From George Washington to Brigadier General William Maxwell, 13 December 1779
To Brigadier General William Maxwell
Morris Town Decr 13th 1779
Sir,
General Parsons, with a detachment, is under marching orders towards the Sound: When he arrives at the place of his destination he will give you notice,1 and, you will march your brigade immediately to camp. If any part of your men should be so bare of cloathing as to be incapable of mar[c]hing you may leave such behind under the care of proper officers ’till cloathing can be sent to them; though it will be best if it can be done that the whole should march; they will be the sooner supplied and the transportation will be saved. Part of your cloathing is already here and the rest coming on. You had best send your state Clothier & Col. Spencer’s Pay Master forward to receive your proportion and have it ready for distribution when the troops arrive. The State Clothier will bring with him an exact return of all the state cloathing in his possession.2 I am &c.
Df, in Alexander Hamilton’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. See GW to Samuel Holden Parsons, this date.
2. GW probably is referring to Enos Kelsey, New Jersey’s state clothier.
GW again wrote Maxwell from Morristown on 15 Dec.: “No Cloathing but Coats and Waistcoats having yet arrived here, tho the other Articles are every moment expected, the Gentlemen appointed to draw for your Brigade and Spencers Regt have preferred waiting till the troops arrive on their ground, by which time, I hope they will be able to draw the whole of their Bounty Cloaths together.
“You are to march by the most direct Route to Mr Kembles about four Miles south of this—Your place of encampment being in that neighbourhood. You had best send the Quarter Masters forward to receive information of their ground from the Quarter Master General” (Df, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW).