From George Washington to Captain Nathaniel Bowman, 11 January 1780
To Captain Nathaniel Bowman
[Morristown, 11 Jan. 1780]
sir
You are to proceed immediately with the men of your company, present, and those attatched to it by an order of yesterday for the purpose of making it complete,1 to Squan, by the way of Freehold, taking with you the ammunition waggon for which you obtained an order on General Knox.2 At Freehold you will draw two weeks provision for your party, for which purpose you will find an order inclosed on the commissary at that place.3 You are to receive orders as to your farther destination and the objects of your command from the honorable the Board of War, thro’ Majr Howel late of the 2d Jersey Regt—And I have the utmost persuasion, that as far as the execution of the matters they have in view may be practicable and depend on you and your party that their expectations will be answered. It is the desire of the Board that your route and destination be kept a profound secret, which you will observe, both as it is their wish, and as the success of the enterprise they have in contemplation may depend entirely upon it. Expedition in your march will also be essential. That no officer may interfere with your command, I have written a line to that effect, which you will also find inclosed and use as occasion may require.4 In the course of your march and command you will keep your party under strict discipline, and in good order. It will be advisable that the men march with two or three days provisions if it can be easily obtained. You cannot move too soon.5 Given at Head Quarters this 11th January 1780.
G. W——n
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. GW’s secretary Robert Hanson Harrison issued these instructions to Bowman’s brigade commander, Brig. Gen. William Maxwell. The draft of the order, dated 10 Jan., reads: “captain Bowman of the 2d Jersey Regt is wanted for a particular command with an entire Company. Whatever Men are deficient in his own are to be made up out of the Regiment. And the General desires that these Men may be furnished as soon as possible with their Cloathing and in preference to Others. That there may be no delay in forwarding the command—the Captain has received an Order on the Cloathier General for Fifty Six Coats. He will receive his Orders at Head Quarters when his party is ready.” Harrison added the following postscript: “If it can be done The Men with Captain Bowman will march with three days provisions” (DLC:GW).
2. The draft of Harrison’s letter to Brig. Gen. Henry Knox, dated 10 Jan. at Morristown, reads: “His Excellency requests that you will furnish Capn Bowman of the 2d Jersey Regiment with an Ammunition Waggon provided with Horses & a Driver. If the Horses are not ready & cannot be furnished by to morrow ten OClock—The General wishes you to apply to General Greene for them as he would not have the Ammunition Waggon delayed after that time if it can be possibly avoided. There is to be no ammunition in the Waggon” (DLC:GW).
3. The draft of the instructions written “By his Excellency’s command” to the commissary at Freehold, N.J., signed by Harrison and dated this date at headquarters in Morristown, reads: “On the application of Capn Nathaniel Bowman of the 2d Jersey Regt His Excellency desires that you will deliver to him without delay provisions for himself—two officers and sixty two privates for a fortnight” (DLC:GW; the draft is in the writing of GW’s assistant secretary James McHenry).
4. The draft of GW’s order, in McHenry’s writing and dated this date at headquarters, reads: “Capn Bow[m]an of the 2d Jersey Regt being detatched to Squan with a party on a special command, no superior officer is to interfere with him while he remains in that quarter, without they receive particular orders for th⟨e⟩ purpose from proper authority” (DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
5. For the directive that prompted these orders to Bowman, see the Board of War’s second letter to GW of 3 Jan.; see also GW’s second letter to the board of this date.