31To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 22 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Soon after I parted with your Excellency I met with the Horseman from New Ark—The Person I had sent over was in Paulus Hook, and reports that Horses passed on the Ice, to and from New York, on the twentieth, and it still appeared to be strong— That the Hook is entirely open to the River, except the Redoubts, Block House, and a little Fort of an oval Form next to the Barracks, which he says...
32To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 23 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I am extremly apprehensive that the Rains of yesterday, together with the high Winds from the eastward last Night, have rendered the Enterprise on Paulus Hook impract[i]cable; I shall however make the Experiment, and have given Orders for the March of the Troops in such manner as that the whole, by three different Routs, will be assembled at New Ark by twelve oClock at Night, which will leave...
33To George Washington from Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair, 23 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair, 23 Feb. 1780. On 24 Feb. , GW wrote St. Clair: “I recd yours of yesterday late last night.”
34To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 27 February 1780 (Washington Papers)
I was sitting down to inform your Excellency that I had received all the Intelligence respecting Paulus Hook that I thought necessary, and had made my Arrangements for carrying the Attack on that Place into Execution this Evening, when I received an Account from New Ark that the Ice in the North River is broken up; the Bay at Communé Pas quite clear; and that what remained along the Shore,...
35Enclosure: Minutes of Prisoner Exchange Negotiations, 10–14 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
Minutes of the proceedings of the Commissioners, on the part of His Excellency General Washington and of His Excellency General sir Henry Clinton. The Commissioners being met, agree to the following preliminaries. That copies of the powers should be interchanged, and they were interchanged accordingly. That the limits of the neutral ground should extend three miles round Amboy, that Town being...
36To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 29 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
After reflecting upon the several Matters that your Excellency was pleased to lay before the Council Yesterday, my Opinion in general is that, at present no Detachment can with propriety be made from this Army. for which Opinion my Reasons are That our operating Force, if all collected to a Point, is inferior to that of the Ennemy in New York and its Dependencies; and that from the Expiration...
37To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 3 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Reduction of New York together with the british Army, is certainly, of all Others, the most desirable Object, as it would put an immediate End to the War; But the Siege of any Place, altho’ not regularly fortified, furnished with such a Garrison as that will be, is a very serious Business, and tho’ it may finally succeed, carries not with it that Degree of probability that, in our...
38To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 12 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Fleet having entered the Bay of New York, and that City being the Object, it appears necessary to pass some Vessels of Force through the Narrows in order to oblige the Ennemy to discover their Intention with regard to Staaten Island. If they do not mean to keep Possession of it the Garrison will be instantly withdrawn. But it may be that they may chuse to sacrifice some Part of their...
39To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 9 September 1780 (Washington Papers)
The Attack upon New York always appeared to me a very doubtful and hazardous Enterprise. I think it now out of the Question altogether, from the advanced Season of the Year; the scantiness of our Force; the precariousness of our Supplies; and the want of a sufficient Fleet, in which a decided Superiority is necessary to give the Undertaking the least probability of Success. If the second...
40To George Washington from Major General Arthur St. Clair, 7 October 1780 (Washington Papers)
I received your Excellencys letter of yesterday and am very glad that you have ordered up the Troops which are to compose the Garrison, as it is very necessary they should be here, that Things may be got into some kind of order before the Winter. at present they are very much deranged. The laying in a proper stock of fire wood is a very heavy, but a very essential Business, and the Militia...