George Washington to Lieutenant Colonel Ebenezer Stevens or the Commanding Officer at the Artillery Park, 2 May 1781
To Lieutenant Colonel Ebenezer Stevens
or the Commanding Officer at the Artillery Park
Head Quarters [New Windsor] 2d May 1781.
Sir
You will be pleased immediately to order out a party of fifteen or twenty picked Men under proper Officers to go with Major Logan, lately of the York Line, to endeavour to apprehend a gang of notorious1 Villains in this neighbourhood—Major Logan will guide the party and point out the objects. Let them take three days provision if possible. The party will march as speedily as possible, as one of the Gang is already taken up, and it is feared the others will gain intelligence of it. I have directed the order to you in the first instance as I know General Knox is not at home. I am Sir Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, NHi: Ebenezer Stevens Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. The artillery park during this winter encampment was near New Windsor.
New York governor George Clinton wrote Maj. Samuel Logan from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on this date: “The Bearer, Mr. John Elsworth, informs me that last Night he happened to fall in with a certain Owen Burnes, between Goshen & New Burgh, who discovered his Intentions of going to New York & that the Persons whose Names you have below with several others had agreed to go with him. Mr. Elsworth secured Burnes at New Burgh & came on here to give me this Information. You will see the necessity of apprehending the other Persons concerned before they are apprized of the Fate of Burnes. I have, therefore, engaged Mr. Elsworth to return immediately to secure Burnes effectually & examine Burnes more particularly respecting the others concerned with him, so as to ascertain their guilt & Places of Residence &c. And I must take the Liberty of requesting, that you will immediately take measures for apprehending securing & sending them to this Place, as calling out the Militia for this Purpose will not be attend[ed] with sufficient secrecy or Dispatch; his Excellency on application I am perswaded will give you a small party for the Purpose.” Following the letter, seven names are listed in addition to “Owen Burne—taken by Elsworth” (, 6:826–27).
1. This word appears only on the LS.