From George Washington to Brigadier General Mordecai Gist, 2 April 1780
To Brigadier General Mordecai Gist
Hd Qrs Morristown 2d April 1780
Dr Sir
Under the present situation of things it appears necessary to place the Maryland division under your command in the most perfect state of readiness to move at the shortest notice.1 It will be indispensible that all guards at a distance should be drawn in—All soldiers that may be servants with officers not belonging or attatched to the troops recalled, and every other previous arrangement in your power made for this purpose. You will be pleased to inform the Adjutant general, of the parties on command that they may be withdrawn and replac⟨ed,⟩ and be in readiness with your division to move at a moments warning.2 I shall consult with the quarter Master Genl on the score of waggons.3 I am D. Sir &.
G.W.
Df, in James McHenry’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Obscured material on the draft has been supplied in angle brackets from the Varick transcript.
1. For GW’s decision to transfer the Maryland division and Delaware Regiment to the southern department, see Council of War, 1 April; GW to Samuel Huntington, this date; and Huntington to GW, 6 April, and n.2 to that document; see also GW to Nathanael Greene and to Johann Kalb, both this date, and the source note to the latter document.
2. Gist’s efforts to comply with GW’s directive led to a letter from Capt. William Reily to GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman written at Pluckemin, N.J., on 26 April: “when the Maryld Troop March’d I was Orderd here by Genl Gist for the porpose of Collecting together the Scattering Soldiers of that line, and when I thought it Useless to remain here any longer on this duty to make it known to Head Quarter where I should receive Some Orders respecting my march. Genl Gist also inform’d me, the Sick, at Albany Fish Kills &[ca]. was to be sent here by Order of his Excellency, but through a Multiplicity of Business it may perhaps have been forgot, therefore Should be much Oblige to you to remind his Excellency of the matter, as I wish to follow my troops as soon as I Can possibly Effect the porpose for which I was left. the Arrivel of the men from the Above places I believe will Fix my time to move” (DLC:GW). Tilghman wrote an undated note on the docket of Reily’s letter: “ordered to remain at Pluckemin till joined by the Men from Hospitals.”
3. GW again wrote Gist from headquarters at Morristown on 10 April: “The Maryland division will move to the Southward as speedily as possible—You will therefore be pleased to see the Qr Mr & Commy immediately that the best and most expeditious means in their power may be used to put the Troops in motion—I wish no unavoidable delay to take place on this occasion. … P.s. You will direct the P. Ms. of the Division to draw pay for the several regts to the 1st Inst. no time shd be lost in giving these orders or in the execution of them” (Df, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
GW also wrote Brig. Gen. Henry Knox from the same place on the same date: “The Maryland division will begin their march to the Southward as soon as the means in our power will enable them to do so—I therefore wish you to lose no time—in consulting with the Qr Mr Genl as far as it may be necessary for the transportation of the Artillery & stores which is to accompany the Division” (Df, in Richard Kidder Meade’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).