George Washington to Abner Nash, 4 April 1781
To Abner Nash
Head Quarters New Windsor 4th April 1781.
Sir
I have the honor of your Excellency’s favr of the 19th ulto and am glad to find that the State have at length adopted measures for filling their Battalions which you think will prove effectual.1 You may be assured that every exertion not only of the States immediately interested but of those more at a distance will be necessary to prevent the progress of the Enemys Arms in the quarter where they are now operating—and to which I doubt not but they will transfer the weight of the War—General Phillips has probably before this time made his appearance some where to the southward—he sailed from New York about a fortnight ago with a detachment said to consist of 1500 Men.2
Should I be furnished with the means I shall not fail to give you every support in my power, but I am sorry to say my prospects of reinforcement to this part of the Army are not flattering. I have only yet recd abt 400 Recruits from all the States to the Eastward of New Jersey.3 I have the honor to be &.
Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. See Nash to GW, 19 March.
2. For the departure of this expedition, see Elias Dayton to GW, 15 March, n.1; see also Dayton to GW, 9 March, n.5. The troops under British major general William Phillips landed at Portsmouth, Va., on 31 March and soon after operated along the James River (see , 294; Thomas Jefferson to GW, 23 April; and Steuben to GW, 25 April).
3. For GW’s report on recruits, see his letter to Samuel Huntington, 8 April, and n.1 to that document.