VI. George Washington to Colonel Stephen Moylan, 21 November 1780
VI
To Colonel Stephen Moylan
Hd Qrs Novr 21st 80
Sir
At nine OClock in the morning of 24th Friday1 you will parade with your regiment at2 Totawa bridge, furnished with two days provisions; and you will detail parties towards the New Bridge and thence upwards to the bridge near Demeries3 and downwards as far as you think necessary to answer the purpose, to secure all the crossing places on the Hackensack and prevent any person going with intelligence to the enemy. You will select a sufficient party of the trustiest of your men to patrole from the Marquis’s old quarters below the liberty Pole towards Bergen Town bulls ferry—Weehock—Hobuck4 &c. A Videt to be constantly at Bulls ferry, and make reports every two hours.
Major Goetschius is also ordered with his militia to patrole from the New bridge downwards for the same purpose.5
Much depends on the punctual execution of these orders, for which I have entire reliance on your judgment and knowlege of the Country—I confide the rest to your discretion. I am Sir Your most Obed. st
Von Heers Corps will join you and take your orders.6 Be pleased to acknowledge the Re[ceip]t of this.7
Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote the postscript on the draft.
1. Tilghman wrote this date in a space Hamilton left on the draft.
2. Hamilton wrote and struck out “Bulls ferry” at this place on the draft.
3. GW means Demarest in northeastern Bergen County, New Jersey. The area later became a borough.
4. GW refers to Weehawken and Hoboken, New Jersey.
5. See Document IV.
6. See Document XVII.
7. No reply from Moylan has been found.