George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Brigadier General Nathanael Greene, 16 July 1776

From Brigadier General Nathanael Greene

Camp on Long Island July 16. 1776

Sir

Colo. Hand Reports the fleet lies much in the same situation as yesterday. Three Ships at the Hook, two Tenders cruising in the Bay. No deserters last Night, nothing material has happend since yesterday. I am in hopes to get the works on Cobble Hill compleated in a few Days, it has taken much more time than I expected,1 I have such a number of Guards, that the fatigue party is much smaller than I could wish, but I cannot safely enlarge it without injuring the health of the People, for they are one day on and one day off duty now. One Ship and a Sloop have been under sail to day but are now come too. I am with all due respect your Excellencys most obedient humble servant

N. Greene

ALS, DLC:GW.

1. This high conical hill at Brooklyn apparently was so called because it reminded Greene’s troops of the Cobble Hill outside Boston which the Americans had fortified in November 1775 (Showman, Greene Papers description begins Richard K. Showman et al., eds. The Papers of General Nathanael Greene. 13 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1976–2005. description ends , 1:236; see also the map in Manders, Battle of Long Island description begins Eric I. Manders. The Battle of Long Island. Monmouth Beach, N.J., 1978. description ends , 20–21).

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    Washington Papers
    Title
    To George Washington from Brigadier General Nathanael Greene, 16 July 1776
    Author
    Greene, Nathanael
    Recipient
    Washington, George
    Date
    16 July 1776

    Reference

    Cite as
    “To George Washington from Brigadier General Nathanael Greene, 16 July 1776,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-05-02-0248. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 5, 16 June 1776 – 12 August 1776, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993, pp. 340–341.]

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