George Washington to Lieutenant General Rochambeau, 2 July 1781
To Lieutenant General Rochambeau
Head Quarters Peekskill 2d July 17811
sir
I have this Morning received your Excellency’s Favor of last Evening.2
I think it may be very well for your Excellency to proceed Tomorrow to North Castle—where you will continue untill you assemble your whole Force, unless you should hear further from me within that Time.3
Being at North Castle will put you in a direct Rout to receive your Provisions from Crompond—& will be a Direct Road for your Troops to advance to White Plains, or any other Point below, as Circumstances shall appear to Demand.
Colo. Hull, an active & very intelligent Officer, will have the Honor to deliver this to your Excellency4—he is charged with my Instructions to the Duke de Lauzun;5 & being perfectly acquainted with our intended Movements & with the Scene of Operations, will remain with the Duke,6 & give him every Aid in his Power7—this same Gentleman will be able to reply to any Queries your Excellency shall be pleased to put to him. With perfect Esteem & Regard—I have the Honor to be sir Your Excellency’s Most Obedt Servant
Go: Washington
LS, in Jonathan Trumbull, Jr.’s writing, CtY-BR:R; Df, DLC:GW; Rochambeau’s French translation, CtY-BR:R; LB, in French, DLC: Rochambeau Papers, vol. 12; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS, which is addressed to Rochambeau at Bedford, New York.
1. GW left Peekskill at 3:00 A.M. on this date (see GW to Benjamin Lincoln, 1 July, source note).
2. See Rochambeau to GW, 1 July.
3. Rochambeau and the French army arrived at the North Castle Church area in New York on 3 July (see Rochambeau to GW, 4 July).
4. For an account of Lt. Col. William Hull’s delivery of this letter and his mission to assist the French army, see , 199–202.
5. See GW to Lauzun, 1 July.
6. The preceding five words do not appear on the draft, which Trumbull also penned.
7. For the operations, see GW to Lincoln, 1 July.