George Washington to Colonel Elias Dayton, 28 May 1781
To Colonel Elias Dayton
Head Quarters New Windsor 28th May 1781.
Dear Sir
The late accounts from New York are mysterious and perplexing, but they at any rate demand that we should be in readiness to move. You will therefore concentre, as much as possible, your Brigade and put them under marching orders. The parties at the Clove are not to be immediately called in, but the Officers commanding them warned to be in readiness.
Should an evacuation of New York take place, as many strongly suspect, the troops under your command will be next for detachment, you will therefore desire the Officers to make preparation for a move more than merely to join the main Body of the Army.
As I am very anxious to learn what they are really doing in New York, you will oblige me by obtaining and sending me as accurate intelligence as possible.1 I am Dear Sir Yr most obt Servt
Go: Washington
I recd your favr of the 16th.2
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, MiU-C: Clinton Papers; Df, DLC:GW; copy, P.R.O.: C.O. 5/102; copy, UK-LoPHL: Parliamentary Archives; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to Dayton at Morristown or Chatham, New Jersey. For the copy in P.R.O., see Henry Clinton to George Germain, 9–12 June, in , 20:154–57. On the verso of the draft, which is in Tilghman’s writing, GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys wrote under the date 4 June: “Duplicate. The original taken in the last Week’s Mail.” Humphreys then added a direction likely appended to the duplicate: “P.S. You will be pleased to forward the Letter to Genl Knyphausen by a flag” (see GW to Knyphausen, 1 June, found at Knyphausen to GW, 17 May, n.2; see also GW to Lafayette, 4 June, n.1). The duplicate has not been found.
1. GW may have enclosed queries contained in an undated document: “Enquire minutely into the number of Men which compose the present Garrison of New York and its dependencies. ascertaining the number at each post and Corps which compose them, distinguishing the British from the Foreigners.
“If any reinforcement should arrive from Virginia or elsewhere, ascertain the number and Corps—Or if any detachments should be made likewise ascertain the number and Corps.
“Take a view of the different Works and endeavour to find out the number of Cannon mounted in them, and the number of Men which are destined for their defence—likewise endeavour to find out the disposition the troops in the neighbourhood of the Works are to make in case of Alarm.
“The number and size of the ships of War in the Harbour and at the Hook.
“If another Fleet arrives—from whence it comes—by whom commanded and number and size of ships” (D, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW, under June 1781; Tilghman also wrote an undated docket: “Enquiries to be made in N.Y.”). Dayton wrote GW on 2 June, but that letter has not been found (see GW to Dayton, 14 June).
2. This postscript appears only on the LS and the copy in P.R.O. (see Dayton to GW, 16 May, and the source note above).