To George Washington from Colonel David Forman, 21 July 1780
From Colonel David Forman
Freehold [N.J.] 21st July 80
Sir
Capt. Denniss going so Early only permits me Time To enclose to Your Excly a Sketch of The Diary from the [Atlantic] Highlands and The Information of a Certain Lt Wolcott.1 I have The Honr to be Your Excly Most obdt Humble Servt
David Forman
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. For the return of pilot Patrick Dennis to headquarters, see GW to Henry Lee, Jr., 19 July.
The enclosed report of ship movements in New York Harbor sent to Forman by John Stillwell reads: “Sunday July the 16 in the Morning foggy Nothing to be Seen Affter Noon Some Shipping are fell in With the East Line the Large Shiping of Arberthnots fleet that Came Within the hook Last Night are going to the Large Shiping Without the Hook Again 3 Ships Beating towards New York.
“Monday Morning July th. 17 the Weather fair the Wind S.W. 4 Ships Beating Down from New York 6 Sail going to the fleet Lieing Without the [Hook.] Several Ships Standing to the South East.
“Monday After Noon the Weather Clear the Wind W. Hasey on the Water Several Vessels Down from the Narrowes 2 Sail Standing from the Eastward for the fleet the Ships all in the East Line.
“Tuesday Morning the 18 of July—the Weather Hasey Nothing in Particular to be Observed—the Wind Calm.
“Tuesday After Noon the Weather Clearing the Wind hard at W. the Vessels Continually Moving[.] Some Sails Without the fleet 2 Ships falling Down from the Narrowes 3 others Beating Up.
“Wensday Morning July the 19 the Weather Clear the wind W.S.W.—2 Sail Coming from the fleet[.] there is at this time Lieing in Sandy Hook Harbour 1 frigate, 2 Sloops of War the fleet sd to be for Sinking.
“Wensday After Noon the Wind fresh at S.W.—the fleet Appear Like Coming to Sail 4 O Clock they are all Under Way Which Consists of 21 Sail[.] Some Appear Small 3 Sail are Going from the hook After them[.] the Air Dark I Cannot Distinguish their Ships of War or their Number[.] Evening[,] the fleet Said to be for Sinking are Beating Up the Bay for the Narrowes.
“Thursday Morning July the 20 the Weather Cloudy the Wind N.E. the fleet of Men of War are Not to be Seen here[.] the Small fleet Said to be for Sinking Lieth between the E. and W. Banck in the Channel[.] there is but 1 Small Ship of War Within the Hook this Morning” (DLC:GW).
The enclosed undated intelligence report reads: “Lieut. Wolcott of The Monmouth Militia Taken of[f] by the refugees, & Exchanged on Tuesday the 18 July 80—Informes.
“That before he left New York he was Informed a body [of] Troops were Imbark’d for Charles Town—That he saw a Number of Letters for Charles Town delivered to a Woman As she said the Wife of a British Serjt then at Charles Town—& that She was to go with the Troops Then Imbarked—On Monday Mr Wolcott Come from New York—at The Narrowes he fell in with five Large Transports—The Vessell he was in run Close by Two of the Transports, he saw they ware full of Troops—There Uniform Red Ground Turnd up white or pale Buff—Instead of Buttons on the Hips they ware Trim’d with Lace or fringe—that The Officer of the Flagg [boat] Informed him they ware Lord Rawdons or some such Core—That on Tuesday Before he was Exchanged he saw the said five Ships Go to Sea and Stand to the Southward” (DLC:GW).