From George Washington to Brigadier General Henry Knox, 5 June 1779
To Brigadier General Henry Knox
Pompton [N.J.] June 5th 1779
Sir:
The army is now crossing the Mountain to take post on the upper communication. It will be unsafe for you to move on through the clove. You will therefore be pleased to file off by the road from Morris town toward Sussex so as to proceed on by the upper route from Sussex to New Windsor, till you join the army. This is meant as a general direction. You will inform yourself more particularly of the best route from Morris to the upper road from Sussex to Chester and take that.1 I am, Sir, Your most obed. servt
Go. Washington
Copy, DLC: Peter Force Papers. The address on the copy reads: “Brigadier General Knox, or officer commanding the Park of Artillery on its march to Morristown.”
1. GW’s directions defined a course to the northwest and then to the northeast. It was about thirty-two miles from Morristown to Sussex Court House (present-day Newton, N.J.) and roughly another forty miles from Sussex Court House to Chester, New York. If completed, the final stretch from Chester to New Windsor, N.Y., was about eighteen miles.