To George Washington from Benjamin Lincoln, 2 July 1781
Dobbs Fe[rry] 2 July 1781
My Dear General
We arrived and landed our troops here between three & four this morning immediately our boats were covered with green boughs & our men [ ] in a neghbouring wood many things combined to cause a [failure] of [landg] as first proposed Majr Darby miss under stood Majr Bayley re[sp]ecting the place the Boats were to be [carried] which prevented his finding them this caus[e]d a delay of one hour after we had to contend with the evils of over loaded & leaky boats poor oars men & wind & tide part of the time against us.
Early in the morning I set off with Colo. scamel for Fort Lee—on my arriving near it I found my self in full view of the [ ] encampments.
They have encamped so far as we could discover and [ illegible lately see the shady] [line illegible ] to compleat [ ] regiments in the [Howland] north of Fort Trion—They have one regiment [in tirely] just by Fort St George the [ ] have been represented to join [ ] This State of matters alone [being] so different from what was expected would have induced me to give up the thought of attempting what was first proposed—But did none of these [ ] the [ ] of the ship (which is [oppte] to the incampment I first mentioned & near the middle of the river) would with the [ ] age of the moon & state of the tide would have been sufficient to have rendered abortive a plan which under other circumst[ancs] would have had the highest [ ] of success for if we go down with the Ebb so as to make little use of our oars then it would be at a time when the moon would give so much Light as would give an oppertunity of [ ] a [boat] near two mils If we wait untill the moon setts we must so [ ] contend with the flood tide as [ ] not withstandg [the precautions] to prevent it will be [ ] at a long distance [Colo. Scamel illegible with me in opinion]
If I hear nothing to the contrary from your Exclly I shall endeavour fully to carry into [ ] object. I am &c.
MHi: Benjamin Lincoln Papers.