To George Washington from Major Benjamin Tallmadge, 4 October 1780
From Major Benjamin Tallmadge
North Castle [N.Y.] Octo. 4th 1780
Sir
I have the honor to inclose two Letters from the C——s which, after being in pursuit of me for some days, while at Head Quarters, have just come to hand. It happens they contain nothing very material.1
Since my Arrival at this Place, I am inform’d one of our Dragoons was taken, last Sunday, at Crompond2—He had letters from Governor Trumbull, Col. Jameson &c. for your Excellency, which if recd will prove he was on the return, which ⟨I⟩ rather suppose was the Case. I have the Honor to be, with great Regard, Sir, Your Excellency’s most Obedt Servt
Benja. Tallmadge
ALS, DLC:GW. Tallmadge wrote “Private” and “P. Express” on the cover, which was addressed to GW at Tappan.
1. The enclosure from Samuel Culper (Abraham Woodhull’s alias) to John Bolton (Tallmadge’s alias) presented the dateline in code for Setauket, N.Y., on 27 Sept. (with the code for the month being misrendered as “616” rather than “618”): “Inclosed you have C. Jur Blank—Which I trust contains all that may be known in and about New York, And have only to mention the departure of the 17th Dg. from Smith Town and are now at Jerico, None but Coll Lud[l]oes Regm. is at Loyds Neck, nor none except the 17th Dg eastward of Jamaica a Number of Refugees have built a Block House on Jesse Arthurs Farm for the purpose of cutting Wood on the lands of Mr Treddle & Platt—Have Just heard that 30—or 40 have taken Possession of Wm Smith Farm at Mastick Neck and doth much distress his Family, The latter may easily be Surprisd and retreat at your leisure—Q[u]eens Rangers is at Jamaica, Let Caleb Brewster, Come on again October the 5” (DLC:GW; underlines signify decoded text). For the code, see Tallmadge to GW, 25 July 1779. The enclosure from Samuel Culper, Jr. (Robert Townsend’s alias) was written in invisible ink and is now illegible (DLC:GW).
2. The previous Sunday was 1 October.