1. Stirling’s letter to GW of 22 Oct. has not been found.

2. GW wrote the previous twelve words, excepting the second “of,” which McHenry inserted above the line.

3. For the mission of GW’s subordinates to convey his thoughts on joint operations upon the arrival of Vice Admiral d’Estaing’s French forces, see GW to Duportail and Alexander Hamilton, 25 Oct., n.1.

4. Stirling rejoined the army in late October after having been at his home in Basking Ridge, N.J., earlier in the month to recover his health (see GW to Stirling, 7 Oct., and Nelson, Stirling, description begins Paul David Nelson. William Alexander, Lord Stirling. University, Ala., 1987. description ends 148).

Stirling announced his return to service in a letter to Brig. Gen. William Woodford written at Morristown, N.J., on 26 Oct., 9:00 P.M.: “From the intelligence that I have received, I have sufficient reason to believe that the Enemy have invaded this State. A party of their horse were this morning at Quibble Town and it is said, are Six thousand in Force at Amboy. This justifies me in ordering you immediately to march the Virginia Division to Springfield, where I shall meet you” (Stewart, Life of Woodford, description begins Mrs. Catesby Willis Stewart. The Life of Brigadier General William Woodford of The American Revolution. 2 vols. Richmond, Va., 1973. description ends 2:1100). For subsequent measures to address this threat, which proved to be Lt. Col. John Graves Simcoe’s raid into New Jersey, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 27 Oct., and GW to Wayne, to William Heath, to Robert Howe, and to John Sullivan, all same date; see also GW to George Clinton, 29 Oct., and n.5 to that document.

Woodford wrote Stirling from Pompton, N.J., on 28 Oct., presumably at 9:00 P.M. from the contents of the letter: “I received your Lordship’s favour of yesterday by Express, but have seen nothing of the one you refer to wrote the Day before.

“Upon the alarm of the Enemies coming into this State, I marched the Division to Sufferans where I left all our Tents and Baggage, with a guard of lame and bare footed men under command of Maj. Clarke, and arrived here about ten this morning upon my March for the relief of Morris Town, which by our accounts was in imminent danger.

“I learned here that was not the case, therefore called till I rec’d His Excellencies orders, or a confirmation of the intelligence. Advice from Gen. Wayne (who is at Paramus) with the Infantry may make it expedient for me to direct my march another Route his last acct. then informed him that a considerable body of the Enemy landed yesterday at Fort Lee and another at Monmouth with those at Amboy still in that neighborhood—I hope to know the truth of both in the morning, also to hear from the General, who is made acquainted with my situation.

“An honest Country man about twelve o’clock to Day picked up a letter in the Road near this place from Gove[rnor] Livingston to his Excellency which must have been dropped by a careless Express. Before I sent it forward, I took the Liberty to open it, he gives an account of the Enemy’s dragoons to Middle Brooke, Brunswick, and Somerset with the capture of Col. Symco in their return, but says nothing of their present situation, the Letter was dated yesterday” (Stewart, Life of Woodford, description begins Mrs. Catesby Willis Stewart. The Life of Brigadier General William Woodford of The American Revolution. 2 vols. Richmond, Va., 1973. description ends 2:1103). The letter from New Jersey governor William Livingston to GW dated 27 Oct. has not been found.

5. For a recent unofficial report on southern military movements, eventually proven erroneous, see GW to Horatio Gates, 22 Oct., n.6; see also Henry Laurens to GW, 24 Oct., and notes 7 and 8.

Capt. Samuel Shaw, an aide-de-camp to Brig. Gen. Henry Knox, wrote to Capt. Winthrop Sargent on 27 Oct. from New Windsor, N.Y., and expressed his exasperation over the absence of news about Vice Admiral d’Estaing: “What in the name of God has become of Count D’Estaing? It is six or seven weeks since his arrival at Georgia and no authentic accounts of his operations in that quarter! … The season is too far advanced to expect any flattering consequences from his arrival at this time; and I believe the only honor we shall derive from his coming will be that of furnishing him with bread and beef for a West India Voyage” (“Shaw’s War Letters,” description begins Nicholas B. Wainwright, ed. “Captain Samuel Shaw’s Revolutionary War Letters to Captain Winthrop Sargent.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 70 (1946): 281–324. description ends 302).