To George Washington from William Livingston, 19 June 1780
From William Livingston
Trenton [N.J.] 19 June 1780
Dear Sir
I am honoured with your Excellency’s Letter of yesterday; & have the pleasure to undeceive you in the Information you had received concerning the draft from our Militia to serve for the Campaign. By the two Acts which I do myself the honour to inclose your Excellency, you will perceive that the Act for raising the 624 men upon the plan you mention has no connection with the Act for compleating the three Regiments of this State, tho’ I could wish that the last had been by way of draft according to your Recommendation, & that we had paid our honest debts before we thought of providing for ourselves.1 I have the Honour to be with the greatest Esteem & Affection Dear Sir Your Excellency’s most obedient & very humbl. Servant
Wil: Livingstn
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Livingston enclosed a printed copy of “An ACT to raise and embody, for a limited Time, Six Hundred and Twenty-four Men, for the Defence of the Frontiers of this State” passed by the New Jersey legislature on 7 June and a printed copy of “An ACT to compleat the three Regiments of this State in the Service of the United States, and to raise a Company of Volunteers for the Defence of Part of the County of Monmouth” passed on 14 June (DLC:GW; both acts are filed with the documents of 7 June). The preamble of the first act indicates its purpose to protect and defend “the Inhabitants who reside near the Lines, and are exposed to the Depredations and Incursions of the Enemy.” The second act raised troops for the regiments in the New Jersey Brigade by exacting an assessment on militia units to pay for the hire of recruits.