To George Washington from Brigadier General Charles Scott, 2 September 1778
From Brigadier General Charles Scott
[near White Plains] 2d Sept. 1778
Sir
I am Sorry to inform You that I have not been able to get any Intelligence worth Your attention since The Rect of Your Instructions.1 Colo. Butler returnd last evning who tells me it is next to an impossability to get a proper person to go on long Island, I Have Still out Colo. Grayham & Capt. Levengsworth I hope they may bring somthing. Inclosd Your Excellency will Receive a Paper of the 29th. I am Your Excellencys Obt Servt
Chs Scott
ALS, DLC:GW. GW’s aide-de-camp Richard Kidder Meade wrote to Scott later on this date: “His Excy received your favor accompanied by a news Paper.
“From the pretty frequent desertion of the Corps under Colo. Gist’s command, & the absolute necessity of their being chosen men in every respect—His Excellency wishes you to attend particularly to the appointment of them—so as to have such as may be fully depended on” (DLC:GW).
1. The instructions, apparently transmitted in a letter from Tench Tilghman of 31 Aug., have not been identified.