Colonel Elias Dayton to George Washington, 7 April 1781
From Colonel Elias Dayton
Chatham [N.J.] April 7th 1781
Sir,
Your letter of the fourth with the annexed duplicate came safe to hand1—The original was no doubt taken into New York, as I see by the papers, that the post was carried there.2
On recollection, your Excellency will remember a plan suggested at Morris town in December last which I was desired to execute. Lieut. McMichael who was the person in view I have ordered to be taken from a flag of truce, granted by Capt. Ward,3 as a deserter from my Regiment; for which I have a precedent, ’tho I would wish to have your Excellency’s opinion upon the propriety of the measure, which will be very necessary if for any reason your Excellency should not approve of my intentions with respect to McMichael. He seems to agree very heartily to engage in our service and assures me that he has it greatly in his power to serve us; how far he is sincere, a trial only can evince. He has intrigue, firmness, understanding and ev’ry other requisite to answer every expectation.4 I have proposed to suffer him to make his escape, which I shall do as soon as I receive your Excellency’s approbation. I would request to know what rewards may be promised him if he proves faithful and to have some directions which I may communicate to him, about what he is to undertake.5 I am with the greatest respect your Excellency most Humble servant
Elias Dayton
LS, DLC:GW.
1. See GW to Dayton, 4 April, and n.1.
2. A notice of the capture of the post rider appeared in The Royal Gazette (New York) for 4 April (see Rochambeau to GW, 26 April, n.1).
3. Dayton presumably refers to Loyalist captain Thomas Ward.
4. Lt. Edward McMichael probably was the person in the Royal Provincial Corps of Guides and Pioneers who had sent Dayton an espionage report in June 1780 (see GW to George Clinton, 20 June 1780, n.11).
Edward McMichael became lieutenant in the 3d New Jersey Regiment in February 1776. For his desertion, see Philip Schuyler to GW, 16 Aug. 1776, postscript; see also Schuyler to GW, 2 Aug. 1776. McMichael then joined the King’s Royal Regiment of New York as a cadet, was sent in March 1777 to New York City, where he became a second lieutenant, and transferred to the Royal Provincial Corps of Guides and Pioneers as a first lieutenant in October 1778. He received a commission as a captain of riflemen in November 1780, and the Board of Associated Loyalists in New York City made him a captain by warrant on 23 Jan. 1781. McMichael began serving that April as lieutenant in the Loyal Refugee Volunteers of New Jersey based at Bergen Point.
5. GW replied to Dayton on 11 April.