To George Washington from Major General Stirling, 4 July 1780
From Major General Stirling
Camp Perckenis [N.J.] July 4th 1780
The Several points which your Excellency laid before the Council of General Officers the 6th of June last1 I think may now be reduced to one General Question, vizt “how shall the Army under your Excellencys Command be imployed dureing the present Campaign.”
In our present Scituation we can do no more than to observe the Enemy, and endeavour to prevent them from Strikeing any Stroke of Consequence, and unless we should be Strongly reinforced I do not see what we Can do more while the Enemy do so intirely Command the Navigation; But on the Supposition of a french fleet and Army arriveing and giveing us the Command of the Navigation, I am of opinion that we should Cooperate with them in the reduction of New York as the first Measure; after which I would Jointly with them endeavour to reduce Halifax; smaller operations such as the reduction of Penobscot &c. might be Commenced immediately after. and If Successful to the Northward the Winter Campaign should be Spent in the recovery of Georgia & South Carolina. I am your Excellency’s Most Humble Servant
Stirling,
ALS, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
On 3 July, GW’s aide-de-camp Tench Tilghman wrote Stirling: “There are no other alterations in circumstances since the meeting of the Council at Morris Town on the 6th June, than that the Enemy have not brought all their force from the Southward—By the most accurate accounts the number which came with General Clinton amounts to between three and four thousand—I believe your Lordship may, with making the above allowance, proceed to give your opinion without suffering any thing material from o[u]r alteration of circumstance” (NHi: Stirling Papers).
1. See Council of War, 6 June.