George Washington to Colonel Elias Dayton, 29 March 1781
To Colonel Elias Dayton
Head Quarters New Windsor 29th March 1781
Dear Sir
I have never yet hear⟨d⟩ whether the Officers have had any or wh⟨at⟩ success, under the Law for recruitin⟨g,⟩ You will be pleased to inform me by the first oppertunity.1
We have a report by the way of Kings bridge that there has been an action between the French and British Fleets, but no particulars.2 If you ⟨have⟩ any thing of it from Staten Island, ⟨be⟩ pleased to let me hear from you. I am Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, in private hands; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The LS is misdated as 1780. Mutilated material is supplied in angle brackets from the draft, which is dated 1781 and also in Tilghman’s writing.
1. See Dayton to GW, 20 April. For the New Jersey recruiting law, see William Livingston to GW, 5 Jan., n.1.
2. For the Battle of Cape Henry, see Destouches to GW, 19 March, source note; see also Rochambeau to GW, 27 March.