II. George Washington to Colonel Thomas Craig, 21 November 1780
II
To Colonel Thomas Craig
Head Quarters Novemr 21st 1780
Sir,
On thursday morning you will march with all the men of your detachment fit for duty to Springfield,1 where you will halt during the night and next day, ’till three oClock in the afternoon; at three oClock on friday, you will move towards Elizabeth Town, making a slow easy march to avoid fatiguing your men. At Elizabeth Town, you will receive further orders from a General Officer, which you will obey. It will be necessary2 to execute this order with punctuality. I am Sir Yr most Obedient ser.
G. Washington
P.S. Let your party be provided with two days provision cooked. They are also to go without Baggage.3
Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote the postscript on the draft, which was addressed to Craig at Morristown, New Jersey.
1. GW ordered Craig to march his command to Springfield, N.J., on 23 November.
2. Hamilton wrote and then struck out “to conceal your ultimate destination, and” at this place on the draft.
3. Craig replied to GW from Jockey Hollow, N.J., on the same date: “I have received your favor of this day and Shall strictly comply with the orders contained in it” (ALS, DLC:GW).
GW again wrote Craig from headquarters on 24 Nov.: “Circumstances having rendered the prosecution of the enterprise which I had in view inexpedient, you will be pleased to march your party back to their encampment” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).