George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Brigadier General John Glover, 9–10 July 1779

To Brigadier General John Glover

Head Qrs New Windsor July 9th[-10] 1779

sir,

As it is probable the Enemy will endeavour to distress the Country by interrupting the operations of husbandry at this interesting season, You will be pleased to halt till further orders, at such place in the state of Connecticut as shall be judged best calculated to cover the part of the Country most exposed to the incursions of the Enemy. For this purpose I recommend to you to consult his Excellency the Governor. I am Sir Yr Most Obedt Hb. St

G. Washington

July 10th

I should be glad the position you take may be as far advanced this way as will answer the object proposed; because you will be then so much the nearer a junction with this Army.1

Copy, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, enclosed in GW to William Heath, 10 July 1779 (first letter), MHi: Heath Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. A note at the bottom of the draft manuscript reads: “This Post[s]cript was added to a duplicate of the above.” Additionally, the draft manuscript is docketed: “To General Glover Or Officer Commanding his Brigade.” The letter actually sent to Glover, which has not been found, was enclosed in GW to Jonathan Trumbull, Sr., 9 July.

A letter from Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene to Jabez Bowen, deputy governor of Rhode Island, written at New Windsor, N.Y., on 10 July, in part reads: “I did not know that Glovers brigade had receivd orders to march until day before yesterday when the General informd me, of the orders he had given, and the reasons for it; which were that the detachment from Rhode Island which the Enemy had made and their designs upon Connecticut renderd Glovers brigade less necessary with you and absolutely necessary to give some support to that State especially as he had the best intelligence that they intended to ravage and plunder all along upon the Sound, and if possible burn New London.

“Whether the General has done right or wrong in ordering the brigade away from you is not for me to say: but I am perswaded it is the result of an opinion formd upon the great scale of common good, and common safety” (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 4:217–19; see also GW to Glover, 8 July).

1For subsequent orders moving Glover’s brigade to the vicinity of Ridgefield, Conn., see GW to William Heath, 16 (first and second letters) and 19 July, and to Glover, 17 July; see also GW to Samuel Holden Parsons, 8 July, and n.5 to that document.

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