George Washington to Samuel Huntington, 17 May 1781
To Samuel Huntington
Head Quarters New Windsor 17th May 1781.
Sir
His Excellency The Count de Rochambeau having received dispatches from the Court of France by his son the Viscount de Rochambeau, who arrived at Boston in the Frigate la Concorde the 6th instant, has requested an interview with me.1 I have appointed the place of meeting at Weathersfield on Monday next, for which purpose, I shall set out to morrow from hence. I am in hopes we shall be able, from the intelligences received, to settle a definitive plan of Campaign.2
I am sorry to inform Your Excellency, that a part of our advanced troops were surprised on Monday Morning near Croton River, by about sixty Horse and two hundred foot, under the command of Colonel Delancey—Colo. Greene who commanded our party was mortally wounded in his quarters—The enemy attempted to carry him off, but he died upon the Road. Major Flagg was killed.3 The loss of these Officers is to be regretted, especially the former, who had upon several occasions distinguished himself—particularly in the defence of the post at Red Bank in 1777, when he defeated Count Donop.4 I inclose a Return of our loss upon the late occasion.5
The Enemy upon their return fell in with Capt. Fog of the New Hampshire line, who was patrolling near the White plains—They attempted to surround him and cut him off by dint of superior numbers, but the Captain made so good a disposition of his small force, that he brought them off with the loss of two Men only. The enemy had a Captain and several Men killed in the attack. I have the honor to be with great Respect Sir Yr Excellency’s Most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DNA:PCC, item 152; Df, DLC:GW; copy, DNA:PCC, item 169; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. Congress read the letter on 21 May (, 20:519). Huntington acknowledged this letter when he wrote GW on 23 May, postscript.
1. See Rochambeau to GW, 11 May.
3. For the deaths of Col. Christopher Greene and Maj. Ebenezer Flagg on Monday, 14 May, see John Paterson to GW, same date (first letter), n.2.
4. For Greene’s exploit at Red Bank, Pa., see Samuel Ward, Jr., to GW, 23 Oct. 1777, n.2.
5. Adj. Gen. Edward Hand prepared the enclosure titled “Return of the Killed, Wounded and Missing of the detachment on Croten river May 14th 1781.” The table showed casualties among officers and rank and file: Rhode Island line: killed: 1 colonel, 1 major, 5 rank and file; wounded: 5 rank and file; missing: 2 subalterns, 27 rank and file; Massachusetts line: killed: 1 rank and file; missing: 1 subaltern; New Hampshire line: missing: 1 surgeon, 1 sergeant, 6 rank and file; Totals: killed: 1 colonel, 1 major, 6 rank and file; wounded: 5 rank and file; missing: 3 subalterns, 1 surgeon, 1 sergeant, 33 rank and file. “Total Kill’d, Wounded & Missing” amounted to 1 colonel, 1 major, 3 subalterns, 1 surgeon, 1 sergeant, and 44 rank and file (DNA:PCC, item 152). For other casualty reports, see Paterson to GW, 14 May (first letter), notes 2 and 3.