From George Washington to Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, 5 November 1779
To Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
Head Quarters West point 5th Novemr 1779.
Dear Sir
Since mine of this morning, I have seen a letter from Governor Livingston to Genl Sullivan of the 2d in which he mentions the enemy’s having assembled on Staten Island in force, and from their preparation of Boats another incursion was apprehended.1 I imagine the Governors information is the same as that communicated to you by Colo. Seely,2 but as I would not wish to be behind hand with them in preparation, I think you may as well move down with the Infantry to Acquaquenack or that neighbourhood—keep up a correspondence with General Maxwell who is at Westfeild,3 and should the enemy come over, take the speediest method of cooperating with him, and with the troops under General Sullivan who will fall down to Pompton should there be occasion—You will correspond with him likewise4—I have directed Colo. Washington to move with Baylors Regt to Westfeild,5 and have ordered the whole of the Marechausi Horse to join you.6 Should you receive any intelligence which you may think proper to communicate to me, let your Express come by the Virginia encampment and by Clements7 as I expect to ride down that way tomorrow. I am Dear Sir Your most obt Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, PHi: Wayne Papers; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW. GW signed the cover of the LS; for its likely forwarding, see William Woodford to GW, 6 November.
2. For Col. Silvanus Seely’s letter to Wayne of 1 Nov., see Wayne to GW, 4 Nov., source note; see also, Wayne to GW, 9 November.
6. GW’s order to the Maréchaussée Corps, if written, has not been found.
In an undated petition to Congress, presumably written in early March 1780, Capt. Bartholomew von Heer, commander of the Maréchaussée Corps, sought a formal association with the Light Infantry for his unit. That petition also outlined Heer’s service history, which in part reads that he was “appointed Captain In Colonel Proctor’s Regiment of Artillery & remained in the service from the 14th March 1777 to the 1st of June 1778, when he received Orders from his Excellency Genrl Washington to raise a Company of Marechausséce Light Dragoons, which he executed in a very Short Time in August following & proceeded with them to Camp, where he Served in that Duty, Untill His Excellency thought proper to order him to Join the Light Infantry then under the Command of Genrl Maxfield [Maxwell] upon the Lines; That upon the Army’s marching to the Clove the Troop was emploied in reconnoitring in front & when at Smiths-Clove was ordered by His Excellency to Join Genrl Wayne, who commanded the Light Infantry & continued emploied as Light Dragoons, untill Sent into Winter-Quarters the Sixt of January last” (DLC:GW). Congress read Heer’s petition on 18 March and referred it to the Board of War ( 16:260). For an overview of the Maréchaussée Corps during later 1779 and early 1780, see 148–49.
7. Clement’s was located along the road about eight miles southwest of West Point.