From George Washington to the Officer Commanding the Additional Maryland Battalion, 1 August 1780
To the Officer Commanding the Additional Maryland Battalion
Hd Qrs Pecks Kill Augt 1st 1780
Sir
By the time this arrives at the Head of Elk, I would willingly hope, that the Battallion which the Legislature determined to raise for the War, in lieu of the number of Militia required by the Honourable the Committee of Congress, acting with the Army, will have assembled and be in readiness to join me.1 If this is the case I am to request, that You will proceed with it and join the Army on the East side of Hudson’s River, with all the expedition You can, compatible with the health of the Men. Should it happen that not more than a part of the Battallion is assembled—You will send the Men forward under proper Officers & follow with the Remainder as soon as possible. I am Sir Yr most Obedt Hble st
G. Washington
Df, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
Also from Peekskill on this date, GW wrote Henry Hollingsworth, deputy quartermaster general at Head of Elk, Md.: “Inclosed you have a letter for the Commanding Officer of the Regiment intended to be raised by the State of Maryland in lieu of the Militia demanded of her—This Regiment was appointed to rendezvous at the Head of Elk by the last of July, but as some disappointments may have happened in the raising of it, perhaps it may not be punctual to the time I must therefore request you to keep the letter by you, if no part of the troops should have arrived when it gets to hand, and deliver it to the first Officer who comes upon the Ground” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).
1. For the formation of this battalion, see Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer and Josiah Beall to GW, 22 June; see also GW to Jenifer and Beall, and to the Committee at Headquarters, both 27 June.