To George Washington from Major Lemuel Trescott, 8 May 1780
From Major Lemuel Trescott
Paramus [N.J.] May 8 1780
Sir
On Thirsday last1 I was Informed that a body of the enemy were at Bulls Ferry Since which I have taken every method in my power to obtain their Designs, and Strength but have not received any Sattisfactory intelligence reports Say they are a party of refugees on the wood-cutting Buisness and that their numbers are from one to three hundred, had I conceived that my Instructions from your Excellency would have permitted my Leaving this post on this Occasion, I Should have been able to Give your Excellency a more pairticulair account of numbers—I Sent a Scout down the last night they have not returnd, I hope they will bring a pairticulair account of the matter Should I by any means Procure Intelligence which may be relied on, and their numbers not Supireor to those I have the honour to command, with your Excellencys Permission to leave this post I think it would be in my Power to Give a good Account of them.2 I have the Honour to be your Excellencys most Obedt Servant
L. Trescott Major Commanding A Detachment at Paramus
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. The previous Thursday was 4 May.
2. GW replied to Trescott from Morristown on 9 May: “I received your letter of yesterday. You have my permission to endeavour to ascertain the strength of the party at Bull’s ferry and to make an attempt upon it, if you think there is sufficient probability of success—You will no doubt at the same time be upon your own guard lest this party should meditate something against you” (Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
Loyalists apparently were constructing a fortification at Bull’s Ferry, N.J., that eventually proved troublesome (see , 253–54, 257–60; see also Thomas Lloyd Moore to GW, and GW to Moore, both 22 May, in DLC:GW). For an unsuccessful Continental army attack against the fortification at Bull’s Ferry, see GW to Anthony Wayne, 20 July, and Wayne to GW, 22 July (both DLC:GW).