To George Washington from Brigadier General William Winds, 26 September 1778
From Brigadier General William Winds
[Slotterdam, N.J.] Saterday 2 p.m. [26 September 1778]1
Dr Genl
I am <mutilated> at Slaugter Dam with about 600 Men Marchi<ng> toward Sadle River In order to Join Col. Dey the Enemy are in the English Neighbourhood and So along the Road Toward Hackingsack as far as the New Bridge whare they Are Intrenching on the Heighth on booth sides of the New Bridge: I have this Moment Recd Inteligence that the Enemy Are Advancing towards Hackingsack the Bearer will Deliver Your Excellency a Letter from Genl Maxwell which will Inform Your Excellenecy of the Movements to the Southward.2 I am Dr Sir Your Exencey Most obedient Huml. Sert
Wm Winds
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote “26 Sepr 1778” below the dateline, which appears in the lower-left corner of the manuscript. Tilghman docketed the letter: “Slotterdam 26th Sepr 1778 from Genl Winds & Genl Maxwell Ansd 28th” (see GW to Winds, that date). Slotterdam was on the east bank of the Passaic River about five miles west of the New Bridge.
2. This letter, which Brig. Gen. William Maxwell wrote to Winds earlier on this date from Elizabeth, N.J., reads: “I am Favoured with Yours of yesterday last night I am sorry that I cannot comply with your request to send or go with part of my Brigade to Joyn you yet. There has been the greatest preperations making Yesterday to come here that has been yet. Capt. Quigley was at New York with some Flower Saw a Number of Gundalows & other Boats in the Kills that came from New York that day or yesterday full of Troops that while he was permited to go on shore at New York to get a receipt or some thing for his Flour his Boat and Hands was ordered away and after many of his applications he was ordered to Statten Island to Genl Vaughan there to be put on board of his Boat and Immediately sent off for this place He found the Men that had been landed in the morning all along the Road as he came from the Ferry down to his boat with their Packs & Blankets slung They have laid the Bridges opposite to the old Ferry in short they have made every thing ready to come over and we expect them every moment there was one 20 Gun Ship 12 or 15 small Armed Vessels went up the N. River Yesterday supposed either to carry over some more of the Enemy from the East side or take those away that is on the west side The Governor Informed me that he has ordered out the whole of the Militia from the Countys of Bergan Morris Essex Hunterdon Summerset & Middlesex I expect a good many of them here to day I have Just Recd information that General Clinton is on the Island. “The Enemys Boats now heaves in sight we expect they will attempt to land in half an Hour at least. Send this on to Genl Washington as soon as possable” (DLC:GW).