1. Thomas Hughes (1752–1821), a native of Freetown, Mass., entered the war in 1775 as an ensign in the 3d Rhode Island Regiment. He became a lieutenant in the 11th Continental Infantry in March 1776 and was severely wounded at the Battle of Long Island that August. He served as lieutenant in the 2d Rhode Island Regiment from January 1777 until his promotion to captain that June. After the army’s reorganization in 1781, Hughes was a captain in the consolidated Rhode Island Regiment until the end of the war. Hughes unsuccessfully sought a federal appointment during GW’s presidency (see Hughes to GW, 29 May 1790, in Papers, Presidential Series description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series. 21 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1987–2020. description ends 5:429–30).

2. GW recorded in his diary entry for this date that he had received Paterson’s letter around noon and learned in the evening that Continental soldiers “had been inhumanly murdered” (Diaries description begins Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, eds. The Diaries of George Washington. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1976–79. description ends , 3:364).

The Royal Gazette (New York) for Wednesday, 16 May, published an account of the attack: “Last Sunday about 4 o’clock in the afternoon, Colonel De Lancey, with about one hundred cavalry and two hundred foot, marched from Morrisiana, and penetrated about thirty three miles into the country, distant one mile and an half beyond Croton-River, which they crossed with great difficulty, from its being then unusually deep; the cavalry were obliged to carry the foot on horseback, and many of them were forced to swim: Directly after crossing the river Captain Kipp, of the horse, and Lieutentant Totten, of the rangers, with the troops under their command, attacked the rebel Colonel Green, with a number of continental troops; the Colonel was mortally wounded, and Major Flagg with 12 privates were killed.” According to the report, casualties included twenty-two killed, two wounded, and thirty-six prisoners. Maj. Gen. William Heath wrote in his memoirs for 22 May “that on the 13th, Col. Greene … was surprised by a body of the enemy’s horse, supposed to be about 150 dragoons.” Heath noted that Greene, along with “Maj. Flagg, two subalterns, and 27 men were killed, and several wounded” (Wilson, Heath’s Memoirs description begins Rufus Rockwell Wilson, ed. Heath’s Memoirs of the American War. 1798. Reprint. New York, 1904. description ends , 303).

Dr. James Thacher described the surprise “by a party of the enemy” in his journal entry for May 1781: “They first attacked Colonel Greene’s and Major Flagg’s quarters, and killed the major while in bed. The colonel being badly wounded in the house, was carried into the woods and barbarously murdered. Two subalterns and twenty-seven privates were also killed, and a lieutenant and surgeon, with about twenty men, taken prisoners. This melancholy event is most deeply regretted.” Thacher added that Col. Christopher Greene “had taken post in a situation to guard a certain fording-place at Croton river, and had practised the greatest vigilance in the night time, calling off his guards at sunrise, on the idea that the enemy would not presume to cross in the day-time; but the enemy having learned his mode of performing duty, effected their purpose by crossing the ford immediately after the guard had been withdrawn, and the surprise was so complete that no practicable defence would avail them” (Thacher, Military Journal description begins James Thacher. Military Journal of the American Revolution, From the commencement to the disbanding of the American Army; Comprising a detailed account of the principal events and Battles of the Revolution, with their exact dates, And a Biographical Sketch of the most Prominent Generals. Hartford, 1862. description ends , 262). Lt. Col. Henry Dearborn wrote in his journal entry for 14 May: “Colo. Green & Majr. Flagg of the Rhode-Island Regt. being on the line ware surprised & most inhumainly butcher’d, together with 12 of their party, by a body of the Enemy consisting mostly of refugees.—30 of our party ware made prisoners” (Brown and Peckham, Dearborn Journals description begins Lloyd A. Brown and Howard H. Peckham, eds. Revolutionary War Journals of Henry Dearborn, 1775–1783. 1939. Reprint. New York, 1971. description ends , 210–11). Lt. Jeremiah Greenman of the Rhode Island Regiment explained in his diary entry for 14 May how he was taken prisoner and “carried to York Island” (Greenman, Diary description begins Robert C. Bray and Paul E. Bushnell, eds. Diary of a Common Soldier in the American Revolution, 1775-1783: An Annotated Edition of the Military Journal of Jeremiah Greenman. DeKalb, Ill., 1978. description ends , 208). British major Frederick Mackenzie, stationed in New York City, wrote in his diary entry for 15 May: “An Ensign and 36 Rebels of The Rhode Island Continentals brought in prisoners” (see Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:521).

3. GW replied to Paterson from New Windsor on this date: “I have recd Yours of this day—Should the Enemy still be out, you will instantly put the Connecticut line in motion, with Orders to reinforce the Corps under Colonel Scammell. The Troops must all be held in the most perfect readiness for action, and the Water Guards be instructed to use the greatest vigilance. Every effort will be necessary to gain early, regular, & constant intelligence of the Enemys numbers, motions & designs, which you will be pleased to communicate to me.

“Should anything material happen, I shall wish to be informed immediately—& even, ’tho nothing of consequence should take place you will please to let me hear from you by the Morng” (Df, in David Humphreys’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).

Paterson replied to GW from West Point on the same date: “I have just received your Excellencys Letter—The Enemy having retired makes the Disposition mentioned in your Letter, with respect to them, at this Time unnecessary—This Moment I have received the inclosed Letters, which agreeable to your Excellencys desire, as they contain the latest Intelligence I have, I have transmitted—Should I hear any thing more, respecting this unhappy Affair—I shall as early as possible communicate it [to] Your Excellency” (ALS, PHi: Gratz Collection; Sprague transcript, DLC:GW; the cover of the ALS is addressed to GW at New Windsor; GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys docketed the ALS: “from General Patterson—enclosing Letter from Col. Scammell”). Paterson probably enclosed the letter that Col. Alexander Scammell had written him from “N.H. Village” on this date: “I march’d all our men fit for duty a few miles on the first Report, in order to be in a position to protect the Rhode Island Hutts, in case the enemy should make them an Object. But on Information that the enemy had return’d, I march’d back the party—As there had been an Order for no amunition to be issued till the Inspection was over, We were not able to furnish our Recruits with but 12 Rounds a man—In consequence of which I wrote by our Conductor for a quantity of Ammunition at west point. I hope he has obtain’d it—I have sent my Surgeon to the Lines. But as he is in a very bad state of health, I wish you would order a Surgeon or mate from the Massachusetts or Connecticut Line to the Lines to take care of such of the wounded men as may have escaped or been left by the enemy. …

“I do myself the honor of sending you an Extract of a Letter this moment receiv’d from the Lines—‘The enemy attacked the Majors Quarters—Kill’d Major Flagg in his bed—Colo. Greene I believe is kill’d—Lt Macumber taken from his Bed—Greenman (or Greerman) on Guard at the Bridge with his men fell into their Hands—Capts. [Thomas] Hughes & [Zephaniah] Brown we are uncertain of their Fate—Kill’d and most inhumanly butcher’d about Fifteen—Wounded several—Heads—Arms—legs—all went to pot—Lt. ⟨illegible⟩ & Dr Henry both wounded and taken[’]—This Letter was wrote at the request of Major [Amos] Morril—I send you enclosed a Letter from Capt. Olney. I have ventur’d to permit the Officer he mentions to go on to R[hod]e Island—And urg’d Expedition—As Colo. Olney’s presence will be very necessary with the Regt—I long to retaliate—I feel unhappy at the Fate of so many brave officers—but more so on Account of the

Surprize—I fear it was a complete one—I have long urg’d the propriety of guarding the Lines by patroles only—& suppos’d it was the case, till the unhappy event took place” (DLC:GW). New Hampshire Village was the winter encampment of the New Hampshire line (see GW to Samuel Huntington, 28 Nov. 1780, n.5).

The enclosed letter to Scammell from Capt. Coggeshall Olney of the Rhode Island Regiment, written from the winter encampment of the Rhode Island line on 14 May, contained a letter “Just receiv’d from the Lines—Colo. Greenes Waistcoat is found very bloody, on his bed.

“The Enemy told the Inhabitants that the Colo. was Stripp’d naked & murder’d in the Woods.

“The Colo. (before he left Camp) had given Liberty for an Officer from the Regt to go to Rhode Island on public business—I would wish to have your approbation as Commandant of the Brigade, as the Situation of the Regiment is such as requires Colo. Olney to Join as soon as possible—with your permission the Officer will set out tomorrow” (DLC:GW). For subsequent reports, see Paterson’s letters to GW on 15, 16, and 17 May.