1. See Dayton to GW, c.25 June., and n.1.

2. British major Frederick Mackenzie, stationed at New York City, wrote in his diary entry for 22 June: “The Expedition under the Command of General Skinner, came up this afternoon at 7 o’Clock. …

“They landed yesterday Morning near Middletown, from whence they marched to the town, and drove all the Cattle and Sheep they could find, from thence to the high land of Neversink, opposite to Sandy hook Island, from whence they embarked this Morning. They were as usual harrassed by the Militia, all the time they were on shore, who kept as much as possible under Cover, and fired on the flanks and rear. The loss on our side is 2 Jagers killed, an Officer and 2 men of that Corps wounded, and 5 of the 42d Missing. Ten Rebels were taken prisoners, most of them wounded by the Cavalry. The Prisoners say two or three were killed, and a few more wounded.

“This Expedition does not appear to have been attended with the desired success, nor to have been worth the loss of so many men” (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 , 2:550–51). In his entry for 24 June, Mackenzie added: “It appears that The Rebels had notice of the late Expedition to Middletown in Jersey, time enough to drive off most of the Cattle from that part of the Country” (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 , 2:552). For other sour assessments of this raid, see the diary entries for 22 and 24 June in Gruber, Peebles’ American War description begins Ira D. Gruber, ed. John Peebles’ American War: The Diary of a Scottish Grenadier, 1776–1782. Mechanicsburg, Pa., 1998. description ends , 454, and the entry for 23 June in Sabine, Smith’s Historical Memoirs (1971) description begins William H. W. Sabine, ed. Historical Memoirs from 26 August 1778 to 12 November 1783 of William Smith. . .. New York, 1971. description ends , 424.

The New-Jersey Gazette (Trenton) for Wednesday, 27 June, reported: “From Monmouth county we learn, that on Thursday last a body consisting of about one thousand New Levies, British and Foreign Troops, under the command of Cortlandt Skinner, made an incursion into that county:—By their conduct it appears their intention was to plunder a place called Pleasant Valley, where they arrived about 11 o’clock, A.M. with little or no interruption; the inhabitants had however exerted themselves in such a manner in driving off their stock of every kind, that they found very little booty.

“The militia of the neighbourhood were by this time beginning to collect, and a pretty smart skirmishing was kept up through the remainder of the day, in which we are informed our people behaved with great spirit.—They began their retreat about sun down, and made no halt till they got to Garret’s Hill, where they continued that night, during the course of which one of our gallant officers made a descent upon them, and rescued a number of their stolen sheep; the next day they embarked again, having captured and taken off with them, by the best account, about 40 cattle and 60 sheep, with the loss of one man killed and a number deserted; their loss in wounded is unknown: The loss on our side is one killed and three or four wounded.—They have burned two houses, but it is acknowledged in their favour that they behaved remarkably well to the persons of the people in general.

“By their coming in such force it was expected their aim was to have penetrated further into the country, to prevent which the militia of the neighbouring counties were called upon, and it was truly surprising to see with what spirit and alacrity they flew to their arms, and were crouding down from every quarter to the assistance of their brethren on this occasion, when accounts of the hasty retreat of the enemy rendered their further services unnecessary.”

3. In part of a letter dated 8 June, Gen. Henry Clinton had written Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis: “I enclose Your Lordship copies of some intercepted letters; by these Your Lordship will see that we are threatened with a siege. The enemy had bad information respecting my force. It is not, however, as Your Lordship knows, what it ought to be” (Willcox, American Rebellion description begins William B. Willcox, ed. The American Rebellion: Sir Henry Clinton’s Narrative of His Campaigns, 1775–1782, with an Appendix of Original Documents. New Haven, 1954. description ends , 528). For the intercepted letters, see GW to Lafayette, 4 June, n.1. Mackenzie wrote in his diary entry for 18 June that Clinton had “received some particular and authentic information very lately respecting the intentions of The Enemy, from which he is convinced their plan is to invest New York” (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 , 2:546).

4. Dayton disparaged N.J. militia captain John Scudder. For GW’s directions regarding flags of truce, see his letter to Dayton, 29 May 1780; see also GW to Dayton, 27 March 1781.