rega⟨rd⟩ Your Excellencys Hble Ser⟨vant⟩
Benja. Tallmadge
ALS, DLC:GW. Tallmadge wrote “Private” and “P. Express” on the cover.
1. Tallmadge appears to have begun this letter on 21 Aug. and finished it at 1:00 a.m. on 22 August.
2. The enclosed dispatches have not been identified but presumably were “the other Letters from Rhode Island.”
3. The enclosed letter from Lt. Caleb Brewster to Tallmadge, dated at Fairfield, Conn., on 21 Aug., reads: “I this Morning Came from the Iseland I got three boates Last Saterday Night [19 Aug.] and Went over in Surch of Glover and Hoyght but Could hear Nothing of them they Never Stay’d to bury their Dead Man, they Carried Another Away With them Mortiley Wounded Setalket is full of Troops it is thought they Are going Eastward Austin [Roe] Came to Me yesterday and Told Me I had best Not Come on to the Middel of Nex Weak as the Tro⟨ops⟩ is Sow thick in Town and Marching Eastward I Wrote to you the Eighteen⟨th⟩ Inst. Which I Expet has Come to han⟨d⟩ Skinner is Sow he Will be Abel to Due Duty Soon as he Wilt be Wanted I heard Nothing from Culper this Time I should bin Back the Next D⟨ay⟩ had Not the Wind bin Sow high their Was A small fleat of Large Ships Went to the Westward this Morning Capt. Jervis [Jarvis] Supplyd Me With Men this Time to Cross I Shall Want one Man to Make up My Crew for one boate and Should be Exceeding glad of five More to Man the other boate for the Cussed Ruffigeas are Sow thick I Cant go Amis of them” (DLC:GW).