George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Colonel Moses Hazen, 28 August 1779

To Colonel Moses Hazen

Head Quarters West-point 28th Augt 1779.

Sir

On receipt of this you will be pleased to put your regiment under marching orders, and proceed without delay by the best and shortest route to rejoin this army. I find this measure necessary as the reinforcement which the enemy have been expecting—has I am advised, arrived at New-York. This makes it expedient to draw together as much of our force as possible on the occasion.1 I am sir Your &c.

G.W.

Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The docket of the letter indicates that it was addressed to Hazen at “Co’os” in Vermont.

1GW is referring to the British army reinforcements, convoyed by the naval squadron of Vice Adm. Marriot Arbuthnot, which had arrived at New York on 25 Aug. (see GW to John Jay, 24–27 Aug., and n.8 to that document). For GW’s defensive preparations for the arrival of this long-expected British reinforcement, see GW to Jay, 11 Aug., n.5.

GW had deployed Hazen’s 2d Canadian Regiment to Coos in order to gather intelligence along the Canadian frontier and threaten an invasion of Canada. The deployment was part of a misinformation scheme to decoy British and Canadian forces away from Maj. Gen. John Sullivan’s expedition against the Six Nations (see GW to Hazen, 6 March and 20 July, and n.4 to the latter document).

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