To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Sherman, 26 January 1780
From Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Sherman
Camp [Jockey Hollow, N.J.] 26th Janry 1780
Sir,
I sent on to Camp last friday from the County of Middlesex an hundred and twenty one head of cattle, sixty head more will be in to day1—fourteen quarters of beef, 1150 Wt of salt pork and 80 of fresh is deliver’d Mr Schuyler purchasing Commisy at Brunswic, who will send them on immediately if wanted2—The pork is estimated to be equivalent to four Beeves. The whole of the grain is deliver’d at different Mills, of which there is near two hundred bushels more than the quota. The County is deficient 12 head of cattle: this deficiency is from the township of Windsor;3 the magistrates of which say, that it is not in their power to collect such as will answer, and desire it may be made up in grain. If this proposal shall not be agreeable, they have obligated themselves to furnish the cattle when demanded, or an equivalent in good mutton if it is not objected to. The Magistrates of the County have exerted themselves, and wou’d have collected the Articles sooner, had not the weather been so intensely cold: The inhabitants in general chearfully offered their Cattle and grain for the support of the Army—I wish to know the answer I am to give the Justices of Windsor—I shall have an opportunity of sending there to morrow. With the greatest Esteem and respect I am Your Excellys Most Obedt Servt
Isaac Sherman
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The previous Friday was 21 January. GW had assigned Sherman to supervise the collection of provisions for the army in Middlesex County, N.J. (see GW to William De Hart, 8 Jan., a version of which was sent to Sherman; see also Circular to the New Jersey Magistrates, 7 Jan.).
2. On 25 Dec. 1779, the New Jersey legislature had named contractors in each county to procure provisions for the army (see William De Hart to GW, 13 Jan., n.2). Abraham Schuyler (1741–1815) of New Brunswick, N.J., was one of two contractors appointed for Middlesex County. He later served as mayor of New Brunswick and as a trustee of Rutgers College (now Rutgers University). He was a distant cousin of Philip Schuyler.
3. Windsor Township was located in the southernmost part of Middlesex County.